An Exorcist Explains the Demonic

by Gabriele Amorth

  Ethnic Objects

  A word about so-called ethnic objects: handmade African, Asian, or South American [objects], such as masks or other artifacts that are easily bought at open markets. Can they hide some evil influence? It is an interesting question, but one cannot give a definite response. Certainly there is a risk that an object of such a nature could have been part of a magic rite intended to harm the future possessors. Initially I would say not to dramatize it, above all if it was given as a gift with good and sincere intentions. A little vigilance, however, is not wasted.

  At this point, I wish to summarize what I have already said about magic: it has very ancient origins, and it is present in practically every culture. Magic consists in the recourse to the preternatural, that is, to demonic forces, in order to influence human events to one’s own advantage or to the detriment of someone else. Whoever practices it — from the wizard to the client — entrusts himself to the devil, which is a serious sin. Magic is either imitative or contagious. Imitative magic uses a form that in some way resembles the person on whom the rite is being carried out. For example, one punctures a puppet with a nail or a needle in order to strike the person the puppet represents. Here a type of transfer occurs from the object to the person. But magic of the contagious or infective type occurs through contact with objects that have belonged to the person, such as articles of clothing or other household items or by making the person ingest cursed foods. Whenever these objects have been cursed, they transfer their negative potential to the person.

  Let us return to the African mask and to the other souvenirs from exotic places. They can hide a negative effect but do not necessarily do so. It is a risk and a danger, however, for anyone to buy them or accept them. I certainly would not wish to have them in my home. What tells us that they are cursed? Above all, when they inspire a sudden aversion toward the sacred. They also cause local disturbances: obscure presences, nauseating odors, unnatural noises, the persistence of negative physical symptoms on people, and [negative] personal and work-related situations. Therefore, it is a good rule to have these objects blessed. In the case of clearly self-evident problems, it is necessary to liberate oneself immediately from the object, either by burning it or by tossing it where water flows, such as a river, canal, or sea.

  Do the Sins of Our Ancestors Affect Our Life?

  Another theme that pops up, usually in a charismatic setting, is the so-called genetic tree. It is a controversial topic. There are those who maintain that the consequences of their ancestors’ mediumism and particularly some of their serious sins — such as homicide, abortion, suicide, and magical practices — are passed on to successive generations. The same would be valid for their positive attitudes, such as courage and generosity. But here I am speaking of sins — not moral faults — and some of their consequences, which include a propensity, or an innate inclination, to repeat the same sinful acts. In other words, there could exist a generational transmission not only of physical and psychological traits, but also spiritual, such as particular sensibilities tied to serious sins or vices ascribable to ancestors and propagated from father to son. In brief, it would be a type of spiritual pollution that affects children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and so on down the genealogical tree. To liberate oneself from these tendencies, each descendent would have to denounce them expressly through a Christian lifestyle and prayer life (in particular, prayers of deliverance), which would cut such ties. Once the sinful tendency was identified and a path of purification taken up, one’s faults would be corrected and one’s ways mended. Similarly, this would heal the transmission of the insanity characteristic from one generation to another.

  This evocative thesis has been diffused through the book by the English psychiatrist Kenneth McCall entitled Healing the Haunted (1989), in which the author maintains — citing cases known to him — that the cause of evil spells can depend on genealogical questions. He also speaks of the “healing Masses” of the genealogical tree. These Masses are offered as intercession for the deceased who, because of their sins, still do not enjoy the light of God and are still in purgatory. In his book, McCall cites some episodes in which, after these charismatic Masses, the negative effects of the suffering souls on the living disappear. Apart from our beliefs on this matter, it is always opportune to celebrate Masses for our dear deceased, even those whom we have never known and who, perhaps, lived centuries ago.

  Among exorcists there is no uniform position on the genealogical tree. Each one develops a personal position based on his considerable experience. I have had some cases in which persons suffering demonic possession had ancestors who practiced magic and witchcraft. Moreover, I have ascertained that a curse can be transmitted [from one generation to the next], particularly if it is issued by a father or a mother against a son, his marriage, and his future children. For many years I followed a youth who was cursed in the womb by his father; in fact, he was unwanted. And the father continued to curse him, so that, when he was grown, this unlucky youth had to deal with many misfortunes. He took good advantage of the blessings that he received from me and from other exorcists, but these had a limited effect. An even more glaring case was that of a young woman whose parents opposed her marriage to the young man of her choice. They cursed her on the very day of her marriage, wishing her the worst evils, and this was unfailingly accomplished. Only years of prayer alleviated the sorrows and the sufferings of this young family.

  Alas! Curses, which are wishes of evil, are extremely powerful, especially if they are made with real treachery by those who are related by varying degrees of kinship to the victim. But they can be conquered with blessings. Jesus said, “[B]less those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:28).

