The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist

by Matt Baglio

  Almost immediately Maria's body began to twitch, her legs rocking back and forth. As he noticed this, Father Gary tried not to betray what he was thinking: Here was his confirmation.

  “We beseech you to make powerless, banish, and drive out every diabolic power, presence, and machination; every evil influence, malefice, or evil eye, and all evil actions aimed against your servant Maria. Where there is envy and malice, give us an abundance of goodness, endurance, victory, and charity. O Lord, you who love mankind, we beg you to reach out your powerful hands and your most high and mighty arms and come to our aid. Help us, who are made in your image; send the angel of peace over us, to protect us body and soul,” he prayed.

  Maria suddenly screamed. She began thrashing violently on the couch. Then, much to Father Gary's amazement, her facial muscles tensed in such a way that her appearance completely changed, and she took on the visage of an adder. Even her mannerisms seemed to become snakelike. Her eyes, which had become dead black discs, bored into him while her tongue shot in and out like a snake's.

  As he beheld this transformation, his heart pounded in his chest. This is really happening, he thought. He wasn't hallucinating. He threw some holy water onto Maria and she lunged at him, but was grabbed at the last minute by her parents, who were sitting on either side of her. Deep hatred poured out at him through her black eyes. There was no doubt in his mind that if he had been alone with her, she would have long since attacked him. He was no longer a spectator; it was up to him to see this through to the end.

  “May God keep at bay and vanquish every evil power, every poison or malice invoked against us by corrupt and envious people. Then, under the protection of your authority may we sing, in gratitude, ‘The Lord is my salvation; whom should I fear?’“

  She kicked and strained, trying to break free.

  The struggle continued for a few more minutes, until he decided that it was probably better if he didn't push things too much at this early stage. She needed a solemn exorcism, not a simple blessing. It would also allow him a chance to prepare more. For now it was enough to know that the prayers had generated a strong reaction.

  Once the blessing was finished, Maria immediately calmed down and her face returned to normal. As she slumped down on the couch to catch her breath, Father Gary left to get a host, thinking that perhaps communion would do her good. When he reentered the room with the Eucharist, however, she nearly jumped out the window, and probably would have if it hadn't been for her parents once again wrestling her back down onto the couch. When she had recovered sufficiently, Father Gary finally gave her the consecrated host, though even as she received it, she was unable to swallow it. Worrying that the demon might be coming back, Father Gary quickly unscrewed the cap from his holy water bottle and handed it to her, saying, “Here, wash it down with this.” Finally, the host went down.

  When it was over, the mother approached Father Gary to thank him. She told him that while her daughter's reaction to the prayers had been similar to the exorcism in Honduras, this time it was much more intense.

  After the family had left, Father Gary sat for a moment in his office to collect his thoughts. He had been through a tremendous change since being nominated exorcist in 2005. And while many of these experiences had touched him deeply—exposing him to a deep level of human suffering that he never knew existed—something particular about this case definitely stood out. Beyond the sensational, a profound element of it gave him hope. He was finally able to put aside his doubts once and for all about whether the Ritual would work for him. These prayers do have power, he thought. It was a visceral reminder that the age-old conflict between good and evil, sin and salvation, was far from over. Not only did this validate his calling as a priest, and his choice to become an exorcist, but it was a powerful confirmation of one of the deepest mysteries of his faith. Even though evil existed in the world, there was a way to defeat it.

  AUTHOR'S NOTE

  IN THE FALL OF 2005, when I heard that a Vatican-affiliated university was offering a course entitled “Exorcism and the Prayer of Liberation,” I thought it might be a PR stunt. Did the Church still believe in exorcism? It was intriguing that the course would be open to non-priests, with some of the lessons taught by psychologists and crimi-nologists. Living in Italy as a freelance writer and journalist who'd spent time in the Rome bureau of the Associated Press, I knew how hard it could be to crack the wall of secrecy surrounding the Vatican. Add to that the mystery surrounding exorcism, and I saw the class as a rare opportunity. Not knowing what to expect, I thought there was at least an article in it.

  At the time, I knew almost nothing about exorcism. Like most people, I immediately thought of Hollywood movies. Yet, while films such as The Exorcist were reportedly “based” on true stories, the cinematic packaging and special effects made it hard to separate fact from fiction.

  The first day of the course, however, changed any such preconceptions I had about exorcism. Not only was the ultramodern classroom an odd setting to see priests, Franciscan friars, and nuns of various orders listening to lectures on the powers of Satan, but, to my surprise, I found the students themselves to be anything but the “superstitious” or puritanical priests portrayed in popular culture.

  When I first met Father Gary, I was immediately impressed by his honesty and transparency. The two of us struck up a friendship based on a strong desire to immerse ourselves in what we were learning.

  As I became acquainted with the details of Father Gary's life, the writer in me began to realize that his journey presented a unique window into the world of exorcism. Here was the chance, I thought, to see what it is like to be an exorcist from the perspective of someone just getting started.

  In truth, though, the thought of writing about demons and exorcism wasn't at the top of my list—my wife, for one, didn't find the subject all that appealing. I must say that there were days when I wondered whether it might be better for me to leave things alone, lest my own life be invaded by an unseen “spirit.”

