An Exorcist Tells His Story

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The 2017 American documentary film The Devil and Father Amorth, directed by William Friedkin, presents the exorcist at work in an Italian village. [25] At first the author talks how years are needed to exorcise a demon, yet later says possession is a gradual process, it can't immediately be made distinct from demonic oppression and other demonic influences. But you can also be instantly possessed via a spell/hex/etc. And you can't really tell for yourself if you are, because apparently losing control over your body and being trapped inside your head is one of the most extreme signs of possession, some sort of a final stage and not the norm or even the beginning. View All Work Don’t just go through the motions. Use our expert advice on getting out of a career rut and turning work into something you’re passionate about.

I didn't really relate to the author in regards to the spiritual aspects of exorcism and the responsibilities of being an exorcist. For that, the responsibilities of an exorcist, is not clear, which subjectively... isn't the problem, but what is the problem is that - "The revolving understanding of what exorcism is, and the spiritual relationship of exorcism with that of a person's wellbeing, spiritual identity, spiritual life, and overall generalized existence... contradicts itself. Which makes me, feel very uncertain with the intentions of exorcism. Yes I believe in demonic possession, and the power of Mary to intercede. I believe in Jesus as a significant teacher and role model and who rose from the dead, because I believe in miracles. I am open and receptive to the concept of the Trinity (which appears in many religions) as it pertains to Catholicism, as well as the concept of a spiritual teacher sacrificing his life to teach us about sacrificial love, redemption, and our soul. I believe in Saints and angels and their power to guide us. Both Father Amorth's father and grandfather were lawyers. [7] His contributions during World War II as a valiant fighter for the Italian resistance movement were followed by his pursuit of legal studies. Additionally, Father Amorth served as a deputy to Giulio Andreotti, a prominent figure in Italian politics who would later become Prime Minister, within the influential political organization of the Young Christian Democrats. [8] Amorth was born in Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy on 1 May 1925. [4] He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1954 and was appointed an exorcist of the Diocese of Rome in June 1986, under the tutelage of Candido Amantini. [5] He was a member of the Society of St. Paul, the congregation founded by Giacomo Alberione in 1914. In 1990, he founded the International Association of Exorcists and was president until his retirement in 2000. [6]

Now, Russell Crowe’s new supernatural horror film The Pope’s Exorcist fictionalises Amorth’s exorcism ministry, adding in a centuries-old Vatican cover up for good measure. Amorth was born May 1, 1925, in Modena, Italy. His family were devout Catholics, though Amorth admitted he would often fall asleep under the pews during mass as a child. Amorth’s decades of demon-hunting offers a fascinating look at a centuries-old practice. Becoming “The Pope’s Exorcist” Fr. Amorth is an extremely talented, holy and humble priest. He’s not a writer first, but this is still an unforgettable and important book, one that more people would do well to read and take seriously. It was first published in 1990—over 30 years ago—and things have not improved since.

