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1. What is an exorcism?
2. Satan in the Garden of Eden
3. The Exorcism of Emily Rose
4. A short reflection on demons and hell and the value of suffering

1. What is an exorcism?
Q: I saw your article about a post-exorcism experience on Spirit Daily. Just what is an exorcism and is it anything like the movies?

A: Exorcisms are rarely similar to what is portrayed in the movies such as The Exorcist or The Exorcism of Emily Rose (see below). There are certainly points of comparison, but Hollywood needs theatrics to dress up or sensationalize an experience of something extraordinary like the supernatural battle against evil. The exaggerations of Hollywood only serve to diminish our sense of the reality of evil and the existence of the devil. Anyone who really wants to know what the devil operates like—both in his power and in his weakness—ought to help a priest in a real exorcism. It’s quite an experience.

Fundamentally, an exorcism is a potent prayer calling down the power of God to free an individual who is oppressed or possessed by the devil. It is not a sacrament. It is a sacramental: that is, an object, prayer or devotional tool that God can use to communicate grace to men’s souls and whose efficacy derives not from the intrinsic nature of the thing itself (like a sacrament) but from the subjective faith with which a person uses or receives it.

Formal exorcisms may only be performed by a priest with the requisite qualifications according to canon law, and for lawfulness they must be authorized by a bishop (canon 1172). The Catholic Church has a ritual of exorcism, revised in 1999, that is used by the priest in the performance of an exorcism. An exorcist may also use the ritual that was promulgated in 1614. In my opinion there is not even the slightest comparison of the two—the 1614 ritual is infinitely better. Only after serious investigation and sometimes accompanying medical and psychological tests is a person to be judged as needing an exorcism. The tests are for the purpose of ruling out natural explanations and for avoiding sensationalism about the devil. Any other types of lesser spiritual problems and oppressions may be handled by deliverance prayers said by priests or laymen, always according to the wise guidance of the Church.

In 2007 I will come out with a more complete treatment of the question of exorcism for the benefit of those who wish to understand more about this most important gift to the Church. Also, the article referred to in the question above can be found by Clicking Here »

2. Satan in the Garden of Eden
Q: Why did God allow Satan into the Garden of Eden? Once he was thrown into Hell by St. Michael, why was he allowed more influence? (Sent by R.W. from WI)

A: It is easier to start with the last question first and work backward. As a matter of fact the account that you refer to of the expulsion of the devil by St. Michael (Rev 12:7-8) makes it clear that what Michael accomplishes is only an expulsion from heaven and not a casting down to hell. There is a big difference. Michael’s job was to exorcise the Evil One’s vile presence from the dwelling of Almighty God and purify the heavenly places of anything unclean (see Rev 21:27).

The Book of Revelation goes on to say that the place where Satan and his minions were thrust down to was in fact earth. Earth is the “battlefield” between heaven and hell. Verse 9 of chapter 12 states that clearly: “The huge dragon, the ancient serpent known as the devil or Satan, the seducer of the whole world, was driven out; he was hurled down to earth and his minions with him.” How does the author of Revelation react at the thought of this fearsome prospect for humanity? “But woe to you earth and sea, for the devil has come down upon you. His fury knows no limits, for he knows his time is short.” (Rev 12:12) That is a frightening reality indeed. But since Satan cannot destroy God, and he was proven less powerful than God’s faithful angels, he attacks “those who keep the commandments of God and give witness to Jesus.” (Rev. 12:17)

The first part of the question thus answers itself. The devil is able to be in the Garden of Eden because his new place of haunting is the earth and as a free being he was like all the other animals that God created and not excluded from the Garden of Eden. Originally, there was no fiery Seraphim set at the gates of the Garden of Eden to keep anyone out as was the case after the Fall of Adam and Eve. One gets the impression, however, that God allowed the devil to enter there with the larger purpose of testing our first parents’ obedience to the limits He had placed upon them as creatures. God foreknew that Adam and Eve would fail the test, but His permissive will had determined that the devil and his temptations would be instruments of testing for strengthening the love and freedom of his people.

As far as “more influence” of the devil goes, we have to recognize that all creatures have limits including Satan, and the limits that God set on Satan’s destructive power are the only reason why Satan can tempt us but not destroy us outright. It is deeply galling to the former Seraphim angel that he is now strictly limited in how he uses his powers against God’s children. It’s even more galling to him that God uses him so to speak to sanctify the faithful. In other words, the only influence the devil has on us is the influence we freely allow him to have over us.

