ST. MICHAEL CENTER

SEARCH

("Virgin of the Apocalypse", Miguel Cabrera, 1760) The building was deeply infested by demons. It was the site of grievous sins-- murder and blasphemies against God. Not surprising, one of the symptoms in that building was an ongoing divisiveness to the point of scandal and even violence. One of Satan's titles is: "causa discordiae," cause of discord. His presence invariably fosters discord, division and conflict. Our team of priests and laity gathered for a "marathon", i.e., a session of many hours of concentrated prayer to cast out demons. We also had a gifted spiritual sensitive with us. We were hoping to begin to dislodge the entrenched demonic presence. But after many hours of deliverance prayers, there were no signs to her or to the rest of the team that any progress was being made. I felt sure that the Blessed Virgin would intervene and help us. I believed that it was she who called us to be there and she would ensure that our efforts would bear fruit. Still ... after several hours there were no signs of any progress. As our time was almost up, I began to fear that the building was just too badly cursed to be cleansed. Perhaps we were wasting our time... Unexpectedly, in the last few minutes, I felt a surge of love for the Virgin well up in my heart. I turned to her and gave her my love. Just then, our spiritual sensitive leaned over and whispered to me, "The demons are reacting. One just left." When the Virgin shows up, there is love. And it is love that casts out demons.

("Baptism of Christ," Pietro Perugino, c. 1497) Recently a priest working with a possessed woman called and said: "I just got a text from her demons." I asked, "What did it say?" He replied, "She's mine!" My response: "Typical." At some point in an exorcism, the demons will invariably claim the possessed person belongs to them and demand we back off. This also tells us that the demons' hold on the person is being seriously threatened, or else they would have not sent the text. Their control is waning and they are frightened. Every exorcism is, at root, a battle for ownership. Who does this person belong to-- Jesus or Satan? Satan grasps for control; Jesus gives us free choice to choose Him. During an exorcism, we invite the afflicted person to renew his/her baptismal vows: "Do you reject Satan? And all his works? And all his empty show?" The person follows with an affirmation of faith. Then I typically hold up a crucifix and say, as in a baptism: "I claim you for Christ our savior by the sign of his cross." I am alarmed by the increasing number of people who are not even baptized. It is in this fundamental sacrament that the person is rescued from the clutches of Satan. I remind the Evil One of this in our sessions: "This person belongs to Jesus. He/she has rejected you. He/she has been baptized." The response from the demons? Silence. On Easter Sunday, we renew our baptismal promises. We profess our faith. We are sprinkled with holy water. It is a minor exorcism. We have been delivered from the power of evil and saved by Jesus Christ. What a glorious day!

(The Resurrection, Piero della Francesca, 1460s) In the light of the Easter resurrection, I am reminded of a previous demonic encounter.* During a solemn exorcism, we were invoking the power of the resurrection of Jesus and out of the demon's mouth comes a jubilant: "We won! We won! He didn't rise." At this, the priests in the room spontaneously broke out in laughter. I added, "This demon needs a history lesson." I do not know if the demon really believed what he was saying. They are inveterate liars. But as a psychologist, I have long witnessed the denials and darkness that accompany sin. Sin clouds the mind and distorts one's perspective. In the bowels of the dark kingdom, truth is clouded over and distorted. Those inured to evil eventually start to believe their own lies. And yet, everything that was happening witnessed to the reality of the resurrection. The mere sight of the crucifix was a torment to the demons: Ecce crucem domini, fugite partes adversae (Behold the cross of the Lord. Depart you evil powers). Why would the symbol of the crucifixion be a torment to evil if not followed by the resurrection? As holy water was sprinkled on the demons, they writhed in pain. Ecce aqua benedicta ("Behold water that has been blessed.") How could the blessing of water in the name of a crucified man be a powerful weapon against evil if he did not rise? I then proceeded to say the imprecatory prayers of the Rite of Exorcism commanding Satan to leave in the name of Jesus. Adjuro te, Satan, princeps huius mundi: agnosce potentiam et virtutem Jesu Christi, qui te ... spoliavit in cruce et de sepulcro resurgens tua tropaea in regnum transtulit lucis , "I command you, Satan, prince of this world: acknowledge the power and strength of Jesus Christ, who...despoiled you on the Cross, and, rising from the tomb, transferred your spoils into the kingdom of light." I commanded the demons to leave in the name of Jesus who died and rose. And they did leave. The demons were cast out in the name of Jesus whose death and resurrection is the foundation of every exorcism and is itself the ultimate exorcism of Satan. It is on the cross and in the resurrection that Satan's kingdom was smashed forever. *See Diary of An American Exorcist, p. 143.

