present anew the temptations of the Sunday interview with Father Gabriele Amorth who 30Days published in June 2001: A really disturbing is the passage in which father Amorth denouncing the exclusion of the group of 150 exorcists from the hearing of the Pope. It seems that the only people who are unable to enter the Vatican are those who fight against the evil in the name of the Church.
'... And deliver us from evil. "
Interview with Father Gabriele Amorth Stefano Maria Paci
29 years have passed (almost 39 ed) from that June 29, 1972. It was the feast of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles. It was the feast of St. Paul, who brought the Gospel of Christ to the far West. And in that June 29, the feast of the patron saints of Rome, the Successor of Peter, who took the name Paul cried out dramatically. Paul VI spoke of God par excellence of the enemy, that enemy of man called Satan. The enemy of the Church. "Through some crack" Paul VI denounced "the smoke of Satan has entered the Church. " An anguished cry, which left many shocked and amazed, even within the Catholic world.
And today, 29 years later? That smoke has been removed, or has invaded more rooms? We went to ask someone with Satan and his tricks has to do every day. Almost as a profession. It is the world's most famous exorcist: Father Gabriele Amorth, founder and honorary chairman of the International Association of Exorcists. We went to him because a few weeks ago, on May 15, was approved by the CEI, the Italian translation of the new ritual of exorcism. To enter use only awaits the placet of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. A new weapon that the Church has to fight the enemy? To overcome if you have not already done so, the smoke penetrated into the temple of the Lord? Nonsense! Listen to what Father Amorth said. You'll find that the war going on for millennia, raging more furiously than ever. Now that the battle has moved primarily into the house of the Lord. And that smoke ... Well, the smoke spreads in unexpected rooms.
Father Amorth, is finally ready for the Italian translation of the new ritual for the exorcists.
Gabriele Amorth: Yes, it is ready. Last year, the CEI had refused to approve it because there were errors in translation from Latin. And we exorcists, we should use it, we had the opportunity to point out again that the new ritual on many points we disagree. The basic text remains unchanged in this Latin translation. And at the end of a long-awaited Ritual has turned into a mockery. An incredible string which could prevent us from acting against the devil.
heavy accusation. What is it about?
AMORTH: Let me give just two examples. Sensational. In paragraph 15 it speaks of evil and how to behave. The curse is an evil caused a person using the devil. It can be done in various forms such as invoices, curses, hexes, voodoo, Macumba. The Roman Ritual explained how must face it. The new Rite, by contrast, categorically states that there is absolute prohibition to do exorcisms in these cases. Absurd. The spells are by far the most common cause of possessions and evil procured by the devil: not less than 90 percent. It's like saying not to work more exorcists. Paragraph 16, then solemnly declared that one should not do exorcisms if there is no certainty of the presence of the devil. It is a masterpiece of incompetence: the certainty that the devil is present in a person's only doing the exorcism. Among other things, the drafters did not notice any contradiction in both points, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which indicates to perform the exorcism and demonic possession in the case of the evils caused by the devil. It also says it is on people over things. And the things there is never the presence of the devil, there's only influence.
The statements contained in the New Ritual are very serious and highly damaging, the result of ignorance and inexperience.
But it was not compiled by experts?
AMORTH: Absolutely not. In the past ten years have worked on the Ritual of two committees: the composed of cardinals who oversaw the Prenotanda, that the original provisions, and the one who took care of the prayers. I can say with certainty that none of the members of both committees have never been nor ever witnessed exorcisms exorcism and never had the faintest idea what are the exorcisms. This is the error, the original sin of this Ritual. No one who worked there was an expert on exorcism.
How is this possible?
AMORTH: Do not ask me. During the Second Vatican Council each committee was assisted by a team of experts who accompanied the bishops. And the habit has been maintained anche dopo il Concilio, ogni volta che si sono rifatte parti del Rituale. Ma non in questo caso. E se c’era un argomento su cui servivano degli esperti, era questo.
E invece?
AMORTH: Invece noi esorcisti non siamo mai stati consultati. E, tra l’altro, i suggerimenti che abbiamo dato sono stati ricevuti con fastidio dalle commissioni. La storia è paradossale. Vuole che gliela racconti?
