ST. MICHAEL CENTER

SEARCH

Standing in the midst of a cemetery for monks, I could see about 30 simple white crosses. I knew almost all of them. For forty years, I had been coming to this monastery on retreat. Most of those who were buried here, I had known personally. As I looked at each cross, I pictured their faces and remembered them with gratitude. Each year they welcomed me as one of their own. During the night watch, I sat shoulder to shoulder with them, chanting the psalms. I found much peace there. As I stood in the cemetery, I began to pray for them, as is my custom in cemeteries. I prayed Hail Marys for their eternal repose. Requiescant in pace et lux perpetua luceat eis (May they rest in peace and may perpetual light shine upon them). That particular afternoon had been a difficult one, the Evil One was oppressing me. He's not too happy I am on retreat I suspect! But the oppression was not so bad that I couldn’t visit my friends in the cemetery. As I finished my prayers for the dead and started to return to the cloister, the oppression instantly lifted. A spiritual calm ensued. At that moment, I realized that a grace had been given. I had been praying for the monks but, in reality, it was they who were interceding for me. I was standing in the midst of saints. I thought, “My friends, I thank you.” During our exorcisms, I invoke many of the great, well-known saints, as is proper. Their powerful intercession is well known. I wonder if my personal friends in heaven would help too? In the days ahead, I will ask...

[Illustration, Dante's Ninth Circle of Hell, Gustave Dore] Two of our exorcists were working together with a demonically afflicted person. The night before the first session, each separately had an identical, unusual experience. When they met the next morning, both described being overwhelmed during the previous night by an intense cold. They could not get warm, despite wrapping themselves in layers of clothing. They were freezing on the inside. Their experiences lasted about an hour and then dissipated. The next day, as they met and prayed with the person who was demonically afflicted, it became clear that she suffered from a number of demonic symptoms including a pervasive isolation. She had no close friends and, although she was a responsible professional, she had no real life-giving human connections. Her emotional life was "cold". Hopefully our exorcists, by experiencing her demonic isolation as "burden bearers", were a help for her carrying her burden and an assist toward liberation. Isolation is a common characteristic of the possessed. When demons are present, the afflicted typically experience something of their life in hell. In the infernal regions, there are no friendships. There is only an emotional isolation that pierces the soul. In Dante's Inferno, the ninth and lowest region of hell, where Satan himself resides, is depicted as a frozen wasteland. The road to recovery for the demonically afflicted should eventually include a reconnecting with friends, loved ones, and a community of faith. Heaven is love, unity and peace. Hell is hatred and isolation. All of us need the warmth of human connection, otherwise our life becomes a true hell.

["What is truth?" Christ and Pilate, Nikolai Ge, 1890] One of our deacon team members has been doing a great job in defending against demonic attacks directed at him and assisting the liberation of a possessed person. He received his training from one of the best demonologists in the country. The demons sent him this message: "He tricked you; you didn't learn s... from him!" I translated the demonic lie for him: "Your teacher nailed it and taught you a lot. The demons are angry about that." Demons lie and, in their very lies, there is often a kernel of truth. In this case, the demons are angry that the deacon is so effective and they blame his teacher. Do demons ever tell the truth directly? Sometimes.... Sometimes God makes them tell the truth, especially when you hear the demons admitting anything holy such as "Jesus is Lord". Second, they will use a true statement if they think they can diss someone with it. For example, they will occasionally call out someone's sins or mention past missteps in attempt to damage their self-image. Thirdly, we exorcists, invoking the authority of the Church in the midst of an exorcism, command the demons to tell the truth. We do this only to learn important information in casting them out, such as demons' names. But we are careful with whatever we hear, since the demons will continue to lie if they can. Satan is "a liar and the Father of lies" (Jn 8:44). Jesus is "the way and the truth" (Jn 14:6). I have begun to read some of the comments on social media posted in response to our videos. Sadly, some of them contain demonic lies. One person said, "Satan loves you for who you are." Another wrote, "I am a witch and I can control the demons." They are listening to demonic lies. The antidote is Jesus who is the Truth. I implore the many who are dabbling in the dark world to turn to the Truth. Satan's lies only lead to death. ------------------------ *We invite you to join Msgr. Stephen Rossetti on our next online deliverance webinar on Monday, November 28, 2022, from 7pm to 8pm Eastern USA time. Please register if you wish to attend. **Msgr. Stephen Rossetti will lead an online Advent Deliverance Retreat from 11am to 2pm Eastern USA time (same as New York City) on Saturday December 10th. This retreat is designed for those who want to know more about spiritual warfare and who want a deeper personal experience of deliverance and healing. Register here. Or register at: www.catholicexorcism.org. ***Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for daily content that will hopefully help you in your spiritual journey. May our Blessed Mother and St. Michael watch over our content and bring it to those who need it the most.

