Mainstream news services have been running a story about Pope Francis encouraging the use of exorcists. On one level, interesting to have the head of a mainstream religious organization to be recognizing the existence of spiritual entities and recommending doing ritual work with such spirits under particular circumstances. A shame that he’s not also promoting ritual work with beneficial spirits and not just the troublesome ones, but there ya go. And here’s the quote from the Vatican’s website, as “news” services like Breitbart are known for cherry picking and “baking” items to serve their particular agenda. If one believes in communicating and trying to influence the behavior of discarnate beings, then all this discussion of theory and practice should be interesting if not necessarily persuasive.
“Discernment is necessary also because those who approach the confessional may come from the most desperate situations; they could also have spiritual disturbances, whose nature should be submitted to careful discernment, taking into account all the existential, ecclesial, natural and supernatural circumstances. When the confessor becomes aware of the presence of genuine spiritual disturbances – that may be in large part psychic, and therefore must be confirmed by means of healthy collaboration with the human sciences – he must not hesitate to refer the issue to those who, in the diocese, are charged with this delicate and necessary ministry, namely, exorcists. But these must be chosen with great care and great prudence.”
This was one small part of an address to 28th Annual Course on the Internal Forum organised by the Apostolic Penitentiary, dealing with the Roman Catholic Sacrament of Penance.
http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/03/17/170317d.html
Meanwhile here’s an interview with Father Cipriano de Meo, described by Catholic.org as an exorcist since 1952 discussing the matter.
http://www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=72649
The official stance of the Roman Catholic Church on exorcism is outlined in item 1673 of the Catholic Catechism
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P58.HTM
