Want to be an Exorcist? Exorcism course 'open to priests and housewives'

Organized by the Pontifical Athenaeum Apostolorum, an educational institute of the Catholic Church in Rome, the course, aims to “raise awareness of the devil’s existence and the possibility for possession”, rather than stir up paranoia, Father Cesare Truqui, a top exorcist, recently told Vatican Radio.

“Having this knowledge helps to establish a balance. We understand that it [the devil’s possession] happens rarely, but when it does, its influence can be fought with God and by prayer and devotion.”

He added that the event, which wraps up on Saturday, is open to all, “even housewives”.

“A priest exorcist is usually accompanied by a number of laypeople, who assist him in carrying out his mission…either psychologists or doctors, but also normal people like professionals or housewives.”

The assistants play an important role in establishing whether a person is possessed by the devil and then “curing the discerning spirit”, he continued.

A report in La Repubblica late last year said that dioceses across Italy were boosting the number of priests trained in exorcism due to a rise in the number of demonic cases.

Father Franceso Bamonte, the president of the Italy-based International Association of Exorcists, told the newspaper that the rising demand is a result of more people subscribing to occultism, with the 250 or so exorcists in Italy “often unable to handle the enormous number of requests for help”.


 Article is by Jason Mansfield: Anomalous Environmental Studies Analyst™ with Paranormal Studies of Arkansas found at www.hauntedarkansas.net, Voice Over Artist, Film maker at Binary Entertainment www.binaryentertainment.com, Folklorist, Horror Enthusiast, Writer, Squatchologist™ & Legend Hunter