("The Return of the Prodigal Son," Bernardino Licinio, 1535) More than a few people, including priests and religious, suffer from demonic mental obsessions. Satan mercilessly pummels their minds, often with their past sins. The Evil One thrusts into their minds, again and again, images and thoughts of their past sins and failings, confessed or not. What makes these recognizable as demonic, and not just a psychological obsessiveness, is the ferocity, often rapid onset, and unrelenting torment. It is as if there was a pack of demons mercilessly pounding on the person's head. In fact, this is exactly what is happening. So, in the midst of an exorcism, I will lay my hands on the person's head and command the demons to leave. Such a mental pounding is designed to wear people down, fill them with fear/anxiety, and lead them to despair. These mental thoughts are not from the Lord; it is not a true exercise in repentance. In the grace of true repentance, the individual recognizes his/her past sins and feels a graced compunction, sometimes with tears. This leads to a sense of reconciliation with God and inner peace. In our last online deliverance session*, several individuals reported such a graced experience of peace. One person wrote: "I felt contrition for my sins by crying." Another shared: "I just started crying and couldn't stop. During and afterwards I felt a sense of peace that hasn't left me, and all those little irritations that would easily cause my impatience or anger to flare up now just melt away." God gives inner peace; Satan foments torment and despair. Priests are special targets for Satan. It is sad to see how many, usually unaware of the demonic source, suffer these mental torments. Since these men tend to rely heavily on their intellects, the Evil One attacks their minds, attempting to cripple them and their ministries. Given their extensive theological training, one would expect priests to be aware of God's infinite mercy. Indeed, they do realize in their heads that God is all-forgiving, but they don't feel it. As one priest said, "It feels like God's mercy is for everyone else but me." Another priest said, "I intellectually know that God forgives me, but I feel completely overwhelmed and tormented by my past sins." Oftentimes, in those who suffer demonic obsessions, there may be an opening to the demonic such as a specific sin or a deep inner wound. Satan attempts to exploit such a weakness. For example, someone with a past habit of pornography, even after having confessed and overcome this sinful habit, may be pummeled with intense, unrelenting sexual thoughts. The antidote begins with an inner healing of these wounds, deliverance prayers to release one from the demonic, and fostering a deep trust in Jesus. At one point in the midst of such a session, I say to them: "Relax, breathe, and repeat after me, 'Jesus I trust in you. Jesus I trust in you.'" *The next online deliverance session is Tuesday, April 26th at 7-8pm Eastern USA time. Register now at: www.catholicexorcism.org

("Christ Triumphant over Sin and Death," Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1618) Discernment in the case before us was a bit complicated. We weren't sure if the manifestations were the result of a demonic presence or of a psychological origin. The team sat down to pray and to discern together. Fortunately, there was a "burden bearer" on the team. She said, "I experienced a spirit of terror, and demonic mental attacks. It was very strong." Her intervention was an important part of our discernment. We decided to continue the deliverance sessions. Later sessions confirmed her experience. Jesus is THE burden bearer. In his death and resurrection, he took upon himself all of our sins and became the source of our salvation. But there are some folks, chosen by him and not by us, who participate in Christ's bearing of people's burdens. More than a spiritual sensitivity, burden bearers actually feel and experience, to some degree, the sufferings of the other. Galatians 6:2 might be applied: "Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ." When the Spirit has burden bearers take on the sufferings of others, it typically helps afflicted individuals with their sufferings. It may give them a slight respite which can be critical in a time of crisis. It also helps to discern what the underlying wounds are and may be an occasion of a unique healing grace. In our exorcism ministry, we have such generous people and we are VERY grateful for them. Their ministry is largely hidden and should remain so. They participate in the cross of Jesus for others. It is not an easy calling.

