by Matt Baglio
After the angels “fell,” God created the material world, including the first humans. When this happened, Satan turned his rage on mankind, and, as described by John Paul II, “transplanted] into man the insubordination, rivalry and opposition to God, which had become the motivation for his existence.” The book of Genesis relates how Satan, taking the form of the serpent, tempted Adam and Eve to sin.
As a result of this sin and humanity's turning its back on God, Satan has been given some degree of dominion over man. In the Bible he is called “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31) and “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CHURCH, the nature of angels caused some confusion. Writing in the second century, Justin Martyr thought that fallen angels had denser bodies than the good angels, and that they actually ate a special kind of food (Psalm 78:25; Psalm 105:40). The word angel is also deceiving. Deriving from the Hebrew mal'ak or the Greek angelos, it signifies “messenger,” or “envoy,” which indicates more of a function than a nature.
Today, the Church teaches that angels are incorporeal spiritual beings. Saint Augustine says: “‘Angel’ is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’: from what they are, ‘spirit,’ from what they do, ‘angel.’“
There has been much speculation over the years about what might constitute the nature of a pure spirit. And while his writings on the subject are not a part of official Church doctrine, a majority of Catholic theologians follow the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, also known as the Angelic Doctor. Aquinas explains that pure spirits are not composed of matter and form, but of essence and existence, act and potentiality. Where the early Church Fathers fell short, Aquinas suggests, was in not according enough importance to intelligence. Because of their wholly spiritual nature, angels are complete beings and occupy “the first and highest place in the scale of created things,” nearer to the likeness of God, who is pure spirit, rather than man, who is a mix of the spiritual (soul) and material (body).
Every angel is a distinct being endowed with intellect and free will. However, as Aquinas explains, this doesn't mean that the angels are composed only of intellect, but rather that their knowledge is derived from the intellect, compared to a human soul that attains knowledge through both the intellect and senses. As theologian A. M. Lepicier notes, “An angel possesses such penetration that he is able, at one glance, to take in the whole field of science laying open to his perception, just as we, at a glance, can take in the entire field of vision lying exposed to our eyes.”
For the ministry of an exorcist, perhaps the most important distinction that Aquinas makes is that since angels (or demons) do not occupy space, therefore they cannot be physically present in a place like a person can. In this way, they are not anywhere. Instead, when a demon is alleged to move an object (slam a door, for instance, or slide a chair across a room), the demon is acting on that object.
Their being immaterial means that angels do not move from point A to B by any kind of locomotion, but instead suddenly shift their activity from one point or place to a different one. Some theologians have likened this movement to the human mind, which can instantly transfer thoughts over long distances or onto random objects.
Since the Church teaches that God never rejects his creatures, even when they use his gifts for evil means, the Devil still retains his former angelic stature and powers. As Saint Augustine established, though, God does not give Satan a free hand, otherwise “no man would be left alive.” Theologians stipulate that the Devil and the fallen angels are limited in their actions in two main ways: by the limits of their nature as created beings, and by the will of God.
LIMITS OF THE DEVIL BASED ON HIS NATURE
The Catholic Church teaches that no matter how superior he is to humans, the Devil is still a finite creature. He cannot, for example, perform true miracles, because by definition a miracle is something that surpasses the power of all created nature. To perform a miracle requires “supernatural” power, and Satan has only “preternatural” power. He can, however, create the appearance of a miracle since his powers allow him to surpass the limits of human abilities.
The Devil is also limited in his ability to know the secrets of the inner heart, a field strictly open to God, who is all-knowing, say theologians. However, according to exorcists, the Devil can tell what we are thinking by using his superior powers of observation, just as a physician might glean some information about a man's health by checking his pulse.
The Devil cannot foresee the future, say exorcists. He can, however, fake the appearance of psychic ability by accurately “predicting” what will happen based on his knowledge of human nature and the powers he has as a spirit.
LIMITS OF THE DEVIL BASED ON GOD'S WILL
The second limitation on the Devil's power comes from God's will. In the Christian tradition, an important distinction is made between the Devil's status as a lower being created by God and his false reputation as “god of evil” (a view held by many satanic cults). As a result, the Catholic Church emphasizes that even though the Devil, because of his angelic stature, has more power than humans, he can do nothing unless God allows it. The book of Job attests to the fact that God can restrain the Devil: “The Lord said to Satan, Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him” (Job 1:13).
Many have asked, Why would God allow the Devil to harm us? While this question is not easy to answer, Catholic theologians such as Thomas Aquinas have tried to show that ultimately God permits the Devil to act in order to turn evil to good.
Typically, the Devil is permitted to act in ways broken down by exorcists into two categories: ordinary and extraordinary.
