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["St. Catherine of Siena beseiged by demons," detail, unknown artist] It was a rough case for sure, but much progress was being made. Several team members of laity and priests were present for the sessions. For this session, the afflicted person’s priest-spiritual director was also present, which we encourage. It was his first participation in a solemn exorcism of a possessed person. For solemn exorcisms especially, we carefully screen who is in the room. We admit only mature Catholics who are strong in faith with a recognized calling for this ministry. Still, the first session can be a bit overwhelming, especially when there is a strong manifestation of the Evil One. Nothing can really prepare you to look into the face of complete Evil. Ugh. When the lengthy session ended, the Exorcist, as always, prayed the cleansing and protection prayers. Then the team adjourned to the next room to meet and recap. The priest-spiritual director was present as well. At one point, the priest tried to speak but kept messing up his words. He said he couldn’t think straight and had problems talking coherently. He was confused and added, “I can’t understand why my brain is not working.” The Exorcist asked him about his symptoms in more depth. He concluded, “It sounds like you've been ‘slimed’" (borrowing a popular movie expression). The Exorcist reminded him of a movie scene when an evil presence went through a person leaving behind a slimy residue which mentally disoriented him. “Yeah,” the priest said, “It kinda felt like that.” So the Exorcist did another round of cleansing prayers for him and the entire team. These “prayers for protection” and the “cleansing prayers” at the beginning and end of an exorcism session are important and largely effective.* But in tough cases, some demonic effects can break through. At these times, a second round of cleansing is needed. As an exorcism team, we endeavor to practice our ministry with integrity. We are obedient to all the Church teaches and to our ecclesiastical superiors. It is important for us to "stay under the umbrella" of the Church's protection. We willingly do so. Nevertheless, in particularly difficult cases, we can get "slimed" and have some passing, limited demonic symptoms. We take it as a small price for being involved in this ministry. And we pray that our little sacrifices are an additional grace to the suffering people who come to us for help. Our hearts go out to them and we pray for their swift deliverance. *Protection, binding and cleansing prayers can all be found on our app: "Catholic Exorcism" or on our website: www.catholicexorcism.org.

["St. Michael and the Dragon," Antonio del Pollaiolo, c. 1460-1470] I strongly encourage those afflicted by demons to regularly attend Mass. But I know that it is difficult for them, especially for the fully possessed. When someone is possessed, there is a kind of interpenetration of the bodies of the possessed with demons. Thus, the possessed will often feel some of what the demons feel. So their lives will, at times, be a living hell-- literally. For example, when placed in contact with anything holy, the possessed will typically say they feel excruciating pain. They will say that cold holy water burns. When looking at a crucifix, their eyes will feel like they are on "fire." When encountering a priest or a Catholic Church, they may feel intense hatred. I asked "David," who formerly belonged to a Satanic cult and is now possessed, to do his best to attend Sunday Mass. He valiantly tries but has only managed to attend once every few months, if that. He said that when he is able to attend, "I can't say the prayers while I'm there or respond to them like everyone else does." David added, "It's torture to be there, with all of the statues, and pictures that surround me." He went on, "All of the people and the priest praying is such a loud noise that it makes me so angry." And he concluded, "When they say the St. Michael prayer, I can hear the demons screaming. It's so horrible and frightening and painful." I love the Church's sacramentals. They inspire and strengthen us. But they also serve an important apotropaic function: they are abhorrent to demons and help to cast them out. I noted especially David's comment about the St. Michael prayer: it frightens demons, causes them intense pain, and they scream in agony. I will be more diligent in using this prayer in our future exorcism sessions.

[ "The Exorcism of the Garasenes Demoniac", Sebastian Bourdon, 1653] "Sarah's" mother was a high-ranking satanic priestess who introduced her daughter to the practice of witchcraft when she was very young. Sarah said each week six witches gathered to curse priests and the bishops by name. They sat around an effigy of the priest and ritually cursed him. She added that there were many covens in her area and all were weekly cursing different priests. In her 20's, Sarah had been practicing witchcraft for twenty years and it was taking its toll. She couldn't sleep. She had horrible dreams. She had no energy. She was mentally and emotionally a wreck. She wanted out and sought help from a priest exorcist. He welcomed her and prayed over her weekly for a year. It turns out she had been fully possessed but, finally, she was freed. While practicing witchcraft, Sarah did not realize that the person who was first and foremost cursed by her rituals was herself. She did not know that their "powers" really came from the actions of demons. She unwittingly had been a servant of Satan. Upon liberation, she was very grateful to God for freeing her. The Exorcist shared that one of the most powerful interventions during the sessions was the rosary. He said, "It was like throwing petrol on a fire"-- the demons howled in agony. Likely the Virgin Mother's holiness, as the perfect woman and mother, was particularly odious to those demons who promoted a distorted and evil image of both. Priests (or anyone) living a solid Christian life of sacraments and virtue are largely protected from the curse of a witch, although some harassment is possible. We exorcists just assume we are being regularly cursed. If one steps out from under the Church's protection and/or strays into sin, the curses can more easily take root and cause havoc. The number of people practicing witchcraft in our country is rising exponentially. The number of priests is dropping. There are spiritually difficult times ahead. But, in the final analysis, all the witches in the world are powerless in the presence of Christ.

