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An Insider's Look at the Devil, Demonic Possession, and the Path to Deliverance
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n today’s culture of scientific enlightenment, many consider belief in demonic possession and exorcism to be superstitious remnants of the Dark Ages. Even many Christians, contrary to the clear words of Jesus in the Gospel, scoff at the notion that the devil and demons really exist.
Is demonic possession real? Are believers really in any danger from Satan and his crafty minions? What is the truth about exorcism? Written by one of the Church’s foremost experts on the topic, Interview with an Exorcist is based on Fr. Jose Antonio Fortea’s years of working as an exorcist, his extensive investigations of cases of suspected possessions, and his attendance at hundreds of exorcisms. You will learn: • The difference between demonic possession, obsession, and infestation. • What really happens at an exorcism. • The signs that indicate possession is present. • How to tell the difference between psychological problems and demonic influence. • Why the number of possessions has been increasing in recent times. • Why some within the Church disparage this essential apostolic ministry. In these fascinating pages, you will gain a better understanding of the schemes of the devil, the nature of demonic possession, and the path to deliverance from evil. Fr. José Antonio Fortea is a priest of the Diocese of Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Spain, and an expert in the field of demonology.
AscensionPress.com
$11.99 ISBN 978-1-932645-96-5
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INTERVIEW WITH AN
EXORCIST A N INSIDER'S LOOK AT THE DEVIL, DEMONIC POSSESSION, AND THE PATH TO DELIVERANCE
FR . JOSÉ A NTONIO FORTEA
FOREWORD BY MOST R EVEREND SAMUEL J. AQUILA, BISHOP OF FARGO
West Chester, Pennsylvania
Copyright © 2006 Ascension Press. All rights reserved. With the exception of short excerpts used in articles and critical reviews, no part of this work may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in any form whatsoever, printed or electronic, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture passages are from the Revised Standard Version–Catholic Edition. Copyright © 1946, 1952, 1971, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Ascension Press Post Office Box 1990 West Chester, PA 19380 1-800-376-0520 AscensionPress.com Cover design: Devin Schadt Printed in the United States of America 15 16 17 6 5 4 ISBN 978-1-932645-96-5
CONTENTS Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 by Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, D.D., Bishop of Fargo Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Questions and Answers I. Angels and Demons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 II. The Reality of Evil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 III. Demonic Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 IV. Temptation and Sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 V. Demonic Oppression and Possession . . . . . . . . . 65 VI. Exorcism and the Path to Deliverance . . . . . . . . 93 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
ST. MICHAEL PRAYER Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the divine power of God, cast into hell, Satan and all the evil spirits, who roam throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
FOREWORD e live in a skeptical age, one which finds the very idea of personified evil spirits to be a superstitious remnant of the Middle Ages. Those people—and religious traditions— who believe in the existence of the devil and demons are often ridiculed as being out of touch with modern times. The contemporary Western mentality is that evil is merely the result of an inadequate social environment or due to purely psychological factors, causes which can be remedied with a social program or medication. In this view, the only “exorcisms” necessary are those which rid our society of poor social conditions, ignorance, or psychopathology. Many Christians—among them not a few Catholics—have succumbed to this mentality as well. They are formed more by the culture in which we live than by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the teaching of the Church.