ORDINARY ACTIVITY OF THE DEVIL
The ordinary activity of the Devil is temptation. Temptation is essentially nothing more than an attraction to commit a sin. In order to sin, we first have to realize that whatever act we are committing is a moral evil, otherwise we would be guilty of only ignorance, not sin. Saint Paul says in the letter to the Romans: “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it but sin that dwells within me. […] I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do” (Romans 7:15-23). It is in this capacity of tempting us to go against the good of our nature that exorcists assert the Devil is most active. However, theologians are quick to point out that it would be a mistake to assume that all temptations come from the Devil. As Thomas Aquinas says, “The devil is not the cause of every sin: for all sins are not committed at the devil's instigation, but some are due to the free-will and the corruption of the flesh.” The Catholic Church teaches that overcoming temptation is a normal way for the soul to strengthen in grace and virtue.
EXTRAORDINARY ACTIVITY OF THE DEVIL
Any demonic activity that is considered more powerful than temptation is “extraordinary.” Over the years, numerous terms have been used in the field of exorcism and deliverance to describe the various ways in which the Devil and demons can afflict people directly. When the new rite of exorcism was promulgated in 1998, the Conference of Italian Bishops asked the International Association of Exorcists to come up with a list of terms that could be used by everybody. The Devil's extraordinary activity was lumped into four major areas: (1) infestation, (2) oppression, (3) obsession, and (4) demonic possession.
INFESTATION
Infestation is the presence of demonic activity in a location or object, such as a “haunted house.”
The various kinds of phenomena that can occur in this situation are vast and include unexplained sounds or noises like mysterious footsteps, loud bangs, laughter, screams; the temperature of a room dropping or the feelings of a cold wind with no discernable source; objects disappearing su
ddenly and materializing in other parts of the house; strange presences felt; the presence of offensive odors; interruption of electric current or the malfunction of electronic devices; pictures that mysteriously bang or fall off the wall; doors and windows that open and close on their own; dishes or other objects levitating and flying about the room.
One exorcist described going to bless a house and seeing mysterious, bloodlike spots appearing on various objects, including articles of clothing tucked away in drawers and even a set of brand-new bed sheets that were still sealed in plastic. In the same instance, a rosary that had been strung with ornate glass beads was found hanging on the back of a door with all the beads mysteriously removed. Later that night, the beads were found crushed into a fine powder and placed into a neat little pile outside the house.
In another instance, a woman baked a cake and placed it on the kitchen table; but when she reentered the room, the cake was mysteriously high on top of the cupboard even though no one else was in the house.
Generally, say exorcists, such disturbances occur for a number of reasons, including the presence of a cursed object in the house or the house itself being cursed; use of the location for occult activities such as seances or for a criminal activity of some kind, such as prostitution or drug dealing; performance of a satanic ritual on the premises; or gruesome murders or suicides having taken place there. Often, say exorcists, manifestations are caused by a person being attacked by an evil presence rather than attributed to an evil spirit being attached to the house.
Typically, instead of performing an exorcism, exorcists prefer to do a simple blessing and say a mass on the premises.
OPPRESSION
Also called “physical attack,” oppression often takes the form of mysterious blows raining down on the individual or scratches inexplicably materializing on the body. Some people have had strange signs or even letters appear on their skin, while others claim to be pushed down stairs or out of bed by an invisible force. The Bible attests to the power of the Devil to inflict physical infirmities. In the Gospel of Luke, for example, Jesus heals a woman who has been bowed over and deformed by a “spirit of infirmity” (Luke 13:10-16). Typically, this kind of direct attack is aimed at people who are closest to God, such as the saints. Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), Saint John Vianney (1786-1859), and Saint Gemma Galgani (1878-1903), to name a few, were all the objects of demonic oppression at some point in their lives, as was Saint Paul, whose “Thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7) is generally considered to have been caused by a demon.
As in the book of Job, victims of this kind of attack may also suffer in their work, health, or relationships. The purpose is to drive these people toward isolation and despair so they may turn their back on God.
OBSESSION
Obsession has also been called “demonic temptation,” and it involves an intense and persistent attack on the mind of the victim. Generally these attacks include random and obsessive thoughts that, though often absurd, are so intense that the victim is unable to free him- or herself. Victims feel tormented by a fixation that completely dominates their thoughts. These thoughts can make the victim think he is going insane, which only compounds the feelings of sadness and desperation. As Italian exorcist Father Francesco Bamonte notes, “Some are thoughts and impulses that urge people to harm others; some make people think that only a pact with Satan can get them out of their troubles or bring them success; some are thoughts to profane the Eucharist; others are thoughts to drive one to suicide.” Often the obsessions affect a person's dreams, and terrible nightmares are common.
