Exorcism Books

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RaphaelJ

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Is it wrong if I intend to buy and read a book about exorcisms? Of course, the book teaching the Catholic teachings on exorcism and showing only officially approved cases of exorcism? Also, will reading these books (only reading them) open me to diabolical influences?
 
RaphaelJ said:
Is it wrong if I intend to buy and read a book about exorcisms? Of course, the book teaching the Catholic teachings on exorcism and showing only officially approved cases of exorcism? Also, will reading these books (only reading them) open me to diabolical influences?
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What you will find is that these type of books open your eyes to the presence of evil more than before, but why would you think it would open you up to demonic influence any more than reading about Jesus exorcising demons in the gospels?

But if you THINK you are suspect to diabolical influence if you read them then don’t. Either way, stay in prayer throughout the day everyday in all that you do, so that what you do will always bring glory to God.
 
RaphaelJ said:
Is it wrong if I intend to buy and read a book about exorcisms? Of course, the book teaching the Catholic teachings on exorcism and showing only officially approved cases of exorcism? Also, will reading these books (only reading them) open me to diabolical influences?
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Greetings RaphaelJ,

No harm in reading. However it is always nice to run by a spirtual director or confessor before you do.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit
 
Ditto on “Interview with an Exorsist”. I could not put it down. Very well written. 🙂

Tony
 
CCC:
1673 When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism. Jesus performed exorcisms and from him the Church has received the power and office of exorcizing.178 In a simple form, exorcism is performed at the celebration of Baptism. The solemn exorcism, called “a major exorcism,” can be performed only by a priest and with the permission of the bishop. The priest must proceed with prudence, strictly observing the rules established by the Church. Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church. Illness, especially psychological illness, is a very different matter; treating this is the concern of medical science. Therefore, before an exorcism is performed, it is important to ascertain that one is dealing with the presence of the Evil One, and not an illness.179
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RaphaelJ said:
Is it wrong if I intend to buy and read a book about exorcisms? Of course, the book teaching the Catholic teachings on exorcism and showing only officially approved cases of exorcism? Also, will reading these books (only reading them) open me to diabolical influences?
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It is not wrong to study demonology, provided it is only an intellectual exercise and not an attempt to reach out to the demonic. Furthermore, you must realize that understanding demonology imbues no one with any special ability or authority as regards demons.

The subject matter can, at times, be quite scary and adult in nature, particularly those texts which include quoted dialogue recorded during exorcisms. Further, I agree with what another poster said: you become more aware of the presense of evil, as well as the dangers that are posed… however, I WOULD say that such knowledge can be both a protection and a danger area in terms of demonic influence. If you view the spiritual world as a minefield, the church provides a map for safe traversal. Studying demonology shows you where many of the mines are, rather than just looking at the map… but the occasional temptation that you know enough not to follow strictly the course laid out by the church is DANGEROUS. So if you are going to study demonology, cleave to a strong prayer and sacramental life. Avail yourself often of the Eucharist, church teaching, and prayer.

My list of texts to read:
  1. The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist
  2. An Exorcist Tells His Story (Fr Amorth… this book is… well… I’m not sure on this one, I have my reservations)
  3. Interview with an Exorcist
  4. Hostage to the Devil (Malachi Martin… a now-defrocked priest, although he was in good standing when he wrote it, so again, this one might be taken with a grain of salt since it offers a VERY different perspective on exorcism than more modern texts)
 
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