The icon of Mary I have is not particularly attractive, at least on the surface. It is dark and the look on Mary's face is somber, almost unhappy. I was given the icon years ago and I was going to discard it, but then I felt I shouldn't let it go. So, I kept it. Over the years I have prayed with it daily, as it sits next to the tabernacle. Now, when I am on the road, I miss the icon. If I am gone for a long trip, I will sometimes wrap it up and take it with me; my connection with it has become strong. Two weeks after the invasion of the Ukraine, I had an inspiration to look at the back of the icon more closely and to investigate its roots. The inscription identifies it as: "Virgin of Vladimir." I looked it up and found that it is likely a 12th century Byzantine icon that was gifted to the city of Kyiv in the Ukraine and then housed in the city of Vladimir in the Ukraine, before it was eventually transferred and resides today in Moscow. There have been many miracles attributed to the icon. Why have I have been praying before the Virgin of the Ukraine for years? It is also interesting that one of our most difficult cases has involved a young Ukrainian woman. Most recently, she has been almost completely liberated. I have been impressed with her courage and strength. Even the demons said they are surprised she is still alive. She is a strong woman. Does the liberation of one Ukrainian modestly contribute, in some way, to the spiritual liberation of a nation? And then, before the war erupted, I was privileged to meet Michael Brown, the founder of Spirit Daily. He spoke to me of his Ukrainian friend Josyp Terelya who was tortured for decades by the Communists for his support of Ukrainian nationalism and his ardent Catholic faith, yet never yielded. He was reportedly favored with several Marian apparitions and Michael Brown's book Witness about his life is a must read. It gives a sense of the spiritual importance of the Ukraine and the role of Our Lady. It is interesting that Mariupol, the epicenter of recent humanitarian atrocities, actually means: City of Mary. I do not know what all this means. But I am convinced of three things. 1. The war in the Ukraine has immense spiritual significance. 2. The faith and strength of the men and women of the Ukraine are astounding. 3. Our Lady is involved intensely with all that is going on and her Immaculate Heart will triumph! For my part, I continue to pray before the icon of the Virgin of Vladimir. I join in Our Lady's urgent request to pray for peace. I have a strong hope that the days are rapidly coming when Satan and the forces of evil will be definitively crushed under Our Lady's heel (Gn 3:15).

(Giovanni Dominico Tiepolo, "The Institution of the Eucharist," 1753) It is typically very difficult to get a fully possessed person to go to Mass. As often as we encourage the person, the energumen (possessed person) feels a preternatural revulsion to the Eucharist. "K" was no exception. We could not get her to go without practically dragging her into the Church. And then, sitting through the entire Mass was painful, if not impossible. After months of exorcisms, she was much better but getting her into the chapel was still a huge struggle. Finally, we finally were able to schedule a private Mass for her, her father, and uncle. For three days before the scheduled Mass, she manifested almost constantly. The demons knew what was planned and they went ballistic. They manipulated her and everyone else, trying to sabotage the event, but no one budged. When the day came, her family, not-so-subtly, all but dragged her into the chapel. She was seated between two large family members who kept her in place. Then the Mass began. As the Mass progressed, she kept yelling, "You're killing me!" She said her stomach hurt and she felt nauseous. She heaved many times. We had a bucket nearby and she wretched a white foam into the bucket. When the Gospel was read, she reacted violently. (I must admit it was difficult for me to concentrate.) Then, it came time for communion. After much coaxing and finally a command from her father, she opened her mouth. As I approached with the Sacred Host, she screamed, "You're burning me!" I put the host into her mouth. She thrashed and tried to spit it out, but her father held her mouth shut. Later, she said the Host tasted like "ashes." After the Mass ended, she returned to herself. She said the demons were gone (at least temporarily) and she was at peace. She laughed, joked and smiled. Satan, unintentionally, witnesses to all that is holy. He writhes when sprinkled with holy water; he cringes at the sight of a blessed crucifix; but he positively screams when coming in contact with the Eucharist. We, for our part, also witness to the sanctity of the Eucharist. We genuflect in front of the reserved Eucharist in the tabernacle; we adore the presence of Jesus during Eucharistic adoration; we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus at Mass with great reverence. As St. Thomas wrote: How blessed we are to receive the "bread of angels!" (Panis Angelicus)

(Apparition Hill, Medjugorje, 3/10/22, photo by Katie Ryan) The above photo was taken this week at Apparition Hill in Medjugorje, the reported site of Marian apparitions. In the photo are several members of our deliverance team and their pilgrimage group around the statue of Our Lady. At Medjugorje, she is often referred to as: "Queen of Peace." In a reported message from Our Lady this past week, one of the visionaries said, "Our Lady appeared with outstretched arms and prayed for a long time for peace." She encouraged us to do the same. A few days later, she appeared again to the visionary and implored us to be "persevering" in prayer for peace.