Certo.
AMORTH: Man mano che, come aveva chiesto il Concilio Vaticano II, le varie parti del Rituale romano venivano riviste, noi esorcisti attendevamo that it treated the title XII, that the exorcism ritual. But evidently it was not considered a relevant argument, as the years went by and nothing happened. Then, suddenly, on June 4, 1990, came the ritual interim test. It was a real surprise for us that we had never been consulted before. Yet for some time we prepared the requests, on a revision of the Ritual. We asked, among other things, to touch up the prayers, invocations to the Virgin Mary onto which were completely missing, and to increase the specific exorcism prayers. But we were completely cut off from the possibility of any contribution. Do not get discouraged: the text was done for us. E since in the letter, the then prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, asked the bishops 'conferences to have, within two years, "advice and suggestions given by the priests who so use' we set to work. Brought together eighteen exorcists, chosen from among the most experienced of the planet. Scrutinized the text. Use it. We immediately commended the first part, in which the evangelical foundations of exorcism were summarized. It is the biblical-theological aspect, which certainly did not lack jurisdiction. A new part compared to the Ritual of 1614 composed under Pope Paul V: after all, at that time there was no need remember these principles, recognized and accepted by all. Today, however, is indispensable.
But when we went to examine the practical part, which requires specific knowledge of the subject, it is obviously the total inexperience of the editors. Our observations were abundant, article by article, and we have made to all interested parties: the Congregation for Divine Worship, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Episcopal Conferences. A copy was delivered directly into the hands of the Pope
How was allowed in your comments?
AMORTH: Reception bad, nothing effective. We were inspired by the LG, in which the Church is described as' People of God. " At number 28 we talk about the collaboration between priests and bishops, at number 37 is said with clarity, even referring to the laity, "according to science, the power and prestige they enjoy, have the option, sometimes even the duty to make known their views on matters concerning the good of the Church. " It was exactly the case. But we were deceived, naively, that the provisions of Vatican II were entered into the Roman congregations. Instead we found ourselves in front of a wall of rejection and contempt. The secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship gave a report to the Committee Cardinals in which he said that their interlocutors were the bishops, not priests or exorcists. He added quote, about our humble attempt to help as experts express their opinion: "We had to take note of the phenomenon of a group of exorcists and called demonology, who subsequently have formed the International Association, which orchestrated a campaign against the ritual. " Indecent accusation: we have never orchestrated any campaign! It was addressed to us the ritual, and commissions had not convened any person: it was only logical that we try to make our contribution.
But it means that the New Rite is unusable for you in the fight against the devil?
AMORTH: Yes We wanted to deliver a blunt instrument. Were canceled effective prayers, prayers which had twelve centuries of history, and have created new, ineffective. But luckily there was thrown, the last, a lifeboat.
What?
AMORTH: The new prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, Cardinal Jorge Medina, has added to the Ritual a Notification. In stating that the exorcists are not required to use this ritual, but if they want can still use the old making a request to the bishop. The bishops must ask permission to the congregation but, as the cardinal writes, "willingly grants it."
"The grant willingly"? It is a strange concession ...
AMORTH: He wants to know where does? On one attempt made by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and by Cardinal Medina to introduce into the Ritual an article - then it was Article 38 - which authorized the exorcists to use the earlier ritual. Undoubtedly it was a maneuver at the last minute to let us avoid the big mistakes that we are in this final ritual. But the attempt was rejected two cardinals. Then Cardinal Medina, who understood the stakes, he decided to help us in any case, this lifeboat, adding a separate notification.
considered How come, you exorcists in the Church?
AMORTH: We are treated very badly. The brother priests who are charged with this delicate task are viewed as crazy, the exalted. In general they are barely tolerated by the same bishops who appointed them.
The fact most striking of this hostility?