POSSESSION
Also known as “involuntary possession,” demonic possession is by far the most spectacular activity of the Devil and also the rarest. Some exorcists believe they have never seen a full demonic possession, while others encounter the phenomena with some frequency. Almost all exorcists are unanimous in their belief, however, that more people are becoming possessed today than in the recent past.
In a demonic possession, the Devil takes temporary control of a person's body, speaking and acting through it without the person's knowledge. This control, however, doesn't last indefinitely, but rather occurs only during “moments of crisis” in which the victim enters a trance state. Generally speaking, after the crisis passes, the victim will not remember what transpired (rare individuals will be conscious during the ordeal and will remember). As a result of this “loss of control” the individual is considered blameless for whatever happens. However, having a free will, they are responsible for their actions when they are not in the trance state, and so, say theologians, demonic possession in no way exculpates them from guilt.
In between their crisis moments, it is also possible for victims to carry on as if nothing is wrong. This does not mean, however, that they are not affected by the demon. “People who are possessed can keep undergoing influence of the demon in their mind,” says another Italian exorcist. “As the Holy Spirit acquaints one with divine things such as good feelings, pleasant sensations, a state of physical well-being, a state of calm, inner peace and also an intuition of things, an evil spirit through his ugliness can do the same thing though in the opposite way, like agitation, anxiety, desperation, hate, or thoughts of suicide.”
During moments of crisis, the Devil can manifest in various ways: bodily contortions that defy rational explanation; unnatural strength; knowledge of hidden things; or abilities to speak or understand foreign languages. In stronger cases, the demon will speak through the person, usually in an odd or unnatural voice that is full of rage and hatred.
It is also possible for strange occurrences to happen at the homes of possessed individuals, such as weird animals appearing or disappearing. For instance, one eighteen-year-old girl was suddenly awakened one night by a slap across her face. Looking around, she saw that she was alone. However, as she searched the room, she noticed that misshapen bugs (with antennae or wings missing, for example) began appearing on the walls. Frightened, she called out to her mother, who also saw the bugs. The two then tried to kill them with a shoe, but they kept appearing on the walls as if out of thin air.
It is important to note that, in the case of a demonic possession, say exorcists, the soul of the individual is not possessed, just the body. A great debate has raged among Christians about whether a person in a state of grace could also be possessed. According to the Catholic Church, the answer is yes (the lives of the saints bear witness to this) because the soul remains in a state of grace while the body is taken over. The only exception would be when a person “invites” a possession to take place, such as during a satanic ritual. “In this case,” says an Italian exorcist, “the presence in the soul is completed, which means that the will of the person completely identifies with the demon, having given himself completely to him. In that case the person becomes constantly possessed, and is like a demon walking on the earth.”
CHAPTER FIVE
OPENING THE DOOR
My dear Wormwood,
Everything is clearly going very well. I am specially glad to hear that the two new friends have now made him acquainted with their whole set. All these, as I find from the record office, are thoroughly reliable people; steady, consistent scoffers and worldings who without any spectacular crimes are progressing quietly and comfortably towards Our Father's house.
—C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
Confound the race
Of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell
To mingle and involve, done all to spite The Great Creator
—John Milton, Paradise Lost
The image of a desecrated church with satanic graffiti—“666” and upside-down crosses—spray painted on the walls filled the large white screen behind the dais.
“These photos were taken in the chapel of an abandoned hospital just outside Rome,” asserted the deep baritone voice of Dr. Marco Strano, a criminologist and psychologist with the state police. A brooding, bald man with a
n intense gaze made more pronounced by a set of thick black eyebrows, Dr. Strano appeared right at home next to the gruesome images—elaborate satanic tattoos, self-mutilations, shattered storefronts blocked off by yellow crime-scene tape—that paraded across the screen.
Because the blinds were shut and the lights were turned off, Father Gary didn't bother to take many notes, but instead sat back and tried to digest it all.
In recent years, satanic cults had been on the rise in Italy, and several high-profile satanic murders had grabbed attention in the Italian news. In 2001, three teenage girls stabbed a nun to death in a northern Italian town as a part of a satanic ritual. In the fall of 2005, members of a satanic rock group, the Bestie di Satana (Beasts of Satan) were brought to trial for the brutal murder of one band member and two female friends, one of whom was shot and buried alive. As recently as 2007, a man with amnesia wandered into a police station in a town near Milan covered with small puncture wounds and missing three liters of blood. Later, his blood was found splattered all over the walls of his apartment seventy miles away in the form of satanic writings. Police found upturned crosses and other satanic symbols there even though the man had no recollection of belonging to any cult.
Because millions of people are reportedly involved in the occult around the world and the numbers are on the rise, the exorcism course would explain the ramifications to novice exorcists.