(Icon "Jesus Walking on the Water") The exorcism stalled out. We were saying all the right prayers, but the process of liberation was going nowhere. As we looked into the cause, the afflicted person spoke about her fear of Satan. She was terrified. She was hesitant responding to the prayers for fear of riling him and incurring his wrath. Her fear was understandable. Throughout the exorcisms, the demons were constantly threatening her. "We will get you tonight!" they yelled in her brain, "We will torture you and drag you to hell!" Then they promised her: "But if you stop the prayers, we will leave you alone." In a reported Marian apparition, Our Blessed Lady reputedly said, "The devil is strong with those who fear him and weak with those who despise him." While we cannot confirm she said those words, they certainly ring true in our experience as exorcists. I told the terrified woman: "In hell, the slaves of Satan cower in fear. As long as you do, you will never be free." An important part of the process of liberation is learning to trust in Jesus. As the Scriptures say, "Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

("Christ Healing the Blind," El Greco, 1570) St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal has been surprised with the outpouring of support for its ministry. In a short period of time, we have over 21,000 subscribers and the number is rising rapidly. The last 90 days, there have been over 93,000 unique visitors to our website. We have been inundated with requests for spiritual assistance, especially with those who need deliverance prayers. In response, we have started a monthly live online deliverance prayer session.* We have been more than grateful to God for the many healings that have already occurred, based upon the scores of emails we have received. Here are some typical responses [edited to preserve anonymity] from the previous sessions: *"I felt as if I was being filled with the Holy Spirit. Thank you!" *"I was healed from demonic obsession. I am looking forward to inner healing next time." *"I felt a sense of peace from the anxiety I have been suffering. Thank you!" *"Peace beyond any human understanding." *"I felt a sense of peace and God's love for me. Thank you." *"I am sensing in myself greater strength and less lethargy. I am looking forward to the next session." *"A deep sense of peace and joy." *"I’ve been struggling with what I have suspected was demonic obsession/oppression for a long time, and I see signs after the session that all this has disappeared… The next day, I felt positively angelic" *"I gained immediate relief from some increased mental torment lately. This is medicine for my soul." *"My anger receded." *"While the prayers were being recited..I just started crying uncontrollably. Thank you!" *"I felt very moved and touched to the core of my being." *"During the prayers of deep cleansing, I felt the consolation and loving presence of Jesus. Tears streamed down my face and I'm not one who is given to a lot of emotion. Thank you for much needed deliverance." *"[I felt] contrition for my sins by crying." *"I just wanted you to know that after [we] prayed to remove fear, sickness and anxiety, I was filled with peace. Earlier on in the day…I was so tired and ill…Praise God for his kindness. One particular note caught my eye [used with permission]: "Hi, I just wanted to write back to let you know that I attended the 2/21 deliverance prayer session. It was a huge blessing for me. I have been working on childhood trauma and neglect for a few years now, but there was a persistent suicidality that has been there since I was a teenager. I am now in my mid 40s. On top of that, just a sense of self hatred, hatred towards God, hatred toward acceptance that I haven't been able to shake, even after a lot of prayer. It feels like all of that was stripped away after the session the other night. That persistent negative voice in my head is gone. When negative thoughts come up, I can talk to them much more normally and with kindness to myself. I also found myself able to say that I love God and Jesus. I wanted to give it a few days to make sure this is real. The last two times I had gone to RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults to become Catholic), I had locked up, not talked to anyone, and then felt suicidal afterward. Last night, I actually managed to talk to a couple of people. There was some awkwardness there with my social skills [being] rusty, but the focus was on Catholicism and joining the Church at Easter. Thanks to you and thanks to God for this help. It's really a blessing." I asked this person about the decision to become Catholic. Here is the response: There were a number of things that led me to decide to join RCIA. I had lost my faith but listening to my Catholic friends got me interested in it again....It seemed like God had been drawing me more and more. It appears that God has healed this person from intense negative self-thoughts and mental torments, which were probably demonic obsessions. Others have reported similar healings. While God is always generous and Jesus continues to heal, I believe our world is now in a special time of grace. God's grace is being poured out in unique abundance during these troubled times. We at SMC are grateful for your encouragement and support. Thank you! And we give thanks to God for the superabundant time of grace in which we now live. *The next session is 7pm Eastern USA time, March 28th. You will soon be able to register at www.catholicexorcism.org.