AMORTH: We held an international congress of exorcists near Rome. And we asked to be received by the Pope for not giving him the burden of adding a new audience to the many already do, we simply asked to be received in open court, one in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday. And without the need to be mentioned among the greetings. We made regular application, as recalled perfectly Monsignor Paolo De Nicolò, the Prefecture of the Papal Household, who welcomed with open arms to our request. The day before the hearing, however, the Monsignor De Nicolò us ha detto – a dire il vero con grande imbarazzo, per cui si è visto benissimo che la decisione non dipendeva da lui – di non andare, che non eravamo ammessi. Incredibile: 150 esorcisti provenienti dai cinque continenti, sacerdoti nominati dai loro vescovi in conformità con le norme del diritto canonico che richiedono preti di preghiera, di scienza e di buona fama – quindi un po’ il fior fiore del clero –, chiedono di partecipare a un’udienza pubblica del Papa e vengono buttati fuori. Monsignor De Nicolò mi ha detto: «Naturalmente le prometto che le invierò subito la lettera con le motivazioni». Sono passati cinque anni, e quella lettera la aspetto ancora.
Certamente non è stato Giovanni Paolo II ad escluderci. Ma che a 150 sacerdoti venga proibito di partecipare a una udienza pubblica del Papa in piazza San Pietro spiega quanto sono ostacolati gli esorcisti dalla loro Chiesa, quanto sono malvisti da tante autorità ecclesiastiche.
Lei col demonio ci combatte quotidianamente. Qual è il più grande successo di Satana?
AMORTH: Riuscire a far credere di non esistere. E ci è quasi riuscito. Anche all’interno della Chiesa. Abbiamo un clero e un episcopato che non credono più nel demonio, negli esorcismi, nei mali straordinari che il diavolo può dare, e nemmeno nel potere che Gesù ha concesso di scacciare i demoni.
Da tre secoli la Chiesa latina – al contrario della Chiesa ortodossa e di varie confessioni protestanti – ha quasi del tutto abbandonato il ministero esorcistico. Non praticando più esorcismi, non studiandoli più e non avendoli mai visti, il clero non ci crede più. E non crede più nemmeno al diavolo. Abbiamo interi episcopati contrari agli esorcismi. Ci sono nazioni completamente prive di esorcisti, come la Germania, l’Austria, la Svizzera, la Spagna e il Portogallo. Una carenza spaventosa.
Non ha nominato la Francia. Lì la situazione è differente?
AMORTH: C’è un libro scritto dal più noto esorcista francese, Isidoro Froc, dal titolo: Gli esorcisti, chi sono e cosa fanno. Il volume, tradotto in italiano dall’editrice Piemme, è stato scritto per incarico della Conferenza episcopale francese. In tutto il libro non si dice mai che gli esorcisti, in certi casi, fanno esorcismi. E l’autore ha più volte dichiarato alla televisione francese di non avere mai fatto esorcismi e che mai li farà. Su un centinaio di esorcisti francesi, solo cinque credono al demonio e fanno gli esorcismi, tutti gli altri mandano chi si rivolge a loro dagli psichiatri.
E i vescovi sono le prime vittime di questa situazione della Chiesa cattolica, da cui sta scomparendo la credenza nell’esistenza del demonio. Prima che uscisse questo nuovo Rituale, l’episcopato tedesco ha scritto una lettera al cardinale Ratzinger in cui affermava che non occorreva un nuovo Rituale, perché non si dovevano più fare gli esorcismi.
È compito dei vescovi nominare gli esorcisti?
AMORTH: Sì. Quando un sacerdote viene nominato vescovo, si trova di fronte ad un articolo del Codice di diritto canonico che gli dà l’autorità assoluta per nominare degli esorcisti. A qualsiasi vescovo il minimo che si può chiedere è che abbia almeno assistito a un esorcismo, dato che must make a decision so important. Unfortunately, almost never happens. But if a bishop is facing a serious demand for exorcism - that is, that is not made from a nut - and fails to do so, commits a mortal sin. And is responsible for all the terrible suffering of that person, which sometimes last for years or a lifetime, and that could have prevented.
Are you saying that most of the bishops of the Catholic Church is a mortal sin?
