G
glendab
Guest
Hello Faith.
But if you prefer believing that demonic possession is primarily a mental illness and should be addressed that way, go right ahead. No one will say that you have to believe in demons. However, we as Catholics know they are real and active and hurt people every day and that we do need the Ministry of Exorcist among us even to this day. Until the final battle, the devil will always pursue the children of the Woman of Revelation and make war on them. It is a fact of our life.
One other thing I’d like to say about this whole subject. The beginning of this thread asked if there was an error in the Biblical accounts of things demonic and if those who practiced Exorcism, including Jesus, couldn’t tell the difference between an organic illness and actual demonic activity and that perhaps the accounts were in reality instances of undiagnosed epilepsy or mental illness. It was even stated that a “revised” edition of Scriptures said that St. Mary Magdalena, out of whom seven devils were exorcised by Jesus Himself, was in fact mentally ill not possessed. But if you read the accounts of exorcism you will notice one feature of the accounts that is very relevant to this current discussion: laypersons were those who brought these cases to Jesus and His disciples for resolution. They knew the difference between medical issues, emotional issues and demonic issues. And there were quite a few of them as witness to the distress of demonic possession. There were no shrinks, or doctors or facilities or tests or police reports or any other way to ascertain that the person was under the influence of the devil. People saw them, the possessed, and told others who brought Jesus to them for healing. And the practice didn’t include sending them to the Temple to be interviewed by the Pharisees and/or Sadducees prior to Jesus or the disciples actually casting out the demons. In fact, there were instances of one person’s word spoken to Jesus and witnessed by others regarding the demonic possession of a person not there and bingo! Jesus cast out the demon from a distance without ever even seeing the possessed person. This happened more than once.
It was the laity of that time, though that isn’t what we were called then, who could easily tell the difference between them and I think if you could talk to one today and tried to defend a position that totally dismissed all things demonic as medical conditions, etc., they would look at you like you are the one who is ignorant and blind and perhaps a little daft in the head for NOT believing. See what I mean? Also keep in mind that Jesus sent 72 disciples out by two to do the work of exorcism and they came back amazed that even devils were submissive to them. They were laypersons, not the priests of the Temple who had failed the people in this important Ministry at the time of Jesus. Jesus took pity on them and did the works that those in charge of the Temple couldn’t.
Glenda
P.S. Sorry to hear about your mom Faith. I’ll pray for you both.
Actually the account I have read says that the ward the child was in was empty at the time. He was the only resident on the whole hallway. This was by happenstance of a sort and after the manifestations began, the Brothers were thankful of this because he would’ve been very disturbing to other patients. He was also catechized by the Brothers when he was in lucid moments and they found him a very pleasant boy. The actual room were all of this occurred was sealed afterwards and left sealed until few decades has passed and it was found exactly as they left it when the boy was discharged. As for Father Halloran later “changing his story” and others stretching this to totally dismiss the possession as a distortion of the true nature of the boy’s distress, keep in mind that the actual Exorcist was not Father Halloran. He was only an assistant and was not present at the final liberation nor was he the only witness to all the manifestations that went on and on and on.
But if you prefer believing that demonic possession is primarily a mental illness and should be addressed that way, go right ahead. No one will say that you have to believe in demons. However, we as Catholics know they are real and active and hurt people every day and that we do need the Ministry of Exorcist among us even to this day. Until the final battle, the devil will always pursue the children of the Woman of Revelation and make war on them. It is a fact of our life.
One other thing I’d like to say about this whole subject. The beginning of this thread asked if there was an error in the Biblical accounts of things demonic and if those who practiced Exorcism, including Jesus, couldn’t tell the difference between an organic illness and actual demonic activity and that perhaps the accounts were in reality instances of undiagnosed epilepsy or mental illness. It was even stated that a “revised” edition of Scriptures said that St. Mary Magdalena, out of whom seven devils were exorcised by Jesus Himself, was in fact mentally ill not possessed. But if you read the accounts of exorcism you will notice one feature of the accounts that is very relevant to this current discussion: laypersons were those who brought these cases to Jesus and His disciples for resolution. They knew the difference between medical issues, emotional issues and demonic issues. And there were quite a few of them as witness to the distress of demonic possession. There were no shrinks, or doctors or facilities or tests or police reports or any other way to ascertain that the person was under the influence of the devil. People saw them, the possessed, and told others who brought Jesus to them for healing. And the practice didn’t include sending them to the Temple to be interviewed by the Pharisees and/or Sadducees prior to Jesus or the disciples actually casting out the demons. In fact, there were instances of one person’s word spoken to Jesus and witnessed by others regarding the demonic possession of a person not there and bingo! Jesus cast out the demon from a distance without ever even seeing the possessed person. This happened more than once.
It was the laity of that time, though that isn’t what we were called then, who could easily tell the difference between them and I think if you could talk to one today and tried to defend a position that totally dismissed all things demonic as medical conditions, etc., they would look at you like you are the one who is ignorant and blind and perhaps a little daft in the head for NOT believing. See what I mean? Also keep in mind that Jesus sent 72 disciples out by two to do the work of exorcism and they came back amazed that even devils were submissive to them. They were laypersons, not the priests of the Temple who had failed the people in this important Ministry at the time of Jesus. Jesus took pity on them and did the works that those in charge of the Temple couldn’t.
Glenda
P.S. Sorry to hear about your mom Faith. I’ll pray for you both.
) Anyhow…this I pray when spiritually wounded and really weak An exorcism prayer:…