[Mary Magdalene in Penitence, El Greco, 1578] Poor Kate. She gets beaten up and sexually assaulted nightly by a large pack of demons. She regularly wakes up with scratches, bruises and demonic symbols etched into her skin. During our exorcism sessions, demons threaten her, assault her and choke her. As we get close to full liberation, she vomits up large black globs, a sign that demons are being expelled. It is not her fault she is possessed. Her parents gave her over to Satan at birth, as they themselves had willingly subjugated themselves to the Dark World. Life for Kate has never been fair. But I have not heard her complain about her parents. Between sessions especially after a rough time, I check on her: "How are you doing Kate?" Her answer is always: "It's all good, Father." Exorcism sessions are intense and sometimes brutal. In the midst of these, when she comes back to herself for a brief moment, I ask: "How are you doing Kate?" She always bounces back and says, "It's all good, Father." And so we continue. These days, whenever I find myself a bit beleaguered by the Evil One or during any sort of trial, I find myself spontaneously saying, "It's all good. It's all good." I got that from Kate. She inspires me. *The next monthly online deliverance session is Monday, January 30th, 7-8pm Eastern time (the same as New York City). Register here.

["Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery," Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, 1752] One of our exorcists recently said, "I woke up this morning and was mentally pounded with self-accusatory thoughts of how bad I am and with the thought that I am not forgivable. It was very ugly." Interesting, he had been working that week with an afflicted person who was struggling with demonic obsessions, especially the mental torment of self-hatred. In the Bible, Satan is called, "The Great Accuser" (Rev 12:10). One of Satan's most common tactics is to incessantly hound people with their sins. His goal is to destroy their sense of self-worth and bring them to despair. Satan hates humans. He envies God's predilection for them. He rejects God for His humble incarnation in humanity. In accusing humanity of its sinfulness, Satan futilely tries to strike back at God. Sometimes in exorcisms, we directly experience "The Great Accuser." Demons may call out our failings. They taunt me when I make mistakes. They especially like to point out times when they appear to have the upper hand in the battle. My defense? None. My response is: "Indeed, I am a sinner." Then I add: "But I am not your problem. Jesus is. In his holy name, I cast you out!" When our exorcist woke up to a barrage of self-accusatory thoughts, the circumstances suggest that he was acting as a "burden bearer." We trust that his sacrifice was a grace for the afflicted person and perhaps for others similarly afflicted as well. Many, many people suffer from demonic mental torments. Sometimes they are simply of a psychological origin. But more times than people realize, Satan is directly attacking their sense of self-worth and hope. Our response as fallen human beings is simple, "I am a sinner. But my hope is in Jesus."

[Miraculous Medal chapel, National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, WashDC] When the Deacon poured the holy water on her tattoo, she howled, "It's burning me!" The water was actually cold. Again and again, he poured holy water on the tattoo as I repeatedly read the prayer of "Decommissioning Tattoos."* After months of deliverance prayers, including exorcizing this tattoo, it was finally over. The tattoo is now benign and the demons connected to it are gone. Surprisingly, it is just a tattoo of some roses, but it became a huge demonic portal, and a major focus of the exorcism. It was connected to her past as a stripper and carried sexual overtones. With the help of her parents, she found her way out of the clubs into a regular job, and into the confessional. At one point, some of Satan's minions had targeted her and were trying to entice her back into the clubs and/or force her into the sex trade. Several of them had tattoos of demons on their bodies, including Baphomet and Aka Manah (a demon of sensual desire). Thankfully, her parents again came to her rescue and protected her. People ask me what I think of tattoos. I don't recommend them. With a demonic tattoo, the person has bonded the self to the demonic entity. Even if the image does not depict something evil, if it is connected to sinful behaviors, as with this young woman, it can be a big problem. Moreover, some parlors have been known to curse the ink or inscribe magic symbols inside the images. I believe that some tattoos are spiritually benign. For example, someone showed me a small tattoo of a strawberry on her ankle. Some people even desire to tattoo religious symbols on their bodies such as crucifixes or holy images. However, I recommend instead wearing a blessed crucifix on a chain or lapel. Or wearing a blessed brown scapular or miraculous medal around the neck, as I do. The Mother of Jesus promised "great graces" to those who wear her medal with confidence. It is true. I hope that tattoos are a fad whose time is rapidly passing. *For the laity's version of the prayer to decommission tattoos, use this link.