While many clergy remain sceptical, support for exorcism is present at all levels of the Catholic Church. And in the last decade, the practice has experienced a worldwide surge in demand. What’s in an exorcism? Amorth’s exorcism ministry didn’t formally begin until he was 61 and was unexpectedly appointed exorcist of the Diocese of Rome in 1986. He enthusiastically took to this new vocation, serving as an assistant to notable exorcist Father Candido Amantini. The new movie starring Russell Crowe, The Pope’s Exorcist, is based on this book and its sequel. The film is out in theaters now. I haven’t seen it yet. I’m wondering how they will adapt the case histories in the two books. The books are honest but not sensationalist and I hope the movie takes the same approach.I do agree with the other reviewers who think that he contradicts himself a bit by saying "only can be performed with the bishop's approval" in some places and elsewhere "well the bishop is uneducated in this matter so I just went ahead". But I think this goes along with his main theme of "we need more priests and bishops trained in this space" so it's not a complete contradiction. Although Amorth was clearly passionate about his craft, it led to a few bizarre claims about world events and popular culture. For example, Amorth told Vatican Radio in 2006 he believed that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and Soviet dictator Josef Stalin were both possessed by the devil. Then, in 2015, he said the same about ISIS. He also outlined the ritual itself was diagnostic. “Only through the exorcism itself can we determine with certainty whether there is a satanic influence,” he said. Amorth wrote two memoirs of his time as an exorcist - An Exorcist Tells His Story and An Exorcist: More Stories. The books include references to the official Roman Catholic teachings on demonology while the main emphasis is on Amorth's experience as an exorcist. Both include references to the diagnosis and treatment of spiritual problems. The books briefly cover the topics of demonic contraction and curses. [17] He states, "A curse can originate from such things as maledictions by close relatives, a habit of blaspheming, membership in Freemasonry, spiritic or magic practices, and so on." [20] A good book, not necessarily one I'd recommend, but quite eye opening to get a glimpse within the Catholic Rites and a challenge to Protestants: why do we not reject Satan at the time of our initiation into faith? Be it "born again" or "Confirmed" why do we not have that part of rejection as we accept? It's something more to ponder!

Amorth, however, believed the need for exorcising demons was so great he advocated all Catholic clergy should be permitted to perform major exorcisms without acquiring permission. What works for one exorcist won't necessarily work for another but this doesn't matter because "facts do not change and the efficacy of a method cannot be discounted because the facts differ from someone else's experience."As Christianity took hold across the Roman Empire, exorcism shifted from a form of charismatic lay-healing into a miracle carried out by figures of exceptional spiritual authority. From the 4th century, the liturgy of exorcism was refined as the early church assumed full authority over the ritual. an honest (neither exaggerating nor underestimating) description about the nature of demons and demonic activities;

This archetype continues to be enduring. It represents a traditional form of spiritual authority seldom seen in our modern society. If an individual has the power to exorcise demons this can be seen as a validation of their faith, the Devil and God. This book is included in the screenplay for The Pope’s Exorcist, with Russell Crowe, which has been out in theaters about 3 weeks now. The other book is Amorth’s An Exorcist Tells His Story. To account for the high number, Amorth purported that a person might be possessed by more than one demon at once, sometimes numbering in the thousands. He also attributed the number of exorcisms performed to his opinion that "People have lost the Faith, and superstition, magic, Satanism, or ouija boards have taken its place, which then open all the doors to the presence of demons." [15] a recollection of an exorcist's day-to-day life. It's not even a recollection of an exorcist's job!; An Exorcist: More Stories" by Gabriele Amorth is a compelling continuation of his exploration into the realm of exorcism. Building upon the foundation laid in his previous book, Amorth offers a deeper dive into his experiences as an exorcist, sharing additional stories, insights, and reflections on the spiritual battle against evil forces.

For all those (and I know many) who make light of Ouija Boards, Seances, Fortune telling, Tarot Cards, Channeling, Wicca etc., you have no idea that all of these things are opening you and those around you up to the devil. For those who do not believe in him, you already belong to him. Wake up! Review of Gabriel Amorth, An Exorcist Tells His Story (Ignatius, 1999) 205 pp". www.canonlaw.info . Retrieved 2020-10-03. PDF / EPUB File Name: An_Exorcist_Tells_His_Story_-_Gabriele_Amorth.pdf, An_Exorcist_Tells_His_Story_-_Gabriele_Amorth.epub I read An Exorcist Tells His Story, the precursor to this book, hoping for a personal narrative from Father Amorth's experiences as an exorcist. I'm already reasonably familiar with Catholic doctrine on the subject, so I wasn't so much looking for a doctrinal introduction (which the former book ended up being) as a personal memoir of the subject. I wanted to see the doctrine in action in Amorth's experiences. The first book was disappointing in that regard, treating me instead to a work more of theology (some of which I find questionable) rather than personal history.