(https://unsplash.com/photos/sZyojGH31U0) There is something fundamentally wrong in this country. In a nation with such abundance and blessings, the incidence of senseless gun violence against innocent people, including our children, is rising rapidly. For 2021, the FBI identified 61 such incidents of mass shootings, which is an increase of 52.5% from the year before and more than one per week. 2022 is shaping up to be even worse. Last weekend alone there were 13 mass shootings in the U.S. recorded from Friday evening through Sunday. In 2020, guns surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of death for children 19 years old or under. It seems that the United States is "cursed" and it is getting worse. Stepping back, one can see an obsession with gun violence in our nation. Hollywood's products are replete with such violence. Video games are full of guns and shootings. Our culture is bathed in violent images. Last weekend, a 12-year-old boy robbed a gas station at gunpoint. Where did he learn such behavior? Some question why our nation needs 393,000,000 civilian held weapons which is more than one per person and far and away the highest per capita anywhere in the world. U.S. citizens own 46% of the world's civilian held guns. We are a nation obsessed. It is not my place to weigh in on the political or social roots of the mounting human tragedy related to gun violence. That is something for secular experts. But I add something on its possible spiritual roots. I said that we are "cursed" with gun violence, using the word in a colloquial sense. But does it apply in a more literal sense, i.e., are there evil spirits at work in our nation related to gun violence? In a recent scholarly book on diabolic influence, an experienced exorcist speculated that there could be "national generational spirits" that negatively affect a country. These evil spirits might be the result of the sins of the founding ancestors of a nation or subsequent national sins. Particular kinds of demons, based upon the sins committed, can thus influence and infect the consciousness of a nation. Are we afflicted by evil spirits of gun violence and death? If so, perhaps it is because we are a nation founded on a violent revolution. Or perhaps it is because of our bloody civil war, which accounts for more U.S. deaths than all our other wars combined until Vietnam. Or perhaps it has something to do with the extensive involvement of our leaders with freemasonry (see Diary #191) and related generational spirits of death. Or maybe it is a combination of all these things and more. As to why it is surfacing in modern times, perhaps the declining practice of the Faith and the rise of the occult has dropped our spiritual defenses and made us more vulnerable to demonic influence. If we are afflicted by generational spirits, it would help to account for our national blindness to the extent of the problem and our vulnerability to such evil acts. The hidden presence of demons can blind human awareness. However, this does not excuse us from taking responsibility for the problem and fixing it. I leave the important and concrete necessary changes to the secular experts and our leaders. May the Holy Spirit guide them! But I offer the beginnings of a spiritual solution as well. As an exorcist, I will begin to pray regularly to lift any generational spirits of death, murder, and gun violence, and I encourage other priests to do the same. Also, I composed the following prayer which I hope that many of the laity would feel able and willing to pray: A Prayer to Cast Out Generational Spirits of Gun Violence Heavenly Father, we need your help. Our nation is wracked with gun violence, homicide and death. Innocent people are dying. Our children, whom You and we love so dearly, are at risk and many have tragically died. We pray that You would lift any curses and cast out any generational spirits of death, murder and gun violence, and any related evil spirits. We forgive all our ancestors for the effects of their sins on us and our children. We confess and renounce our own sins. Forgive especially the sins of hatred, violence and murder. We renounce Satan and every evil power affecting this nation and our loved ones. We pray that You would restore the peace and tranquility of this land so that we might be one nation under God, united in love. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(The Praying Nun, 1829, Johann Wilhelm Schirmer, German) The local priest-exorcist received an urgent call from the Convent. That morning the Sisters woke up and went down to their chapel. They found their wood tabernacle upside down on the floor and the Eucharist still in its monstrance standing upright next to it. The Sisters were spooked. The doors to their Convent had been securely locked the night before and were still solidly locked in the morning. Moreover, the handful of Sisters, all strong in the faith, were not awakened to any sounds through the night. The tabernacle had been bolted to the table and its base was now split in two. To split the base of the tabernacle and take it off the table could not have been done quietly. It would have required it being forcibly yanked from its base. In short, what occurred was not humanly possible on several accounts, as the Exorcist quickly surmised. If the attack was demonic, and all signs pointed to it, why did the demons single out the convent? The Sisters live a short distance from the State Capitol and not far from an abortion clinic. They are a quiet contemplative presence and clearly pro-life, participating in local pro-life events. In the wake of the potential overturning of Roe vs. Wade, there have lately been a number of abortion advocates in front of the Capitol protesting. Are such demonstrations an opening to the demonic? Satan choosing to harass these Sisters in such an obvious way tells us several things: *The possibility of Roe vs. Wade being overturned is a huge threat to Satan's dark kingdom. He uncharacteristically broke out of hiding to visibly threaten the Sisters. He must be desperate. *The Evil One recognizes the power of the Sisters' prayer and witness, and believes it is essential to stop them in order to accomplish his goals. Perhaps it is such prayer, as much as anything, that is turning the tide. *While God allowed Satan to break their tabernacle, He did not allow Satan to touch or desecrate the Eucharist. It remained intact and upright in the monstrance. Jesus is Lord! The Exorcist first cleansed their chapel and house, using the Leo XIII deliverance prayers found in the ritual for exorcists. Then he said to them, "These are just demonic antics. Don't let them frighten you. That is Satan's goal: to frighten you into backing off. Rather, it suggests that whatever you are doing is spiritually important and you ought to do more of it! Satan's harassment is a confirmation of you and the importance of your life." Everything Satan does, much to his dismay and rage, witnesses to the Truth and redounds to his own destruction. For the Kingdom of God to triumph, it only takes a few faithful hearts dedicated to prayer and united in the Eucharistic Lord.

