The Dark Sacrament
Page 40
But the entities left in the end, two days before Christmas. At their leaving, the priests heard a piercing scream, followed by a raucous cacophony of voices filling the room where the victim lay. Evidently they were those of the demons, including her father and his mistress. Their parting words were, “Beelzebub, Judas, Jacob, Mina—hell, hell, hell!”
The curses had been lifted. Mary regained her own consciousness. Her first words were in praise of Jesus.
SATANISM AND THE BEAST
In England in 1929, a flamboyant braggart named Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) published his Confessions, in which he all but admitted “going over” to the Devil. His enemies—and he had made a great number—needed no such admission. Throughout his long career as a magician, scandal followed Crowley wherever he went, and he was accused of all manner of perversion, from satanism to human sacrifice. A newspaper famously called him “the wickedest man in the world”; he himself rejoiced in the title of The Beast—the name by which his own mother knew him.
When he died in a boardinghouse in Hastings, a hopeless drug addict, he bequeathed to posterity a system of magic (or “magick” as he preferred to call it) that was at the very least ambiguous in its dealings with the preternatural, the demonic.
But generally speaking, demonic possession, its prevention and cure, did not figure largely in the early and middle decades of the twentieth century. There were isolated cases, most of which merited little more than a footnote in a news report.
That was to change. “This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius,” sang the chorus of the rock musical Hair in 1968, and we were invited to believe that we were entering a period of
Harmony and understanding,
Sympathy and trust abounding;
No more falsehoods or derisions,
Golden living, dreams of visions.
It was a charming but dangerous naiveté. The reality would prove very different indeed.
DEMONS IN A TIME OF SCIENCE AND WONDERS
With the turn of the century—and the millennium—a paradox like no other in history arose. In the face of encroaching secularism and a flowering of science and technology, exorcism was more prominent than it had been for hundreds of years.
Even the pope was engaging in it. In September 2000, John Paul II cast a demon out of a nineteen-year-old Italian woman. She had attended a public audience with the pontiff in St. Peter’s Square.
She was brought to Father Gabriele Amorth, who tried twice to rid her of the evil that had taken control. He failed. It was a measure of Amorth’s confidence in the pope that he allowed the woman to be brought before him. John Paul prayed over her for more than half an hour, and succeeded in banishing the demon—though only temporarily. At one point, the young woman, in a loud, masculine voice, was heard to bellow: “Not even the head of your Church can send me away!”
Catholics everywhere greeted the news with bemusement tinged with awe; when it became known that it was the third exorcism performed by that particular pope while in office, eyebrows were raised even more. Pontiffs are not supposed to soil their hands with the “dirtier work” of the Church; they are expected to fulfill a more symbolic role.
The Holy Father’s intervention served also to endorse a growing development within the twenty-first-century Christian Church: the recognition that Satan was at work with a vengeance, and battle had been joined.
Few could have imagined, half a century ago, that the third millennium of Christendom would be ushered in by the pope of Rome battling Christ’s greatest adversary. The notion is unsettling for Christian and unbeliever alike. Satan ought not to have a place in our modern world.
Yet there are those who do not doubt that responsibility for many of the world’s woes can be laid at the Devil’s door. They argue that our species could not possibly visit so much evil on its fellow creatures alone and unaided. It is not part of our make-up, they contend; when men commit the most unspeakable crimes, they are going against human nature.
The debate—an important part of it, in any case—is whether evil is innate or demonic forces are at work in the world, forces that can turn ostensibly normal, rational individuals into monsters. British author and former crime reporter Brian McConnell chooses to believe the latter.
The twenty-first century is…here, and more and more people are asking whether demonic possession exists. Who else but the demonically possessed could become cult leaders with one solution to life—mass murder and mass suicide; or serial killers; or Satanists; or sectarians slaughtering people in Northern Ireland because they belong to another religion; or religious people ethnically cleansing their fellow human beings in the former Yugoslavia; or tribal rivals committing genocide in holy places in Rwanda?
APPENDIX 2
PRAYER TO
ARCHANGEL MICHAEL
The name Michael means in Hebrew “he who is like God.” The Archangel Michael is traditionally seen as the archfoe of Satan, since it was he who fought Lucifer and his angels when they challenged God. The Revelation of St. John the Divine (12:7–9) recounts how “there was war in heaven.”
