Catholic bishops say more exorcists are needed

[L. Coyote]

Source: nola.com

Citing a shortage of priests who can perform the rite, the nation's Roman Catholic bishops are holding a conference on how to conduct exorcisms.

The two-day training, which ends today in Baltimore, is to outline the scriptural basis of evil, instruct clergy on evaluating whether a person is truly possessed, and review the prayers and rituals that comprise an exorcism. ....

Organizers of the event are keenly aware of the ridicule that can accompany discussion of the subject. Exorcists in U.S. dioceses keep a very low profile. In 1999, the church updated the Rite of Exorcism, cautioning that "all must be done to avoid the perception that exorcism is magic or superstition."

.....

IMAGE: Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez of Chile holds the book 'De Exorcismis et Supplicationibus Quibusdam' (Of Exorcisms and Supplications), the Vatican's new guidelines on exorcism, presented during a news conference at the Vatican in 1999. The guidelines, written in Latin, update the last set written in 1614. After four centuries, The Vatican's guidelines for driving out the devil includes a caveat not to mistake psychiatric illness for diabolic possession.

Read more: http://www.nola.com/religion/index.ssf/2010/11/catholic_bishops_say_more_exorcists_are_needed.html

---

ROFLMAO. If I don't quit laughing, someone call my exorcist :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'll give 20 indulgences to whoever comes up with the best prayer to send the Devil to Hell, or Cheney to Iraq.

[gateley]

1. Send them to C Street. nt

[saigon68]

39. NO NO ---- More Prison Cells for these Pedophile Criminals

Mark Campobello, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to aggravated criminal sexual abuse of two females under the age of 16, will be released July 28


Campobello was arrested by Geneva police in December 2002, initially charged with 15 counts of sexual abuse and assault on a minor, to which he pleaded “not guilty” the following month.

Also in 2002, but prior to Campobello’s arrest, Doran was one of 15 bishops appointed to the Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse to revise the church’s policies for such matters.

As the state prepared its case in Kane County in 2003, the diocese refused to turn Campobello’s personnel records over to prosecutors, despite a court order. The decree by Judge Timothy Sheldon did not order the release of medical and mental health records, however. Unwilling to release the subpoenaed personnel documents, the diocese chose to be held in civil contempt to challenge the order at the appellate level on a First Amendment basis. The diocese maintained that the state had no authority to review a religious entity’s governance—a position taken by Catholic bishops as sexual abuse cases among the clergy became national news.

[A HERETIC I AM]

2. Here's your prayer, with a nod toward Monty Python;

"Oh lord, hear us.
You are so grand and big
and we are all so puny and insignificant.
But we have run across
a bit of rather nasty unpleasantness
with one of your flock, oh wise one.

Lord, we ask that you call on your fallen angel
to take up residence in another, more deserving vessel
Like the former Vice President, or perhaps the nearest smoker,
and leave this innocent
to his/her own tribulations
which are sure to be large
considering the religious alignment of
his/her parents.

In the lords name we prey.....


Amen.






Howzat?

[L. Coyote]

6. LOL ... or perhaps the nearest smoker

Excellent. I'll forward it to the Pope.

I'm also now roflao at the "Vatican Blessed" Catholic Items Google banner ad on this thread. Why pray for business when you have the Google?

[Jackpine Radical]

14. Wonderful

--but another demon in Cheney? Wouldn't they all fight or something?

[A HERETIC I AM]

16. LOL...they would only fight for residency in the top floor.

I imagine the guy has demons from his ear holes to his toes.

[donco6]

49. Remember - the demon Jesus cast out was called "Legion."

Now we know where it went.

[daleo]

3. Only two days training?

To defeat Beelzebub? A basic course in Word or Excel takes longer than that.

Even the church doesn't take this very seriously, I'd say.

[KamaAina]

4. Is Booby Jindal term-limited?

He's got experience!

[donco6]

5. Maybe they should outsource.

They're experts on Gozerians.

[shoreline]

8. Outsourcing is a great idea...

...that guy that was keeping the demons away from Sarah Palin might be available. One second thought, he might not be up to the task, cause if there was anyone possessed by demons and just plain bat-shit crazy, it'd be her...

[donco6]

9. He can't afford to give up the overtime.

That's gotta be a heavy-duty contract.

[theoldman]

7. I would like to know how they distinguish psychiatric illness from diabolic possession.

The only answer I know is to educate the clergy to understand that there is no such thing as diabolic possession. We should be a little smarter than people were 2000 years ago. The only demons that exist are the ones sane people creat in their minds.

[donco6]

10. If you believe you're possessed, you have a psychiatric illness.

Someone should let them know.

[RaleighNCDUer]

43. I have to wonder if any exorcists have checked someone out and said

"This guy is not possessed - he's fucking psychotic. Who's in charge here??"