AMORTH: When I was a kid my old parish priest taught me that there are eight sacraments: the eighth is ignorance. And the eighth sacrament saves most of the other seven summed together. To make a mortal sin must be grave matter, but also full awareness and deliberate consent. This omission of help from many bishops is a grave matter. But these bishops are ignorant: there is therefore no deliberate consent and full awareness.
But faith remains intact, that remains a Catholic, if one does not believe in the existence of Satan?
AMORTH: No. I'll tell you a story. When I met for the first time Ernetti Don Pellegrino, a celebrated exorcist who has practiced for forty years in Venice, said: "If I could talk with the Pope would say I meet too many bishops who do not believe in the devil. " The following afternoon Ernetti father has come back to me in the morning to tell me that was received by Pope John Paul II. "Holiness," he said, "there is an exorcist here in Rome, Father Amorth, who would tell you if it came from who knows too many bishops who do not believe in the devil." The Pope replied, dryly: "Whoever does not believe in the devil does not believe in the Gospel." Here's the answer I gave him and I repeat.
Let me understand: the result is that many bishops and many priests are not Catholics?
AMORTH: Let's say you do not believe in a Gospel truth. So if anything, to propagate them heels heresy. But mind you: one is formally heretical if he is accused of something and if it persists in error. But no, today, for the situation that exists in the Church, a bishop accused of not believing in the devil, the demonic possession and not to appoint exorcists because he does not believe. Yet I could do so many names of bishops and cardinals who are newly appointed to a diocese have taken all exorcists the faculty to exercise. Or of bishops who openly maintain: "I do not believe it. These are things of the past. " Why? Unfortunately, because there was the pernicious influence of certain biblical scholars, and I could do it very illustrious names. That we touch every day with his hand the next world, we know he had a hand in many liturgical reforms.
For example?
AMORTH: The Second Vatican Council was asked to review texts. Disobedience to that command, but we wanted to redo it completely. Without thinking that you could even make things worse rather than better. And many rites were made worse for this mania of wanting to throw away everything that was in the past and start all over again, as if the Church until now there had always cheated and deceived, and only now it's finally time for large genes of superteologi, of superbiblisti, superliturgisti of which can give the Church the right things. A lie was the last Council simply asked to review these texts, not to destroy them.
The exorcism ritual, for example, was correct, not rebuilt. There were prayers that have twelve centuries of experience. Before deleting old and prayers so that for centuries have proved effective, it should think long. But no. We all exorcists, used for testing the new ritual prayers interim, we have experienced that are totally ineffective.
But the rite of baptism of children was worse. It was distorted, almost eliminating the exorcism against Satan, who has always had enormous importance for the Church, so that was called the minor exorcism. Against this new rite has publicly protested by Paul VI. It was worse at the new Rite of Blessings. I have read carefully all its 1200 pages. Well, it was painstakingly removed all reference to the fact that the Lord must protect us from Satan, the angels protect us from the assault of the devil. They took all the prayers were for the blessing of homes and schools. Everything was blessed and protected, but protection from the devil today no longer exists. There are no defenses, and even more prayers against him. The same Jesus taught us a prayer of liberation in the Our Father: "Deliver us from evil. Deliver us from the person of Satan. " In Italian has been translated incorrectly, and now he says in prayer: "Deliver us from evil." There is talk of a generic evil, which basically do not know the source: instead of the evil against which our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to fight is a real person: it is Satan.
you have a vantage point: the feeling that Satanism is spreading?
AMORTH: Yes very much. When faith falls increases superstition. If I use the language of the Bible, I say that si abbandona Dio e ci si dà all’idolatria, se uso un linguaggio moderno, dico che si abbandona Dio per darsi all’occultismo. Lo spaventoso calo della fede in tutta l’Europa cattolica fa sì che la gente si getti tra le mani di maghi e cartomanti, mentre prosperano le sette sataniche. Il culto del demonio viene reclamizzato a masse intere attraverso il rock satanico di personaggi come Marilyn Manson, e viene dato l’assalto anche ai bambini: giornali a fumetti insegnano la magia e il satanismo.