("An Angel Comforting Jesus Before his Arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane," Carl Heinrich Bloch, c. 1870) The 18-year-old young man, Salvador Ramos, who entered the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde Texas and open fired with an AR-15 style rifle killing 19 students and 2 teachers plus wounding many others, was certainly engaged in a most evil act. All such evil ultimately finds its roots in Satan's dark kingdom. But, as I was recently asked, was he possessed by demons? To date, news accounts have not given any indication of previous symptoms of possession, or even any diagnosable mental illness. His grandfather reported not being aware of any previous serious distress in his grandson, nor did the young man have any reported criminal history. However, there was a constellation of dynamics in the shooter's life that made him at significant risk for such violent behavior. There is a FBI generated clinical syndrome of a "School Shooter." The Uvalde shooter had many of these: *Isolation. Ramos was said to have no friends and called a loner. At work, he intentionally kept to himself. *Distressed family environment. Ramos lived with his grandparents. There were reportedly emotional blowups with him screaming in anger at his mother and the police being called. The father was largely an absent figure in recent years. There was no mention of Salvador Ramos attending church, or any social or religious events. *Low self-esteem. Ramos suffered from a serious stutter and strong lisp. He was on the verge of not graduating with his class, an additional blow to his self-esteem and a source of conflict with his grandmother whom he shot. His failure to graduate may have been the precipitating event for his violence. *Feelings of victimization. Some reports said that Ramos was repeatedly bullied by his classmates. Others report that he was the bully. Perhaps it was a bit of both. No doubt he was isolated from other students. This further damaged his self-esteem. *Inner anger/rage coupled with feelings of powerlessness. Undoubtedly, he had a growing inner anger and rage. He was said to have "anger issues." His likely feelings of powerlessness to deal with this rage thus bottled it up and seethed in his isolation. *Inner distress expressed via externalized violence. Ramos' only way of dealing with this inner turmoil was with externalized violence. He carried boxing gloves with him and was often involved in fistfights with other students. *Narcissism, lacking in empathy, and self-focused. His facebook posts reveal a kind of narcissism and self-focus. He boasted of coming violent acts. Previously, he harassed other employees with the query, "Do you know who I am?" His violent rampage at the school would garner him international "recognition," albeit only as an agent of evil. *Leakage. As part of his narcissism and desire for public notoriety, he posted, "I shot my grandmother" and "I am going to shoot an elementary school." There were previous social media posts by Ramos which in retrospect are alarming previews of his future violence. More than two months prior, on social media, he discussed being a school shooter. This was not an impulsive outburst of violence but a planned event preceded by a purchasing of two semi-automatic weapons, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and an armored vest. We see common characteristics of school shooters and lone wolf terrorists in Salvador Ramos. This profile is also typical of what we, in our deliverance ministry, call: "demon brain." Demons are similarly angry, violent, rageful, feel victimized, isolated, and are hugely narcissistic, lacking empathy. Ramos is reported to have started wearing all black and using black eyeliner. While we cannot blame every evil act on demons, one senses their footprints in this incident and in the perpetrator. There are many people in this world who are victimized and do not end up shooting innocent school children. This act was pure evil, as many have characterized it. At the very least, Satan was certainly whispering in the shooter's "ear," tempting him to such an evil act, as he tries to do to some degree in all of us. But in Ramos' case, Satan likely had a stronger foothold, given his underlying dysfunctional "demon brain" dynamics. Ramos was a more vulnerable target for the Evil One's influence. It is very possible that he was demonically "obsessed" and thus Satan would have a stronger sway over him. Satan then fills the mind with evil thoughts. Finally, as Ramos committed himself to the act of murder, he may even have become possessed. At one point, in the process of killing the children, he is chillingly reported to have said, "It's time to die!" This moment might remind one of Judas at the Last Supper. "After he took the morsel, Satan entered him." (Jn 13:27). Judas' final commitment to betraying Jesus and acting upon it resulted in Satan "entering" into him. These reflections remain speculation, based upon media accounts to date, subject to revision. But we should not underestimate the battleground of spiritual warfare upon which we are all engaged. Moreover, we ought not to give fertile ground for the Evil One to gain a foothold. Had Salvador Ramos been identified much earlier as a person of risk and proper therapeutic and spiritual remedies applied, this tragedy might possibly have been averted. According to FBI statistics, such incidents of violence and terrorism are rising rapidly in our country. Moreover, there are increasing feelings of isolation- especially among the young, a breakdown of the nuclear family, rising teen suicide rates, and a sharp decline in the practice of the Christian faith. As these trends continue, it is likely that such outbreaks and violence will continue on the same rising trajectory. How might we respond? Implement the many necessary changes in our schools and society suggested by health care and law enforcement experts. Build a psychologically and spiritually healthier family, community, and country. Most importantly: pray - pray - pray. We are fighting for the soul of this nation. Never underestimate the importance of a simple prayer. It is the Spirit of God who inspires our prayer and it is God himself who will bring it to fruition. And in Him, we might find some consolation in the midst of this horrible tragedy.