["Prayer Before the Meal," Jan Steen, 1660] One of the most common requests we receive is from parents who are distraught over their child's serious problems. Some are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Others have mental health problems, including psychotic illnesses and/or suicidality. Others have wandered from the faith and may even be practicing witchcraft or the occult. Still others are estranged from the family and no longer speak with them. You can hear the heart-rending pain in these parents' hearts as they plead for help. In addition to promising our fervent prayers, SMC has composed a prayer for parents to offer. This prayer recognizes the special authority that parents have over themselves, their spouses, and their children who are still minors. Thus, they can use "imprecatory" prayers and command evil spirits to leave.* For children who are no longer minors, this prayer is directed to God and thus uses "deprecatory" prayers. In either case, of course, it is God who casts out the Evil One and brings healing. We used this prayer for the first time in our last online deliverance session, with powerful effect. It was palpable. One parent said: "The Parent's Prayer speaks especially to my heart. While praying, my heart literally ached and hurt as we were praying for my children." I have no doubt that God the Father, and the entire Holy Family who themselves experienced great parental anguish, were especially present and gracing those suffering parents. A Parent's Prayer Heavenly Father, I invoke the full authority you have given me as a spouse and a parent and I lift any curses, spells, seals, hexes, vexes, consecrations, voodoo, or any occult action or any evil affecting me or my spouse or my children who are minors. In Jesus’ name, I cast out all evil spirits that are harming us. In Jesus’ name, I reject them, I rebuke them, I renounce them, and I cast them out! For my adult children, I beg you heavenly father to hear a parent’s plea and free them from any of these occult actions or any evil, and cast out all evil spirits. Father, I beseech you to send a spirit of unity and peace to my family. Heal the divisions in our family; may those family members who are estranged from each other be reconciled in forgiveness and love. May we live together in your peace. I pray for special healing graces for each one of us. Heal the wounds that plague us- heal any depression, anxiety, fears, compulsions, addictions, angers, resentments, and any and all mental and physical illnesses. Restore us to full health. I especially ask for the following specific grace for my family, if it be your holy will (here mention the specific intention silently or out loud). Most of all, may you infuse into our hearts the gift of faith, always trusting in you. Bring back any of us who have wandered from the faith. May we be fully protected from all harm and evil by the Shield of Faith and the Sword of Truth. I make this parent’s prayer in the holy name of Jesus begging the powerful intercession of the Holy Family with the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, and all the saints. [Note: This prayer can be found on our website: www.catholicexorcism.org under "Deliverance Prayers for the Laity."] *For a theological reflection on this special authority, see Fr. Chadd Ripperger, "Dominion," Sensus Traditionis Press, 2022, pp. 155-160. **Msgr. Stephen Rossetti will lead an online Advent Deliverance Retreat from 11am to 2pm Eastern USA time (same as New York City) on Saturday December 10th. This retreat is designed for those who want to know more about spiritual warfare and who want a deeper personal experience of deliverance and healing. Register here. Or register at: www.catholicexorcism.org. ***Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for daily content that will hopefully help you in your spiritual journey.

[Reliquary with a theca inside containing a relic of the True Cross.] Last week, I related how powerful the Litany of the Saints was when used in a recent exorcism. The results were astounding and led to the quick liberation of a possessed young woman. As each saint was invoked and the first class relic of the saint was placed on the afflicted person's forehead, the demons kept shouting, "Not that name! Not that name!" They howled in agony and were quickly expelled. Less than a week later one of our exorcists, who is also the pastor of a parish, put out a handful of relics of the saints for veneration in his church. For many years without incident, he has followed this practice in the month of November, the month when we venerate All Saints. But this year, the relics were stolen. The security cameras show that a woman in a dark coat sat in front of the relics for some time. Then as she approached the relics, the security camera tape went inexplicably blank for five and one-half minutes. The tape subsequently shows that the reliquaries in which the relics were housed were opened and the relics (the thecas) were stolen while the reliquaries themselves were not. One might first presume that it was a case of a simple robbery. But the reliquaries were not stolen and most likely they would be the object of a robbery. Who would steal a little piece of the bone or blood of a saint and leave behind a somewhat ornate reliquary? Moreover, the security cameras went blank precisely as she was apparently stealing them. While we do not want to jump to conclusions, it seems more than likely that this was an intentional act to steal the sacred remains of the saints, and not a simple robbery. Also, the "malfunction" of the security camera at precisely the time of the robbery suggests that demons were directly involved in the act. It is highly unlikely she could have pulled off such a technical feat, but it would be simple task for demons. And if demons were involved, then this woman was likely acting at the behest of Satan. She is probably a minion of the Evil One. Our response? We pray for the conversion and salvation of her soul. We also pray that these holy objects will be returned. This retaliation of the Evil One against the saints only reaffirms our conviction of the importance of the saints in the battle against evil. In the days ahead, the Litany of the Saints and the relics of the saints will hold a place of great importance for us in our exorcisms. *We invite you to join Msgr. Stephen Rossetti on our next online deliverance webinar on Monday, November 28, 2022, from 7pm to 8pm Eastern USA time. Please register if you wish to attend. **Msgr. Stephen Rossetti will lead an online Advent Deliverance Retreat from 11am to 2pm Eastern USA time (same as New York City) on Saturday December 10th. The three-hour session will include talks on identifying demonic portals and attacks, efficacious prayers for healing, authority in the deliverance ministry, and protecting self and family. He will answer a number of questions on spiritual warfare posed by those attending. Msgr. Rossetti will lead an extensive deliverance session including numerous prayers for deliverance and healing. This retreat is designed for those who want to know more about spiritual warfare and who want a deeper personal experience of deliverance and healing. Register here. Or register at: www.catholicexorcism.org.