Diffusissime le sedute spiritiche, in cui si evocano morti per averne risposte. Ora si insegna a fare sedute spiritiche con il computer, con il telefono, con il televisore, con il registratore ma especially with automatic writing. There is no longer even need a medium: Spiritualism is a "do it yourself." According to surveys, 37 percent of students did at least once a game board or glass, which is a real seance. In a school where I was invited to speak, the boys were told that during the hour of religion under the complacent eyes of the teacher.
It Work?
AMORTH: There is no distinction between white magic and black magic. When the magic works, it is always the work of the devil. All forms of occultism, like this great application to the religions of the East with their esoteric suggestions, are open to the devil. And the devil enters. Now.
I did not hesitate to say immediately, in the case of a nun killed in Chiavenna and in that of Erika and Omar, the two boys from Novi Ligure, that there was a direct intervention of the devil because those young people were given to Satanism. Continuing the investigation, police discovered, in both cases, these guys were following Satan, had satanic books.
relies on what the devil to seduce a man?
AMORTH: He has a monotone strategy. Him ho detto, e lui lo riconosce… Fa credere che l’inferno non c’è, che il peccato non esiste ma è solo un’esperienza in più da fare. Concupiscenza, successo e potere sono le tre grandi passioni su cui Satana insiste.
Quanti casi di possessione demoniaca ha incontrato?
AMORTH: Dopo i primi cento ho smesso di contarli.
Cento? Ma sono tantissimi. Lei nei suoi libri dice che i casi di possessione sono rari.
AMORTH: E lo sono davvero. Molti esorcisti hanno incontrato solo casi di mali diabolici. Ma io ho ereditato la "Customers" of fame as an exorcist Father Candido, and therefore the case that he had not yet resolved. Furthermore, the other exorcists send to me the most resistant cases.
The most difficult he has encountered?
AMORTH: I have "in care" now, and for two years. It's the same girl who was blessed - it was not a true exorcism - by the Pope at the Vatican in October and has created a stir in the newspapers. It hit 24 hours on 24, with unspeakable torments. Doctors and psychiatrists could not understand it. It is fully lucid and intelligent. A truly sad case.
As you fall victim of the devil?
AMORTH: You may run into overtime sent by the evil demon for four reasons. Or why this is good for the person (in the case of many saints), or persistence in sin in an irreversible way, or someone throws a curse by the devil, or when it is sensible to occult practices.
During the exorcism of possessed that kind of phenomenon occur?
AMORTH: I recall an illiterate peasant who during the exorcism he spoke only in English, and I needed an interpreter. There are those who exhibit superhuman strength, who rises from the ground and completely different people can not keep sitting on the chair. But it is only the context in which they take place, that we speak of demonic presence.
To her, the devil has never done wrong?
AMORTH: When Cardinal Poletti asked me to do the exorcist I commended to the Virgin Mary: "Wrap your mantle and I will be very safe." Threats of the devil has made me a lot, but I have never done any harm.
She is never afraid of the devil?
AMORTH: I fear the beast? It is he who should be afraid of me: I work in the Lord's name in the world. And he is only the monkey God
Father Amorth, Satanism is spreading more and more. The new exorcism ritual makes it difficult to do. Exorcists prevented from attending a hearing with the pope in St. Peter's Square. Tell me honestly, what is happening?
AMORTH: The smoke of Satan enters everywhere. Everywhere! Perhaps we were excluded from the hearing of the Pope because they were afraid that many exorcists manage to chase away the legions of demons that have located in the Vatican. 're kidding, right?
AMORTH: It may seem a joke, but I think not. I have no doubt that the devil tries especially Church leaders, like trying all the vertices, the political and industrial.
Are you saying that even here, as in all wars, Satan wishes to conquer generals opponents?
AMORTH: It's a winning strategy. He always tries to implement it. Especially when the opponent's defenses are weak. Even Satan tries. But thank God the Spirit Holding the Holy Church: "The gates of hell shall not prevail." Despite the defections. And despite the betrayals. That should not surprise. The first was a traitor of the apostles closest to Jesus, Judas Iscariot. But despite this, the Church continues on its path. It is held together by the Holy Spirit, and then all the struggles of Satan may have only partial results. Of course, the devil can win battles. Also important. But never the war.
