Why can't Deacons do exorcisms?

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I know that exorcist was one of the minor orders and exorcisms can be performed by laity. However why is the solemn rite reserved to the priesthood?

Any one know?

-- Hugh (Hugh@inspired.com), March 05, 2004

Answers

Response to Why can't Deacon's do exorcisms?

It’s much the same as it is with the Consecration of the Eucharist. Jesus consecrates the the bread and wine into His body and blood through his priest at Mass. In an exorcism, the devil is rebuked by Jesus Christ, Himself, - the High Priest through his priest. Only a priest can perform an exorcism as Jesus acts through him in the same way as He does, at the Consecration of the Eucharist at Mass.

-- Ed (catholic4444@yahoo.ca), March 05, 2004.

Response to Why can't Deacon's do exorcisms?

But Deacons act in persona christie as well. Priest is related to sacrifice, this doesn't have anything to do with that.

Next explanation please.

-- Hugh (hugh@inspired.com), March 05, 2004.


Response to Why can't Deacon's do exorcisms?

Here Hugh, maybe this will help:

http://www.ewtn.com/library/NEWAGE/EXORDEV.htm

-- Ed (catholic4444@yahoo.ca), March 05, 2004.


While deacons act in persona christi, they do not act in persona christi to the same extent that a priest or bishop does. As Christians we all act in persona christi. At our baptism, as declared followers of Christ, we all have three titles bestowed upon us - priest, prophet and king. As priests we are all called to minister to God’s people. A priest or deacon however, by ordination, is formally called to minister in different ways from the priesthood of the laity. In turn, a deacon in being bestowed the lowest form of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, is formally called to ministry in different ways than a priest is. (LG28) We all experience in persona christi to different degrees.

Priests and deacons share similar duties - to sanctify (preach, witness marriages, preside at funerals, baptize) to a point, but only priests can consecrate the Eucharist, absolve sins in confession, administer the Sacrament of the sick. This differentiation has existed from the days of the apostles when they appointed the first deacons. Full ministry is not the intended purpose of the role of deacon. Only priests and bishops roles are designed to carry out the full duties of a pastor (Can. 521.1) even though a deacon shares in some pastoral duties. (CCC 1585) The deacons role is to help and serve as a subordinate.

Both duties (priest, deacon) have missions in the Church that are particular to their title to build up the people of God, (CCC 1534) yet, each are different. There are three levels or degrees in the Sacrament of Holy Orders - Episcopate (College), presbyter, and diaconate. Bishops, priests and deacons all care for the people of God proportionate to their rank. Clearly deacons do not enjoy the same level of ordination and “in persona christie” that priests do. In CCC 1596 we are told “Deacons are ministers ordained for tasks of service of the Church; they do not receive the ministerial priesthood, but ordination confers on them important functions in the ministry of the word, divine worship, pastoral governance, and the service of charity, tasks which they must carry out under the pastoral authority of their bishop.” Here is clear indication that deacons are limited to what they can do and that their services are solely at the disposal of the Bishop and the priest/pastor as they see fit. (CCC 1554) In the instance of exorcism, the Church has assigned exorcisms to the higher degree of ordination - the priest, as they have for forgiveness of sin, Sacrament of the Sick, etc.

The role of the deacon in the Church is secondary to that of the priest. His service is different. A priest formally represents Christ (consecration of Eucharist, exorcisms, etc.), (CCC 1549) while the deacon’s roles is seen more as one of subordinate service, completing tasks for the Church as the Church deems necessary. Deacons do not receive the ministerial priesthood, but only have important functions conferred upon them. (CCC 1596). Lumen Gentium (29) tells us that deacons are not called to priesthood, but to ministry. This, by virtue of their defined role in the Church, prevents deacons from performing exorcisms. Their role in the Church has been designed to perform a different function than that of priest. Their role has been designed not to duplicate the functions of a priest but to complement them.

-- Ed (catholic4444@yahoo.ca), March 06, 2004.


According to the Bible, all Christians can excorsize demons in Jesus's Christ's name. Stop reading Catholic Canon, and the Catechism, and open up your Bible.

-- marcin of chicago (none@existant.com), March 06, 2004.


Open up a Bible, but don't worry about non-Catholic interpretations of the Bible. All Christians stands for Catholic Christians only. The others are fallen away Catholics. Marcin's own ancestors were Catholics, unless they came out of Asia or Africa, and left a pagan past behind.

A Catholic can ''chase away'' evil spirits; by prayer and sacramentals. But not just anybody can free someone who is diabolically possessed. Even if he/she tries, the evil spirit can launch a furious counter-attack on that person. It can be very dangerous.

Why? Beacuse all of us are sinners. The devil uses our human frailty to defend himself, especially when free lance exorcists try what they aren't supposed to do. Just about a month ago, here in the U.S., a child died because amateurs were attempting to ''exorcise'' her. The devil definitely has power to retaliate against those of imperfect faith. It always requires a priest of extraordinary holiness and great experience to drive out a devil. Even then it may take him repeated attempts; and remember, --The priest really has the power. He has power from above; not from just ''opening a Bible.'' that's ridiculous.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), March 06, 2004.


Your at a Catholic forum. Why would you expect anything other than the "Catholic Canon?"

I think you will find what you are looking for only at the Marcin forum.

-- j (furst@flash.net), March 06, 2004.


Joke or an aside --

When the Anglican church changed/updated its exorsism ritual, I did wonder if it had been field tested to be at least as effective as the old one.

But I have been near QC/QA departments for quite some time.

