After taking in my recording of Downton last night via my Slingbox and DVR back at the Steam Pipe Trunk Distribution Venue, I crashed and slept the sleep of the dead. Now, refreshed, I am at the conference. I have met some priests here whom I have met before. Good men all.
Don’t expect elaborate reports from me of the material. This stuff is not for general consumption. Frankly, I don’t think lay people should even hear a lot of this, unless for some reason they are health professionals or in some way collaborate with the work of officially appointed exorcists through an explicit act by the local bishop.
This is a very important topic and priests and bishops need to know about it. What I am hearing is that there is a sharp increase over the last four years or so in manifestations of demonic activity.
I want to impress something on you: this is no joke.
One of the most important things you can do for yourselves is…
GO TO CONFESSION
GO TO CONFESSION
GO TO CONFESSION
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God love you Father, from a Tulsan. See you on the cruise.
And stay away from anything which smacks of the occult….God bless all of you and may St. Michael protect you.
Maybe, Father, us laymen and women don’t require the nitty-gritty details of all this, but it is a comfort for us to hear that this issue is once again taking prominence in priestly circles. I, for one, am glad to hear that such a conference is available, that you are attending it, and that a good many other priests are attending from around the country.
Certainly there is some level of information that is appropriate for publicity, and useful to all of us such that we have enough to bring to the attention of our pastors in case of need. If we didn’t “believe” in exorcism (so to speak), like in the ’80s and ’90s, how would we be able to get extraordinary assistance when the need arises?
I read, with great interest, The Rite, which loosely follows an American priest’s experience in learning, upon the direction of his bishop, to become a legitimate exorcist. The main take-away from that story, for me, was the state of woeful unpreparedness of the Church in these U.S.A., and a general lack of fundamental understanding of such things by all. This lack of understanding ranged from denial/disbelief, through ignorance, and into the Hollywood fantasy. I’m so glad to see that the reality is not so bleak.
A constant re-occurring theme in that book, spoken often by characters portrayed as wise and battle-hardened exorcists, was that the Devil was most active in his ordinary manifestations, and the best defense against that is a frequent use of the sacraments, especially confession.
Glad you are feeling rested again, Fr. Z.
Here is a story I wrote for my Greater Cincinnati Catholic daily news/features web site last year:
http://thecatholicbeat.sacredheartradio.com/2012/08/07/exorcists-hold-retreat-at-seminary/
Not a whole lot of details but, as you say, people really don’t need them and probably shouldn’t have them. That was my thought when I wrote it, anyway! Why Tulsa? What is the deal with Tulsa and exorcism? Anyway, I hear this conference was well attended and prayerful.
It seems like there has been a rapid increase of evil on all fronts since 9/11. [Or even more recently.] Almost as if those acts of terrorism, on that dreadful day, opened the doors to hell. Churches are emptier, morality has declined, attacks on the Church have increased and evil is now seen as the good and the good as evil.
My evangelical friends just take it for granted, your last line. It’s an interesting way of viewing the world, that this is just one of those things out there like the flu, bankruptcy,nuclear threats and stubbed toes. Nothing special, kind of, just one more thing that in the end we can only get through by the grace of God.
I’m sure it’s warmer there than back home in the upper midwest – and not because of the subject matter . ;-)
Enjoy.
Father Z,
Went to confession this morning !
Thanks for all you do
pax et bonum
Understand that we don’t need the details.
One thing that does concern me, in these days, is that some people may be
attempting spiritual warfare at levels way above their pay grade. Whether from a badly understood concept of the priesthood of all believers, or frustration at being ignored by clergy or other reasons, they are putting themselves into very dangerous positions. Any advice you could share on this would be great.
Thank you for the work you do, Father. It is enough for me to know that if that is the kind of help I need, or my family needs, that the Church and good priests like you are prepared to respond. :)
God bless you Fr!
The ageing-hispter-priests who don’t believe in the hellish minions seem to forget that that attitude hasn’t made them go away, if anything it makes their fiendish work easier.
I do wonder, if the increase in evil recently is true which it certainly seems to be, what it’s leading up to? Is there some particular reason for it right now? Any historical context? …just trying to get a grasp on it. [Dunno.]
Increase in demonic activity in the last 4 years? Hmm?
4 years ago, huh?
Wasn’t that election year? Hmmmm?
Thank you, Father.
Went to confession Saturday.
Had been putting it off and off.
I find a certain comfort in knowing about this conference, Fr. Thanks for telling us about it.
That you are there, Fr. Z., is good to know. Also that such a conference is actually happening is a great comfort to us in the trenches. Everybody: daily rosary and prayer to St. Michael. Sr. Lucia of Fatima has said that the Blessed Virgin is giving greater efficacy to the Rosary in these days.
Which it ain’t rocket science.
Thanks for all you do Fr. Z. I agree with Skeinster; there are many Catholic lay people attempting spiritual warfare and it worries me. Is there anything one could say to them? [Never never never never never try to tackle the diabolical head on, on your own, with direct commands in the manner of a priest. Don’t do anything about from the official ministry of priests and the bishop.]
The 4-year uptick that Fr. Z reports explains what I have been seeing in general society since Obama’s first election (a handy guide to establish a time frame). During that time the “gay rights” thing – something not even pagans tolerated – has gotten completely out of hand. Today the Associated Press is reporting that even the Boy Scouts are thinking of caving in and permitting gay-friendly scout troops, and gay scout leaders. (!)