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Yet even a cursory reading of the gospels gives us many explicit references to the reality of demons and demonic possession. Indeed, we can see that deliverance from evil spirits played a central role in Jesus’ ministry, and Jesus Himself cited these healing acts as proof that He was the Messiah (Mt 12:28; Mk 3:22-27). Our Lord cast out demons by “the finger of God” (Lk 11:20), by His own divine authority. Jesus commanded the demons to depart and they obeyed (Mt 8:16; Mk 9:24). The ministry of Jesus was essentially one of reconciliation and healing, the salvation of souls. Throughout the gospels, we see Jesus healing people’s physical and spiritual illnesses, 1
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and among these people were those possessed by evil spirits. Exorcism of evil spirits clearly was an act of healing. This same ministry of exorcism and healing Jesus handed on to His apostles, granting them the authority to cast out demons in His name from the very beginning of their ministry (Mt 10:1, 10:8; Mk 6:7; Lk 9:1, 10:17). Furthermore, when the apostles asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He gave them the powerful words of the Our Father, including its concluding line, “deliver us from evil.” As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, these words do not merely refer to some abstract notion of evil or sin; they refer to evil personified in malevolent spirits, particularly in Satan, “the Evil One” (see CCC 2851-2854). While this petition generally refers to the devil’s ordinary temptations, it also encompasses the notion of demonic possession and oppression. When needed, the Church continues to exercise this ministry of Jesus, carefully discerning when true possession is present and permitting those priests who have been trained in the rite of exorcism and with the permission of their bishop to perform it. In the cases of oppression by evil spirits or curses, a renouncement of the evil spirit or a breaking of the curse through the Sacrament of Penance and the deliverance prayer brings about healing. In this fascinating, easy-to-read book, Interview with an Exorcist: An Insider’s Look at the Devil, Demonic Possession, and the Path to Deliverance, exorcist Fr. José Antonio Fortea brings to light crucial aspects of this important ministry. He addresses 110 practical questions about the devil, demonic possession, and the path to deliverance. In the process, he provides bishops, priests, and laity alike with sound guidelines for determining
F ORE WOR D
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the inf luence of evil spirits and the important spiritual questions it raises. Catholics need to learn to recognize the reality of evil, evil spirits, and the Evil One. In this way they may learn to discern in the spiritual life between good and evil, between the Truth—Jesus Christ—and the Father of Lies— Satan. I do, however, have an important warning for you. Although all Catholics should have a basic understanding of the reality of evil, we should also avoid being overly preoccupied with the topic of the devil. The Evil One is capable of using such a fascination as a means to ensnare us—with despair, fear, or discouragement. We need not fear! “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 Jn 4:18). In the call to holiness—intimacy with the three divine Persons of the Trinity—we are encouraged to keep our focus always on the love that Jesus Christ has for us. As the author of Hebrews reminds us, “Lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:1-2). Jesus’ deepest desire for all people is that they come to know the love of the Father for them and live in the heart of the Trinity. St. Ignatius of Loyola calls upon us to know Satan as “the enemy of human nature.” He asks us to pray and to discover places in our hearts where we hold on to unbelief or are weak in faith. It is here that the Father of Lies will tell us that we are not the beloved of the Father of Jesus, our Abba. Indeed, if we attend humbly to receiving the love of the Father where we sense the depth of our human frailty and powerlessness, we can taste anew St. Paul’s
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experience of God’s healing love and power making us strong (see 2 Cor 12:9-10; Heb 11:34). Additionally, when tempted, we should not despair or become discouraged, for Jesus has experienced the very same (Heb 4:15). Jesus Christ has won the victory over sin, evil, and death through His passion, death, and resurrection. By His grace, we can recognize and reject Satan and his empty promises. The Lord in His tender mercy will unbind any shackles of evil and sin we bring to Him! I pray that as you read this book you will come to know the freedom that Jesus Christ desires for you and has bestowed on you. May all of us “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). —Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, D.D. Bishop of Fargo
INTRODUCTION
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have chosen to write this book in a style based loosely on that of an ancient scholastic tract—that is to say, a work composed of a series of questions of similar length and different theological weight—while at the same time reading like a modern interview. I have always been fascinated by those old scholastic volumes, written in ornate gothic lettering, in which theological topics were considered according to the interests of the particular monk or religious and dictated to a secretary. Why? Well, because it seems to me the freest and most interesting manner in which to deal with important theological topics for the non-academic reader. In short, I felt it necessary to treat this somewhat difficult subject in a way that takes into account all the crucial aspects and details— which is most critical to any discussion of demons and demonic possession, given the dangers that lie in an erroneous understanding—while still making the matter as accessible as possible to the ordinary reader. Thus, Interview with an Exorcist, unlike the university thesis I previously wrote on the topic of exorcism, is not plagued with footnotes and erudite quotations, i.e., the kinds of things that academics consider so important. The questions and answers are organized in a logical sequence and according to general categories, but not in some highly formal structure. As I indicated, I sought to write a freer, more popular work, one that would appeal to a larger, non-scholarly audience.
