It is getting crazy out there
If you think the world is going crazy and there are a lot of evil people around…you might be right. According to a priest from Sicily, the number of people in Italy claiming to be possessed had tripled to 500,000 a year, and an Irish priest has said demand for exorcisms has “risen exponentially.” Last year, the Christian thinktank “Theos” reported that exorcisms were a “booming industry” in the UK, particularly among Pentecostal churches. Fr Cesare Truqui, one of the speakers, told Vatican News. “Today we are at a stage crucial in history: many Christians no longer believe in [the devil’s] existence, few exorcists are appointed and there are no more young priests willing to learn the doctrine and practice of liberation of souls.” Fr Benigno Palilla, an exorcist from Sicily who reported a tripling of demonic possession cases on the island, acknowledged the issue was controversial, but added: “The demoniacs … suffer a lot.” Training in deliverance was essential, he told Vatican Radio. “A self-taught exorcist certainly makes errors. I will say more: it would also take a period of apprenticeship, as happens for many professionals.”
Priests in the US have also reported a growing demand for exorcisms in recent years.The shortage of clergy trained in exorcism has led to a growing number of independent operators in Europe, who will rid people and properties of demons for up to $500 a time, according to the Economist. Apostolorum, the survey covered 120 Italian exorcists. With a grand total of 290 exorcists in the country, we’d say they got a pretty good sample size. According to the survey, some priests attend as many as 30-50 exorcisms every day. But even that may not be enough — the numbers of claimed possessions are constantly rising. The church was “extremely concerned” that deliverance and healing should be undertaken in collaboration with professionals, such as doctors, and in the context of good safeguarding practice. But despite Pope Francis’ dedication to the practice, the priests carrying out exorcisms in the field are left mostly to their own devices. It’s part of the official exorcism procedure to seek the help of certified experts in psychology. Their aid is necessary for establishing whether the “possessed” is truly taken over by the Prince of Darkness, or merely suffering from mental illness or another physical ailment. It’s not easy being an exorcist. You have to meet the strangest people, battle the forces of evil, and all you get as a reward is a little girl spitting split pea soup in your face. And then you do that up to 50 times a day.
Exorcising some Laughs
My friends call me the exorcist…
Because after I leave there are no spirits left in the house
What do you get if you don’t pay your exorcist?
Repossessed.
The Exorcist star Linda Blair turns 62 today and still looks amazing.
She is still turning heads.
What do you call an evil wizard who gives good hickeys?
A neck romancer.
August 10th Birthdays
1959 – Rosanna Arquette, 1972 – Angie Harmon, 1980 – Joanna Garcia, 1991 – Lee Sung-Kyung
1961 – Antonio Banderas, 1993 – Andre Drummond, 1991 – Lucas Till, 1971 – Kevin Randleman