[struggle4progress]

64. ... A person who claims to be possessed must be evaluated by doctors to rule out a mental or

physical illness, according to Vatican guidelines ...
For Catholics, Interest in Exorcism Is Revived
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: November 12, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/13/us/13exorcism.html?_r=1

[shoreline]

11. There really is no such thing as "demonic possession"...

...it's generally a case of the vapors caused by the presence of a newt or a small troll living in one's stomach.

[L. Coyote]

13. And sometimes a case of the vapors caused by nail polish remover

not to mention playing with toy model glue and white board markers

[Jackpine Radical]

17. Ah, yes, but

what if the newt or the trolls are possessed?

Hell, I firmly believe Newt is possessed, as are many of the trolls I run into around here.

[Xicano]

12. Question: Doesn't believing in both God & Satan separately equate to something other than monotheism

Wouldn't monotheism look more like my opinion where good & evil are merely opposite sides of the same coin where the coin is the collective consciousness out of every speck of vibrating strand of energy in our multi-dimensional universe?

I am just saying....



Peace,
Xicano

[Jackpine Radical]

18. You're describing something like Manicheanism.

The dominant Christian position is that Satan is not as great as God, has no creative powers, and must rely on trickery and illusion to work his evil.

[RaleighNCDUer]

45. Oh, come on. If Satan has no creative powers, where did fossils come from? nt

[dimbear]

57. Like so many theological questions, this is best understood by analogy.

Remember the film "The Parent Trap"? There seem to be twin sisters, but Hayley Mills played both of them.

[RaleighNCDUer]

67. Haley Mills is Satan!!??

And I had such a crush on her when I was 10!!!

[trusty elf]

15. "all must be done to avoid the perception .......

that exorcism is magic or superstition."

:eyes:

[Monique1]

19. When I was younger, actually a child

the Catholic church was against exorcism.

[puebloknot]

20. Well, credit where credit is due: It's a jobs-creation program! nt

[Submariner]

21. Calling almost Senator Christine O'Donnell....we have a job for you

This position will help cure your chronic unemployment.

[Xipe Totec]

31. She would be the exorcee n/t

[somone]

22. Just outsource it to Mumbai

Delhi, Bangalore, etc.

[Brickbat]

23. Hey, I have an idea -- how about get rid of all the child molesters in the priesthood intsead?

It'd be a lot more productive. Might even do some good! :think:

[L. Coyote]

35. Ding, Ding!! Honk, Honk!!

[laylah]

24. I cannot reply in the fashion

you have; however, the information is ugly, injurious, false, and explosive, to say the least.

jenn

[pattmarty]

25. Just what I was thinking the other day, with all the misery and unemployment...........

.........forclosures and how fucked up generally the world is, that is just what we need. More pedophiles to do more exorcisms. Jobs, jobs, jobs, even the fucked up catholic church needs to find jobs to keep these pedophiles employed.

[The abyss]

26. Always nice to hear that the religiously insane are still with us

Film chic
<>

film graphic
<>

Reality
<>

http://indepthafrica.com/news/westafrica/inside-west-africas-witch-camps

[4saken]

27. The closest thing to a job at Hogwarts...

[Hestia]

30. Hogwarts? They don't have a staff exorcist. It seems that parents have

exorcists come in when the kids get to an age to question what mommy and daddy believe in, or the kid starts sassing back or other forms of pre-teen and teen behavior. The parents can't handle it, so it *must* be a demon. How many children have been killed due to exorcisms? Dumbledore and McGonagal would never stand for that behavior at Hogwarts.

[Mz Pip]

28. Yes, it's such a good idea

to keep all that 9th century mythology alive. :eyes:

[Smarmie Doofus]

29. Leave Lucifer alone! Leave him ALONE!!!

Speaking of "holy", since when did become "holy" to publicly BASH some one who's going thru a hard time??!!????!!!!!


I MEAN it.

[dbt]

32. Ah, the smell of typical DU snark in the evening.

:eyes:

[donco6]

36. If this isn't worthy of snark, ain't nothin' worthy of snark.

I mean, really. EXORCISM? You're really going to complain about people making fun of EXORCISM? What legitimate role could this ridiculous practice POSSIBLY play?

[L. Coyote]

37. Thank you

You will be blessed for your kindness in the afterlife :rofl:

[dbt]

38. Y'all are *such* fun.

Thank you SO much!

:loveya:

[truthisfreedom]

33. Why is it only Catholics get possessed?

I'm just askin'.

[dflprincess]

44. We're not

other religions have exorcism rights - or did. The Catholic Church seems to be the only one that continues to advertise this "service". I think the book & movie helped plant the idea that it's just a Catholic delusion.

It would make for a great infomercial "Unruly child? Maybe it's not just those teenage hormones that have taken over...."

[Ian David]

34. I find your lack of faith disturbing...

[boppers]

40. *snort*

Apparently, raping children hasn't done enough to destroy their credibility.