[The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs, Fra Angelica, 1420s] Our exorcist began to pray over a possessed woman. But at the very beginning of the session, the demons spontaneously shouted, "Charbel, you stay away from me!" The team had not yet been invoking the saints, or St. Charbel by name, so they were surprised he showed up. They were also surprised the demons admitted it. Moments later, as the Litany of the Saints ensued, the demons shouted again and again: "Not that name! Not that name!" This demonic reaction was unusual. Clearly something was up. An astute exorcist discerns what is working in a session and adjusts the prayers accordingly. The exorcist was initially skeptical, as he should be, and careful not to be deceived by the demons. But as the session continued, it was becoming apparent that these and many other saints were indeed coming to help. Their holiness and intercession were visibly torturing the demons. Normally, the Litany of the Saints is part of the opening of an exorcism session. Then the exorcist moves quickly into what are thought to be "more important" prayers. However, in this case, the exorcist adjusted his normal routine and stayed with the Litany of the Saints for hours, making it the bulk of the sessions. Also he had dozens of first class relics of the saints at his fingertips. As the exorcist prayed each name, he laid the corresponding relic of the saint on the afflicted person's forehead. With each relic and invocation of a saint, the demons howled in agony. The three consecutive days of intensive exorcism sessions were focused on and filled with hours of invoking the saints. Again and again, the demons shouted, "Not that name! Not that name!" St. Patrick. St. Rose of Lima. St. Maximillian Kolbe, The 12 Apostles. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Blessed Michael McGivney. St. Lawrence. Blessed Conchita. St. Teresa and the Carmelite saints. St. Catherine of Alexandria. St. John Eudes. And more. On day two, the demons began to manifest their leaving. The afflicted woman started coughing up a white frothy foam. The demonic screaming reached a crescendo followed by a kind of demonic "explosion." Then she came back to herself. Again and again, as each set of demons left, there was coughing up of foam, a crescendo and explosion, followed by a moment of calm with the person returning to her conscious self. Finally, at the end of day three, the exorcist invoked the special intercession of the Virgin Mary. This time, after the demonic explosion, a peace came over the woman and filled the entire room. She came back to herself and said, "It's over." She said that a great weight had been lifted and the demons were gone. Subsequent discernment continues to confirm that the demonic possession had ended. Each possession and each path to liberation is always somewhat unique. In this case, the exorcist believes that the Lord was teaching him and the team the importance of the communion of the saints and their powerful intercession. Moreover, he said, "It taught me that every part of the Rite is exorcistic, not just the imprecatory prayers that command the demons to leave." Now the exorcist does not fail to value the prayers which invoke the powerful intercession of the saints. Nor should we. *We invite you to join Msgr. Stephen Rossetti on our next online deliverance webinar on Monday, November 28, 2022, from 7pm to 8pm Eastern USA time. Please register if you wish to attend. **Msgr. Stephen Rossetti will lead an online Advent Deliverance Retreat from 11am to 2pm Eastern USA time (same as New York City) on Saturday December 10th. The three-hour session will include talks on identifying demonic portals and attacks, efficacious prayers for healing, authority in the deliverance ministry, and protecting self and family. He will answer a number of questions on spiritual warfare posed by those attending. Msgr. Rossetti will lead an extensive deliverance session including numerous prayers for deliverance and healing. This retreat is designed for those who want to know more about spiritual warfare and who want a deeper personal experience of deliverance and healing. Register here. Or register at: www.catholicexorcism.org

[St. Thomas Before the Cross, by Sassetta, Panel, 1423; Pinacoteca, Vatican] I showed a photo of a man dressed in casual clothes to one of our specially gifted people: I said, "What do you see?" She responded, "Who is it?" I said, "I am not going to tell you. What do you see?" She said, "The man is covered with demons. The demons are saying, 'We have him. He is ours.'" I then told her, "He is a priest." We had been trying to assist this priest. He was referred for problems with purity. While the problems were not illegal, they were obviously sinful and, in this case, likely mortal. But he refused to acknowledge the problem or confess his sins. I fear for him. Blessed Concepcion Cabrera de Armida (Conchita) was beatified by the Church this year. She was a mother of nine children and had regular locutions from the Lord, often about the priesthood. In one of these communications, Jesus told her, "We do not pray enough for priests, thinking that they are beyond all temptation and passions....My Heart seeks souls who dedicate themselves fervently, zealously and tirelessly, to praying day and night for them." At another time, the Lord spoke to her about priests whom He said were "black and impure." Jesus said, "They are souls that cost Me ... intimate and incomprehensible sufferings, because I fear to lose them. In them, the evil one mocks Me and how he struggles to triumph over Me by snatching them from Me."* Priests have special graces of protection from the evil one, but they are also special targets. At St. Michael Center, we willingly pray over the many priests who come to us for assistance. They need your prayers as well. *"Priests of Christ" by Concepcion (Conchita) Cabrera de Armida. The book is available on kindle. **We invite you to join Msgr. Stephen Rossetti on our next online deliverance webinar on Monday, November 28, 2022, from 7pm to 8pm Eastern USA time. Please register if you wish to attend.