"Capitol Cornerstone Ceremony, 1793" by Allyn Cox It is no secret that the U.S. Capitol building was dedicated in a masonic ceremony by our first president, George Washington. One can see today the stone in the Capitol building commemorating this event. It reads: "Laid Masonically Sept 17, 1932 in Commemoration of the Laying of the Original Corner Stone by George Washington." The U.S. Capitol building formerly housed the Supreme Court which is now located across the street. Many of America's most important civic leaders have been freemasons including fourteen U.S. presidents and five Chief Justices of the Supreme Court. For individuals with a family history of freemasonry, our team has been a bit surprised at the extent of spiritual problems they experience as a result. These individuals not uncommonly have a repeating generational history of similar dysfunctions. For some, it is the presence of a spirit of death. These families may have an abnormal generational history of suicides, homicides, early deaths, miscarriages and/or abortions. The experience of exorcists is that individuals can be negatively affected by a generational history of freemasonry. But how about a nation? Our nation's leadership has been strongly influenced by this organization, which has been condemned by at least eight Popes. As recent as 1983, the Holy See has said that the principles of Masonic organizations remain "irreconciliable" with the teachings of the Church and membership is forbidden. Could it be that we, as a nation, are tainted by such a history? Since Roe vs. Wade was decided in 1973, there have been many millions of abortions. In response to the leaked Supreme Court document likely overturning Roe vs. Wade, some are advocating a "summer of rage" and others are targeting the Catholic Church. From an exorcist's perspective, these attitudes are reminiscent of the Evil One. On our website, www.catholicexorcism.org, there are prayers for individuals to break Masonic curses. There is now a video for lifting Masonic curses on our website including a priest ratifying the prayer at the end. But how about for a nation? I plan to pray these prayers to lift these curses from our nation. Perhaps other priests will do so as well. In the wake of all that is taking place, our response must be fully Christian. In response to rage, we offer peace. In response to persecution, we forgive. In response to death, we promote love, reconciliation and unity, which are constitutive of a culture of life.

The exorcism sessions were intense, but God bless the young afflicted woman who turned out to be a real spiritual warrior. She had, through no apparent fault of her own, generational evil spirits including freemasonry from the family line. She was determined to follow a religious vocation and the demons were having none of it. The battle ensued. She held up her end with valor. Much initial progress had been made, although the intensive sessions took a toll on everyone present. At one point, an attending priest took out a relic of Fr. Michael McGivney, recently beatified founder of the Knights of Columbus, and handed it to the Exorcist. Interestingly, Fr. McGivney originally founded the charitable Knights of Columbus partly as a Catholic alternative to the lure of the secretive, cultic Freemasons. The Exorcist took the relic and said, "Through the intercession of Blessed Fr. Michael McGivney, I command the demons to leave!" The young woman said she heard the demons mocking him, "That country priest, are you kidding me!?" (Exorcists recognize in demons' mocking behavior often their underlying terror of what is to come.) Then the Exorcist said, "I ask the Lord to manifest the sanctity of Michael McGivney through the pain the demons endure." The demons let out a blood-curdling scream. More so than during the previous prayers, these screams were louder and tinged with desperation. It was clear to everyone in the room that something important was happening. The relic was then placed on the crown of the afflicted woman's head and the demons let out another blood-curdling scream. As the same time, the attending priest read the "Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Michael McGivney." Each time the relic touched her body, she writhed and screamed. The Exorcist again commanded the demons to leave through the intercession of Fr. McGivney. She convulsed and started to cough up a white frothy foam- typical in an exorcism especially as demons begin to leave. Then the writhing and screams stopped. The woman came back to herself and was at peace. It was clear that a number of the demons had just departed. The exorcism was moving forward but when Fr. McGivney was invoked, it was taken to a new level. Upon reflection, we were not surprised that Fr. McGivney was so effective against demons of freemasonry, since he had dedicated his life to an alternative: the Knights of Columbus. Moreover, the reactions of the demons confirmed our own conviction of the sanctity of Blessed Fr. Michael McGivney. We will certainly invoke this holy priest's intercession in future exorcisms, especially when the demons of freemasonry are involved.

