See:

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=607665

Exorcism experts urged for Irish dioceses Priest wants help with 'strange happenings'

By David Quinn

04 February 2005 Every Catholic diocese across the island of Ireland should have a specialist who can assess possible supernatural occurrences such as "poltergeists, hauntings and demonic infestations", according to a priest who is an expert on spiritual issues.

Father Pat Collins made the call in the current issue of the religious periodical, The Furrow.

He also said that a special conference to discuss these issues is needed which would bring together theologians, psychologists, parapsychologists and experienced exorcists which would aim to "explore this aspect of ministry".

Fr Collins, who has written books on spirituality, said he regularly receives calls from people around the country reporting "strange happenings" in their homes.

"They range from footsteps, sounds of crying, smells, objects moving, to electrical appliances going on and off."

He wrote that his usual practice is to refer such people to their local priest for help, but that they would "recount how the priests they had spoken to had either dismissed their stories in a sceptical manner, said Mass or prayers in the house without any discernible effect, admitted that they were not competent to help, or referred them to someone like myself."

Fr Collins said that as a result of this lack of response from most priests, many Catholics are instead turning to "New Age practitioners, spiritualists, psychics and other non-Christian helpers".

He wrote that the Catholic Church needs to find a more systematic way of responding to queries about possible supernatural phenomena and to this end each diocese should appoint a specialist or expert in the area.

"Those who want to deal effectively (with reported supernatural occurrences) need to be au fait with psychology, the paranormal, the notion of the restless dead, and the possibility of infestation by evil.

"Like good doctors, they diagnose what the nature of the problem is, and then try to come up with an appropriate remedy.

"Not all priests would be expected to know about such things, any more than all doctors would be expected to know all about rare diseases.

"Good doctors refer difficult medical cases to specialists.

"Surely priests should be able to refer difficult cases, to do with such things as poltergeists, hauntings, and demonic infestation, to diocesan specialists. Otherwise those who are afflicted may have recourse to New Age practitioners, spiritualists, psychics and other non-Christian helpers," he said.

Fr Collins called for a conference designed to pool knowledge of the area. And he said that many Christians have given up belief in the supernatural because of the influence of secular ways of thinking.

God Bless U all!

In Cordibus Jesu Et Mariæ

A friend

-- A friend (neve@mind.tv), February 04, 2005

Answers

Thanks for the interesting post.

Link: Exorcism experts urged for Irish dioceses Priest wants help with 'strange happenings'

-- Daniel Hawkenberry (dlm@catholic.org), February 04, 2005.

one particular note: Fr Collins said that as a result of this lack of response from most priests, many Catholics are instead turning to "New Age practitioners, spiritualists, psychics and other non- Christian helpers".

the problem of evil is very very real and yet more and more local priests and/or bishops simply dismiss demonic possession and excorcism as folk lore tales by people without scientific understanding. this forces people with real issues to resort to false solutions in an attempt to assauge a very dangerous situation. the order of excorcists is rapidly shrinking and needs to be reformed in a serious way.

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), February 04, 2005.

I never believed in exorcism ''experts''. There's a Rite of Exorcism applied in certain cases. What's required is a holy priest, with at least minimal experience.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), February 04, 2005.

Amen Eugene!

David

-- non-Catholic Christian (no@spam.com), February 04, 2005.

eugene is right in one regard, in that there are no excorcist experts. the human will breaks down over time battling demons and no one alive has ever been able to complete enough excorcisms to be judged an expert by any standard.

HOWEVER, more is required for an excorcism to succeed than simply a holy priest. the excorcist is an appointment which denotes special grace to fight off demons and takes an appointed priest who is not only holy, but also exceedingly strong willed.

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), February 04, 2005.

I don't know how accurate your statement is. It's the RITE that's operative, not the minister of it.

The real reason the priest must be very holy is, the demon will try to attack him personally, as the sinner he might have been. He won't obey a sinful priest; and he'll disrupt the Rite of Exorcism with great scandal.But he won't stampede a virtuous and saintly priest. They aren't all quite demon-proof, and the devil will ''shiver their timbers,'' as he's being cornered. Obviously, demons are defenseless against a holy rite of Christ's Church. They must defend themselves against the man.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), February 04, 2005.

i dont know, eugene, i've read that there is no recorded success of any non-appointed excorcist ever completing a successful excorcism.

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), February 04, 2005.

It's not something so mutually exclusive; I suppose whoever the priest has to be is subject to a bishop's approval. He is an appointed minister; sure. However, it's the rite that finally ejects a demon.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), February 04, 2005.

Let me know if I can help. I have experience in these matters. I have helped several people in my country.

-- Richard Becker (coloradogrizzlyb@aol.com), February 27, 2005.