[ "The Torment of Saint Anthony", Michelangelo, 1487-1488] We knew that "A" would be assaulted by demons on Halloween. It happens every year. As a spiritual sensitive and a victim soul, she is more attuned to the preternatural world. This is both a blessing and a cross. On Halloween, when the demons are especially loosed in the world, it is definitely a cross. So, our team offered to hold an all-night vigil and pray with her. We were hoping that we could keep the demons away. We used the strongest deliverance prayers we had as well as holy water and other blessed objects. We did our best, but she was assaulted by demons throughout the night. It was pretty ugly. The next morning "A" said she was grateful for our efforts and expressed her thanks. We were a bit disappointed at the results. But she and the team all realized that sometimes God allows demonic assaults on victim souls regardless of our best efforts. We see this in countless saintly examples: Catherine of Siena, Gemma Galgani, Padre Pio, the Cure of Ars, and many, many others. God allowed these holy souls to be tempted, assaulted, and purified in the crucible of their valiant struggle against evil. No doubt their emerging victorious from these struggles is an unseen grace for countless souls throughout the world, especially those in bondage to the Devil. We were disappointed we could not protect "A". But it was not in God's plan. However, she did emerge victorious after a Halloween night of demonic pummeling. Maybe we were "successful," just not in the way we had hoped. Every day people suffering demonic torments come to us for help. Many can be liberated by living a virtuous sacramental life. Some also need concentrated deliverance prayers. But others are not liberated in a timely way. Some of these have obstacles to liberation that have yet to be overcome. For others, their road to purification and liberation is a long one. A very few are chosen by God to walk in the crucible of calvary for their own sanctification and for the salvation of souls. *We invite you to join Monsignor Stephen Rossetti on our next online deliverance webinar on Monday, November 28, 2022, from 7pm to 8pm Eastern USA time. Please register if you wish to attend.

["God the Father Blessing," Raphael, 1508] A man was going through a particularly rough patch. While he was not possessed, he had long been afflicted by what appeared to be demonic obsessions and unshakeable feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. He was living an exemplary Christian life of holiness, but the mental torments continued and, under the stresses of his current life, had now grown debilitating. He sought the help of a priest exorcist who recommended some deliverance praying, including seeing a woman who was a spiritual sensitive. They discerned that the man was indeed suffering demonic obsessions and one of the causes, to his surprise, included being cursed by his father. As a child, he was verbally abused on a number of occasions by his father who irrationally vented his rage against him: "Tell that g....d... kid to shut up!" He followed this with threats. The child felt frightened, worthless and rejected. The team took him through several deliverance sessions which included forgiving his father and formally saying, "I reject the lie that I am a worthless child." Then they lifted any curses sent against him. By the time the sessions had ended, the man had regained his emotional equilibrium and found a new sense of inner peace. Fr. Gabriele Amorth, the famous exorcist of Rome, wrote: "When curses are spoken with true perfidy, especially if there is a blood relationship ... the outcome can be terrible. The most common instances that I have encountered involved parents or grandparents who called down evil upon children or grandchildren."* Fr. Amorth said the first and necessary condition in the healing process is for the person to forgive the parents. Sometimes parents will intentionally curse a child, particularly if the child veers from the parents' expectations for the future, such as marrying an "unacceptable" person or pursuing an "unacceptable" vocation. Other times, as in this case, a parent will vent his/her rage against the child with threats, cussing and damning words. The parent may shout, "You will never amount to anything!" The psychological and spiritual toll on a child should not be underestimated. Parents have a unique authority and power to bless their children. They also have a unique power to wound them.... Pope Benedict recounted his own childhood experiences of being blessed by his parents: "I shall never forget the devotion and heartfelt care with which my father and mother made the sign of the Cross on the forehead, mouth, and breast of us children when we went away from home, especially when the parting was a long one. This blessing was like an escort that we knew would guide us on our way. It made visible the prayer of our parents, which went with us, and it gave us the assurance that this prayer was supported by the blessing of the Savior…I believe that this blessing, which is a perfect expression of the common priesthood of the baptized, should come back in a much stronger way into our daily life."** *Father Gabriele Amorth, Exorcist Tells His Story, Ignatius Press, 1999, p.130. **Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy, Ignatius Press, 2000, p.184. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *We are now on social media! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for daily content that will hopefully help you in your spiritual journey. I will be posting many of my stories, experiences, and prayers that I hope you use to grow in faith. May our Blessed Mother and St. Michael watch over our content and bring it to those who need it the most.

