First, some tools if the trade.
That’s just a little exorcist humor.
Today we are looking more closely at angelology.
Angels and demons ARE REAL.
More later.
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Of course angels and demons are real!
I lead such a sheltered life I was shocked to learn that many people who believe in God think the devil is imaginary. (What he wants of course!)
Old exorcists joke…http://www.zgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/funny-exorcist-joke-dinosaur.jpg
“Exorcist” and “humor” are not words that are used in the same sentence very often I’m sure. Enjoy the conference!
My mother would warn my brothers and sisters not to watch movies or read things that involved the devil, etc, and this included The Exorcist. She said that doing these things only served the devil and made his attempts to stear us his way easier the more we did so. Though some 50 years or so have passed, I’ve always thought her rationale was sound (and I’ve still never seen the movie, but for a few excerpts).
St. Michael the Archangel, Defend us in Battle!…
I was actually incredibly fortunate to have a really long talk after Mass Saturday night with our priest and we talked about the presence of Demons and such. It was very interesting…I’m glad I left the light on in the house, because coming back my wife and I didn’t want to leave each others’ side.
If only modern church decorations would reflect this again. Our new church is fairly attractive, simple, but not overly so. However, not a single angelic representation in the sanctuary or vestibule.
I can almost see mosaic angels floating around flanking the top of the crucifix in the front of the church over the tabernacle. It would be lovely…
Oh yes, Jeff, ST. Michael the Archangel defend us indeed!
I can never understand how anyone who believes in God and goodness, wouldn’t automatically accept that there is a devil and badness. What do they think they see in every day’s news–absolute proof there is a devil.
I just feel so sorry for those who come under his spell for more then just the occasional sin.
Besides regular Confession, I use holy water on me and my residence, pray daily to my Guardian Angel, and pray the St. Michael the Archangel prayer daily.
It’s not magic but it’s kind of like taking a daily vitamin. It can’t hurt. [On the contrary. Very helpful.]
Out of curiosity, what is the proper blessing for duct tape?
[It has to do with making an adhesio fidei]
May God bless those priests He has called to be exorcists. Facing off against Satan and his wicked angels must the most frightening thing imaginable. St. Michael, pray for us. +JMJ+
Reminds me of Padre Pio and his, often bloody, encounters with the devil.
Acardnal: Besides regular Confession, I use holy water on me and my residence, pray daily to my Guardian Angel, and pray the St. Michael the Archangel prayer daily.
I can add to that: I use Blessed Salt in cooking, around property and in corners of rooms, Crucifixes in every room, images of Our Lord, Our Lady, Saints, Statue of St Michael, St Benedict medals. Liberal use of Holy Water (Traditional Rite of Blessing) especially after arguments, when sick, anxious, etc. so “they” never get a foothold.
There is nothing to fear, our Faith protects us and “they” can’t bother us anymore than God allows anyway.
“Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith…”
1 Peter 5:8
This isn’t one of Fr. Chad Ripperger’s exorcism conferences per chance, is it? I know he’s now in Tulsa as head exorcist or something. [No, and no.]
StWinefrede, excellent points. I always forget about blessed salt. I will have to ask my parish priest about that.
I meant StWinefride. One of these days I’ll get it right.
The Surtape is ISO 9001 certified.
@acardnal and StWinefriede: I do the same as well.
I also keep holy water in the car and use it each time as a preparation to drive, and sprinkle it just before retiring every night along with the prayer from Compline:
“Visit we beseech Thee, O Lord, the house and banish from it all the deadly power of the enemy. May your holy angels dwell here to keep us in peace, and may your blessing be upon us always, through Christ our Lord. Amen”
Not too long ago a “well-meaning” and very elderly neighbor made a comment when I was going away on a retreat that she would “surround” my place and “put a spell on it.” She caught herself after “spell.” All I can say is that we are so blessed with our Catholic Faith and all the remedies She gives us for everything.