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Pope Leo XIII had a curious experience in 1884, toward the end of his reign. In conclave with his cardinals, he suddenly fainted. They feared him dead, but he recovered consciousness with the words: “I have had a terrible vision.” He told of the legions of the Devil overrunning the world, yet repulsed in the end by Michael and his forces. The pontiff took the vision to be a sign that the importance of the archangel should be acknowledged, and to this end composed a prayer to be included at the close of all “low” Masses. It is a bone of contention for many Catholics, both clerics and laity, that this prayer—a powerful petition in the fight against evil—was dropped in 1970, during the reign of Pope Paul VI.
Two translations from the original Latin follow. The first is the full prayer, complete with responses, as written by Leo XIII. The second is the shorter version.
PRAYER TO ARCHANGEL MICHAEL
FULL VERSION
Most glorious Prince of the Heavenly Armies, Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in “our battle against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). Come to the assistance of men whom God has created to His likeness and whom He has redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the Devil. Holy Church venerates thee as her guardian and protector; to thee, the Lord has entrusted the souls of the redeemed to be led into heaven. Pray, therefore, the God of Peace to crush Satan beneath our feet, that he may no longer retain men captive and do injury to the Church. Offer our prayers to the Most High, that without delay they may draw His mercy down upon us; take hold of the dragon, “the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan”; bind him and cast him into the bottomless pit, “so that he may no longer seduce the nations” (Revelation 20:3).
In the Name of Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints, we confidently undertake to repulse the attacks and deceits of the Devil.
“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so the wicked perish at the presence of God” (Psalm 68).
V. Behold the Cross of the Lord, flee bands of enemies.
R. He has conquered, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the offspring of David.
V. May Thy mercy, Lord, descend upon us.
R. As great as our hope in Thee.
(At the © make the Sign of the Cross.)
We drive
you from us, whoever you may be, every unclean spirit, all satanic powers, all infernal invaders, all wicked legions, assemblies and sects; in the Name and by the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ, © may you be snatched away and driven from the Church of God and from the souls made to the image and likeness of God and redeemed by the Precious Blood of the Divine Lamb. © Most cunning serpent, you shall no more dare to deceive the human race, persecute the Church, torment God’s elect and sift them as wheat. © The Most High God commands you. © He with whom, in your great insolence, you still claim to be equal, “He who wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). God the Father commands you. © God the Son commands you. © God the Holy Ghost commands you. © Christ, God’s Word made flesh, commands you. © He who to save our race outdone through your envy, “humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death” (Philippians 2:8); He who has built His Church on the firm rock and declared that the gates of hell shall not prevail against Her, because He will dwell with Her “all days, even to the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). The sacred Sign of the Cross commands you, © as does also the power of the mysteries of the Christian faith. © The glorious Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, commands you. © She who by her humility and from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception, crushed your proud head. The faith of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul and of the other Apostles commands you. © The blood of the Martyrs and the pious intercession of all the Saints command you. ©
Thus, cursed dragon, and you, diabolical legions, we adjure you by the living God, © by the true God, © by the holy God, © by the God “who so loved the world that He gave up His only Son, that every soul believing in Him might not perish but have life everlasting” (John 3:16); stop deceiving human creatures and pouring out to them the poison of eternal damnation; stop harming the Church and hindering her liberty. Begone, Satan, inventor and master of all deceit, enemy of man’s salvation. Give place to Christ in whom you have found none of your works; give place to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church acquired by Christ at the price of His Blood. Stoop beneath the all-powerful Hand of God; tremble and flee when we invoke the Holy and terrible Name of Jesus, this Name which causes hell to tremble, this Name to which the Virtues, Powers and Dominations of Heaven are humbly submissive, this Name which the Cherubim and Seraphim praise unceasingly repeating: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord, the God of Armies.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee. V. May the Lord be with thee.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
God of Heaven, God of Earth, God of Angels, God of Archangels, God of Patriarchs, God of Prophets, God of Apostles, God of Martyrs, God of Confessors, God of Virgins, God who has power to give life after death and rest after work, because there is no other God than Thee and there can be no other, for Thou art the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, of whose reign there shall be no end, we humbly prostrate ourselves before Thy glorious Majesty and we beseech Thee to deliver us by Thy power from all the tyranny of the infernal spirits, from their snares, their lies and their furious wickedness; deign, o Lord, to grant us Thy powerful protection and to keep us safe and sound. We beseech Thee through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
From the snares of the Devil, deliver us, o Lord.
