Through A Fides
present anew the temptations of the Sunday interview with Father Gabriele Amorth who 30Days published in June 2001: A really disturbing is the passage in which Father Amorth denouncing the exclusion of the group of 150 exorcists from the hearing of the Pope. It seems that the only people who are unable to enter the Vatican are those who fight against the evil in the name of the Church.
'... And deliver us from evil. "
interview with Father Gabriele Amorth
Stefano Maria Paci
have passed 29 years (now almost 39, ndr) from that June 29, 1972. It was the feast of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles. It was the feast of St. Paul, who brought the Gospel of Christ to the far West. And in that June 29, the feast of the patron saints of Rome, the Successor of Peter, who took the name Paul cried out dramatically. Paul VI spoke of God's enemy par excellence of that enemy of man called Satan. The enemy of the Church. "Through some crack" Paul VI denounced "the smoke of Satan has entered the Church." An anguished cry, which left many shocked and amazed, even within the Catholic world.
And today, 29 years later? That smoke has been removed, or has invaded more rooms? We went to ask someone with Satan and his tricks has to do every day. Almost as a profession. It is the world's most famous exorcist: Father Gabriele Amorth, founder and honorary chairman of the International Association of Exorcists. We went to him because a few weeks ago, on May 15, was approved by the CEI, the Italian translation of the new ritual of exorcism. To enter use only awaits the placet of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. A new weapon that the Church has to fight the enemy? To overcome if you have not already done so, the smoke penetrated into the temple of the Lord? Nonsense! Listen to what Father Amorth said. You'll find that the war going on for millennia, raging more furiously than ever. Now that the battle has moved primarily into the house of the Lord. And that smoke ... Well, the smoke spreads in unexpected rooms.
Father Amorth, is finally ready translation Ritual for the new Italian exorcists.
Gabriele Amorth: Yes, it is ready. Last year, the CEI had refused to approve it because there were errors in translation from Latin. And we exorcists, we should use it, we had the opportunity to point out again that the new ritual on many points we disagree. The basic text remains unchanged in this Latin translation. And at the end of a long-awaited Ritual has turned into a mockery. An incredible string which could prevent us from acting against the devil.
heavy accusation. What is it about?
AMORTH: Let me give just two examples. Sensational. In paragraph 15 it speaks of evil and how to behave. The curse is a harm caused to a person using the devil. It can be done in various forms such as invoices, curses, hexes, voodoo, Macumba. The Roman Ritual explained how must face it. The new Rite, by contrast, categorically states that there is absolute prohibition to do exorcisms in these cases. Absurd. The spells are by far the most common cause of possessions and evil procured by the devil: not less than 90 percent. It's like saying not to work more exorcists. Paragraph 16, then solemnly declared that one should not do exorcisms if there is no certainty the presence of the devil. It is a masterpiece of incompetence: the certainty that the devil is present in a person's only doing the exorcism. Among other things, the drafters did not notice any contradiction in both points, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which indicates to perform the exorcism and demonic possession in the case of the evils caused by the devil. It also says it is on people over things. And the things there is never the presence of the devil, there's only influence.
The statements contained in the New Ritual are very serious and highly damaging, the result of ignorance and inexperience.
But it was not completed by experts?
AMORTH: Absolutely not. In the past ten years have worked on the Ritual of two committees: one composed of cardinals who oversaw the Prenotanda, that the original provisions, and the one who took care of the prayers. I can say with certainty that none of the members of both committees have never been nor ever witnessed exorcisms exorcism and never had the faintest idea what are the exorcisms. This is the error, the original sin of this Ritual. No one who worked there was an expert on exorcism.
How is this possible?
AMORTH: Do not ask me. During the Second Vatican Council each committee was assisted by a team of experts who accompanied the bishops. And the habit has been maintained even after the Council, whenever they've got part of the ritual. But not in this case. And if there was an issue on which experts were used, was this.
Yet?
AMORTH: Instead we exorcists were never consulted. And, among other things, the suggestions that we have been received with irritation by the committees. The story is paradoxical. You want me to tell it to him?
course.
AMORTH: Gradually, as requested by the Second Vatican Council, the various parts of the Roman Ritual were magazines, the exorcists, were expecting it to be treated the title XII, that the exorcism ritual. But evidently it was not considered a relevant argument, as the years went by and nothing happened. Then, suddenly, on June 4, 1990, came the ritual interim test. It was a real surprise for us that we had never been consulted before. Yet for some time we prepared the requests, on a revision of the Ritual. We asked, among other things, to touch up the prayers, invocations to the Virgin Mary onto which were completely missing, and to increase the exorcism prayers specifications. But we were completely cut off from the possibility of any contribution. Do not get discouraged: the text was done for us. And since the letter the then prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, asked the bishops 'conferences to have, within two years, "advice and suggestions given by the priests who so use' us went to work. Brought together eighteen exorcists, chosen from among the most experienced of the planet. Scrutinized the text. Use it. We immediately commended the first part, in which the evangelical foundations of exorcism were summarized. You look biblical-theological on which there is no shortage of responsibility. A new part compared to the Ritual of 1614 composed under Pope Paul V: after all, at that time there was no need to remember these principles, recognized and accepted by all. Today, however, is indispensable.