(Our Lady, Mother of Purity, Legion of Mary) "B" had a troubled, sexually traumatic upbringing. The child of a prostitute, she was sexually abused as a child. She became a stripper at a local club. She was raped many times. An attempt was made to sex-traffic her, but she managed to escape. Despite her life in the dark world of sexual perversion, there was, in her, a great potentiality for goodness, even heroism. She had an inner strength which enabled her to keep bounding back, despite being repeatedly threatened, beaten, and raped. Through the good offices of a deacon, she ended up in our exorcism sessions. She was fully possessed. She exhibited all the major signs, including many instances of occult knowledge, violent reactions to the sacred, and speaking/writing in a foreign tongue unknown to her. When the exorcisms sessions began, she manifested quickly and exhibited gross lewd and suggestive behaviors. Commanding her in Jesus' name to stop did no good. We had to wrap her in a blanket lest she begin to dance and strip. At night, the possessing demons repeatedly sent lewd pictures of her past at the strip club. Text messages were sexually taunting and made gross attempts at seduction. In each case, I responded with a prayer and a picture of the Blessed Virgin. I finally turned my phone off at night so that the beeping of incoming texts wouldn't keep me awake. More subtly, before, during, and after sessions, demons of lust would sexually assault the team and me. In the exorcisms, we were careful who was present in the room. Others, who were apparently not in a state of grace, attempted to befriend her and they went morally "off the rails." The antidote to such gross impurity was, of course, the Blessed Virgin. She was repeatedly invoked. We had "B" consecrate herself to her. In each session, "B" prayed aloud to the Virgin for the virtue of chastity and purity. The deacon poured gallons of holy water over her head. This spiritual cleansing evoked screams from the demons: "Stop. Stop. You're killing me!" Perhaps this is what our most unchaste world needs today as well: consecration to the BVM, fervent prayer for the virtue of chastity, and a spiritual cleansing through the sacraments and sacramentals of the Church.

Gates of Hell, Rodin, 1880-1890, France In the midst of the exorcism, K began to cry out, "I can't get out! He won't let me out." I asked, "Who?" She replied, "Baphomet." She added, "He said I had an abortion and the gates of hell are locked." K had an abortion many years ago and the demons were now using her sin against her. She sobbed saying that the demons were making her feel, emotionally and physically, like she was going through the abortion all over again. Again and again, her father told her that she was forgiven. He said he loved her and forgave her. I told her that Jesus forgave her and that the Cross of Christ had opened the gates. But, in hell, she could not hear it. She repeatedly said the gates were locked and she could not get out. She was panicking. When demons manifest, the afflicted person typically feels some of what demons feel and often experiences their dark world. Thus, they experience aspects of being in hell. K was in the hell of facing the devastation of her sin and the hopelessness of feeling beyond God's forgiveness. She was in the abode of the damned. Both her father and I felt helpless in trying to convince her otherwise. While she was "in hell," we could not. Rather, we had to forge ahead with the session, despite her cries and panic, and cast out the demons as quickly as possible. An exorcism is a very ugly thing. At the end of the session, K returned to us and the demons were gone, at least temporarily. Her first words were, "I want to go to confession."* K's experience has something to say to us all. Confess your sins while you still have time. In hell, the time is past. *K told her father she had confessed the sin previously but wanted to do so again. While confessed sins are truly erased in the sight of God, my experience as an exorcist is that demons observe our past sinful behavior and may taunt us with it, trying to make us believe that we are not forgiven or forgivable. This is yet another demonic lie.

St. Gemma Galgani, 1878-1903, Lucca, Italy For ten years, "Valerie" was deep into the occult. She visited houses of witchcraft, pagan temples, and attached herself to gurus and pagan deities. By the grace of God, she had a powerful experience of Christ and realized how evil it all was. But the path back has been tortuous... These witches, gurus and demons are not letting her go without a fight. Demons of divination typically are dug in deep and hard to expunge. They are attacking and tormenting Valerie daily. But after weekly deliverance sessions for a year, she is much better. She is starting to emerge from the mental darkness and spiritual lethargy that increasingly engulfed her in the occult. She now has more moments of light and peace. Valerie recently had a "dream." She told me she saw a huge Catholic shrine. On one side of the building was the word: "Pray." On the other side was the word: "Rosary." She took this as a clear sign that she should pray the rosary daily, which she is now doing. She was also given the sure knowledge that this shrine was in an Italian town called Lucca. Valerie told me she never heard of Lucca and knew "zero" about it. So, she went online and found that it was the home of St. Gemma Galgani. St. Gemma herself regularly suffered "furious assaults of the devil on her body and her soul, so fiendish and continuous that she imagined herself possessed and begged to be exorcized."* The body of St. Gemma is currently interred in the Passionist monastery-sanctuary of St. Gemma in Lucca. St. Gemma has been a huge help to Valerie on her road to spiritual recovery. Valerie even claims that St. Gemma woke her up on Easter Sunday to attend Mass when she was in danger of over-sleeping. She said, "When I woke up, I was filled with an enormous love for Jesus in my heart. I knew this was a special grace." Likewise, St. Gemma was noted for being filled with a pure, child-like love for Jesus. Valerie also said that whenever she sees a picture of beautiful Gemma and prays for her help, the demons react strongly. She said they "hate" her and have a "pure disgust" for her. The demons tormenting Valerie make her feel like "vomiting" whenever St. Gemma is invoked. They shout, "Keep that woman away from me!" Demons hate Gemma. We love her! *The Saint Gemma Galgani Collection [4 books], Catholic Way Publishing, 2013, p. 28.

