In recent months there has been more Catholic writers and social media types in the laity and priesthood complaining about the rise of online exorcists. Some of the complaints are valid. There is a prudence that should be exercised by any member of the clergy—or anyone for that matter—who rises to any kind of notoriety. Too many priests have fallen into scandal when they reached the heights of fandom. Concern is warranted especially in an area where demons are operative.
Some of the criticism is concerning, however, because it perpetuates the last 60 years of absentee leadership from the hierarchy in the arena of spiritual warfare. Priests and laity complain that people who watch exorcists will start to look for demons under every rock and affliction in their lives. While there are always people prone to this tendency, I don’t know anyone who has utilized online deliverance sessions or apps who operates in this manner. Most people are trying to find a balanced approach to spiritual warfare because they know we are in a war against “powers and principalities.” It used to be standard practice for Catholics to protect and defend their families through sacramentals and deliverance prayers, on top of the Sacraments.
What is happening for many people is the opposite of what these Catholic critics are arguing. I’m increasingly encountering people who know they need to utilize sacramentals and deliverance prayers to defend their families, but because they have not had leadership from the hierarchy, they are paralyzed by a fear of demons. They are desperate for guidance from priests.
A lot of this fear is due to Hollywood sensationalism that has created erroneous or extraordinary images in their minds about spiritual warfare and demonology. This is not what exorcists do through their online guidance. They embolden people to cling to Christ and His power to vanquish demons—creatures who are ultimately powerless in the face of God.
For instance, Catholic parents need to be fighting against spirits of pornography and impurity, and learn how to discern when the enemy is sowing discord in the home, yet they have no leadership to help them turn to Christ in these battles. To be fair, countless priests haven’t been trained in spiritual warfare and discernment of spirits, so they need training and leadership too.
Powerlessness in the face of the enemy is not of Christ. This gives power to demons that they shouldn’t have. The lack of leadership in deliverance and spiritual warfare can leave many Catholics feeling impotent in the face of the enemy. What a demonic lie! This is not how the Church is supposed to operate in the face of the devil.
We know Christ is victorious and that He sends His heavenly aid when we call upon Him. We know Our Blessed Mother is a powerful intercessor, along with St. Joseph Terror of Demons, St. Michael, our guardian angels, and a whole litany of saints, when we call upon them to rid us of whatever is tempting or attacking us. The Lord does not leave us alone whenever we are not at Mass or in the confessional.
The solution to the rise of celebrity exorcists is very easy. We need the hierarchy to lead us in our own parishes and dioceses in how to engage in spiritual warfare and have clear guidance on where to go for full deliverance ministry, if needed. We need deliverance and exorcism ministries in all dioceses, along with multiple teams, so that it doesn’t take years to see an exorcist when a real possession case arises.
I have no doubt that people have died within our dioceses who did not receive the deliverance ministry care they needed, especially in possession cases. I’ve dealt with an actual possession case, which I wrote about two weeks ago. I don’t get to cling to the notion that possessions are rare. I’ve lived through one with an afflicted person. I’ve also interceded in oppression cases. This stuff is real.
The online exorcists are arising to fill a void that has been left in the wake of “the spirit of Vatican II,” which had to jettison the devil to get away with rampant sacrilege and immorality. When a Superior General of the Jesuits literally teaches that the “devil is a symbol,” and the average Catholic, including many clergy, no longer believe demons operate, we have a serious problem on our hands.
We also live in a culture that is quickly re-paganizing and secularizing, which comes with a whole host of issues, including an increase in demonic activity. Witchtok and occult practices are mainstream. These especially target young women who are more prone to these occult practices. This then opens them up to demonic activity in their lives. When they get themselves into trouble, they don’t have anyone to turn to in the Church because there aren’t enough resources, or even belief that demons could be operating.
While some of the concerns and criticism of online exorcists may be warranted, it is particularly concerning when priests are doing so without offering any help to the faithful in the area of spiritual warfare. The Sacraments are not a passive response to dealing with the demonic. Instead, we need to be taught how to live a supernatural life of the Sacraments, as well as utilizing sacramentals in our homes and the use of deliverance prayers to fight the daily battles against the enemy.
There is a reason previous generations of Catholics utilized both. Now is the time to reclaim our full patrimony. The devil does not only pester those who pull out a Ouija board. He tempts us constantly to turn away from Christ and sows division everywhere. Countless saints down through the ages dealt with demonic harassment as they drew closer to Christ. This should not be a source of fear. That is not of Christ. That is of the devil. Instead, it should be an opportunity to trust in Christ’s power and the gifts we have been given as Catholics.
There is no reason why Catholics should only have online exorcists to turn to for help with deliverance ministry. If the clergy who have been given ultimate authority to teach, govern, and sanctify the faithful step up and lead us in this area, then the online exorcists can go back to hidden rooms performing exorcisms. It’s unjust and uncharitable to criticize the men who are doing what’s necessary to save souls while many others refuse to engage in the battle to lead God’s people. We need clear leadership. Souls and lives are on the line.
Do we trust Our Thorn-Crowned Captain? He guided me through a full possession case that came with demonic visitors, and I don’t have the great graces of the priesthood at my disposal. Priests have the supernatural gifts to vanquish the enemy and to lead God’s people in the fight. The baptized can cast demons out of their lives through the Holy Name of Jesus. It is not complicated. If I can learn it, then anyone can. I had no idea what I was doing when it became clear that I had to start fighting back against the enemy. It was the online exorcists who taught me the basics of spiritual warfare and who eventually helped me navigate oppression and possession cases.
We have rich traditions in this area to help us—from exorcised St. Benedict medals to exorcised salt, oil, holy water, and a wide variety of deliverances prayers the laity can be taught to utilize. Praying the St. Michael Prayer at the end of Mass is one such example. Both Monsignor Rossetti’s Catholic Exorcism App and Fr. Chad Ripperger’s Auxilium Christianorum App have great resources. Monsignor Rossetti’s is broken down by authority so there’s a section for non-exorcist priests, another for deacons, another for the laity, and a section for exorcists. It’s very simple to use.
My response to the Catholic laity and priests who complain about the rise of online exorcists is that there is a solution. The answer is for our spiritual fathers to lead us. I don’t think the exorcists are more visible right now due to vanity. I truly believe, given my own experiences in the realm of the demonic, that the Lord is trying to minister and shepherd His people who are suffering and lost without guides.
All the hierarchy needs to do is provide spiritual guidance and multiple deliverance teams in every diocese. Then the exorcists can focus on the souls in their direct vicinity, which is how the Church should be operating. Until then, the online exorcists are serving in a much-needed ministry, and I have no doubt, saving both souls and lives in the process.
Photo by Grant Whitty on Unsplash
