Exorcism

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Well please don't think of me as evil for wanting to learn about Exorcism.

But I would like to know everything.

Including the Prayer.

But what was the book that The Exorcist holds.

Is it only given to preist.

-- Anonymous, June 18, 1998

Answers

Forgive me if my memory fails me yet again... :-)

...but I seem to remember a special by "60 Minutes" (or a similarly renowned investigative reporting program) about 7 years ago on exorcism. It dealt mostly with the USA and spoke about how there are only a few (I think it was two) priests still alive who know the rite. Also, no additional priests are being trained in the rite.

Apparently, a full exorcism is quite the ceremony. Lots of prayers, invocations, incense, holy water. And the results can be quite dramatic. The priests interviewed described some of what happened. The show mentioned a book as well. The exorcism rite is one of the chapters. And I do believe they mentioned that only priests trained in the rite were permitted to perform it.

I'm afraid I don't remember more details than that. Maybe someone can write a letter to "60 Minutes"?

And I don't think you're evil for wanting to know. The purpose of curiosity is to encourage us to ask questions and learn. Just remember the cat and balance curiosity with caution.

-- Anonymous, June 18, 1998


Andrew- THere is supposed to be a priest in every Catholic diocese who is an exorcist. FOr some reason unknown to me there identity as exorcist are not revealed. But I have met more than a handful so I do know that they are out there. All Christian s ccan pray for deliverance for a person, bbut it is the priest who performs an actual exorcism. He has been trained to do so and has the authority. THis is a dangerous activity and not something that just anyone can do. I would suggest going into a local Christian/ Catholic bookstore and looking for books on Deliverance. YOu may find many prayers that are used to help in instances of Satanic influence, however you will not find -at least I don't think- the actual prayer they use for exorcism. I reacall a good one bu Francis MacNutt. Good luck.

-- Anonymous, June 18, 1998

Hi Andrew,

The offoce of Exorcist was one of the minor orders. It was done away with in the 1960's. The office then fell to priests.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 1998


Rich,

Is the minor order of "exorcist" the same as the more common meaning of the term?

This is the first time I've heard it suggested that the exorcists of old were those seminarians who had been ordained to the minor order of exorcist.

Isn't the minor order more to do with some faculty the "exorcist" fulfils in the Mass (similar to the other orders like "lector", "subdeacon", etc.)?

You've piqued my interest!

God bless, Paul McLachlan

-- Anonymous, June 22, 1998


Hi Paul,

Exorcist was the 2nd or 3rd of the minor orders. It gave the person the power to expel the Devil in the ceremony of exorcism. His duty was also to prepare the salt and water for the priest to bless and to carry this Holy Water for the Bishop.

-- Anonymous, June 22, 1998



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