Satan’s work is the only explanation for such a rapid disintegration of society.
On a different but I think related note, I got to attend a Tridentine Mass yesterday for the first time in several months. I left after Mass feeling a sense of relief and refreshment that I never get from the Novus Ordo, no matter how well celebrated. I was exceedingly happy, and I felt like I could handle any problem. (I also put aside my Missal and just enjoyed the Mass instead of trying to keep up with every minute detail.)
I think the Tridentine Mass might be a more potent source of spiritual renewal for us as individuals in the days ahead than some of us (like me) realize.
To Fr. Z: thank you for taking Satan and the Church’s weapons against him seriously. I will pray for you and the other priests, and I will pray that more priests follow your all’s lead.
I wasn’t expecting you to tell us anything at all about what’s going on there, though this is a good post with what IS fitting for everyone to be aware of. Bp Morlino said to us one time, Confession is more powerful than exorcism, that definitely encourages me to stay close to that Sacrament.
I went to the post office today to mail 2 packages: 1. something to a priest that actually has to do with exorcism and 2. something to a protestant intensely interested in becoming Catholic, to help and encourage him.
I put package #1 on the scale and the post lady suddenly was not able to do anything with the computer. It was asking “scan the bar code” but there was no bar code to scan, she started over again and again, and got nowhere. She called another person, and they worked on this for some minutes and were getting a little desperate and upset. Reflecting on what was in the packages and who it was that wouldn’t want them to be sent, I inaudibly prayed the St Michael prayer. And then suddenly it was all better. It might have been NumLock got activated, but she could not figure how, anyway, I was able to mail my packages. Briefly hesitating, I told her I prayed the St Michael the Archangel prayer against the demons and she smiled and did not act like I was crazy!
Thank you, Fr. Z, for all that you do for us.
I wish the church would go back to praying the prayers after mass including the St. Michael prayer. We need more than ever prayers against “the errors of Russia” spreading through the world. [The “errors of Russia” were just the preamble. We have bigger problems now.]
My level of discomfort with this stuff is such that I can’t stand watching films about it. I’ve seen two, and I’ll never watch another one. I went to see The Exorcist with a friend when I was a teenager and I couldn’t make it all the way through the film. I bolted out of the cinema! I was a pretty impressionable teen, so in later years I thought that perhaps I was oversensitive. Then a few years ago a friend brought over that Emily Rose film on DVD. Stuff still freaked me out at 44. That’s me done with those films for good! Never going to see another one, and I’m never going to read Fr. Gabriele’s book about it either.
I was involved with the Campus Ministry program for a time back when I was at LaSalle University (then LaSalle College) in Philadelphia in the early 80s. (Briefly. It was traumatic.) Once, a group of us went to a party at someone’s flat and two of the women that worked in the Campus Ministry program pulled out a bag of runestones. They wanted to start casting them and telling people’s fortunes. They laced into me terribly, ridiculing me, when I reacted negatively and got up and left the room. Didn’t make a bit of difference to me though. No way am I messing around with that stuff. Demonic activity is no joking matter, and sins against the First Commandment are one of the surest ways to invite it, in my opinion. Confession, Holy Communion, the rosary, prayers to the Holy Angels (esp. St. Michael) are the necessary protection against it. Thank you Fr. Z for your constant reminders about the necessity of confession!
Sometimes I forget the great burdens priests take on for us sinners. Thank you Father for all you do for us, you will be in my prayers.
I am very happy that this is taking place and many priests are in attendance. I got my first education on the matter from the two books by Fr. Gabriel Amorth.
My nephew (and Godson) is in graduate school studying to be a psychologist. I very briefly touched on this subject with him as psychologists and psychiatrists are sometimes called upon by a priest to help determine whether the suspected demonic activity might be due to mental illness and not the demonic. He told me that this sometimes role of the psychologist was mentioned in one of his classes (at one of NJ’s state universities – kind of surprised me – perhaps the professor is a practicing Catholic).
A little OT, but Fr. did mention Confession (thrice):
Just want to tell what a great job the teacher of our First Confession/First Communion class is doing. (I’m the third adult, required by child safety policy, so I get to just listen.)
These will be kids who actually know why and how to go to Confession. They are getting real red-meat instruction, in lecture form and they love it. They’re hanging on his every word and asking excellent questions. One little guy wanted to know ‘what if you’re maybe dying, but there’s no priest around?’, so he explained the Perfect Act of Contrition, a bit ahead of schedule. This is so different from any other first grade teaching experience I’ve ever seen, that it just re-emphasizes how lacking our catechesis programs have been over the decades.
My heart hurts for those little ones who are held back from Confession before First Communion, b/c they’re such innocent special snowflakes or something.
Confession, yes! A local priest here on the west coast also tells us that confession is much more powerful than exorcism. (Exorcism can get people ready to go to confession, I’ve heard). And the Ursuline nuns used to tell us to stay far away from things like tarot cards and ouija boards, which would include the runestones mentioned above. I’d never heard of them…sounds like craziness is multiplying. Another way to protect myself, I’ve learned from reading the desert fathers, is to guard myself against pride and vainglory…to be humble and speak humbly. But as our priests tell us, confession and Holy Communion are, of course, the nuclear weapons in this fight.
Thank God for Priests.
I feel like evil is everywhere in the last few years too.. its just everywhere. I light my St Michael candle every night…that is all I am qualified to do.
God bless you father Z .