  Despite being raised a Catholic, I was ambivalent about demonic possession. In fact, in the interest of full disclosure, when I began this book I was more of a “cultural Catholic” than a practicing one. Sure I went to mass now and then, on Christmas and Easter; but beyond that, I probably wasn't the best person with whom to discuss the deeper mysteries of the faith. On the contrary, my approach was more journalistic than anything. I wanted to know what the Church actually taught about exorcism. And in the case of Father Gary, I wanted to know what it took for a person to be willing to stand in a room and square off against demons, if in fact there were demons at all.

  As a layperson, the first thing that surprised me about exorcism was that not many priests knew anything about it, especially not American priests.

  Most if not all American books about exorcism were outdated, many written in the 1970s. In Italy, however, it was a different story, and almost immediately I found myself turning to Italian books, a vast majority of which (such as Possessioni diaboliche ed esorcismo by Father Franceso Bamonte and Il dito di Dio e il potere di Satana: L'esor-cismo by Father Gabriele Nanni) were written since 2004. These books provided not only detailed theological analysis, but also first-hand accounts of what performing an exorcism is like. And the more I read, the more curious I became. Once Father Gary began participating in exorcisms, I was able to add his interpretations. However, I also knew that if I wanted to tell this story, I would have to enter into the world of the exorcist, and the only way to do that would be to witness an exorcism.

  My first behind-the-scenes look at exorcism occurred when I began to interview the various exorcists on their “home turf.” Here and there I would catch a glimpse of what existed on the other side—a group of people hounding Father Tommaso outside the sacristy of the Scala Santa; Father Bamonte wiping a puddle of holy water off a chair so that I could sit down for our interview; sitting in Father Carmine's waiting room while a woman screamed and banged around in his office. Perhaps most
surprising was that far from being carried out in some hilltop monastery, many of the exorcisms were performed in churches located right in the heart of Rome. In fact, it was common to be talking to an exorcist while groups of tourists paraded around taking photos of religious iconography. One bizarre aspect of researching this book was this juxtaposition of two worlds— talking to a victim of demonic possession or hearing an exorcism and then emerging into the bright sunshine and chaotic streets of Rome.

  Each exorcist I interviewed was compelling in his own right. I warmed to Father Bamonte's boyhood exuberance, Father Nanni's movie-star good looks and intellectual demeanor, Father Amorth's avuncular joviality and penchant for dramatic rejoinders, and Father Carmine's salt-of-the-earth unpretentiousness. All were patient and gracious with me no matter how many questions I stumbled through in my less-than-perfect Italian.

  I also found their candor to be refreshing. Many of the books I'd read had ordered everything into neat little boxes, yet here were exorcists with years of experience telling me that there were still things that couldn't be known.

  Then there were the victims. Like Father Gary, not only did I find their apparent normalcy surprising, but I also found them credible, even likable people. These were not people who struck me as trying to pull a fast one; they were sincere, heartfelt individuals who were struggling with something even they seemed at a loss to understand. Later, when I participated in exorcisms, this impression was only reinforced.

  Many people assume that an exorcist is out to prove that people are possessed; however, with each of the Italian exorcists I talked to, I found the opposite to be true. It is also wrong, I think, to assume that the Church is on one side promoting the belief in spirits while the secular world is on the other, trying to debunk such notions. Stroll down to the local New Age bookshop to see the tremendous popularity of angels, “channeling,” and “astral travel,” not to mention the numbers of “ghost whisperers” and therapists who practice “spirit re-leasement.” Take away officially appointed exorcists, and people will still seek out exorcisms, or pay “psychics” to rid their homes from evil spirits. Seen in this light, the concept of an exorcism course offering lectures by psychologists and other experts in the field to help train priests is a good idea, even if only to give people some sort of standards.

  The writing of this book became a journey of sorts for me as well. It helped me to reconnect with my faith in a way that I never expected when I began researching exorcism. Over the course of the three years I spent writing and conducting my research, I met many incredible individuals like Father Gary, whose service and dedication to those who suffer showed me how much good we can do when we set aside our egos and reach out to help people.

  While I was writing, people often asked whether anything strange had happened to me. Besides the odd shutter bang on a windless day or the ill-timed power outage costing me some of my work, both of which I attribute to coincidence, there was an experience I cannot explain.

  I was driving home one afternoon, after an interview with a woman who suddenly entered into the trance state and started screaming at a picture of Mary on the wall. All at once my car was filled with the scent of flowers. In an offhand way I thought, Oh, that's nice. Where is this coming from? Then I found myself unconsciously grinning. I remembered that before the exorcism took place, Father Bamonte had told me that the Virgin Mary often came to the aid of the woman, and so during her outburst I'd said a little prayer asking Mary to help. I certainly didn't imagine this tiny gesture had any real impact on her case. Father Bamonte went on to perform the exorcism, and the woman continued to scream for nearly an hour.