But when we went to examine the practical part, which requires specific knowledge of the subject, it is obviously the total inexperience of the editors. Our observations were abundant, article by article, and we have made to all interested parties: the Congregation for Divine Worship, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Episcopal Conferences. A copy was delivered directly into the hands Pope's
How was allowed in your comments?
AMORTH: bad reception, no effect. We were inspired by the LG, in which the Church is described as' People of God. " At number 28 we talk about the collaboration between priests and bishops, at number 37 is said with clarity, even referring to the laity, "according to science, the power and prestige they enjoy, have the option, sometimes even the duty to make known their views on matters concerning the good of the Church. " It was exactly the case. But we were deceived, naively, that the provisions of Vatican II were entered into the Roman congregations. Instead we found ourselves in front of a wall of rejection and contempt. The secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship gave a report to the commission of cardinals in which he said that their interlocutors were the bishops, not priests or exorcists. He added quote, about our humble attempt to help as experts express their opinion: "We had to take note of the phenomenon of a group of exorcists and called demonology, who subsequently have formed the International Association, which orchestrated a campaign against the ritual. " Indecent accusation: we have never orchestrated any campaign! It was addressed to us the ritual, and commissions had not convened any person: it was only logical that we try to make our contribution.
But it means that the new Rite is useless for you in the fight against the devil?
AMORTH: Yes We wanted to deliver a blunt instrument. Were canceled effective prayers, prayers which had twelve centuries of history, and have created new, ineffective. But luckily there was thrown, the last, a lifeboat.
What?
AMORTH: The new prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, Cardinal Jorge Medina, has added to the Ritual a Notification. In stating that the exorcists are not required to use this ritual, but if they want they can still use the old on request to the bishop. The bishops must ask permission to the congregation but, as the cardinal writes, "willingly grants it."
"The grant willingly"? It is a strange concession ...
AMORTH: He wants to know where does? On one attempt made by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and by Cardinal Medina to introduce the Ritual an article - was then Article 38 - which authorized the exorcists to use the earlier ritual. Undoubtedly it was a maneuver in extremis to make us avoid the big mistakes that we are in this final ritual. But the attempt was rejected two cardinals. Then Cardinal Medina, who understood the stakes, he decided to help us in any case, this lifeboat, adding a separate notification.
considered How come, you exorcists in the Church?
AMORTH: We are treated very badly. The brother priests who are charged with this delicate task are seen as crazy, the exalted. In general they are barely tolerated by the same bishops who appointed them.
The most striking fact of this hostility?
AMORTH: We held an international congress of exorcists near Rome. And we asked to be received by the Pope for not giving him the burden of adding a new audience to the many already do, we simply asked to be received in open court, one in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday. And without the need to be mentioned among the greetings. We made regular application, as recalled perfectly Monsignor Paolo De Nicolò the Prefecture of the Papal Household, who welcomed with open arms to our request. The day before the hearing, however, the Monsignor De Nicolò told us - to tell the truth with great embarrassment, for which we have seen very well that the decision did not depend on him - not to go, we were not allowed. Unbelievable: 150 exorcists from five continents, priests appointed by their bishops in accordance with the norms of canon law requiring priests of prayer, knowledge and good reputation - so a little 'the cream of the clergy -, asked to participate in A public hearing of the Pope and are thrown out. Monsignor De Nicolò told me: "Of course I promise that I will send immediately to the letter explaining the reasons. " Five years have passed, and the appearance that letter yet.
certainly was not John Paul II to exclude it. But that 150 priests are forbidden to attend a public hearing of the Pope in St Peter's Square explains what the exorcists are hampered by their Church, because they are disliked by many church authorities.
She fought us every day with the devil. What is the greatest achievement of Satan?
AMORTH: Being able to pretend not to exist. And we almost succeeded. Even within the Church. We have a clergy and an episcopate who no longer believe in the devil, in exorcisms, in the extraordinary evil that the devil can give, nor in the power that Jesus gave to cast out demons.
For three centuries the Latin Church - in contrast to the Orthodox Church and various Protestant confessions - has almost entirely abandoned the ministry of exorcism. Do not practice exorcism, not studying and having not ever seen, the clergy no longer believe. It no longer believe even the devil. We have entire episcopate against the exorcism. There are nations completely devoid of exorcists, like Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal. A appalling shortage.
not appointed France. The situation there is different?
