Demon possession/oppression
Moderators: Johnna, MarieT, Denise
Demon possession/oppression
I would like some good books on demon possession and other such related topics. Any ideas? I have already read Fr. Amorths first two books.
Jeni, this Msgr. Balducci is the Vatican's Chief Exorcist and the link below is the lowest price on the net I can find. There are more books by him, I have this one and it is informative. There is another one by another priest and when i remember the name of it I will post it.
http://www.cokesbury.com/?pid=0818905867&vsl=0001
Denise
http://www.cokesbury.com/?pid=0818905867&vsl=0001
Denise
Last edited by Denise on Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Devil - 3782... $8.50, Detailed Description. THE DEVIL Does He Exist and What Does He Do? By Father Delaporte of the Society of Mercy ... What is exorcism? Is possession rare? ...
http://www.discountcatholicstore.com/cg ... n&key=0083
http://www.discountcatholicstore.com/cg ... n&key=0083
-
KevinSymonds
- Posts: 887
- Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:38 am
I just purchased a book by Tracy Wilkinson called "The Vatican's Exorcists." It sounded like a good book.
I highly recommend "Interview with an Exorcist" published by St. Joseph Communications. Now THAT is a good DVD and book. If for no other reason than its balance, it finally put a lot of charismatics to shame for their flawed theology. I speak of the teaching, "As long as you are in the state of Grace, the devil can't touch you."
Sobering thought but even Saints have been possessed while living holy lives.
Read the book or watch the DVD to find out more.
Peace!
-Kevin
I highly recommend "Interview with an Exorcist" published by St. Joseph Communications. Now THAT is a good DVD and book. If for no other reason than its balance, it finally put a lot of charismatics to shame for their flawed theology. I speak of the teaching, "As long as you are in the state of Grace, the devil can't touch you."
Sobering thought but even Saints have been possessed while living holy lives.
Read the book or watch the DVD to find out more.
Peace!
-Kevin
MarcJR wrote:Have look at these two books too
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/089870 ... e&n=283155
welcome backkkkk BEARRRRRRRRRRRR!!! where have you beeeeen??
great to see you posting again.
pax et bonum
marie
"He who followeth Me, walketh not in darkness." sayeth the Lord
Fr. LeBar is an exorcist; I have a book or two by him. This is an interesting interview with Q&A If I were some of these people asking questions of this sort, I believe I would pick a different name than some of these have chosen. Good grief.
Transcript
Court TV/TIME Host: Have you seen the movie The Exorcist? Now's your chance to talk to a real exorcist. That's right -- not a movie version. His name is Father James LeBar. By the way, for those of you who would like to read a bit about exorcisms and Father LeBar, take a look at this recent article in TIME. He's also been on Court TV a number of times in the last few weeks.
Court TV/TIME Host: Father LeBar is here. Welcome Father LeBar.
honey_crash asks: How many reported exorcisms have there been in the 20th century?
Father James LeBar: It's really hard to know. Each diocese keeps its own records. So all I can speak of is the Archdiocese of New York, and I was told that when I began this work, there hadn't been a single one in about 30 years.
Court TV/TIME Host: So, the movie "The Exorcist" encouraged real exorcisms?
Father James LeBar: The movie came out in 1973, and it scared a lot of people. Some came to understand the problem. Some were frightened, and some scoffed at the whole idea. But the fact of the matter is, The Exorcist movie was based on a 1949 case and is extremely accurate in its portrayal of what can happen in this situation.
warhorse46 asks: When & how did you get interested in doing exorcisms?
Father James LeBar: Well, I don't know if the right word is "interested," but in the early 1970s I was asked to become part of the Office of Communications of the Archdiocese, and one of the things that was given to me was the emerging problem of the pseudo-religious cults and their affect on young people. From the cult cases it wasn't hard to jump, some years later, to the occult.
babygurl_82f asks: What's involved in exorcism?
bad_sc_girl asks: What exactly do you do in an exorcism?
Father James LeBar: What is involved in the exorcism is basically prayer. The rite of exorcism consists in four different blocks of prayer. Two other elements dealt with diabolical manifestations. And so as we proceed through an exorcism, people are standing by to assist the person or perhaps restrain them, keep them in the chair they're sitting in, get them some water to drink, or whatever. Since exorcism is a prayer, as well as a command, of the devil to manifest himself, that manifestation very often comes about because of the devil's anger.
matthew_ab2000 asks: How many exorcisms have you performed?
Father James LeBar: Since 1995 my team of three priests and I average about 20-25 a year.
homer_2_k asks: Are you scared sometimes before doing an exorcism?
dazermaaannn asks: Do you ever become scared when working?