Fr. Z,
It was a pleasure to meet you briefly today. I am encouraged and strengthened in my faith by your writing. Keep it up, and “be not discouraged!”
I am also encouraged by the turnout to the conference. I am grateful for those who, with their Bishop’s blessing, tackle this important issue. I’m even more grateful that I don’t have to. :)
Re: blessed salt. . .more on that, please! I asked once for a priest friend to bless some salt for us (while he was blessing our house), and was told this isn’t done anymore. [Wrong!] I have very little education on this matter, but I thought I had been taught that blessed salt was used in blessing holy water, so I inquired further if this was so. He laughed and said that isn’t done either. [Wrong!]I was embarrassed, so I asked no additional questions on the matter. I also thought this was a powerful sacramental. . .is it passé now? [Of course not. Find a priest who uses or will use the older Rituale Romanum.]
In the previous thread some folks were talking about laypeople making attempts at exorcism themselves. [NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!] The priest I heard speak about it said that that the Lord’s Prayer had a prayer for deliverance in it (“deliver us from evil”) and that’s pretty much what lay people should stick to — when concerned, say the Our Father and if that’s not enough, get a priest. And go to Confession and Mass! Would you concur, Fr. Z? [Yes.]
Benedictine crucifixes, exorcised salt and water, plenty of icons/statues should be in everyone’s house
As an engineer trained in plasma physics, I am glad to see that duct tape (originally “duck” tape, apparently, after the name of the weave used to make it) has application here as well. As a plasma physicist, I was quite surprised to see the word “plasmas” in the Exorcism ritual, listed among the things that the exorcist orders to vacate the victim to whom he is ministering. (I had run across a copy of the ritual in a library in a former monastery quite a few years ago.)
Ok, I get why the crucifix and the prayer cards are there, but what’s the purpose of the duck tape?
I was hoping it was Gorilla Tape. The name is appropriate.
I sure hope there were a lot of priests there. If the dispositions of many of those around us are any indication of the heightening level of demonic activity in our present society,Then we are going to need many Priests not only for exorcisms, but for those well-versed in recognizing obsessions and oppression’s also
backtothefuture,
make sure the Benedictine crucifixes and medals have the authentic abbreviations of the Latin texts on them. Several years ago (six), my son and I discovered that some of those made in China had the incorrect, mumbo-jumbo words and abbreviated prayers embossed. We told the Catholic store-keeper and she not only took them off the shelf, but was going to return them to the company.
Buy those from Italy.
Here a link for the correct view. http://www.osb.org/gen/medal.html
“In the previous thread some folks were talking about laypeople making attempts at exorcism themselves.”
That was not I. I gave a long comment with documents from Crdl. Ratzinger showing that the laity are NOT supposed to be doing exorcism. Leave this to experts.
The good Catholic household should have holy water, blessed salt, St. Benedict’s medal, blessed candles, pictures of the Sacred Heart, etc. Ah, for the good old days when you could see that a house contained Catholics in them by their choices of decor. Silent evangelization.
The Chicken
[It is a good idea to have the priest come to your home and bless it with the older Roman Ritual.]
I was thinking it was actually “Screwtape”.
[Had to say it!]
I just wanted to say that I am very glad you attended the Exorcist conference, Father Z. More priests are beginning to learn about this and it is very much needed. The devil is present in our society so much more than in the past, yet many good priests and lay people believe he only exists through our temptations to sin. He is very much real. The laity need some clear education about how to detect his presence and things that can be done to counter his activity in their lives. There is so little official information from the Catholic church on this. Concrete things to do, to counter the devil’s presence. Confession, prayer and communion are the main things, but still, there are times extra measures might be called for. I volunteer in a women’s prison and there are satanists who practice there. They have attempted stealing the Eucharist from our mass for desecration, but we were on the alert and they did not succeed. However, their invitation to the demonic doesn’t seem to affect just them, but also those around them too. The Wiccans are a negative influence on Catholics too though.