AMORTH: There is a book written by the best known French exorcist, Isidore Froch, entitled The Exorcist, who they are and what they do. The book, translated into Italian by publisher Piemme, was written on behalf of the French Bishops' Conference. Throughout the book you do not ever say that the exorcists, in certain cases, they do exorcisms. And the author has repeatedly told French television that he has never done exorcisms and that they never will. Out of a hundred French exorcists, only five do believe the devil and exorcisms, all the others who turn to send them to psychiatrists.
And the bishops are the first victims of this situation of the Catholic Church, which is disappearing from the belief in the existence of the devil. Before it came out this new ritual, the German episcopate sent a letter to Cardinal Ratzinger in which he stated that there were no new ritual, because you had more to do exorcisms.
is the duty of bishops to appoint exorcists?
AMORTH: Yes, when a priest is appointed bishop, he is faced with an article of the Code of Canon Law gives him absolute authority to appoint exorcists. Any bishop the least we can ask is to have at least witnessed an exorcism, since it must take such an important decision. Unfortunately, almost never happens. But if a bishop is facing a serious demand for exorcism - that is, that is not made from a nut - and fails to do so, commits a mortal sin. And is responsible for all the terrible suffering of that person, which sometimes last for years or a lifetime, and that could have prevented.
Are you saying that most of the bishops of the Catholic Church is a mortal sin?
AMORTH: When I was a kid my old parish priest taught me that there are eight sacraments: the eighth is ignorance. And the eighth sacrament saves most of the other seven summed together. To make a mortal sin must be grave matter, but also full awareness and deliberate consent. This omission of help from many bishops is a grave matter. But these bishops are ignorant: there is therefore no deliberate consent and full awareness.
But faith remains intact, that remains a Catholic, if one does not believe in the existence of Satan?
AMORTH: No. I'll tell you a story. When for the first time I met Don Pellegrino Ernetti, a celebrated exorcist who has practiced for forty years in Venice, said: "If I could talk with the Pope would tell him that I meet too many bishops who do not believe in the devil." The following afternoon Ernetti father came back to me to tell me that the morning was received by Pope John Paul II. "Holiness," he said, "there is an exorcist here in Rome, Father Amorth, who would tell you if it came from who knows too many bishops who do not believe in the devil." The Pope replied, dryly: "Whoever does not believe in the devil does not believe in the Gospel." Here's the answer I gave him and I repeat.
Let me understand: the result is that many bishops and many priests are not Catholics?
AMORTH: Let's say you do not believe in a Gospel truth. So if anything, to propagate them heels heresy. But mind you: one is formally heretical if he is accused of something and if it persists in error. But no, today, for the situation that exists in the Church, a bishop accused of not believing in the devil, the demonic possession and not to appoint exorcists because he does not believe. Yet I could do so many names of bishops and cardinals who are newly appointed to a diocese have taken all exorcists the faculty to exercise. Or of bishops who openly maintain: "I do not believe it. These are things of the past. " Why? Unfortunately, because there was the pernicious influence of certain biblical scholars, and I could do it very illustrious names. That we touch every day with his hand the next world, we know he had a hand in many liturgical reforms.
For example?
AMORTH: The Second Vatican Council was asked to review texts. Disobedience to that command, but we wanted to redo it completely. Without thinking that you could even make things worse rather than better. And many rites were made worse for this mania of wanting to throw away everything that was in the past and start all over again, as if the Church until now there had always cheated and deceived, and only now it's finally time of great geniuses, of superteologi, the superbiblisti, the superliturgisti who can give the Church the right things. A lie was the last Council simply asked to review these texts, not to destroy them.
The exorcism ritual, for example, was correct, not rebuilt. There were prayers that have twelve centuries of experience. Before deleting old and prayers so that for centuries have proved effective, it should think long. But no. We all exorcists, using the prayers of the new test Ritual interim, we have experienced that are totally ineffective.
But the rite of baptism of children was worse. He was upset, almost to eliminate the exorcism against Satan, who has always had enormous importance for the Church, so that was called the minor exorcism. Against this new rite has publicly protested by Paul VI. It was worse at the new Rite of Blessings. I have read carefully all its 1200 pages. Well, it was painstakingly removed all reference to the fact that the Lord must protect us from Satan, the angels protect us from the assault of the devil. They took all the prayers that were for the blessing of homes and schools. Everything was blessed and protected, but protection from the devil today no longer exists. There are no defenses, and even more prayers against him. Jesus himself had taught us a prayer of liberation in the Our Father: "Deliver us from evil. Deliver us from the person of Satan. " In Italian has been translated incorrectly, and now he says in prayer: "Deliver us from evil." There is talk of a generic evil, which basically do not know the source: instead of the evil against which our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to fight is a real person: it is Satan.
you have a vantage point: the feeling that Satanism is spreading?