Father James LeBar: Well basically I've never been afraid of anything, because I feel I'm doing what God wants me to do, as seen through appointment by the Archbishop. And therefore my basic reaction has always been, to quote a TV personality some years ago, "I'm just doing my job ma'am."
joeysmith_98 asks: Have any of your exorcisms failed?
sillygrl21_99 asks: Did all of them work? If not what happened to the people?
Father James LeBar: Well, no exorcism fails unless the priest just quits and doesn't do anymore. Many seem to fail but actually are more properly called "incomplete," meaning that we have to go back several times before the job is finished.
syren3001 asks: Does the movie The Exorcist accurately depict what exorcisms are like when they occur?
Father James LeBar: Generally speaking, movies like "The Exorcist" portray exorcism as they appear in the world today. It is not a literal rendition of just one case, but is based on a 1949 situation, when, after praying the rite of exorcism, the victim of the accident or the injury, was 100% healed.
pauli1044 asks: Is a person with a serious mental illness considered to be possessed by a demon or demons?
Father James LeBar: In most cases, people with serious mental illness are not at all possessed by the demon. They may be seriously battered by the demons, they may act in ways that look like possession, but in most cases that's more of a deception, or an attempt at deception of the treatment team. To treat the mental illness, as we treat exorcism, there would be no results at all, no good results. Mental illness needs to be treated as a mental illness, not a spiritual malady.
Court TV/TIME Host: Here's someone with a follow-up to the question about when the exorcism appears not to work the first time...
a_Songbird35 asks: Why "incomplete," Father...are they released, or doomed?
Father James LeBar: The devil as a fallen angel has great abilities and can therefore can be very stubborn, disobedient, and any other words you want to throw in there. Sometimes the stubbornness is to throw the exorcist into confusion and discouragement. Other times an attempt to wear out the exorcist. So sometimes great manifestations happen, other times none do. Sometimes we have great expressions of mental illness, other times no signs at all. The goal here is confusion of people treating the person.
boberrybisquit asks: Have you ever seen someone levitate like in the movie?
Father James LeBar: If the devil were to make people levitate, the way its shown in "The Exorcist," movie I think everyone would be so scared that the devil's purpose would be totally frustrated. I myself have never seen a major levitation in the course of an exorcism. However, in one case in the preliminary investigation, I had a person who rose up above the pews of the church and was suspended there for a few minutes.
babygurl_82f asks: What's the weirdest/scariest case or situation you dealt with?
Father James LeBar: Well, in one sense none of them are scary, and from another point of view all of them are scary. But I think the most unusual one I had was where I was told there were several sets of demons that would leave at certain times. Not knowing whether the devil is his usual lying self or not, priests continue the exorcism anyway, and sometimes it happens just as was foretold. Other times you sort of have to look back to say "Oh yeah, that did happen after all." So I suppose if you want to use that word "scary," the scariest part of this work is trying to determine whether the devil is lying or not.
paulrhea asks: What are the criteria for determining when a person is possessed as opposed to suffering illness?
Father James LeBar: It's kind of hard to say exactly. Today we try to disprove the presence of mental illness before we look into exorcism. Sometimes we find both, and other times we find no diabolical interference.
marilynrose19 asks: When you exorcise, are you worried that you will become possessed?
Father James LeBar: Simple answer there: Never. I realize it could happen, but since I am doing the work of the Lord, at the request of the bishop, in this case Cardinal O'Connor, years ago, I trust in the Lord completely, and so, I'm not worried.
samantha_caine_aka_charly asks: Father LeBar, is it true the Pope did a recent exorcism at the Vatican or elsewhere?
Psychedelic_Rooster asks: Has the Holy Father ever performed a exorcism?
Father James LeBar: It has been reported that the Holy Father has done at least three exorcisms since he's been Pope. Recently, I believe it was September 6. At the conclusion of the weekly audience, as the Pope was giving the blessing to the people, there was an eruption and a loud source of confusion, and a woman was unable to be restrained by a number of security people. They brought her apart from the group, and eventually got her into one of the Vatican rooms. The Pope came in, prayed with her for about 20 minutes, after having summoned his own exorcist, Father Gabriele Amorth. They prayed for about 20 minutes and the woman was able to go home. Father Amorth and a bishop continued the exorcism the next day, and Father Amorth was greeted with a taunt from the devil: "What are you doing here? Why have you come? Your boss was here yesterday and could do nothing, so what do you think you can do?" There's the source of the allegation that the Pope couldn't do anything, but in fact the Pope did very much help in the situation for he calmed the woman down, kept the demons at bay so that the woman could rejoin her husband and go home. So there you are. The Pope did his part. He didn't fail, but he didn't complete it. Father Amorth will have to do that later.
halfshellheroes asks: Does the person's voice really change completely like in the movie?
Father James LeBar: Very much so. I have heard the voice of an ancient person, a woman, a child, a man, all coming from the same person on different occasions.