"Descent into Hell," 1366-67, Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Andrea Di Bonaiuto A mystic told me she had a vision of hell. In that vision, she heard souls pitifully crying out, "Please God, save me." But, in hell, they were beyond hope.* Their cries were not cries of true repentance, but pleas only to be released from the just ends of their evil choices. She heard their gloating demons respond, "We are your god." I am increasingly distressed by the number of people who, knowingly or unwittingly, are worshipping demons. For example, a witch, who is tormenting one of our clients, claims to be worshipping "Astiri Casirri" a supposed Mexican deity. Some others practicing magic and tormenting a young man said they worship Eastern deities. Another individual practices magic invoking an "ancient spiritual energy in the universe." Several others have large tattoos on their bodies of Aka Manah and Baphomet. These "gods" are not real deities. They are masks of Satan. Each one of the individuals above has fallen into servitude of the Ruler of Hell. They have chosen to worship demons. We are moving rapidly into a post-Christian era. If people do not worship the one true God, who loves us, created us and redeemed us in Jesus Christ, they will eventually fall into some form of idolatry. Ultimately, the demons in hell will say to them, "We are your god." In the process of liberation, the possessed must reaffirm his/her baptismal identity and claim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. "There is no salvation through anyone else" (Acts 4:12). Ultimately, for us all, the truth of our lives boils down to this one simple choice. We choose Christ or we choose the demons. *This is much like the rich man in the Gospel who pleaded with Father Abraham to "dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames". Abraham replied, "... between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing..." (Lk 16:24,26).

"The Passing of the Soul at Death," 1918, Evelyn De Morgan It had been a long battle with cancer. He knew he was dying and admitted it. What I didn't know, nor did he tell me at the time, was that he was struggling with deep feelings of fear and despair. He was a man of faith, but these dark spirits were very real and very strong, and they tormented him. As we prayed over him, one of our spiritual sensitives sensed the presence what she called, "an Evil Spirit of Infirmity". So, we explicitly prayed again and again that this demon would be cast out. When the session ended, there was a remarkable change in the man. The darkness around him lifted and he said, for the first time in a long while, he felt hopeful and at peace. As the months wore on, these evil spirits returned, although not as strong. It seems that Satan was continuing to exploit his natural fear of death, which was the opening for the Evil One to return, and tempting him to despair. He fought valiantly against this final temptation. Some time later, he passed away in peace. St. Catherine of Siena in her famous work, The Dialogue , reported that the Lord said to her, "This last sin [of despair] graver to Me than all the other sins." Souls guilty of despair "judge [their] misery greater than My mercy." Despairing of God's mercy, "this is that sin which is neither pardoned here nor there, because the soul would not be pardoned, depreciating My mercy." As an example, the Lord told St. Catherine, "The despair of Judas displeased Me more, and was more grave to my Son than was his betrayal of Him" ("A Treatise of Discretion," Dialogues, p. 55 of 169). Throughout our lives, but especially at the hour of our death, evil spirits of infirmity and despair are wont to afflict souls. The remedy is clear: we trust in God's mercy. Whatever our sin, no matter how grave, the Lord stands ready to forgive and to welcome us into his Kingdom. We only need to ask.