[The Stoning of St. Stephen, Charles Thevenin, 1829] I recently received this note from a man who attended one of our group deliverance sessions. He wrote: Over the past year, I had been suffering from feelings of oppression, frequent suicidal thoughts, negative thoughts, despite everything going well in my life. Once you began praying the forgiveness formula, I realized I was harboring much hatred and disdain for people who unjustly wronged me in the past. As I named these people, prayed for them and forgave them, I felt a HUGE weight lift from my heart. The suicidal thoughts have gone, I feel at much greater peace, more attuned to the Lord. God bless you and your ministry. Demons cling to unforgiveness. It gives them a foothold in our lives. When this man gave up his hatred and forgave those who wronged him, he himself was freed. Whether the wrong suffered is real or imagined makes little difference. Until we let go of the hatred and desire for revenge, we are enslaved to those who harmed us and the harm we suffered. Hell is a place of accusation and rage. At the head is Satan who eternally blames God for all the evil that has befallen him. St. Faustina said that one of the seven sufferings of hell is a hatred of God with its incessant curses and blasphemies. When we are stuck in hatred and revenge, we are stuck in hell and living with the demons. "Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing will be poured into your lap." (Lk 6:37-38) Here is the Forgiveness Ritual that we use: People: In the name of Jesus Christ, I willingly forgive anyone who has hurt or harmed me (including N., N., N., etc...). I forgive them from the bottom of my heart and I ask God to bless them. (3 times) Priest: I witness your forgiveness. I ask God to heal any unforgiveness and inner wounds and trauma. May God heal you and all those who have hurt you. May you be released from any dysfunctional attachments, be healed in your heart, and set free in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus may you be healed. In the name of Jesus, be at peace. [Of course, in the absence of a priest, one can still make an act of forgiveness.] *We are now on social media! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for daily content that will hopefully help you in your spiritual journey. I will be posting many of my stories, experiences, and prayers that I hope you use to grow in faith. May our Blessed Mother and St. Michael watch over our content and bring it to those who need it the most. **Our next online deliverance session is Monday, October 24th at 7-8pm Eastern USA time. Register at www.catholicexorcism.org or go to this link.

[Michael casts out rebel angels. Illustration by Gustave Dore for John Milton's Paradise Lost"] Her mother was a witch. Her grandmother was a witch. "Janice" was dedicated to Satan as a baby and expected to become a witch. By the grace of God, she decided otherwise. Liberation has been a long and valiant fight. I do not know how many would persevere in such an ugly fight for so long, but she has. However, one of the underlying dynamics is her periodic insistence on how to do things, including the exorcism, and her overall rejection of authority, on many levels. There is a spirit of rebellion in her. Having been repeatedly abused as a child, one can understand it, but this spirit impedes the process of liberation. Often in the sessions we invoke the Virgin Mary and her humble obedience. I have Janice repeat after me, "I consecrate myself to the Blessed Virgin Mary and I ask for her humble spirit of obedience." Needless to say, the demons choke on the words as Janice fights to verbalize them. Modern day witchcraft typically includes a spirit of rebellion which more than a few find attractive, especially young women who feel disenfranchised. This spirit of rebellion also permeates much of society today, left and right. All this feeds a growing lack of unity and the angry chaotic tenor of our times. A spirit of rebellion predates the Garden of Eden. Satan and his angelic followers were the first to rebel. The Evil One has been fomenting rebellion and chaos ever since. The followers of Jesus recognize the humble obedience we owe to God our Creator. Moreover, Jesus empowered the Church to continue His ministry and declared, "Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me" (Luke 10:16). Janice is slowly coming to trust us. This will be one of the final hurdles to expelling an underlying witch's mentality and finding complete liberation. We, on our part, are striving to be trustworthy, and never to violate her trust in the slightest. This will be an important part of her healing process.

["St. Michael Killing the Dragon," c. 1493-1505, Josse Lieferinxe] After the exorcism, I got angry texts from some very unhappy demons: "D... you! I want that girl back!", they texted, "It was supposed to be a dark day for her." Good news that they are demanding her back; it means that the exorcism was effective and she is no longer in their grasp. The demons then threatened her and us: "Give her back or I'll be sure she crashes her car." She did not crash her car. I responded by sending the above picture of St. Michael spearing Lucifer and I attached the following command: "I command the demons to look at this picture and acknowledge the power of Christ that he wields." The demons responded, "F... you! I'll be back!" And they left. That night on my way into the chapel to pray, I was hit with a strong, sudden "illness." It felt exactly like a bad case of the flu. "Oh no," I thought, "I am too busy to get sick." I felt really awful. Then it dawned on me that the "illness" was a bit odd. It came on suddenly, unlike previous illnesses I have had. I then recalled the earlier demonic threats and I became suspicious. Hmmmm. I recalled that St. Gemma was often assaulted by demons and she said that the devil sometimes made her feel very ill. I put a crucifix on my nauseated stomach and prayed repeatedly: "Demons of Infirmity, Vade!"* I sprinkled myself a few times with holy water, especially on my intense headache. I continued: "Demons of Infirmity, Vade!" After a couple of minutes, the "illness" lifted completely and I was fine. So I went into the chapel to pray. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Latin command to leave **We are now on social media! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for daily content that will hopefully help you in your spiritual journey. I will be posting many of my stories, experiences, and prayers that I hope you use to grow in faith. May our Blessed Mother and St. Michael watch over our content and bring it to those who need it the most. ***Our next online deliverance session is Monday, October 24th at 7-8pm Eastern USA time. Register at www.catholicexorcism.org or go to this link.