(Faith, Piero del Pollaiuolo, 1470, Florence) She had been involved with yoga, gurus, practitioners of witchcraft and magic for over ten years. By the grace of God, she had a profound experience of Jesus and it changed her life. Her eyes were opened to the evil in which she had been involved and she stopped all occult practices. She reverted to the Catholic faith with a new enthusiasm and conviction. But the demons of divination, who had remained largely hidden, now made their ugly presence felt.* They mentally tortured her and she suffered demonic bouts of lethargy, mental pain, and depression. After many months of deliverance sessions, she is much better, although still not completely freed. The demons hang on. She is progressively being purified and healed, peeling back inner layer after layer. She recently received a graced, critical insight that especially got my attention. She told me that she realized that, while she had stopped all these occult and magic practices, she still had an underlying magical way of approaching the spiritual life. For example, when praying for someone, she sometimes would send her own "healing energy" directly at the person rather than asking God to help them. When she worried about someone or something, she might try to "visualize" the answer to the worry, trying to divine what will happen in the future, rather than asking God to take care of it. She sometimes found herself using her occult "third eye" to try to spiritually "see" or know something. She then said, "I realized I am still trying to control situations. I realized that I have an issue with real trust in the Lord." She added, "The core issue is really trusting in the Lord- in His omnipotence and love for me." She said, "When I begin to practice a complete abandonment to God's providence like a child, I really feel free from this kind of magical thinking. This is when the demons seem to be the farthest away from me." The difference between faith and magic is fundamental. The Christian trusts in God and humbly receives all graces from God, as He wills. The practitioner of magic and the occult attempts to control spiritual forces and access hidden knowledge, thus trying to gain the desired power and benefits. Her insight is another great grace from the Lord. I am pleased for her accepting this grace. It suggests that her full liberation is one large step closer. *It is not uncommon that a person practicing the occult will be deeply but unknowingly immersed in the demonic world. The evil ones keep their presence hidden. However, if the person then rejects the occult world and turns to the faith, the demons will no longer remain hidden and begin to torment and torture the person. For example, see: https://www.spiritofmedjugorje.org/index.php?ArticleSeq=162#featuredArticle.

("Virgin of the Apocalypse", Miguel Cabrera, 1760) The building was deeply infested by demons. It was the site of grievous sins-- murder and blasphemies against God. Not surprising, one of the symptoms in that building was an ongoing divisiveness to the point of scandal and even violence. One of Satan's titles is: "causa discordiae," cause of discord. His presence invariably fosters discord, division and conflict. Our team of priests and laity gathered for a "marathon", i.e., a session of many hours of concentrated prayer to cast out demons. We also had a gifted spiritual sensitive with us. We were hoping to begin to dislodge the entrenched demonic presence. But after many hours of deliverance prayers, there were no signs to her or to the rest of the team that any progress was being made. I felt sure that the Blessed Virgin would intervene and help us. I believed that it was she who called us to be there and she would ensure that our efforts would bear fruit. Still ... after several hours there were no signs of any progress. As our time was almost up, I began to fear that the building was just too badly cursed to be cleansed. Perhaps we were wasting our time... Unexpectedly, in the last few minutes, I felt a surge of love for the Virgin well up in my heart. I turned to her and gave her my love. Just then, our spiritual sensitive leaned over and whispered to me, "The demons are reacting. One just left." When the Virgin shows up, there is love. And it is love that casts out demons.

("Baptism of Christ," Pietro Perugino, c. 1497) Recently a priest working with a possessed woman called and said: "I just got a text from her demons." I asked, "What did it say?" He replied, "She's mine!" My response: "Typical." At some point in an exorcism, the demons will invariably claim the possessed person belongs to them and demand we back off. This also tells us that the demons' hold on the person is being seriously threatened, or else they would have not sent the text. Their control is waning and they are frightened. Every exorcism is, at root, a battle for ownership. Who does this person belong to-- Jesus or Satan? Satan grasps for control; Jesus gives us free choice to choose Him. During an exorcism, we invite the afflicted person to renew his/her baptismal vows: "Do you reject Satan? And all his works? And all his empty show?" The person follows with an affirmation of faith. Then I typically hold up a crucifix and say, as in a baptism: "I claim you for Christ our savior by the sign of his cross." I am alarmed by the increasing number of people who are not even baptized. It is in this fundamental sacrament that the person is rescued from the clutches of Satan. I remind the Evil One of this in our sessions: "This person belongs to Jesus. He/she has rejected you. He/she has been baptized." The response from the demons? Silence. On Easter Sunday, we renew our baptismal promises. We profess our faith. We are sprinkled with holy water. It is a minor exorcism. We have been delivered from the power of evil and saved by Jesus Christ. What a glorious day!

(The Resurrection, Piero della Francesca, 1460s) In the light of the Easter resurrection, I am reminded of a previous demonic encounter.* During a solemn exorcism, we were invoking the power of the resurrection of Jesus and out of the demon's mouth comes a jubilant: "We won! We won! He didn't rise." At this, the priests in the room spontaneously broke out in laughter. I added, "This demon needs a history lesson." I do not know if the demon really believed what he was saying. They are inveterate liars. But as a psychologist, I have long witnessed the denials and darkness that accompany sin. Sin clouds the mind and distorts one's perspective. In the bowels of the dark kingdom, truth is clouded over and distorted. Those inured to evil eventually start to believe their own lies. And yet, everything that was happening witnessed to the reality of the resurrection. The mere sight of the crucifix was a torment to the demons: Ecce crucem domini, fugite partes adversae (Behold the cross of the Lord. Depart you evil powers). Why would the symbol of the crucifixion be a torment to evil if not followed by the resurrection? As holy water was sprinkled on the demons, they writhed in pain. Ecce aqua benedicta ("Behold water that has been blessed.") How could the blessing of water in the name of a crucified man be a powerful weapon against evil if he did not rise? I then proceeded to say the imprecatory prayers of the Rite of Exorcism commanding Satan to leave in the name of Jesus. Adjuro te, Satan, princeps huius mundi: agnosce potentiam et virtutem Jesu Christi, qui te ... spoliavit in cruce et de sepulcro resurgens tua tropaea in regnum transtulit lucis , "I command you, Satan, prince of this world: acknowledge the power and strength of Jesus Christ, who...despoiled you on the Cross, and, rising from the tomb, transferred your spoils into the kingdom of light." I commanded the demons to leave in the name of Jesus who died and rose. And they did leave. The demons were cast out in the name of Jesus whose death and resurrection is the foundation of every exorcism and is itself the ultimate exorcism of Satan. It is on the cross and in the resurrection that Satan's kingdom was smashed forever. *See Diary of An American Exorcist, p. 143.