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The reader will notice that, in addition to referencing official Church sources (e.g., the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church) and the wisdom of the saints, I refer in many answers to my own experiences as an exorcist. Several exorcists have reviewed the manuscript and have confirmed that these experiences mirror their own. In the end, it is hoped that the questions that follow are answered in a way that truly enlightens you on this often neglected but vital topic without, of course, engendering an unhealthy curiosity in such matters. We need always to remember that Jesus has already triumphed over Satan and sin in His passion, death, and resurrection (see CCC 1708).
I. ANGELS AND DEMONS 1.
What is a demon? A demon is a spiritual being of an angelic nature that has been condemned for eternity due to his rebellion against God. As pure spirits, demons are not made up of matter. Because they do not have bodies, demons are not inclined to any “sins of the flesh” (i.e., it is impossible for them to commit the sins of lust or gluttony). The sins of demons are exclusively spiritual. But they can tempt human beings to sin in matters of the flesh. Demons were not created evil. (In fact, it is impossible for God, who is Goodness itself, to create anything evil.) Remember: demons are just “bad angels.” After God created the angels, He tested their fidelity to Him before admitting them to the Beatific Vision, the sight of His very essence. For purely spiritual beings, this “seeing” of God’s essence would be a purely intellectual vision. Some angels obeyed the divine test; others did not. Those who disobeyed were irreversibly transformed into demons and cast out of heaven. It may seem surprising that some angels would choose to hate God. But we need to understand that those who rebelled saw God no longer as a good—as the Good—but as the oppressor of their freedom. Hate was born as their wills resisted the call of God and held fast to the decision to leave the Father’s house. 7
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Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Rv 12:7-9).
How can purely spiritual beings fight among themselves? What weapons do they use? Angels are spirits, so their battles must be purely intellectual. The only weapons that they can use are intellectual arguments. The angels gave reasons to the rebels for why they should return to obedience to God. The rebel angels countered with their reasons to support their position and spread their rebellion among the faithful angels. In this epic angelic battle, some who were inclined to rebel returned to obedience, while some of the faithful angels were seduced by the evil arguments of the rebels. In art, demons are depicted as deformed and grotesque beings. This would seem appropriate given that demons have definitively decided on a destiny far from God. The interior loneliness in which they find themselves forever and their envy of the faithful who enjoy the Beatific Vision continually bring them face-to-face with their sins. They hate God, themselves, and all those who seek to serve God. But not all suffer the same pains. Some angels were deformed more than others in the battle. Those who were more deformed suffer more; the least deformed suffer less. The intellects of the rebellious angels were deformed
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and darkened by the very reasons they used to justify the rebellion of their wills against God. Their plight is similar to the moral debasement that humans can suffer through sin. We need to remember that we are composite creatures made up of soul and body. Aside from the sins that are proper to the body, the internal psychological process that leads a good person to end up in the Mafia or as a guard in a concentration camp or a terrorist is essentially the same as the sequence of acts of intellect and will that led to the fall of the bad angels. Though we are body-soul composites, we as humans have only to look into our own interior life to understand how we can fall into sin. In this light, the sin of the angels becomes more easily understood. 2.