  In my view, there is not enough evidence to support the transgenerational thesis. My teacher, Father Candido Amantini, had serious doubts that sinful tendencies spread generationally. Moreover, would not the adherence to this hypothesis permit a person to abandon his sense of responsibility for his own life? But even with this doubt, I always advise the afflicted to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to break each evil spell.

  9 Cf. Gabriele Amorth and Paolo Rodari, L’ultimo esorcista (Milan: Piemme, 2012).

  10 Spiritism, or necromancy (from the Greek necrós, “dead,” and manzia, “divination”), is a common practice in traditional cultures, particularly African and South American, and very diffuse in the West since the latter half of the 1800s.

  11 This is diffusely discussed by François-Marie Dermine in his book Carismatici, sensitive e medium: Il confine della mentalitá magica (Bologna: ESD, 2010), 56ff. The text constitutes an excellent basis from which to deepen the theme of spiritism and, in general, the paranormal phenomena, including Christian.

  12 Allan Kardec is the pen name of the French educator, translator, and author Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (1804–1869). He is the author of five books known as the Spiritist Codification and is the founder of Spiritism. Rivail began his own investigation of psychic phenomena, mainly mediumship, with a compilation of a thousand questions given to ten mediums, all purportedly unknown to each other, documented their responses, and adapted them into a philosophy that he called Spiritism, which he initially defined as “a science that deals with the nature, origin, and destiny of spirits, and their relation with the corporeal world.”

  13 Cf. Deut. 18:10–12; Lev. 19:31; 20:6.

  14 Cf. Deut. 18:10; Jer. 29:8.

  15 “The seers and sensitives have substantially the same characteristics. The first see and the second feel; both express what they have experienced through contact with objects or individuals.” Gabriele Amorth, An Exorcist Tells His Story, 12th ed. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1994), 157.

  The Extraordinary Action of Satan: Possession, Vexation, Obsession, and Infestation

  Ordinary Diabolical Action: Temptation and Sin

  Satan’s mission is well explained by the apostle Peter: “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion,
seeking some one to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). We can interpret that devouring as doing harm, bringing to perdition. The devil’s mission in the world is to seduce souls, to lead each man and woman on the wayward paths of sin; and the principal path of this tragic mission is the path of temptation. Each one of us must fight against the temptation to sin for as long as we live. Indeed, sin leads to death.

  It should not surprise anyone — and I shall speak of it shortly — if I say that there are more victims of Satan’s ordinary action than of his extraordinary action. We are all victims of temptation, but only some are victims of the extraordinary action of Satan, but never through their own fault; therefore, they are not morally responsible. Temptation assaults us each holy day. Jesus Himself submitted to temptation during the forty days He spent in the desert after His baptism in the Jordan (see Matt. 4:1–11) and also later on. The devil tempts us both in our natural dimension, that is, in our interior wounds and weaknesses, and through the various occasions of sin that present themselves to us. Temptation is dangerous because it is difficult to uncover in the folds of our thoughts, words, works, and omissions. Discernment is necessary; that is, we must have a well-trained eye and the spiritual intelligence that helps us to recognize the claw of the tempter and those who bring us straight to sin; we must reject them and instead accept the good inspirations that come from God. Therefore, it is necessary to guard our heart and our external senses from indecent spectacles: each of us becomes what we see, what we listen to, and what we read. Therefore, let us be discerning in what we see and listen to, and above all let us choose good friends.

  It is also necessary to have a well-formed conscience. A good conscience is not achieved by elevating oneself or, worse yet, allowing the dominant culture to arbitrate good and bad. A good conscience is obtained by conforming one’s will to God’s will and to His teachings, which are given to us for our happiness and our salvation and are summarized in the highest degree in the Commandments. The loss of a sense of sin that characterizes our era helps Satan to act nearly undisturbed and, inducing man to sin, takes man progressively away from the love of God: “Everything is lawful.” “What wrong is there?” “Everyone does it.” These are the suggestions that weaken the consciences of men and women and lead them on the paths toward closing their hearts, egoism, lack of forgiveness, and doing everything for money, power, and sex. Everything that seduces and enslaves souls leads to their death, which is Satan’s objective.

  The ordinary temptations of the devil are played mainly in the area of intelligence. Let us think of the many theoretical errors that are passed off as modern ideas in order to unhinge the principles of the Faith, as in all the new lifestyles that are contrary to morality: cohabitation, separation, divorce, betrayal, abortion, same-sex marriage, and euthanasia. Not to speak of corruption, wars, and egoism in all its innumerable forms. The list is truly long.

  What is the cause of this moral decline? Principally it is the diminution of the Christian conscience in the struggle against the powers of darkness. It is St. Paul who warns us: “For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). Here is how Vatican II frames the situation:

  When the order of values is jumbled and bad is mixed with the good, individuals and groups pay heed solely to their own interests, and not to those of others. Thus it happens that the world ceases to be a place of true brotherhood. In our own day, the magnified power of humanity threatens to destroy the race itself.