("The Return of the Prodigal Son," Bernardino Licinio, 1535) More than a few people, including priests and religious, suffer from demonic mental obsessions. Satan mercilessly pummels their minds, often with their past sins. The Evil One thrusts into their minds, again and again, images and thoughts of their past sins and failings, confessed or not. What makes these recognizable as demonic, and not just a psychological obsessiveness, is the ferocity, often rapid onset, and unrelenting torment. It is as if there was a pack of demons mercilessly pounding on the person's head. In fact, this is exactly what is happening. So, in the midst of an exorcism, I will lay my hands on the person's head and command the demons to leave. Such a mental pounding is designed to wear people down, fill them with fear/anxiety, and lead them to despair. These mental thoughts are not from the Lord; it is not a true exercise in repentance. In the grace of true repentance, the individual recognizes his/her past sins and feels a graced compunction, sometimes with tears. This leads to a sense of reconciliation with God and inner peace. In our last online deliverance session*, several individuals reported such a graced experience of peace. One person wrote: "I felt contrition for my sins by crying." Another shared: "I just started crying and couldn't stop. During and afterwards I felt a sense of peace that hasn't left me, and all those little irritations that would easily cause my impatience or anger to flare up now just melt away." God gives inner peace; Satan foments torment and despair. Priests are special targets for Satan. It is sad to see how many, usually unaware of the demonic source, suffer these mental torments. Since these men tend to rely heavily on their intellects, the Evil One attacks their minds, attempting to cripple them and their ministries. Given their extensive theological training, one would expect priests to be aware of God's infinite mercy. Indeed, they do realize in their heads that God is all-forgiving, but they don't feel it. As one priest said, "It feels like God's mercy is for everyone else but me." Another priest said, "I intellectually know that God forgives me, but I feel completely overwhelmed and tormented by my past sins." Oftentimes, in those who suffer demonic obsessions, there may be an opening to the demonic such as a specific sin or a deep inner wound. Satan attempts to exploit such a weakness. For example, someone with a past habit of pornography, even after having confessed and overcome this sinful habit, may be pummeled with intense, unrelenting sexual thoughts. The antidote begins with an inner healing of these wounds, deliverance prayers to release one from the demonic, and fostering a deep trust in Jesus. At one point in the midst of such a session, I say to them: "Relax, breathe, and repeat after me, 'Jesus I trust in you. Jesus I trust in you.'" *The next online deliverance session is Tuesday, April 26th at 7-8pm Eastern USA time. Register now at: www.catholicexorcism.org

("Christ Triumphant over Sin and Death," Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1618) Discernment in the case before us was a bit complicated. We weren't sure if the manifestations were the result of a demonic presence or of a psychological origin. The team sat down to pray and to discern together. Fortunately, there was a "burden bearer" on the team. She said, "I experienced a spirit of terror, and demonic mental attacks. It was very strong." Her intervention was an important part of our discernment. We decided to continue the deliverance sessions. Later sessions confirmed her experience. Jesus is THE burden bearer. In his death and resurrection, he took upon himself all of our sins and became the source of our salvation. But there are some folks, chosen by him and not by us, who participate in Christ's bearing of people's burdens. More than a spiritual sensitivity, burden bearers actually feel and experience, to some degree, the sufferings of the other. Galatians 6:2 might be applied: "Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ." When the Spirit has burden bearers take on the sufferings of others, it typically helps afflicted individuals with their sufferings. It may give them a slight respite which can be critical in a time of crisis. It also helps to discern what the underlying wounds are and may be an occasion of a unique healing grace. In our exorcism ministry, we have such generous people and we are VERY grateful for them. Their ministry is largely hidden and should remain so. They participate in the cross of Jesus for others. It is not an easy calling.