Are all demons the same? No. We have already seen that each demon sinned in a certain way and with a determined intensity. While the angelic rebellion against God had its roots in pride, from this root other sins grew. This can be clearly seen during an exorcism, when the particular demons possessing the person display sins of anger, self-worship, and desperation, among others. Each demon has its own psychology and its own way of being. For example, some are talkative, others are mocking; some are proud, others are hateful. Even though they all turned away from God, some demons are more evil than others. As St. Paul and the tradition of the Church indicate, we need to remember that there are nine hierarchies of angels (from highest to lowest): seraphim, cherubim,
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thrones, dominions, virtues, powers, principalities, archangels, and angels. The superior hierarchies are more powerful, beautiful, and intelligent than the inferior ones. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, each angel is completely different from other angels. In sociological terms, there are no angelic “races”; rather, each one is its own species. As we have said, though, it is possible to group the angels into hierarchies. These hierarchies are also called choirs, since these groups form themselves into choirs that sing praises to God. Their praise is obviously not that of the voice, but rather a spiritual type of praise that comes from their will to know and love the Trinity. Because some angels from each of the nine hierarchies sinned and transformed themselves into demons, a demonic hierarchy exists. In other words, there are demons that are principalities, virtues, powers, etc. Even though they are demons, they retain their particular angelic power and intelligence. Exorcisms have shown that superior demons can have power over inferior ones. What does this power consist of? This is something that is impossible for us to know because we cannot see how one demon forces another to do something, since there is no body to push or force. Nevertheless, a more powerful demon can prevent a less powerful one from leaving the body of a possessed person during an exorcism. Even though the weaker demon is suffering and wants to leave, the stronger one may impede it. 3.
Do demons experience time? Yes, in a sense. As pure spirits, angels and demons exist
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Is the devil merely a symbol of evil, or does he really exist? Demons are personal spiritual beings, as is the chief demon, the devil. Those Christians who deny the existence of demons and say that they are merely symbols of evil are heretics. Against this false belief stand the teachings of Christ, the teachings of the Bible, and the teachings of the Church (see CCC 391–395).
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Why did God put the demons to the test? The real question is, Why did God not grant all the angels the Beatific Vision from the first moment of their creation? Why did He take the chance that some of them would rebel against Him and become demons? God could have created angelic spirits and immediately given them the grace of the Beatific Vision. This was perfectly possible for His omnipotence, and it would have been perfectly just to do so. But there were some powerful reasons for testing the angels before granting them the Beatific Vision. First, God had to give to each rational being a degree of happiness. Everyone in heaven sees God, but no one can enjoy Him to an infinite degree; this is impossible for a finite being. Each finite creature enjoys to the fullest degree possible without wanting more. A common analogy used to understand this metaphysical concept is that of a glass: God fills each glass (i.e., soul) to the rim but each glass is a specific size based on its degree of glory. God, in His wisdom, decided that each angel would determine its degree of glory for eternity by its response
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III. DEMONIC ACTIVITY 22. Should we be afraid of the devil? The devil strives to do all the evil that he can, especially by tempting us to turn away from God through sin. If he could do more evil, he would. If a person prays the Rosary daily and asks God to protect him from all the snares of the Evil One, he has nothing to fear. The power of God is infinite; that of the devil is not. God, through His gift of sanctifying grace, has given us a powerful weapon against Satan. St. Paul tells us: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph 6:11). The words of St. John are equally encouraging: “We know that any one born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the Evil One does not touch him” (1 Jn 5:18). And Jesus Himself assures us: “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you” (Lk 10:19). The words of Jesus are categorical: nothing can harm us if we are in Him. For a Christian, fear of the devil is completely unjustified, for faith in God casts out all fear. As a child, St. Thérèse of Lisieux had a wonderful dream which she relates in her autobiography:
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23. Can a person make a pact with the devil? Many think that pacts with the devil only exist in literature, but they are mistaken. There are those who consciously, with full awareness and intentionality, make a pact with the devil and devote their souls to him in order to get something in this life. The notion of a formal pact with the devil appears for the first time in the fifth century in the writings of St. Jerome. This Father of the Church tells of a young man who went to a wizard so as to obtain the favors of a beautiful woman. As pay for his services, the wizard forced the young man to renounce in writing his faith in Christ. In the sixth century, we also see this type of pact in the legend of Theofilus, who agrees to be a servant of the devil and signs a formal pact. This legend was widespread in Europe during the Middle Ages. Of course, one can write out a pact with the devil, but he is not going to appear. This is often discouraging to the person making the pact because he or she expects this to happen. Even so, if one invokes the devil for a particular purpose, it may come to pass (as in spiritualism, for example). On this topic, we also need to make the following points: 1. Making a pact with the devil does not mean that you will obtain a life of wealth, luxury, or fame. I personally know of two people who made such a pact, and to put it frankly, their material lifestyle is worse than mine. Neither does it appear that the devil was especially generous to them in a carnal way. We need to remember that the devil is a
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to neglect prayer would probably not be fruitful, but tempting her to pray excessively and thereby neglect her work has a higher likelihood of success. Or to convince her that she does not really need to obey her confessor since he is a man and is less spiritual than she. A demon never tempts blindly but always analyzes and attacks where he sees there is some possibility. The examples given above are of temptations directed toward people of prayer and virtue. The man given over to vice (i.e., a person who habitually commits mortal sins), on the other hand, has little protection. Without the armor of God’s grace, his spirit presents numerous flanks that are unguarded and exposed to temptation. His passions are easily incited by the action of the demons. This is why we pray in the Our Father for God to “deliver us from the Evil One.” Even though we are free to resist temptation, we need to constantly ask for the Father’s protection and deliverance. This is why the Lord has given each of us a guardian angel—to counter the evil inspirations of the devil with inspirations to goodness and virtue. Temptation is incompatible with prayer. If one is tempted and prays, the temptation disappears. Prayer creates a barrier against temptation, since in prayer our intellects and wills are centered on God. Eventually, a demon cannot resist this and leaves us alone. 45. Why does God allow temptation? If God does not want us to sin, why does He allow temptation at all? We have the answer in the verse that says, “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various
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V. DEMONIC OPPRESSION AND POSSESSION 57. Why doesn’t Satan appear to humanity and show all his power? There is no doubt that, if Satan showed himself openly under the appearance of an angel of light, many people would follow him. He could do signs and portents, cure illnesses, and predict the future. St. Paul tells us the reason why Satan does not deploy his faculties openly: And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed … the coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders (2 Thess 2:6-9).
Satan is proud. He wants to be worshiped, and since people are weak, many will be tricked. The one thing he cannot do is show his power because God restrains him from doing this. Though he hates God and tries to do all the evil he can, Satan is bound to the designs of God’s will. And the will of God is that he not be able to show himself openly until the end of time. Until then, his manifestations are limited to those satanic 65
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to saying that they will ask God to restrain or rebuke the demons. Angels do not insult; they only love and bless. The teaching of Scripture is clear: no one should insult the demons. Actually, as Christians, we should not insult anybody—not even demons. In exorcisms, demons are referred to as “serpent,” “dragon,” “unclean beast,” etc., but these terms are not insults; they simply indicate what the demons are, even though it may torment them. The truth is proclaimed to them so that they cannot resist the suffering that hearing it produces in them and causes them to leave. While these terms are said with authority, they are always said without hate. Hate does not come from God. 64. What is demonic possession? Demonic possession is the phenomenon in which a demon resides in the body of a human being. At specific moments, the demon can speak and move through the body without the person being able to prevent it. Only the body is susceptible to demonic possession. A demon does not reside in—or in any way “possess”—the soul of the person. In all circumstances, the soul continues to be free and incapable of being possessed. 65. What are the essential characteristics of a possession? A person should present the following characteristics for one to suspect demonic possession: 1. Sacred or religious objects present a range of sensations from repugnance to horror, from the least