FirestarterG99 asks: When a person is possessed, is their physical appearance changed at all?
Father James LeBar: Because of the stress and strain that goes on, there is often change in appearance of the face, in the rigidity of a person and that generally disappears after awhile.
shergar22 asks: How do you know when you are successful and a demon has left?
jenni_parker_uk asks: Do you ever see the devil leave?
Father James LeBar: No, I have never seen the devil leave. We know that he leaves because he gives us a pre-selected sign of his departure. As the demon is interrogated at the beginning of the ritual, the priest asks him to state his name and the date and hour of his departure, along with, as we mentioned, some sign.
Court TV/TIME_Host: What is that sign?
Father James LeBar: The sign of departure can vary. In one exorcism the windows would open and it looked like the devil flew out. On one occasion it was a great noise, in another situation the woman relaxed completely and slipped onto the floor and slept for a bit.
Casanova_F asks: Do you charge to perform an exorcism?
warhorse46 asks: Does the Church charge a fee for exorcisms?
Father James LeBar: There is never any charge for an exorcism, and anyone who would charge, should be looked at suspiciously. We don't want to make money off the Devil. In many situations, however, a particular diocese may pay the transportation of the visiting exorcist and cover some other expenses, but, and I can only speak for myself and my associates, we go wherever we're needed, regardless of any inability to meet the cost. ctv_comment: Here's a kind of follow-up to the questions about knowing whether spirits have really been exorcised...
odeathoflife asks: Have you ever been fooled by a person?
Father James LeBar: Well, fooled is a relative term. The devil is a master of deceit and often tries to deceive us into thinking he's not there. We've had a few cases to determine whether an exorcism would be necessary, and it turned out it wouldn't be.
marilynrose19 asks: Is Catholicism the only religion that performs exorcisms?
Father James LeBar: No, the Catholic Church is not the only church that performs exorcisms. The Anglican Church does, the Episcopalian church does. There are some fundamentalists, evangelicals, and charismatics that do. Only a priest specifically appointed by his diocese may perform an exorcism.
slate83 asks: How do you know if someone is demon-possessed?
takakotsuji asks: What are the first sings when somebody is possessed?
tinkerbell04us asks: How do you know if you need an exorcism?
Father James LeBar: People are looking for my trade secrets? Basically we look for unusual behavior which is not in accordance with good citizenship. We look for an aversion to holy things, and a general aversion to going near a Catholic church or anything that is holy. Many times, people with mental illness have similar symptoms, but without the aversion to things sacred, without the fear of meeting up with God or his representative, you have a lot of paranoid people with mental illness, whose actions may resemble someone who is possessed.
kimberleah_01 asks: how does one become possessed?
sillygrl21_99 asks: How do you become possessed? I mean, do you have to like open the doors of Hell or something? How can demons just enter your body one day?
Father James LeBar: Well, for someone to get possessed, they have to give up God. However some of our greatest saints have been tormented by the Devil but never given in to his taunts and torments. The primary way that a devil does possess someone is that they find someone who has opened the door to evil, and then they try to destroy things in that fashion.
Casanova_F asks: When was your last exorcism?
Father James LeBar: The last exorcism I did was about 10 days ago.
himynameischristina44706 asks: Can a person become possessed again after you cast out the demon
Father James LeBar: Well, if you read the gospels, he goes around looking for a place to go. If he doesn't find a place, he goes back to where he started to see if anything has changed. If nothing has changed to cause him not to want to go there, he might easily return and bring with him seven others.
scooby200021821 asks: If a person is not really possessed can an exorcism hurt them?
Father James LeBar: Exorcism is basically a series of prayers. If the exorcism ritual is used, and no devil is present, then theoretically nothing should happen. But once in awhile the devil sees it as an invitation, and he moves in to give the exorcist what he's looking for, some activity. But for the most part if the devil is not present, he doesn't manifest himself.
delicious_blond asks: In an age that is becoming more shaped by science and metaphysics, how can you make us believe your so-called exorcisms are not a scare tactic to keep people hooked into Catholicism?
Father James LeBar: Well, first of all I can't make anybody do anything. Human society works on the basis of truth, accuracy and honesty. There is certainly no doubt that people can be deceptive, even to the point of fooling many people, but it's an interesting thing here -- and that is that the devil does not like to be outdone in his deceptions. Consequently, if there are deceptions practiced by someone trying to make someone believe the Devil is there when he's not, it might just happen that way. I think in closing we might borrow the words of Franz Werfel, who wrote The Song of Bernadette, about Lourdes. Somewhere, I believe towards the end of the book: "For those who believe, no proof is necessary, for those who don't believe, no proof is possible." I believe this is true when we talk of the Devil. The only difference is: the Devil will sometimes object to being ignored and will come on with a vengeance.
Court TV/TIME Host: Thank you very much, Father LeBar, for joining us today.