["Woman Kneeling in Prayer," George Henry Boughton, c. 1860] I have been encouraging David, who formerly belonged to a Satanic cult and is possessed, to pray daily deliverance prayers, in addition to attending exorcism sessions. He is slowly working up to an extensive daily regimen of protection and deliverance prayers, tailored to the kinds of demons he has. I recently added the Saint Michael prayer, which has been difficult for him to pray. I subsequently asked him how it was going. He responded: "When I say the St. Michael prayer, if I don't speak it out loud, or think about it, or what it means, and just quickly read it, then it's not as bad. If I were to go to church and hear it spoken by alot of people, then I would be in alot of pain...The demons [would be] screaming." I think we all realize that when we pray, we ought to focus on the words and pray them thoughtfully and deliberately. Moreover, doing so in a community of the faithful adds additional spiritual "power." Sadly, our human minds tend to wander and get distracted. Also, we can sometimes rush through our prayers, just trying to get through them quickly, as if a superficial rote recitation of prayers is sufficient. Obviously, the witness of the demons is otherwise. I have learned much about the practice of our faith in the course of being an exorcist. David's witness has demonstrated the power of communal prayer. And David has also reminded me of how to pray most effectively: I need to slow down, and say the prayers, including the Rite of Exorcism, thoughtfully and deliberately. It makes a difference. *We are now on social media! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for daily content that will hopefully help you in your spiritual journey. I will be posting many of my stories, experiences, and prayers that I hope you use to grow in faith. May our Blessed Mother and St. Michael watch over our content and bring it to those who need it the most.

[Icon of The Samaritan Woman] I received a very ugly email. It was short: five sentences and each sentence was full of expletives, exclamation points, nasty invectives, and curses. I immediately blocked the sender. I noticed that the email was sent in response to an email we sent out to all our subscribers. So, this person must be on our mailing list. I then went into the mailing list and found his address. I intended to delete him... But looking at the person's history with us, I found something odd. A few weeks ago, he had apparently enrolled himself as a subscriber. He opened all the subsequent emails from us and was obviously following our ministry. In fact, he just registered himself for our next online deliverance session. And then, he erupts into a rage and sends us a horrid email. Strange?!? As I reflected on the email, I noticed it sounded very much like the texts and emails I get from demons- raging, accusing, emotionally violent, ugly. Ahhh! The insight hit me: he was probably "manifesting," i.e., the demons had taken over and were enraged he was going to attend a deliverance session. He likely has a strong demonic presence. Another person, a possessed woman, recently told me that when she tries to pray with the deliverance videos, the demons are "so angry and screaming." She found it painful. I suggested that she only do what she can. Also, we have had others in the room with her when she prayed with the videos. Obviously, demons are strongly affected when just listening to any priest pray deliverance prayers. As I tell people during the introduction, if the sessions become too painful, the person should cease. Moreover, having personal support in the room for people with a strong demonic presence is helpful and important. Fully possessed people are best served by face-to-face sessions with an exorcist, if possible. For those who are not possessed, such strong reactions are less likely. So, I did not unsubscribe the person who sent the ugly email. Likely, he is truly seeking liberation and the demons are resisting strongly. Instead of unsubscribing him, I said a prayer for him. May God give him strength and perseverance to continue to seek the Lord and on the sometimes long and difficult road to liberation.