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makes the life changes he needs to, it will have no effect. As we have said, if a demon has something to hold on to, it will not leave. Normally, a longer-than-usual exorcism is the result of some hidden disobedience by the possessed to the instructions of the exorcist. If the person seems sincere and is following the exorcist’s instructions, then the best remedy is to bring in another priest to see if he will be more successful. A less-experienced exorcist could be doing things that are ineffective with a particular demon. It may be useful to try again with a priest who has more experience. 97. What makes a demon leave the body during an exorcism? There are three things that can make a demon leave a person’s body: 1. The demon itself decides to leave. 2. The priestly power forces it to leave. 3. An angel sent by God forces it to leave. Weaker demons normally leave on their own. Sacred things and prayer torture them, and the moment arrives when they decide to leave to avoid suffering. Sometimes when they leave they say things like, “I am leaving. You have not cast me out; I leave of my own will.” Stronger demons, though, at first refuse to leave no matter how much they are tortured. Exorcising these demons
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takes more time, but the order of the exorcist forces them out. During the exorcism, they get slowly weaker and end up being cast out by the power of the prayer. Demons of the highest rank, though they also suffer terribly during an exorcism, refuse to leave unless an angel comes to cast them out. At a certain point during the deprecatory prayer, God sends an angel to free the person. Toward the end of the exorcism, an invisible fight between angel and demon occurs. The possessed person looks at a specific place and tries to scratch and hit those present. It is then that the worst convulsions and screams take place. Even though the exorcist may be quiet, the angel is present and the possessed is freed by means of his intervention. 98. What is a curse? A curse is an action that is done to harm another with the help of demons. There are specific curses to kill, to cause one to be possessed, to make things go bad in business, to make someone sick, etc. As we have already stated, curses are effective only if God allows them to have effect. The more one prays, the more one will be protected against these things. The former rite of exorcism states in its introduction: “Do command the demon to tell you if it remains in that body by some magic work, signs, or curse instruments; if there are such things that the possessed has eaten they have to be vomited out. If they are somewhere outside of the body then it has to be revealed. When they are found they have to be completely burnt.”
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Satan—a spiritual fight, but a true and authentic fight nonetheless. Jesus’ triumphal court is not like those of worldly courts. Spirits do not occupy space nor can they line up. Rather the public exhibition of which St. Paul speaks is the exposition before all the angels and blessed of each of the victories that Jesus achieved in His battles against the evil spirits. 110. How can I tell if a particular thought or desire is from the devil? As St. John in his first letter tells us: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God: for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 Jn 4:1). St. Ignatius of Loyola, in his profound Spiritual Exercises, offers several rules for the discernment of spirits. These rules serve to illuminate the manner in which a demon acts when tempting a soul, and an understanding of such rules can help us discern whether a particular desire is from the Evil One. In his first rule, St. Ignatius notes that in people who go from mortal sin to mortal sin, the devil commonly proposes to them apparent pleasures, seeking to keep them bound in sensual delights and pleasures so that they might grow in their sins and vices. The second rule pertains to people who are going about an intense purification of their sins and vices so that they might serve God more faithfully. Here, the devil—contrary
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to the first rule—seeks to sadden and frustrate their progress by putting up obstacles and disquieting them with false fears, so that they might give up the practice of virtue. In his twelfth rule, St. Ignatius likens the devil to a commander of an army bent on conquering, examining an enemy’s strengths and weaknesses, and attacking at the weakest point. As the enemy of human nature, the devil looks at our virtues and attacks us in the area where we are weakest and which is most critical to our eternal salvation. Thus, if we understand and apply these rules to a particular thought or desire, we can more easily discern whether a particular inspiration is from the Evil One.