St. Peter's Basilica at dusk. Photo by Msgr. Rossetti A family of four with symptoms of a demonic oppression came for help. Trying to find out the cause, I finally asked, "Did you or any member of your family ever belong to the Masons?" They had some symptoms which were typical of Masonic-related curses. "Yes," the father said, "I joined but it was just for social purposes." In another situation, a woman started practicing Reiki, and then began summoning the spirit of her deceased father, whom she loved and missed. However, she ended up in relationship with a demon instead, who taunted and tormented her. She was terrified and seeking our help. Another family came with common symptoms of a demonic oppression. Things had gotten so bad that the wife, feeling desperate, had asked a local bruja (a witch) for help. The woman did her magic rituals over the family, trying to rid them of their problems. Immediately after, their symptoms became much worse. In each of these cases, and many others, the people were well-intentioned. Yet all of them made their situations worse by engaging in forbidden practices. Regarding these, the Catholic Church has given explicit public warnings: *The Holy See has forbidden membership in the Masonic associations and, as recent as 1983, went so far as to state: "The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin." *The USCCB published a document denouncing Reiki and warned against invoking "universal life energies." *The Catholic Catechism (#2116) rejects all forms of divination and conjuring of the dead. *The Catechism (#2117) also warns against all forms of "magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others -- even if this were for the sake of restoring their health -- are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion." While some might view these documents as examples of ecclesiastical heavy-handedness and/or an over-reaction, our direct experience suggests that they are timely warnings for our protection. At root, the commandments of God and the teachings of the Church are designed to keep us safe and are guideposts for a successful journey to the Kingdom. Our team is very careful to conduct our ministry in complete obedience to the teachings of the Church, not straying to the right or to the left. We know of exorcists who have not, with predictably disastrous results. Humble obedience is a great protection and a powerful weapon in casting out evil.

Witches' Sabbath, 1821–1823, Museo del Prado, Madrid, Francisco Goya Several young people who have been practicing witchcraft and divination for years have come in for help. They are all sullen, dark and depressed. One came in because he was afraid of being possessed. Another because of a powerful graced experience of Christ. Still another started to manifest demonic symptoms. There is a spiritual darkness around them which is hard to dispel. Witchcraft and divination are serious sins. They plunge the soul deep into the dark world. The road back to the Light is possible, but typically a long one. Witches claim to get their power from pagan deities, a "feminine energy" in the Universe, or from some ancient spiritual power in the world. They believe they are manipulating and controlling these energies. In reality, it is they who are being manipulated by the Father of Lies. Many object and say that they are "good witches." But recently a family came to us who had been experiencing some spiritual difficulties. They had gone to a bruja (i.e. witch) who attempted to heal them with incantations and spells. Shortly thereafter, "all hell broke loose" in their lives. Witchcraft, always allied with evil, can never produce anything good. Fortunately, after a few exorcism sessions, the evil appears to have been lifted. I am a bit downcast by the proliferation of witchcraft. One online practitioner of witchcraft and magic has over 400,000 followers. There are only about 120 exorcists in the USA. Where will all these people eventually find help? Halloween is upon us. Witches' conferences and gatherings will most assuredly take place in great numbers. One diocese estimated that there are more witches' covens in the diocese than Catholic institutions. On the eve of All Saints, our little team will gather in Eucharistic prayer. I take confidence in knowing that one small ray from the heart of Christ can and will cast out all the darkness.

Madonna of the Rosary, c. 1605, Caravaggio Our Team has exorcized a number of houses, rectories, schools, and church buildings. One of the Team members present is usually a gifted spiritual sensitive. Such people can often tell us where the demons are located, what kind of evil spirits they are, and perhaps when they are cast out. Invariably, demons will be concentrated in areas where sinful, and especially occult, behavior have taken place. For example, we found demons in known places of illicit sex. We found a demon in the office of a practitioner of Reiki. A possessed person had several in her work space. The worst was an area where occult rituals had been performed and religious statues defaced: it was totally infested! After doing these exorcisms of a place for some years, I noticed a pattern. In places where there were televisions, regardless of which spiritual sensitive was present, he or she always noted a demon on the main chair in front of the TV. Sometimes I knew the individuals involved in that place and I do not think the majority of them were watching pornography or explicitly sinful material. Why then was there almost invariably a demon in that place? Upon reflection, what we are viewing on our screens today, and what society considers "normal," is often sexually arousing and filled with violence. What was considered objectionable only a few decades ago is now considered acceptable for daily viewing. Our society may not consider such material as an opening to evil, but apparently demons do! Watching such material will not likely result in someone getting possessed, but it will invite demons into one's home. And the stronger the demons present, the more chaos, conflict and temptations they will sow. The consistent presence of demons in front of televisions ought to make us more conscious and vigilant about what we watch. There are some fine shows on television, but there are many others that are not. Rather than opening the door to demons by watching such degrading shows, why not recite in our living rooms the daily family rosary instead? Thus, we invite into our homes the Blessed Virgin and her beautiful angels.