["Archangel Michael and the Rebel Angels," Cavalier d'Arpino, c. 1592-1593] A priest came up to me and, looking a little nervous, said, "When I am with people who are into the occult, I can feel an evil presence. In bad places, I sense the presence of demons. It's a sickening feeling, especially in my stomach and head. What is wrong with me? Am I possessed?" I asked, "How long have you had these sensations?" The priest responded, "Ever since childhood, but they are clearer and stronger now." In recent weeks, several people have told me that they have similar spiritual experiences and they wonder if they need an exorcism. They are often quite worried and frightened. They think, "What is wrong with me that I sense the presence of evil and demons?" We have found that a sensitivity to spiritual realities, especially the presence of evil and demons, can come from four possible sources: 1. It can be a natural charism which the person can use for good or ill. These can run in families. Some people come from a long line of witches or mediums and they use their natural spiritual insights to practice divination, something forbidden by the Bible and our faith. Others use these charisms in accord with God's plan and can do good for others. 2. It can be the result of a special Divine gift. Some people are acutely aware of the presence of demons, and sometimes angels, because God has given them a special grace to do so. They are expected to use this gift to help others. They can be a wonderful help in the deliverance ministry. 3. It can be the result of a demonic presence in the person's life. Being possessed can open an occult third eye and it makes them conscious of the preternatural world. Possessed people are aware of demons through the melding of the demonic and their own human consciousness. Or the person may be deceived by demons into thinking that demonic insinuations into the person's mind are from God. 4. For more than a few, it can be simply a product of their over-active imagination. They often describe fanciful perceptions which are not typical of the angelic world. Their "gift" may actually be the result of a kind of spiritual narcissism. I had a chat with the priest and it did not seem that he had a demonic presence acting in him. Moreover, he was living a virtuous life and was a solid priest. So I said to him, "While we have chatted only a short while, my impression is that you may have a graced spiritual sensitivity, which is a good thing. If you can find a knowledgeable spiritual director to assist you, this sensitivity of yours may be developed and assist you in your priestly ministry." He was relieved and went away in peace. As the Scriptures advise us: "Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1Jn 4:1).

[Reliquary of the True Cross, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris] One of our exorcists has a supposed relic of the true cross in his parish. It does not have any papers of authenticity. Moreover, some people question whether these fragments of wood are really from the cross of Jesus. It is said that St. Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine, unearthed three crosses from the believed site where Jesus was crucified at Calvary. In order to determine which one was the true cross, she had the three crosses touched to the body of a woman who was dying of a terminal disease. Only upon touching one of them was she cured. This wood has been venerated as the true cross ever since. Our exorcist was wondering whether his fragment was authentic. He concealed it in his pocket and brought it into an exorcism session. It was a particularly difficult case with a strong demonic presence. Midway through the session, he stood behind the now manifesting energumen. Standing behind the person, as he reached into his pocket, the demons shouted, "Relic of the true cross!" They writhed and were clearly being tormented. Still behind the afflicted person, he placed the relic on the back of the neck of the afflicted person. Again the demons shouted, "Relic of the true cross!" Again, they writhed in torment. Demons lie. Were they trying to deceive the exorcist? Perhaps. But there are times when the Lord forces demons to tell the truth. The exorcist believes that this was the case: the Lord insisted the demons witness to his true cross. There are many relics in our little chapel where exorcisms are performed. The relic of the true cross has a place of honor, as it should. And even if it is not the actual wood from Jesus' cross, it is used in our sessions with faith. We have confidence in the victory of Christ's death and resurrection, and we believe that when we use this relic in faith, the Lord generously imparts a special grace. The witness of the demons gives us additional confidence in its authenticity and its graced power. [A relic of the True Cross being carried in procession through the Piazza San Marco, Venice. Gentile Bellini, 15th century]

["The Temptation of Saint Anthony," Lucas van Leyden, c 1530] Baphomet, a high ranking demon, is the head possessor in a particularly nasty case. The afflicted young woman is regularly assaulted and manipulated by demons. The exorcism sessions are intense and full of swearing, yelling, growling, lewd gestures, and vomiting. At the end of the most recent session, the young woman came back to herself after being in an active demonic state for almost an hour. The Exorcist asked, as he typically does at the end of every session, "How are you? What happened during the session?" She said to the Exorcist, "Baphomet is angry with you. He said that he is going to get you tonight at midnight." This is not the first time the demons have threatened one of us. Sometimes they will tell the Exorcist when they will attack and at other times they leave it unknown. But our experience is that when they say they will attack the priest, they will indeed do so. It is not a bluff. However, the Evil One is not allowed to do any more than God allows and He always provides the graces to overcome any demonic assaults. "Forewarned is forearmed." A few hours before midnight, another priest exorcist kindly prayed some deliverance prayers over the priest. This had the effect of somewhat blunting the coming attack. He then commended himself to the protection of the Blessed Virgin, sprinkled holy water around the room, and went to bed. Around midnight, he was awakened by an intense agitation and temptations. These were followed by feelings of utter darkness. Recognizing the source of these strong mental attacks, the Exorcist then said three times out loud: "I offer these assaults for the liberation of the afflicted person." Instantly, the assaults lessened in intensity. Not only is this offering helpful for the afflicted person, it also impresses upon the demons, once again, that all of their efforts are self-defeating. Everything they do ultimately redounds to the glory of God and furthers God’s Kingdom. The attacks did not dissipate completely until a couple of hours had passed. Then, the priest went back to bed and slept soundly, having once again experienced the surpassing power of Christ and his defeat of Satan. Giving into fear of Satan and his minions only empowers the demons. Faith is more than simply acknowledging that God exists. It implies trusting in God and in the victory of Jesus Christ. We surrender ourselves completely into God's hands. No priest will long survive the sometimes intense spiritual combat of an exorcist's calling without such a personal surrender.