-- Sean Cleary (seanearlyaug@hotmail.com), March 09, 2004.


please, marcin, show us where in the bible it states that all christians can perform excorcisms...

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), March 10, 2004.

I would suspect to look in Paul's writing were he saids that some have different gifts but it is the same spirit that gives them. Thus, even if Christ was the first to exorcise a demon (I lack a solid OT history or concordance right now), and his apostles and disciples (12+70+?) could do so sometimes, by the time the gift was spread out in the people, some may have healing and some not, some discernment and some not, and some have exorcism and some not, but not by hierachial level, but by the gift of the spirit.

Kinda just for the sake of arguement, and because the arguement does fly at first level.

Sean

-- Sean Cleary (seanearlyaug@hotmail.com), March 10, 2004.



Just read eugene c. chavez's answer. This feels right. I would find doing an exorcism to be scary. Maybe too much of reading the Exorcist. But even determing that one is needed takes unusual discernment. Best left for the pros.

Actually if you have never done one, how do you know you have the talent for it? I would suspect that a blotched exorsism would be a nasty thing.

And if it was not needed, if the cause was other than possition, than you could do terrible damage to the person you are trying to exorsise. Likely the kid died of this, not the exorsism.

Sean

-- Sean Cleary (seanearlyaug@hotmail.com), March 11, 2004.


Theoretical and practical are two very different things. Dogma aside, absolutely anyone can perform an exorcism, no matter what their title or position in a religous order, or what a book says you can or cannot do. Now, as to whether or not that religous order *allows* one to be the ritualist (performer of the rite), that is of course another topic entirely. To be perfectly blunt, (and I apoligize if I'm stepping on any toes here, but it needs to be said), the Roman Catholic ritual of exorcism is not exactly the most effective. Did it ever occur to anyone that the reason exorcism rituals very often have to be repeated by R.C. priests is for this very reason? Small wonder that when times get tough (in other words, when exorcisms have proven overly difficult) that certain members of the vatican have been forced to look outside of their religion to seek out help against stubborn entities.

-- Christopher (ghostlore@cogeco.ca), October 02, 2004.

The first Catholic bishops, the Apostles, sometimes had to repeat exorcisms, so why would it be any different today? Jesus didn't say this was due to any deficit in the rite they used. Rather, He explained it this way ... "When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first." (Luke 11:24-26)

In fact, the Apostles were the only ones to whom Jesus gave authority over evil spirits, other than in the general sense of resisting temptation. There is no reason to think that anyone today other than their direct successors holds such power. These powers were given by Christ to His Church, and there is no way such powers could be transferred from His Church to churches of human origin.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), October 02, 2004.


I would suspect that a blotched exorsism would be a nasty thing.

History records that when a priest fails an excorcism and cannot recover enough to attempt to cast the demon out again that the possession becomes stronger, if the victim does not die in the attempt. furthermore, the priest may also die during a failed excorcism, which is why there is another priest to step in if the lead excorcist fails.

the priest who does survive a failed excorcism, however, is never the same again (not that this cant be said for any priest who carries out an excorcism, but to a MUCH greater extent). they generally cannot continue in the priesthood, are spiritually and psychologically crushed, and retire away from excorcisms entirely. often, they live very shortened lives and never quite recover.

The priests who succeed, on the other hand, are very strong of will. they do, however, report being very tired and mention that every excorcism takes something from you. a excorcist can only continue so long as he feels there is enough of his will to carry out the excorcism. it is Christ who's power casts out the demon, but the will of the priest which brings that power to bear... and that will seems a very fragile thing next to the power of a demon.

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), October 03, 2004.


Spiritual warfare is a dreadful thing. Who of us hasn't felt strong in the Lord at some time - and felt like we could stay at that Tabor like level for ever - like Peter asking Our Lord for permission to build some tents to stay on that high mountain?

But being corporeal beings as well as spiritual we are subject to change (bodies have parts, parts change). Hunger, thirst, weariness, sleep, moods, etc. all affect us, and thus make the spiritual life something in constant flux.

The devil of course knows this (as well as God does, which is why he tests or prunes those whom he chooses - to help us renew our pledges of allegiance in bad times not just in good times of euphoria).

And so the devil will lay in wait (a coward to be sure, but a deadly one) for the moment we let our guard down...or when we're tired, sleepy, perhaps dulled by minor sins or imperfections.... then he'll spring his trap!

This is why exocists have to be truly holy men - men typically with enough years behind them to be psychologically mature, "settled" in their faith and virtues. Grace builds on nature... if you have solid human virtues with the theological virtues functioning well on this foundation, you are strong in the Lord. But if your human virtues are weak... the theological ones are shaky as well.

The holy priests I've known haven't been keen on doing exorcisms...kinda like soldiers not being keen on winning the Congressional Medal of Honor... if they have to do their duty they will - but won't go out of their way to put themselves in that situation.

After all, what better mind-set to have than Christ's? He came not to do his own will, but of the one who sent him! Likewise the priest who exocises has to be doing the will of the Bishop who is Christ's representative.

Anything other than that is asking for trouble - and in the case of evil intelligences (i.e. devils) we're talking about seriously bad enemies - immortal spirits who were witnesses of the dawn of the formation of our globe and witnesses of the fall of Our father Adam and mother Eve...evil intelligences who have met millions of souls like our own and perhaps have destroyed millions as well.

No. It's far better to be curious about pleasing our Lord than wondering about how hard or easy it would be for any of us un- ordained Christians to route one or many of the evil spirits who have been and are and forever will be our immortal enemies.

-- Joe (joestong@yahoo.com), October 05, 2004.



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