[struggle4progress]

41. ... The purpose is not necessarily to revive the practice, the organizers say, but to help Catholic

clergy members learn how to distinguish who really needs an exorcism from who really needs a psychiatrist, or perhaps some pastoral care. “Not everyone who thinks they need an exorcism actually does need one,” said Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of Springfield, Ill., who organized the conference ...
For Catholics, Interest in Exorcism Is Revived
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: November 12, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/13/us/13exorcism.html?_r=1

... Thomas is pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Saratoga, Calif., and the official exorcist for the Diocese of San Jose. According to Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Ill., who is helping to organize the Baltimore conference, Thomas is one of only five or six active exorcists in the U.S. Last year, Thomas wrote to 121 Catholic bishops and 41 seminary rectors, urging them to train more priests in exorcism ... So, why haven't more bishops appointed exorcists? "Because they do not believe in them," Thomas answered ...
American exorcist plies his lonely trade
DANIEL BURKE • Religion News Services
Posted: Saturday, November 13, 2010 12:00 am
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/article_24031ead-9f29-5cfe-aac6-092e1e44b8ce.html

[lunasun]

42. Attention Catholics - now you know what else your money

envelopes go to....... besides giving long 'vacations' and relocation packages to harbored pedophiles.....

[struggle4progress]

46. You don't seem to be able to think very clearly about this topic:

about 1/2 % of the Catholic clergy in the country attended a conference which, according to the links I provided, is mostly devoted to recognizing cases in which parishioners need psychiatric help or pastoral counseling, the organizers pointing out explicitly that large numbers of Catholic bishops don't believe in exorcism -- and your reaction is to screech pedophiles!

[AlbertCat]

48. and your reaction is to screech pedophiles!

Word association...



black
white


up
down


male
female


winter
snow


happy
sad


hors d'oeuvre
entree

Catholic clergy
pedophile

[struggle4progress]

53. Whatever you think, your bigotry doesn't recommend you,

[AtheistCrusader]

55. Not one single human on this planet has ever needed an exorcism.

Not one. Nada. Zippo. Zilch.

[MrModerate]

51. Even if they're in the minority, the fact that senior catholic leaders . . .

*ask* whether an exorcism is "necessary" pretty much confirms that they shouldn't be listened to on any topic whatsoever.

[trotsky]

58. Do you think people can be possessed by demons?

Or some other kind of evil spirit?

[muriel_volestrangler]

60. How about completing those quotes you cut off with a '...'?

First one:

"... It’s only used in those cases where the Devil is involved in an extraordinary sort of way in terms of actually being in possession of the person.

“But it’s rare, it’s extraordinary, so the use of exorcism is also rare and extraordinary,” he said. “But we have to be prepared.”

So, the organizer does believe the Devil possesses people, and that exorcism is sometimes necessary. He's not saying "they think they are possessed"; this senior member of the Roman Catholic church really believes people do get possessed.

From the second quote you cut off:

..."In my opinion, then, they should not be bishops."

After all, salvation through Jesus is necessary because Satan tempted Adam and Eve to eat a very unfortunate apple, Thomas said, thus bringing sin and evil into the world. Without Satan, the salvation story falls apart, the priest said.

So the official exorcist for the Diocese of San Jose is calling for bishops who don't think possession by the Devil is real to be sacked.

[trotsky]

61. Nice work. n/t

[skepticscott]

62. Surely you didn't expect our friend

to put things in CONTEXT or anything? He's very much against that, right? Oh, wait.....

[struggle4progress]

63. Meh. NYT quotes President Richard Vega of the National Federation of Priests’ Councils, as saying

“My immediate reaction was to say, why?” He said that he had not heard of any requests for exorcisms and that the topic had not come up in the notes of meetings from councils of priests in various dioceses and points out further There is plenty of cynicism among American Catholics — even among priests — about exorcism ... A person who claims to be possessed must be evaluated by doctors to rule out a mental or physical illness, according to Vatican guidelines

See:
For Catholics, Interest in Exorcism Is Revived
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: November 12, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/13/us/13exorcism.html?_r=1

So, despite your disapproval, my quotes made an accurate and honest point: the Catholics will not be rushing people into exorcisms, and plenty of Catholics are skeptical about the wholoe topic anyway. Of course, it's a large instititution, and a variety of views are represented within it

[trotsky]

65. Does the National Federation of Priests' Councils...

set official Catholic policy?

No?

Hah, you were busted taking quotes out of context and now you're grasping at straws. Lovin' it.

[AlbertCat]

47. Can't they outsource to Sri Lanka?

[MrModerate]

50. There's a "shortage of priests who can perform the rite" because . . .

There's a shortage of priests, period. What with the ones currently under felony indictment and the fact that most of their potential candidates still feel a need to live a reality-based existence, the pond is getting pretty shallow.

Thankfully.

[earcandle]

52. P'd say they were sick puppies.. yep.

[AtheistCrusader]

54. Oh shit THOR IS COMING

Oh, that's just the rain. Whew, that was a close one.

[Walk away]

56. The catholic church is the Sarah Palin of religion! .. ..nt

[sarcasmo]

59. Thanks for the laugh, funny stuff.

[backscatter712]

66. Here's someone who looks like he could use an exorcism...