The icon of Mary I have is not particularly attractive, at least on the surface. It is dark and the look on Mary's face is somber, almost unhappy. I was given the icon years ago and I was going to discard it, but then I felt I shouldn't let it go. So, I kept it. Over the years I have prayed with it daily, as it sits next to the tabernacle. Now, when I am on the road, I miss the icon. If I am gone for a long trip, I will sometimes wrap it up and take it with me; my connection with it has become strong. Two weeks after the invasion of the Ukraine, I had an inspiration to look at the back of the icon more closely and to investigate its roots. The inscription identifies it as: "Virgin of Vladimir." I looked it up and found that it is likely a 12th century Byzantine icon that was gifted to the city of Kyiv in the Ukraine and then housed in the city of Vladimir in the Ukraine, before it was eventually transferred and resides today in Moscow. There have been many miracles attributed to the icon. Why have I have been praying before the Virgin of the Ukraine for years? It is also interesting that one of our most difficult cases has involved a young Ukrainian woman. Most recently, she has been almost completely liberated. I have been impressed with her courage and strength. Even the demons said they are surprised she is still alive. She is a strong woman. Does the liberation of one Ukrainian modestly contribute, in some way, to the spiritual liberation of a nation? And then, before the war erupted, I was privileged to meet Michael Brown, the founder of Spirit Daily. He spoke to me of his Ukrainian friend Josyp Terelya who was tortured for decades by the Communists for his support of Ukrainian nationalism and his ardent Catholic faith, yet never yielded. He was reportedly favored with several Marian apparitions and Michael Brown's book Witness about his life is a must read. It gives a sense of the spiritual importance of the Ukraine and the role of Our Lady. It is interesting that Mariupol, the epicenter of recent humanitarian atrocities, actually means: City of Mary. I do not know what all this means. But I am convinced of three things. 1. The war in the Ukraine has immense spiritual significance. 2. The faith and strength of the men and women of the Ukraine are astounding. 3. Our Lady is involved intensely with all that is going on and her Immaculate Heart will triumph! For my part, I continue to pray before the icon of the Virgin of Vladimir. I join in Our Lady's urgent request to pray for peace. I have a strong hope that the days are rapidly coming when Satan and the forces of evil will be definitively crushed under Our Lady's heel (Gn 3:15).

(Giovanni Dominico Tiepolo, "The Institution of the Eucharist," 1753) It is typically very difficult to get a fully possessed person to go to Mass. As often as we encourage the person, the energumen (possessed person) feels a preternatural revulsion to the Eucharist. "K" was no exception. We could not get her to go without practically dragging her into the Church. And then, sitting through the entire Mass was painful, if not impossible. After months of exorcisms, she was much better but getting her into the chapel was still a huge struggle. Finally, we finally were able to schedule a private Mass for her, her father, and uncle. For three days before the scheduled Mass, she manifested almost constantly. The demons knew what was planned and they went ballistic. They manipulated her and everyone else, trying to sabotage the event, but no one budged. When the day came, her family, not-so-subtly, all but dragged her into the chapel. She was seated between two large family members who kept her in place. Then the Mass began. As the Mass progressed, she kept yelling, "You're killing me!" She said her stomach hurt and she felt nauseous. She heaved many times. We had a bucket nearby and she wretched a white foam into the bucket. When the Gospel was read, she reacted violently. (I must admit it was difficult for me to concentrate.) Then, it came time for communion. After much coaxing and finally a command from her father, she opened her mouth. As I approached with the Sacred Host, she screamed, "You're burning me!" I put the host into her mouth. She thrashed and tried to spit it out, but her father held her mouth shut. Later, she said the Host tasted like "ashes." After the Mass ended, she returned to herself. She said the demons were gone (at least temporarily) and she was at peace. She laughed, joked and smiled. Satan, unintentionally, witnesses to all that is holy. He writhes when sprinkled with holy water; he cringes at the sight of a blessed crucifix; but he positively screams when coming in contact with the Eucharist. We, for our part, also witness to the sanctity of the Eucharist. We genuflect in front of the reserved Eucharist in the tabernacle; we adore the presence of Jesus during Eucharistic adoration; we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus at Mass with great reverence. As St. Thomas wrote: How blessed we are to receive the "bread of angels!" (Panis Angelicus)

(Apparition Hill, Medjugorje, 3/10/22, photo by Katie Ryan) The above photo was taken this week at Apparition Hill in Medjugorje, the reported site of Marian apparitions. In the photo are several members of our deliverance team and their pilgrimage group around the statue of Our Lady. At Medjugorje, she is often referred to as: "Queen of Peace." In a reported message from Our Lady this past week, one of the visionaries said, "Our Lady appeared with outstretched arms and prayed for a long time for peace." She encouraged us to do the same. A few days later, she appeared again to the visionary and implored us to be "persevering" in prayer for peace.

(Icon "Jesus Walking on the Water") The exorcism stalled out. We were saying all the right prayers, but the process of liberation was going nowhere. As we looked into the cause, the afflicted person spoke about her fear of Satan. She was terrified. She was hesitant responding to the prayers for fear of riling him and incurring his wrath. Her fear was understandable. Throughout the exorcisms, the demons were constantly threatening her. "We will get you tonight!" they yelled in her brain, "We will torture you and drag you to hell!" Then they promised her: "But if you stop the prayers, we will leave you alone." In a reported Marian apparition, Our Blessed Lady reputedly said, "The devil is strong with those who fear him and weak with those who despise him." While we cannot confirm she said those words, they certainly ring true in our experience as exorcists. I told the terrified woman: "In hell, the slaves of Satan cower in fear. As long as you do, you will never be free." An important part of the process of liberation is learning to trust in Jesus. As the Scriptures say, "Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