That Thy Church may serve Thee in peace and liberty, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou may crush down all enemies of Thy Church, we beseech Thee to hear us.
Holy water is sprinkled in the place where we may be.
PRAYER TO ARCHANGEL MICHAEL
SHORT VERSION
St. Michael, 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, thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl about the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
APPENDIX 3
ST. PATRICK’S BREASTPLATE
OR
THE LORICA OF ST. PATRICK
Much of what we know of Ireland’s patron saint derives from his Confessio, a document comprising a little over ten thousand words and written in Latin—probably his first language. It is part memoir, part meditation.
In later life he wrote in Irish, his adopted language. The “Lúireach Phadraig” may or may not be from his hand, and there are a number of variations in existence. Though commonly known as “St. Patrick’s Breastplate,” “Lorica of St. Patrick” is perhaps a better translation, since the lorica was segmented Roman upper armor offering protection on all sides. This would be in keeping with the spirit of this beautiful prayer, of which a new translation is given here.
I armor myself today
With the power of the Trinity.
I believe in the Trinity,
In the Oneness of God,
Creator of the universe.
I armor myself today
With the grace of the Nativity,
With the Baptism of Christ,
His Crucifixion and Entombment,
His Resurrection and Ascension,
His glorious Second Coming
Upon the Judgment Day.
I armor myself today
With the grace of the seraphim,
The submissiveness of angels,
The attendance of archangels,
The prospect of resurrection,
And everlasting life.
The prayers of patriarchs,
The predictions of prophets,
The preaching of apostles,
The faith of confessors,
The purity of the Virgin,
The deeds of righteous men.
I armor myself today
With the majesty of heaven,
The splendor of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The radiance of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of the wind,
The deepness of the ocean,
The vastness of the earth,
The solidity of rocks.
I armor myself today with:
God’s power to direct me,
God’s might to sustain me,
God’s wisdom to instruct me,
God’s eye to watch over me,
God’s ear to hearken to me,
God’s word to give me speech,
God’s hand to direct me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s army to defend me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the lure of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against all who plot to harm me,
Be they far, or near at hand,
Be they few or be they many.
I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile, merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against every art and spell that binds
The soul of man and woman.
Christ, guard me today
Against poison,
Against burning,
Against drowning,
Against fatal wounding,
That just reward be mine.
Christ be with me,
Christ be before me,
Christ be behind me,
Christ be within me,
Christ be beside me,
Christ to win me.
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ be beneath me,
Christ be above me,
Christ be at my right,
Christ be at my left,
Christ guard me in the home,
Christ be my transport,
By land and by
sea,
Christ be in quietude,
Christ be where danger threatens,
Christ be in the hearts of all who love me,
Christ be in the mouth of friend and stranger,
Christ be in every eye that sees me,
Christ be in every ear that hears me.
I armor myself today
With the power of the Trinity.
I believe in the Trinity,
In the Oneness of God,
Creator of the universe.
The Lord is salvation,
The Lord is salvation,
Christ is salvation,
May your salvation, O Lord,
be ever with us.
TRANSLATED FROM THE IRISH
BY DAVID M. KIELY
APPENDIX 4
PRAYERS OF EXORCISM
PRAYER AGAINST MALEFICE
(FROM THE GREEK ORTHODOX RITUAL)
God, our Lord, King of Ages, All-powerful and Almighty, you who made everything and who transformed everything simply by your will. You who in Babylon changed into dew the flames of the “seven-times hotter” furnace and protected and saved the three holy children. You are the doctor and the physician of our soul. You are the salvation of those who turn to you.
We beseech you to make powerless, banish, and drive out every diabolical power, presence, and machination; every evil influence, malefice, or evil eye and all evil actions aimed against your servant [name here]. Where there is envy and malice, give us an abundance of goodness, endurance, victory, and charity.
O Lord, you who love mankind, we beg you to reach out your powerful hands and your most high and mighty arms and come to our aid. Help us, who are made in your image; send the angel of peace over us, to protect us body and soul. May he keep at bay and vanquish every evil power, every poison or malice invoked against us by corrupt and envious people. Then under the protection of your authority may we sing, in gratitude: The Lord is my salvation; whom should I fear? I will not fear evil because you are with me, my God, my strength, my powerful Lord, Lord of Peace, Father of All Ages.