  For a monumental struggle against the powers of darkness pervades the whole history of man. The battle was joined from the very origins of the world and will continue until the last day, as the Lord has attested [cf. Matt. 24:13; 13:24−30, 36−43]. Caught in this conflict, man is obliged to wrestle constantly if he is to cling to what is good, nor can he achieve his own integrity without great efforts and the help of God’s grace.16

  The martyrdom of so many Christians in the Near and Far East reminds us of this dramatic reality.

  The Extraordinary Action of the Devil

  Diabolical possession. Without a doubt, diabolical possession, the invincible influence of the devil on a person, is the most striking and serious form of the extraordinary action of the devil. When the demon is able to take possession of a person, he can make him say and do what he wishes. It is necessary to clarify that the devil is not able to take possession of the soul of a man (unless the person expressly consents to it), but only his body. Nevertheless, I must say that the cases of valid and true possession are rare: cases of vexation, obsession, and infestation, which I shall treat further on, are more frequent. When possession is manifested, the obsessed goes into a trance and loses consciousness, leaving space for the evil spirit to speak; to agitate the person; to curse; to vomit nails, glass, or other objects; and to demonstrate herculean strength — in brief, to take over. On this subject Father Candido told me of the case of a young girl, an extremely thin and apparently weak demoniac who, during the exorcisms, had to be tied with leather straps and held firm, with difficulty, by four very energetic men. Well, she managed to break the straps with which they attempted to tie her, causing them much trouble until the end of the rite. It also happened to me: a decade ago, a very thin young girl — she could not have been more than thirteen years old — accompanied by her mother and her mother’s friends, received incredible strength from the devil during an exorcism. It took all seven of my “guardian angels,” the persons who accompany me with prayer, to hold her firm.

  During these crises, the manifestation of abnormal phenomena occurs at intervals, but not continuously. The subject will lose consciousness all of a sudden. But at other moments of the day, [the subject] will appear normal. The possession is seldom permanent. More often the crises are provoked by external motives — for example, during a situation of spiritual stress, such as the exorcism itself, the Mass, benediction, prayer, or even the simple introduction of a sacred object. At other times, it goes off without apparent cause. The demon acts when, how, and where he wishes — during the day, at night, or even in a public situation, so that all can see. In these cases its will is acting through the spiritual power of its angelic nature. Nothing in these cases is ascribable to the victim of the possession.

  In the case of the possessed person who has ingested cursed foods, he may, during the exorcism or during Mass, begin to cough spasmodically and spit dense saliva. In these circumstances it is helpful [for him] to ingest blessed or exorcized water, salt, and oil.

  I have noticed that each possession is unique; this is also true for the other forms of the devil’s extraordinary influence. There are liberations that occur in a few sessions and others that require many years of exorcisms. Some have obvious and coarse manifestations, and others — such as the case of a mute spirit — do not ever pronounce a word. These last are among the most difficult cases to treat.

  Who becomes possessed? [People of every faith or none. The devil does not look in the face of anyone.] No one can consider themselves excluded: they can be young or old, believers or atheists, Christians or those of other religions. Through the years there have been Muslims who have had serious cases of possession. Not even consecrated religious are ruled out: I recall the case of Sister Angela, who was obsessed with a cursing that resounded in her mind. In most cases, those who are distant from the Faith are more susceptible to this risk, but this is only an indication of the maxim that says the devil is more tranquil if he does not have to live with prayer, fasting, the Eucharist, and the other sacramental practices.

  I also add that the demon does not particularly like exercising his extraordinary action; he prefers by far to act through temptation. In the first case, the external manifestation clearly unmasks his existence. In the second, hiding himself behind ignorance and slight faith, he can act more easily because he is undisturbed. The devil is content when no one
believes in his existence or when people consider him solely a medieval relic: then he is truly able to act tranquilly!

  Temptation is conquered by vigilance, avoiding sin, and praying, because without the help of God we are not capable of conquering the seduction of sin. No one is exempt from temptation; some of the saints have had tremendous temptations even on their deathbeds. From their testimonies, we understand that as long as we have breath, we shall never be free of temptation.

  It is useful to know that there are also multiple possessions; many spirits can be seen acting in a person contemporaneously. There was, for example, the case of Joanne, a woman of thirty, married with children. She fainted often and had severe headaches without apparent medical causes. In the course of various encounters, it was revealed that she was possessed by three demons who had entered through three spells, one of which was from a woman who aspired to have Joanne’s fiancé before Joanne married him. The first two [demons] exited quickly and the third with more difficulty, but in the end we made it. It was a family of faith; for this reason, I believe, liberating Joanne was relatively simple.