("Christ Healing the Blind," El Greco, 1570) St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal has been surprised with the outpouring of support for its ministry. In a short period of time, we have over 21,000 subscribers and the number is rising rapidly. The last 90 days, there have been over 93,000 unique visitors to our website. We have been inundated with requests for spiritual assistance, especially with those who need deliverance prayers. In response, we have started a monthly live online deliverance prayer session.* We have been more than grateful to God for the many healings that have already occurred, based upon the scores of emails we have received. Here are some typical responses [edited to preserve anonymity] from the previous sessions: *"I felt as if I was being filled with the Holy Spirit. Thank you!" *"I was healed from demonic obsession. I am looking forward to inner healing next time." *"I felt a sense of peace from the anxiety I have been suffering. Thank you!" *"Peace beyond any human understanding." *"I felt a sense of peace and God's love for me. Thank you." *"I am sensing in myself greater strength and less lethargy. I am looking forward to the next session." *"A deep sense of peace and joy." *"I’ve been struggling with what I have suspected was demonic obsession/oppression for a long time, and I see signs after the session that all this has disappeared… The next day, I felt positively angelic" *"I gained immediate relief from some increased mental torment lately. This is medicine for my soul." *"My anger receded." *"While the prayers were being recited..I just started crying uncontrollably. Thank you!" *"I felt very moved and touched to the core of my being." *"During the prayers of deep cleansing, I felt the consolation and loving presence of Jesus. Tears streamed down my face and I'm not one who is given to a lot of emotion. Thank you for much needed deliverance." *"[I felt] contrition for my sins by crying." *"I just wanted you to know that after [we] prayed to remove fear, sickness and anxiety, I was filled with peace. Earlier on in the day…I was so tired and ill…Praise God for his kindness. One particular note caught my eye [used with permission]: "Hi, I just wanted to write back to let you know that I attended the 2/21 deliverance prayer session. It was a huge blessing for me. I have been working on childhood trauma and neglect for a few years now, but there was a persistent suicidality that has been there since I was a teenager. I am now in my mid 40s. On top of that, just a sense of self hatred, hatred towards God, hatred toward acceptance that I haven't been able to shake, even after a lot of prayer. It feels like all of that was stripped away after the session the other night. That persistent negative voice in my head is gone. When negative thoughts come up, I can talk to them much more normally and with kindness to myself. I also found myself able to say that I love God and Jesus. I wanted to give it a few days to make sure this is real. The last two times I had gone to RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults to become Catholic), I had locked up, not talked to anyone, and then felt suicidal afterward. Last night, I actually managed to talk to a couple of people. There was some awkwardness there with my social skills [being] rusty, but the focus was on Catholicism and joining the Church at Easter. Thanks to you and thanks to God for this help. It's really a blessing." I asked this person about the decision to become Catholic. Here is the response: There were a number of things that led me to decide to join RCIA. I had lost my faith but listening to my Catholic friends got me interested in it again....It seemed like God had been drawing me more and more. It appears that God has healed this person from intense negative self-thoughts and mental torments, which were probably demonic obsessions. Others have reported similar healings. While God is always generous and Jesus continues to heal, I believe our world is now in a special time of grace. God's grace is being poured out in unique abundance during these troubled times. We at SMC are grateful for your encouragement and support. Thank you! And we give thanks to God for the superabundant time of grace in which we now live. *The next session is 7pm Eastern USA time, March 28th. You will soon be able to register at www.catholicexorcism.org.

(Our Lady, Mother of Purity, Legion of Mary) "B" had a troubled, sexually traumatic upbringing. The child of a prostitute, she was sexually abused as a child. She became a stripper at a local club. She was raped many times. An attempt was made to sex-traffic her, but she managed to escape. Despite her life in the dark world of sexual perversion, there was, in her, a great potentiality for goodness, even heroism. She had an inner strength which enabled her to keep bounding back, despite being repeatedly threatened, beaten, and raped. Through the good offices of a deacon, she ended up in our exorcism sessions. She was fully possessed. She exhibited all the major signs, including many instances of occult knowledge, violent reactions to the sacred, and speaking/writing in a foreign tongue unknown to her. When the exorcisms sessions began, she manifested quickly and exhibited gross lewd and suggestive behaviors. Commanding her in Jesus' name to stop did no good. We had to wrap her in a blanket lest she begin to dance and strip. At night, the possessing demons repeatedly sent lewd pictures of her past at the strip club. Text messages were sexually taunting and made gross attempts at seduction. In each case, I responded with a prayer and a picture of the Blessed Virgin. I finally turned my phone off at night so that the beeping of incoming texts wouldn't keep me awake. More subtly, before, during, and after sessions, demons of lust would sexually assault the team and me. In the exorcisms, we were careful who was present in the room. Others, who were apparently not in a state of grace, attempted to befriend her and they went morally "off the rails." The antidote to such gross impurity was, of course, the Blessed Virgin. She was repeatedly invoked. We had "B" consecrate herself to her. In each session, "B" prayed aloud to the Virgin for the virtue of chastity and purity. The deacon poured gallons of holy water over her head. This spiritual cleansing evoked screams from the demons: "Stop. Stop. You're killing me!" Perhaps this is what our most unchaste world needs today as well: consecration to the BVM, fervent prayer for the virtue of chastity, and a spiritual cleansing through the sacraments and sacramentals of the Church.