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The Reality of Evil - An Exorcist Relates His

Experience
The quotes which follow are taken from Fr Gabriele Amorth's "An Exorcist Tells
His Story", Ignatius Press 1999. (Printed with

 permission)

 Join in the Perpetual Crusade for Peace, Conversion of

Hearts and Deliverance from Evil, through prayer and fasting  

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 "I believe that Father Candido[a

Professor of Sacred Scripture and
Morality] was the only person in the
world who could claim an experience of
thirty-six years as a full-time exorcist. I
could not have had a better teacher, and I
thank him for the infinite patience with
which he introduced me to this
ministry........He would see from sixty to
eighty people every morning and masked
his tiredness behind a smiling face. Many
times his advice was inspired. Padre Pio
said of him, "Father Candido is a priest
according to God's heart."

Fr. Amorth (pages 13, 17)

"The battle against the devil, which is the principal task of Saint Michael the
Archangel, is still being fought today, because the devil is still alive and active in the
world. The evil that surrounds us today, the disorders that plague our society, man's
inconsistency and brokenness, are not only the results of original sin, but also the
result of Satan's pervasive and dark action."

Pope John Paul the Second, May 24, 1987

 PRAYERS OF DELIVERANCE AND PROTECTION AGAINST ALL EVIL

 Prayer on St. Benedict Cross Medal
  Angel Chaplet against evil 

Diary of a Mystic Saint - including her encounters with Satan- A Collection of

Inspirational Words given to St. Faustina by Our Lord, and the reflections they
inspired, under subject headings.

The following is a question-answer presentation of some of the key

concepts of this spectacular book.

Is Father Amorth credible?

"He has been very successful in helping a wide range of persons with
acute disturbances quite beyond the scope of clinical diagnosis...As a
priest rather than a clinician, I recognise in this book the account of an
intelligent and dedicated pastor of souls who has had the courage to go
where most of us fear to tread" (p.7)

Father Benedict J.Groeschel, C.F.R., Ed.D.

What does Fr. Amorth's wish to say to Bishops?

"I would like to alert bishops of the gravity of the problem. Bishops
must realise that this ministry is entirely entrusted to their care: it is
only they who can practice or delegate an exorcism. [please note. Fr
Amorth explains later in the book that here he is referring to the
sacramental exorcism] Sadly, since most bishops have never
performed an exorcism, they are seldom aware of the extent of the
need." (p14) Fr Amorth states in a new forward that the situation has
improved since 1993. (p.17)
Why is this book very important in our society today?

'It is also with pleasure that I welcome the publication of these pages,
because, although in these last decades much has been written in
almost every field of Catholic Morality and theology, the topic of
exorcism has been all but forgotten." (p.9)

"The majority of contemporary writers - Catholic theologians included

- do not deny the existence of Satan and the other rebellious angels but
discount the extent of their influence upon human affairs. Indeed in
many quarters to discredit physical diabolical influence is considered
a duty and proof of wisdom". (p.10)

"A Christology that ignores Satan is crippled and will never

understand the magnitude of redemption". (p.25)

"The truth of salvation is this: Jesus came to destroy the works of the
devil" (1 Jn 3:8), to free man from Satan's slavery, and to establish the
kingdom of God after destroying the reign of Satan." (p.26)
Is the Exorcist's Ministry Valid in our 'Enlightened' World?
"When Saint Peter, ... was led to the house of Cornelius the centurion
to announce the Christian faith.....he demonstrated that God was truly
with Jesus by stressing in a concrete way his ability to free all who
were in the grip of the devil (Acts 10: 1-38) - (p.9)
Can some illnesses be attributed to demonic activity?

"Today, science admits that some beahviour is casued by abnormal

factors and calls "paranormal" all inexplicable actions performed by
those possessed by demons. Many people are seeking to find causes of
these phenomena. We do not try to deny scientific progress; we
merely state that we deny reality if we delude ourselves that science
can explain everything and that we can trace every illness to normal
activities." (p.11)
Are Exorcisms still practiced today?

Yes, mostly by Protestant Churches although in the past, the Catholic

Church did take it more seriously. (p.14)
If Jesus saved us from the power of Satan, why does Satan's
Power still exist?

"The Gospels give us many statements concerning demons, and they

clearly state that Christ defeated the reign of Satan with his cross and
established the reign of God. The demons who possessed the Gerasene
man exclaimed, "What is there between us, Son of God? Have you
come to torment us before our time?" (Mt 8:29). This is an obvious
reference to the fact that the power of Satan is gradually broken by
Christ. [It] therefore, still exists and will continue to exist until our
salvation is completed, "because the accuser of our brethren will be
cast out" (Rev 12:10).