3. The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Q: Hello, I was just reading your message about Emily Rose. Would you happen to know if, like in the movie, the real Anneliese Michel did give a letter to the priest or if she really did see The Blessed Mother Mary? Thank you for your time. I eagerly await your reply. (Sent by Anon.)

A: Some background is necessary for some of our readers who may not be familiar with the case behind the 2006 movie The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Apparently, a very devout 24-year old German girl named Anneliese Michel from Klingenberg, Germany became suddenly and mysteriously possessed in the year 1968 even though she was from a good and practicing Catholic family. Two priests were brought in to perform exorcisms on her since it was such a serious case of obvious possession, and in the end, after many exorcisms correctly performed, the girl died literally of starvation because she refused to eat. The priests and even the family were prosecuted for the death of the girl and one priest went to jail for some time. It is important to note that, from the Church’s point of view, the priests and the family did absolutely nothing wrong, but the civil authorities were much less sympathetic.

In an article by the main exorcist himself, Fr. Ernst Alt, he stated that yes, Emily had written down on plain paper a series of reflections about some visions she had had of the Virgin Mary during the course of the exorcism. She wrote 12 numbered paragraphs that amounted to about four handwritten sheets of paper which were entrusted to the priest before she died. It was his desire to propagate her visions to others in order to wake people in his country and in our world up to the reality of the devil’s existence at a time when it is so roundly denied and ridiculed.

The movie version ends with her seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary who gives her the option of freedom from the possession or remaining a victim longer to witness to the world the reality of the devil’s presence, and Emily chooses the more generous option of suffering longer for the sake of others. Ultimately she dies what appears to be a difficult, expiatory death which leads to the courtrial in the movie and reflects the actual circumstances of what happened in the 70s. According to her writings, apparently Anneliese was offered something of that same option by the Virgin Mary—to suffer longer for others—and she chose it.

In my experience it is not uncommon for people who are possessed, even in the midst of an exorcism, to have a vision of the Lord, the saints and angels or the Virgin Mary. God in His Mercy knows how much these poor souls suffer and comes to their assistance in a most extraordinary way.

To see my article on Emily Rose Click Here »

4. A short reflection on demons and hell and the value of suffering
Questions about hell and the demons are a mystery that the human mind will never comprehend until we see God face to Face. God did not create hell; the devil and the fallen angels did when they rejected Him. They had to have some “place” to go (understood as a state of existence rather than a physical place) which was the diametric opposite of Heaven. It is a place of total pain, hatred and suffering versus a place of total communion, light and happiness. That was just the consequence of their flight away from Him. As the devil's home, then, it existed from the very moment he and his apostate angels rejected God.

The demons are given “assignments” to destroy God's kingdom, and that is why they are "sent" from hell to earth to try to rob our souls. St. Peter says that we should always be vigilant towards the devil who is like “a roaring lion, prowling about the world seeking someone to devour.” (1 Pt 5:8). The point of the matter is that God did not take away their free will when they fell, but He devised a way to use it against them in the process of our salvation.

This is essentially why I ask people who are oppressed or possessed by demons to offer their suffering for others. The pain they feel and desolation is part of the mystery of God's permissive will that "allows" these things to happen to people (usually the ones He knows will make the best of them) for the good of others. Those looking for profound answers to this mystery will have to be satisfied with a simple theological truth that comes directly from Jesus’ own Passion: all pain and suffering has a purpose for the salvation of souls. We must just offer it as a sacrifice to the Lord while it endures. That offering makes suffering not a meaningless agony but a meaningful sacrifice.

Also, the angels take great pleasure in offering the prayers and sacrifices of the people to God with us. In the Book of Revelation there is an angel with a thurible (the incenser used by priests in the church) who offers up "the prayers of God's faithful people" with the incense that ascends to heaven from his thurible (cf. Rev 8:4). The same book tells us that the good angels outnumber the bad ones and will never be defeated by them: Satan swept a third of the stars (interpreted as apostate angels) from the sky when he fell (cf. Rev 12:4) but that means that two thirds of the angels remained faithful, exactly double the number of fallen angels. The battleground is thus our souls on this earth, and the more we cooperate with the good angels the stronger we get in fighting the bad ones.