Daily I receive emails from people around the globe crying out for help saying, "Help me! I can't find an exorcist." My heart goes out to these suffering people who cannot find an exorcist, whom they believe they must have to solve their problems.
There are about 150 exorcists in the entire United States. Due to the shortage of priests, most of these exorcists are also busy pastors and have limited time to conduct exorcisms. There are a number of exorcists in other countries such as Italy and the Philippines. But more than a few countries have a handful or none at all.
On the other hand, the request for exorcists has exploded. There are likely many reasons including the increased public awareness of this ministry beginning with the popular books of Fr. Gabriel Amorth the stellar exorcist from Rome. But many of us believe that there are simply more possessed and oppressed people than ever before.
Why? First, practicing the faith has dwindled considerably in previously devout areas. The best spiritual protection is the shield of faith in Christ (Eph 6:11-17). Second, virtuous living is also on the decline in many areas. Sin creates a vulnerability to the Evil One. Third, and particularly deadly, the practices of the occult, witchcraft, divination and other demonic portals have risen sharply. For example, WitchTok, a subset of TikTok for witches, boasts over 30 billion views.
What to do if you have demons and cannot get an exorcist? Don't panic. An exorcism is a powerful tool to free the fully possessed, but the ordinary means of ridding oneself of demons are readily at hand. Fr. Amorth said that a good confession is worth more than an exorcism. This is definitely true. The sacraments are the primary means of ridding ourselves from demons and sanctifying our souls.
Could there be any better exorcistic practice than a holy daily Eucharist? I was doing an exorcism not long ago and I said to the demons, "Did he go to Mass this morning and receive Jesus in the Eucharist?" The demons howled in agony.
To this, I would add regular Eucharistic adoration, daily rosary, and if needed, some daily deliverance prayers. There are many on our app ("Catholic Exorcism") and website (www.catholicexorcism.org). There are also daily deliverance prayers found on the Auxilium Christianorum app and website (https://auxiliumchristianorum.org/). There are many other effective deliverance spiritual practices such as daily meditation on the Bible, and more.
People sometimes say: "I have done all that and I still have demons." When I ask how long they have been praying, they might say a few weeks or months. But for the truly possessed, the process of liberation typically takes 2-4 years, if everything works well. And some residual demonic harassment can be lifelong. If the person has been doing all this, and living a virtuous life for many years, it may be that their discernment that demons are directly responsible for their sufferings is inaccurate. They might look for other explanations for their suffering and inner torment.
It is a special grace to have a priest exorcist and his team working with a possessed person on a weekly basis. At SMC we provide holistic care including spiritual direction, referral to a Catholic mental health professional, and a supportive team approach. The number of people we can help this way is very limited, and it will always be. But the vast majority of those who suffer from a demonic affliction are not possessed, but rather suffer a lesser form-- oppressed/vexed or obsessed. They need a less intense intervention, i.e. deliverance prayers and a solid Catholic spiritual life.
With the arrival of the internet, a new source of information and help is now available.+++ We have 238k followers on social media with lots of short, informative videos, and each month our online deliverance sessions have about 25k participants, from all over the world.+ The faithful, in far flung areas, who would likely never have access to an exorcist, can now pray with one. They can be informed by experienced exorcists' videos and writings. They can pray with effective deliverance prayers found online.
Can't find an exorcist? The great majority of those who are demonically afflicted are not fully possessed and don't need one. And, if you diligently use all the resources the Catholic Church has to offer everyone, you will slowly, steadily move toward liberation and healing. All true sanctification is a slow, steady process.
This life is difficult and often a "vale of tears." Trust in Jesus.
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+Our next free monthly deliverance session is THIS MONDAY March 3. Rosary at: 6:30pm Eastern USA time and Deliverance Session 7-8pm. Register for March on our website or go here. (Once you've registered and received a link, there is no need to register again.) Join us in prayer!
++Msgr. Rossetti will lead an online Lenten deliverance retreat from 11am to 2pm EST Saturday, April 12th. He will give talks on healing, spiritual warfare, answer questions, and pray deliverance and healing prayers over all present. Register here or go to our website. Don't miss this special time of deliverance and healing!
+++Find us on YouTube: @stmichaelcenter
++++Beware of scammers! There are a number of scammers on social media and YouTube posing as Msgr. Rossetti and pirating our posts. The gmail address: msgrstephenrosetti is a scammer. They are contacting people asking for money for an orphanage in Africa or for a fund for sick children. Or they are claiming "get rich quick" schemes in our YOUTUBE chat in order to scam people. If you want to contribute to our ministry, go directly to our website and donate safely.