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INDEX A Accuser, the, 41 Adoration, 36 Aeveternal, 11 Angels, 7-10, 13-15, 19, 38, 40, 42, 70-71, 106, 116, 120-121 Antichrist, 39, 119-120 Archangels, 10, 19 B Beast, 39, 43, 71 Benedict XVI, Pope, 28 Bishop, 2, 90, 94, 96, 98-99 Black magic, 113 Blessed Virgin Mary, 42-43, 112 Bodily senses, 69 Body, 9-10, 16, 39, 42, 68-70, 7275, 82-83, 88-89, 93, 104, 107, 109-110, 118 C Charm, 112-113 Cherubim, 9 Choirs (angelic), 10, 19, 104 Christ, 1, 3-4, 13, 28, 39, 42, 54, 66-68, 80, 84, 87, 93, 97, 103104, 118, 120-121 Church Fathers, 28, 37, 40, 93 Confession, 52, 70, 106 Curse, 2, 99, 110-113 D Dante, 20 Death, 4, 6, 32, 67, 118
Eternal, 52-54 Deliverance, 1-2, 33, 51, 93-95, 112 Prayer of, 2, 95 Demon, 7, 9-13, 15-20, 27, 30-32, 34-35, 37-38, 39-42, 47-51, 55-56, 58-59, 63, 66-70, 72, 74-84, 87-90, 93-94, 99-101, 104-112, 115-119, 122 Demonic infestation, 99-100 Demonic oppression, 2, 65, 9495, 104, 107 Demonic possession, 1-2, 5, 34, 65, 72, 74-91, 86-87, 90-91, 93-94, 96-100, 102, 104, 110111, 113 Devil, the, 1-3, 8, 13, 25, 27-31, 38-41, 46-47, 51, 57-64, 6768, 70, 82, 84, 87, 95, 98, 103104, 107, 113, 115, 117, 119, 121-122; see also Satan Discernment, 77, 96-97 Of spirits, 121 Divine Comedy, 20 Dominions, 10 Dragon, the, 8, 39, 71, 115 E Eternal death, see Death, eternal Eternity, 7, 11, 14, 17-18, 22, 29, 55-56, 58-59 Evil, 1-4, 7-9, 13-14, 17-23, 25, 27-28, 36, 38, 42, 45-46, 49, 51, 55-56, 58, 63, 65-67, 69-
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71, 73, 75, 82-84, 87, 89-91, 93-94, 104, 106-107, 110-114, 117, 119, 121-122 Greatest, 23 Infinite, 23 Exorcism, 2, 5, 9-10, 20, 69-70, 75, 77-78, 81, 85-90, 93-106, 108-110, 113 Exorcist, 2, 5-6, 20, 76-81, 88-89, 95-98, 101-103, 105-106, 108-112 F False vision, see Vision, false Free will, 14, 38, 74 Freedom, 4, 7, 14-15, 17, 20, 28-29, 34, 46-47, 59, 95 Future, the, 11, 17, 31, 65, 79 Seeing through psychics and mediums, 113-114 G God, 1, 3, 7-15, 17-20, 22-23, 2530, 32-36, 38-43, 45, 47-49, 51-52, 54-65, 67-68, 71-72, 78, 80-85, 89, 93, 95, 102-104, 106-122 Gospel, 1, 32, 93 Grace, 4, 12-14, 17, 19, 25-26, 42-43, 45, 49, 51-54, 56, 58, 67-68, 70, 74, 83, 85, 88, 106, 111 H Heaven, 7-8, 11, 13, 16-17, 29, 36, 43, 52-53, 59, 74, 88 Hell, 11, 16-17, 20, 22, 26-27, 29, 38, 50, 52-60, 88-89 “Hidden” demons, 77-78 Hierarchies, 9-10, 19, 120 Hitler, Adolph, 37, 119
Holy water, see Water, holy Horoscopes, 114 I Infestation, demonic, see Demonic infestation Insulting the devil, 70-71 J Jesus, 1-4, 6, 25, 28, 48, 54-55, 60-64, 67-68, 80-81, 84-85, 87, 89, 94, 101, 103-105, 108, 120-121 Job, book of, 40-41 K Killing, 82, 89, 91, 110 L Leo XIII, Pope, 38 Leviathan, 41-42 Levitation, 86 Lilith, 63 Love, 113 Impossible for demons, 18 Infinite, 20 Must be freely given, 15 No fear in 28 Of angels, 14, 71 Of Christ, 3, 55 Of the Father, 3 Of the Trinity, 10 Lucifer, 42-43, 104 M Magic, 35-37, 110, 113 Magician, 35-36 Mary, 42-43, 112 Mediums, 113-114 Mental illness, 30, 32, 48, 85, 98 Messiah, 1, 60, 120-121
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Michael, St., 38, 68 Morning star, 42-43 Mother of God, 68 Mystic, 116-117 N Natural, 11-12, 18, 31, 33-34, 52, 59, 85, 89, 111 Nazis, 21 New Testament, 63-64, 94 Nightmares, 33 O Objects, 23, 35, 47, 67, 110 Old Testament, 63-64, 120 Oppression, demonic, see Demonic oppression P Paul, St., 3, 9, 25, 59, 65-66, 118, 120-121 Perseverance, 3, 14 Phenomena, extraordinary, 86-87 Possession, demonic, see Demonic possession Powers, 10-11, 18-19, 36-38, 49, 52, 59, 71, 113-114, 120-121 Preternatural, 11, 78, 111 Principalities, 10, 19, 59, 120-121 Psychics, 113 R “Regions of the air,” 59 Religion, 35-37 Repentance, 12, 17-18, 29, 56-58, 125 “Re-possession,” 106 S Satan, 2-4, 6, 8, 25, 27, 40-42, 48, 63, 65, 70, 82, 103-104, 115,
