Church has an exorcist in every diocese

‘THE Catholic Church requires that each diocese should have a trained exorcist: i.e. someone who knows how to distinguish the signs of demonic possession from those of mental or physical illness,’ the Catholic Communications Office in Dublin told the Irish Mail on Sunday.

‘Exorcisms are very rare and this office has not been made aware of any cases of “exorcism” in Ireland in recent years. From time to time, dioceses will get requests for help in this area. Dioceses would refer people to one or two priests with appropriate training and expertise. In most cases it will emerge after several meetings that it may be a medical, psychiatric or psychological problem and the person would then be referred to the relevant specialists.

‘Exorcism is referred to in The Code of Canon Law, which states in Canon 1172:

(i) No one may lawfully exorcise the possessed without the special and express permission of the local Ordinary [ie bishop].

(ii) This permission is to be granted by the local Ordinary only to a priest who is endowed with piety, knowledge, prudence and integrity of life.

‘In 1999 the Vatican issued its first new guidelines since 1614 and these urged priests to take modern psychiatry into account when dealing with a request for an exorcism.

‘In July 2014 it was reported that Pope Francis had given his support to the work of exorcists in the Catholic Church specifically trained in the rite of exorcism. The International Association of Exorcists is a group of 250 priests working across 30 countries, which recently had its statutes approved by the Vatican’s congregation for clergy.’