AMORTH: Yes very much. When faith falls increases superstition. If I use the language of the Bible, I say that abandons God and we give to idolatry, if I use a modern language, I say that you leave God to give himself the occult. The appalling decline in the Catholic faith throughout Europe means that people throw into the hands of magicians and fortune tellers, and satanic sects prosper. The cult of the devil is advertised to the masses through the whole satanic rock of people like Marilyn Manson, and given the assault to children: newspaper comics teach magic and Satanism.
in widespread seances, which evoke the dead have answers. Now he teaches how to make séances with your computer, your phone, your television, but especially with the recorder with automatic writing. There is no longer even need a medium: Spiritualism is a "do it yourself." According to surveys, 37 percent of students did at least once a game board or glass, which is a real seance. In a school where I was invited to speak, the boys were told that during the hour of religion under the complacent eyes of the teacher.
It Work?
AMORTH: There is no distinction between white magic and black magic. When the magic works, it is always the work of the devil. All forms of occultism, like this appeal to the great religions of the East with their esoteric suggestions, are open to the devil. And the devil enters. Now.
I did not hesitate to say immediately, in the case of a nun killed in Chiavenna and in that of Erika and Omar, the two boys from Novi Ligure, that there was a direct intervention of the devil because those young people were given to Satanism. Continuing the investigation, police discovered, in both cases, these guys were following Satan, had books satanic.
relies on what the devil to seduce a man?
AMORTH: He has a monotone strategy. I told him, and he recognizes it ... Do not believe that hell exists, that sin exists, but you only experience more to be done. Lust, success and power are the three great passions on which Satan insists.
How many cases of demonic possession met?
AMORTH: After the first hundred I stopped counting.
hundred? But many are. She in her books said that cases of possession are rare.
AMORTH: And I really am. Many exorcists have encountered only cases of diabolic evil. But I have inherited the "clientele" of fame as an exorcist Father Candido, and therefore the case that he had not yet resolved. Furthermore, the other exorcists send to me the most resistant cases.
The most difficult he has encountered?
AMORTH: I have "in care" now, and for two years. It's the same girl who was blessed - it was not a true exorcism - by the Pope at the Vatican in October and has created a stir newspapers. It hit 24 hours on 24, with unspeakable torments. Doctors and psychiatrists could not understand it. It is fully lucid and intelligent. A truly sad case.
As you fall victim of the devil?
AMORTH: You may run into overtime sent by the evil demon for four reasons. Or why this is good for the person (in the case of many saints), or persistence in sin in an irreversible way, or someone throws a curse by the devil, or when it is sensible to occult practices.
During the exorcism of possessed, what kind of phenomena occur?
AMORTH: I recall an illiterate peasant who during the exorcism he spoke only in English, and I needed an interpreter. There are those who exhibit superhuman strength, who rises from the ground and completely different people can not keep sitting on the chair. But it is only the context in which they take place, that we speak of demonic presence.
To her, the devil has never done wrong?
AMORTH: When Cardinal Poletti asked me to do the exorcist I commended to the Virgin Mary: "Wrap your mantle and I will be very safe." Threats of the devil has made me a lot, but I have never done any harm.
She is never afraid of the devil?
AMORTH: I fear the beast? It is he who should be afraid of me: I work in the Lord's name in the world. And he is only the monkey God
Father Amorth, Satanism is spreading more and more. The new exorcism ritual makes it difficult to do. Exorcists prevented from attending a hearing with the pope in St. Peter's Square. Tell me honestly, what is happening?
AMORTH: The smoke of Satan enters everywhere. Everywhere! Perhaps we were excluded from the hearing of the Pope because they were afraid that many exorcists manage to chase away the legions of demons who have settled in the Vatican. 're kidding, right?
AMORTH: It may seem a joke, but I think not. I have no doubt that the devil tries especially Church leaders, like trying all the vertices, the political and industrial.
Are you saying that even here, as in all wars, Satan wishes to conquer generals opponents?
AMORTH: It is a strategy winning. He always tries to implement it. Especially when the opponent's defenses are weak. Even Satan tries. But thank goodness there is the Holy Spirit who sustains the Church: "The gates of hell shall not prevail." Despite the defections. And despite the betrayals. That should not surprise. The first was a traitor of the apostles closest to Jesus, Judas Iscariot. But despite this, the Church continues on its path. It is held together by the Holy Spirit, and then all the struggles of Satan may have only partial results. Of course, the devil can win battles. Also important. But never the war.
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