  At the time, I had only a vague recollection that certain people reported smelling flowers in connection with Mary and other mystical experiences. Was my car being flooded by the scent of flowers somehow connected to what had happened earlier in the morning? I wasn't so sure. The smell certainly wasn't coming from outside the car (when it happened I'd been driving by a sheep farm, infamous for its foul odor). It could have been coming from my air conditioner (though I had never smelled it before). It could have been an olfactory hallucination, for all I knew. But in hindsight I've come to realize that an explanation is beside the point. Even though this experience lasted only a few minutes, it touched me deeply. Was this Mary or some angelic being trying to tell me that she'd heard the pathetic cry of a person struggling to come to grips with his own faith in order to help a fellow human being? Was some part of my subconscious feeding impulses to another to convince myself of my own transcendence? I guess I'll never know. One thing is certain, whatever it was filled me with an immense sense of joy.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I AM GRATEFUL BEYOND MEASURE to the courageous and candid contributions of Father Gary Thomas, and to his indefatigable generosity and kindness. Quite simply this book would not have been possible without him.

  I am very grateful to all the people who appeared in this book but especially to Father Francesco Bamonte, Father Gabriele Nanni, and Father Carmine De Fillipis, who not only took time out of their busy schedules to answer my questions, but were also vital in opening up the world of exorcism to me. Special thanks also to Father Gabriele Amorth, Father Aldo Buonaiuto, Father Jeremy Davies, Father Frangois Dermine, O.P., Father Giancarlo Gramolazzo, Father Kevin Joyce, Father Vince Lampert, and Father Tiziano Ripetto.

  Numerous other priests shared with me their time and personal stories. Some made it into the book but many did not. Thanks to Father Avelina, Father Pedro Barrajon, Father Steve Bigler, Father Bernie Bush, Monsignor John Esseff, Father Paul Hrezzo, Father Bren-den Lally, Father James LeBar, Father Gerardo Menchaca, Father John Michet, Father Bill O'Callaghan, Father Serge Propst, O.R, Father Mike Simone, Father Johanus Sweetzer, Father Mike Tomaseck, and Father Antonius Wall.

  Father Basil Cole, O.P, not only helped me to navigate the teachings of Thomas Aquinas on the angels, but also read sections of the manuscript and offered valuable feedback. The same can be said for Father Jeffrey Grob, who provided invaluable insight into the exorcism Ritual, and Father A. Farren, O.P., who donated his time and expertise to give the manuscript a critical read.

  Thanks also to Monsignor James F. Checchio at the North American College for allowing me access to the NAC library, and to Sister Rebecca for making the difficult task of wading through all that material less daunting.

  Dr. Richard Gallagher gets my sincerest thanks for sharing with me his knowledge and expertise. I was very sorry to hear that Dr. Barry L. Beyerstein had passed away in the spring of 2007. He was doing amazing work in the field of biopsychology and I know he will be missed.

  A special thank-you to all the victims who were willing to share their stories with me. Baring one's soul to a complete stranger is never an easy thing to do, and I was truly humbled by the courage of these people.

  I cannot say enough about my amazing agent, Christy Fletcher, who got on board at the very beginning and whose determination and dedication never faltered. She patiently guided me through my first foray into the world of publishing with an almost Zen-like calm.

  Thanks also to my wonderful editor JillEllyn Riley who made a tough situation seem like a walk in the park. It was a real pleasure to work with such a talented and committed professional.

  At Doubleday Religion, many thanks to John Burke for fielding my numerous calls and e-mails, to my copy editor Ruth Younger for all the hard work she put into the manuscript, and especially to Trace Murphy for his words of encouragement and unwavering support of the book.

  Thanks also to Paolo Alei, Lori Armstrong, Pierpaolo Balani, Richard Brener, Dr. Tonino Cantelmi, Melissa Chinchillo, Carlo Climati, Sam Copeland, Marta Falconi, Merideth Finn, Beau Flynn, Elizabeth Hazelton, Natalie S. Higgins, Mara Lander, Swanna MacNair, Jim Michaletti, Lory Mondaini, Michael Petroni, Nora Reichard, Peter Robinson, Howard Sanders, Kate Scherler, Claudio Vignozzi, Tripp Vinson, Lorien Warner, Christopher Winner, and Sara Wolski. Thanks also to the Thomas family for their time
and memories.

  Every writer needs a good support group. Thanks to Scooter Leonard for helping to instill in me a love of writing, and to my good friend and mentor Randolph Wright, who through skill and tact was able to steer me through the minefields of some of the earliest drafts.

  I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Eric Blehm, who opened door after door for me and helped to keep me afloat throughout the whole process with his encouragement, sage advice, and commiseration. A simple thank-you would not be enough.

  To my parents, Tom and Nancy Baglio, who have always believed in me and supported me over the years. And to my entire American and Italian families for their unconditional support and enthusiasm, I could not have done it without you guys. My son, Noah, who constantly reminded me what really mattered. And lastly to my brilliant and multitalented wife, Sara, who not only translated and transcribed most of my interviews but who also put up with my long absences and never-ending doubts. I know it wasn't easy, but your support never wavered. For that, and so much more, I offer you my eternal love and gratitude.