Exorcising a boy possessed by a demon from Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, 15th century. "Barbara" had been involved for many years in pagan practices. She was deeply involved in worshipping non-christian "deities". She also spiritually bonded and subjugated herself to a guru who claimed to be enlightened. She said he was a "sort of magician" and practiced sorcery. However, she eventually turned away from these pagan practices and return to her Catholic roots. But the guru and his associates would have none of it. During the nighttime, she was the target of their demonically-empowered obsessions. Invoking their sorcery, (which was really working through demons), they tormented and threatened her. They claimed they would give her cancer. They said she would have a heart attack. They threatened to drag her to hell. She said these gurus were "very powerful" and she was terrified. Barbara not only needed liberation from these gurus and their demons, she needed catechesis on the Truth. The priest working with her, again and again, spoke to her of surpassing power of Jesus Christ. He urged her not to be afraid of the gurus but to trust in Jesus. After many years of being away from the faith and immersed in paganism, this was not easy for her. The priest realized that, in order to be convinced, she had to have a personal experience of the power of Christ. So he said to her, "They are just trying to scare you. They have no such power over you to give you cancer or drag you to hell. The next time they attack you, remind yourself that you are a daughter of God, Creator of Heaven and Earth. Then, with full trust, say out loud three times: 'In the name of Jesus, I declare that you have no power over me! I am a daughter of God. In the Name of Jesus I command you to be gone-- now!' He promised, 'The guru will run away scared." Barbara responded, "That's good advice. I'll do it." The next day she texted back: "When they started to harass me during the night, I did what you advised and they backed off. Wow!" So many people are afraid of Satan and his minions, including some priests. A critical part of the process of liberation, and the journey of salvation for us all, is coming "to know Christ and the power of his resurrection" (Phil 3:10).

Sienese School of the 14th Century, "St. Michael and the Dragon" A permanent deacon shared this encounter with me. It occurred before he was involved in our deliverance ministry. At the time, he was also an active duty policeman: I walked in the side door of our church about 4:20pm to set up for the 5 o'clock Mass. My mood was ho-hum and I was sad to have to leave my children back at the house having fun. But with Providence, there are no accidents. Entering the church I encountered a young lady who had obviously stepped down from the sanctuary and was in the aisle. As she approached smiling, she looked like another misguided, poorly-dressed youngster with baggy pants, a tank-top, and medusa-like hairdo. As we closed the gap walking toward one another I (being a trained police officer of over ten years) observed a tattoo at the base of her neck. I immediately recognized it as a symbol of Satan- an inverted cross. She then uttered some blasphemies about God and Jesus. I glanced at the altar to see if the tabernacle had been disturbed or if the altar was defamed. Confident that nothing serious had taken place, I asked "What do you have in the cup?" (She was holding a child's sippy cup full of clear liquid and a white lily that came from our altar arrangement.) She smiled again and said, "It's just some [profanity] holy water." "Why would you want that?" I asked, not batting an eye at her blasphemies and profanity. "I need it for exorcisms. I'm a witch. I worship Satan." I reached my hand into the holy water font and blessed myself. She said, "Keep that [profanity] away from me" and she backed up two paces. She was undoubtedly looking for access to the Blessed Sacrament and settled for holy water. I put on my work face and said, "I am a police officer and I'm giving you an official invitation to leave here and not return." She appeared shaken and obeyed immediately. She wrote in our Prayer of the Faithful intention booklet at the entrance to the church. She scribbled across the sheets an invitation to pray to Satan and "indulge in life". She also wrote, "God [profanity], burn the bible, hail Satan. Satan loves you, kinda." This woman was not a nut. She was cheerful, smiling, profane and on a mission. Her presence made me feel the total absence of love, warmth or goodness. I have seen bad and evil in people plenty of times in my tenure as a cop. This was the first time I felt anyone absolutely revel in it. She had an aura of malevolence. I felt soiled by her presence and wanted to shower. I informed the Pastor of the "invasion." He then told me of a priest friend of his whose parish secretary turned out to be a satanic priestess. She had taken the job solely to gain access to the Blessed Sacrament. The church of Satan does exist. They preach an indulgence in all things that make one feel good. I recognized this "dogma" in her note to "indulge in life." Evil comes to us smiling, just as this witch did. I offered up a rosary to Our Lady for her conversion. I am proud of our deacon. He responded to her blasphemies with care for the sacred. He responded to her profanity with respect. He responded to her hatred with a loving prayer to Mary for her.