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120-121 Schizophrenia, 85-86 Seraphim, 9, 19 Serial killers, 90 Sin, 2-4, 6-7, 9, 19-21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 37, 41, 45-47, 50-58, 6062, 64, 82, 95, 98, 101, 106108, 114, 117-119, 121-122 Soul, 9, 13, 25-26, 31-32, 34, 5254, 58, 62, 68, 70, 72, 74, 8283, 89, 95, 116-117, 119, 122 “Spiritual time,” see Time, spiritual Stigmata, 118-119 Story of a Soul, 25-26 Summa Theologica, 11 Supernatural, 11-12, 17-18, 36-37, 52, 54, 56, 112 T Tarot cards, 114 Temptation, 23, 30, 45, 47-52, 61-63, 70, 84, 114, 121 Teresa of Avila, St., 26, 115 Thérèse of Lisieux, St., 115 Thomas Aquinas, St., 10-11, 21 Thrones, 10 Time, spiritual, 11 Trinity, 3, 10 Triumphal court, 120-121 V Vianney, St. John, 40 Virtues, 10, 14, 19, 122 Vision, false, 116 W Water, holy, 33, 66-67, 69, 100101, 110, 112 White magic, 113
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS incere thanks to Bishop Samuel Aquila for his eloquent words in the foreword; the priests who reviewed the manuscript and offered many helpful suggestions: Fr. John Horn, Fr. John Michet, and Fr. Richard Fineo; Devin Schadt for his striking cover design; Matthew Pinto and the staff of Ascension Press for their efforts in bringing this book to print; and most especially, to Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the true “Morning Star” and powerful protector against the forces of darkness.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR r. José Antonio Fortea is a priest of the Diocese of Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) in Spain and an expert in the field of demonology. An approved exorcist of his diocese, he has conducted numerous exorcisms and lectures on this topic throughout the world. In 1998, he successfully defended his thesis for a licentiate degree in theology, entitled “Exorcism in the Present Age,” under the direction of the secretary of the Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Spanish Bishops Conference.
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n today’s culture of scientific enlightenment, many consider belief in demonic possession and exorcism to be superstitious remnants of the Dark Ages. Even many Christians, contrary to the clear words of Jesus in the Gospel, scoff at the notion that the devil and demons really exist.
Is demonic possession real? Are believers really in any danger from Satan and his crafty minions? What is the truth about exorcism? Written by one of the Church’s foremost experts on the topic, Interview with an Exorcist is based on Fr. Jose Antonio Fortea’s years of working as an exorcist, his extensive investigations of cases of suspected possessions, and his attendance at hundreds of exorcisms. You will learn: • The difference between demonic possession, obsession, and infestation. • What really happens at an exorcism. • The signs that indicate possession is present. • How to tell the difference between psychological problems and demonic influence. • Why the number of possessions has been increasing in recent times. • Why some within the Church disparage this essential apostolic ministry. In these fascinating pages, you will gain a better understanding of the schemes of the devil, the nature of demonic possession, and the path to deliverance from evil. Fr. José Antonio Fortea is a priest of the Diocese of Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Spain, and an expert in the field of demonology.
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$11.99 ISBN 978-1-932645-96-5
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