"God never rejects his creatures. Therefore, even though they broke
with God, Satan and his angels maintain their power and rank...even if
they use them for evil purposes....Since Satan cannot kill us, he tries to
"make us into his followers in opposition to God, just as he is in
opposition to God". (p.26)

"...between the first coming of Christ and the Parousia (the second,
triumphal coming of Christ as judge), the devil tries to entice as many
people as possible to his side. It is a battle he wages with the
desperation of one who knows he is already defeated, knowing "that
his time is short" (Rev 12:12). Therefore, Paul tells us in all honesty
that " we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the
principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this
present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places" (Eph 6:12). (Pp.26 - 27)

"Is Satan already in hell?...We cannot answer these

questions...Revelation tells us that demons were hurled down to earth;
therefore their final damnation has yet to happen...This is why they
ask Jesus, "have you come to torment us before the time?" (Mt
8:29)....It is St Peter who tells us that the demons have not yet been
definitively sentenced: "When angels sinned, God did not spare them;
he sent them down to the underworld and consigned them to the dark
underground caves to be held until the day of judgment" (2 Pet 2:4).
Pp. 31-32
What are some significant Scripture References to Satan and his
power?

Jesus calls him the "prince of this world" (Jn 12; 31, 14:30, 16:11)

"The whole world is in the power of the evil one" (1 Jn 5:19)

" Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against
the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were
defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And
the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called
the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world - he was thrown
down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him...And
when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he
pursued the woman," who was "dressed like the sun", from whom
Jesus was born (it is very clear that we are talking about the Most
Holy Virgin Mary). When the dragon realised that his efforts had
failed, "he went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those
who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus."
(cf. Rev12:7) pages 30-31 commentary.

"I will put emnity between you and the woman, and between your
seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his
heel."
Are Exorcisms essential to the Christian ministry?

"When Peter teaches Cornelius about Christ, he does not mention any
miracle besides the fact that he cured "all those who had fallen under
the power of the devil' (Acts 10:38). We understand then, why the first
authority that Jesus gave his apostles was the power to expel demons
(Mt 10;1). We can make the same statement for all believers: "These
are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they
will cast out devils" (Mk 16:17). p.21

"Jesus first gave the power to cast out demons to his apostles; then he
extended the power to the seventy two disciples, and in the end he
granted it to all those who would believe in him." (p.27)
Is the existence of evil an act of God? Did God create Hell?
"We must make this abundantly clear: evil, suffering, death, and hell
(that is, eternal damnation in everlasting torment) are not acts of God.
I want to expand on this point. One day Father Candido was expelling
a demon. Toward the end of the exorcism, he turned to the evil spirit
and sarcastically told him, "Get out of here. The Lord has already
prepared a nice, well-heated house for you!" At this, the demon
answered, "You do not know anything! It wasn't he [God] who made
hell. It was us. He had not even thought about it." Similarly, on
another occasion, while I was questioning a demon to know whether
he had contributed to the creation of hell, I received this answer: "All
of us cooperated." (p.22)
Are people pre-destined to go to Hell?

"I usually answer with four truths that the Bible spells out for us: God
wants that everyone be saved; no one is predestined to go to hell;
Jesus died for everyone; and everyone is given sufficient graces for
salvation." (p.22)
Is Jesus more powerful than the demons?

" When I speak the words "so that all beings in the heavens, on earth,
and in the underworld should bend the knee at the name of Jesus", I
kneel, everyone present kneels, and always the one possessed by the
demons is also compelled to kneel. It is a moving and powerful
moment." p.23
What are the principal qualities of the Anti-Christ spirit which
Satan 'inspires'?

"Therefore, he is anti-Christ and anti-Church. Satan uses the idolatory

of [immoral] sex, which reduces thehuman body to an instrument of
sin, against the Incarnation of the Word who redeemed man by
becoming man. Satan uses his churches, his cult, his devotees (often
consecrated through a pact of blood), his adorers, the followers of his
promises, to mimic the worship due to God. Just as Christ gave his
apostles and their followers specific powers for the good of body and
soul, so Satan gives specific powers to his followers for the
destruction of body and soul." Pp.29-30
 In which way does Satan harm people?

 Ordinary Activity

1. Temptation

 Extraordinary Activity

1. External physical pain - doesn't affect the soul, as seen in

lives of some saints
2. Possession - possession of the body but not the soul
 3. Oppression - symptoms can vary. Eg, Job in the Bible, St
Paul's thorn in the flesh caused by a "messenger of Satan" (2
Cor 12:7)
4. Obsession - sudden attacks, even rationally absurd, person is
in a perpetual state of desperation and attempts at suicide
5. Infestation - affects houses, animals and things
6. Dependence - people voluntarily submitting to Satan through a
consecration to him or a blood pact

(Pages 32-35)
In which way do we protect ourselves from any of the above?

 Prayer
 Sacraments
 Almsgiving and Charity
 Leading a Christian Life
 Forgiving offences
 Fidelity to God
 Fear of sin - "the basis of our strength"
 Intercession of Saints, especially Mary
 Intercession of Angels, especially our guardian angel, always
with us

 "We know that any one born of God does not sin,
but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil
one does not touch him" (1 John 5:18)

(Page 35 - 36)