Father James LeBar: Thanks for much for the opportunity to educate, inspire, and motivate participants in good things instead of bad. Perhaps some will have a new appreciation of the evil work of the Devil.
Transcript
Court TV/TIME Host: Have you seen the movie The Exorcist? Now's your chance to talk to a real exorcist. That's right -- not a movie version. His name is Father James LeBar. By the way, for those of you who would like to read a bit about exorcisms and Father LeBar, take a look at this recent article in TIME. He's also been on Court TV a number of times in the last few weeks.
Court TV/TIME Host: Father LeBar is here. Welcome Father LeBar.
honey_crash asks: How many reported exorcisms have there been in the 20th century?
Father James LeBar: It's really hard to know. Each diocese keeps its own records. So all I can speak of is the Archdiocese of New York, and I was told that when I began this work, there hadn't been a single one in about 30 years.
Court TV/TIME Host: So, the movie "The Exorcist" encouraged real exorcisms?
Father James LeBar: The movie came out in 1973, and it scared a lot of people. Some came to understand the problem. Some were frightened, and some scoffed at the whole idea. But the fact of the matter is, The Exorcist movie was based on a 1949 case and is extremely accurate in its portrayal of what can happen in this situation.
warhorse46 asks: When & how did you get interested in doing exorcisms?
Father James LeBar: Well, I don't know if the right word is "interested," but in the early 1970s I was asked to become part of the Office of Communications of the Archdiocese, and one of the things that was given to me was the emerging problem of the pseudo-religious cults and their affect on young people. From the cult cases it wasn't hard to jump, some years later, to the occult.
babygurl_82f asks: What's involved in exorcism?
bad_sc_girl asks: What exactly do you do in an exorcism?
Father James LeBar: What is involved in the exorcism is basically prayer. The rite of exorcism consists in four different blocks of prayer. Two other elements dealt with diabolical manifestations. And so as we proceed through an exorcism, people are standing by to assist the person or perhaps restrain them, keep them in the chair they're sitting in, get them some water to drink, or whatever. Since exorcism is a prayer, as well as a command, of the devil to manifest himself, that manifestation very often comes about because of the devil's anger.
matthew_ab2000 asks: How many exorcisms have you performed?
Father James LeBar: Since 1995 my team of three priests and I average about 20-25 a year.
homer_2_k asks: Are you scared sometimes before doing an exorcism?
dazermaaannn asks: Do you ever become scared when working?
Father James LeBar: Well basically I've never been afraid of anything, because I feel I'm doing what God wants me to do, as seen through appointment by the Archbishop. And therefore my basic reaction has always been, to quote a TV personality some years ago, "I'm just doing my job ma'am."
joeysmith_98 asks: Have any of your exorcisms failed?
sillygrl21_99 asks: Did all of them work? If not what happened to the people?
Father James LeBar: Well, no exorcism fails unless the priest just quits and doesn't do anymore. Many seem to fail but actually are more properly called "incomplete," meaning that we have to go back several times before the job is finished.
syren3001 asks: Does the movie The Exorcist accurately depict what exorcisms are like when they occur?
Father James LeBar: Generally speaking, movies like "The Exorcist" portray exorcism as they appear in the world today. It is not a literal rendition of just one case, but is based on a 1949 situation, when, after praying the rite of exorcism, the victim of the accident or the injury, was 100% healed.
pauli1044 asks: Is a person with a serious mental illness considered to be possessed by a demon or demons?
Father James LeBar: In most cases, people with serious mental illness are not at all possessed by the demon. They may be seriously battered by the demons, they may act in ways that look like possession, but in most cases that's more of a deception, or an attempt at deception of the treatment team. To treat the mental illness, as we treat exorcism, there would be no results at all, no good results. Mental illness needs to be treated as a mental illness, not a spiritual malady.
Court TV/TIME Host: Here's someone with a follow-up to the question about when the exorcism appears not to work the first time...
a_Songbird35 asks: Why "incomplete," Father...are they released, or doomed?
Father James LeBar: The devil as a fallen angel has great abilities and can therefore can be very stubborn, disobedient, and any other words you want to throw in there. Sometimes the stubbornness is to throw the exorcist into confusion and discouragement. Other times an attempt to wear out the exorcist. So sometimes great manifestations happen, other times none do. Sometimes we have great expressions of mental illness, other times no signs at all. The goal here is confusion of people treating the person.
boberrybisquit asks: Have you ever seen someone levitate like in the movie?
Father James LeBar: If the devil were to make people levitate, the way its shown in "The Exorcist," movie I think everyone would be so scared that the devil's purpose would be totally frustrated. I myself have never seen a major levitation in the course of an exorcism. However, in one case in the preliminary investigation, I had a person who rose up above the pews of the church and was suspended there for a few minutes.
babygurl_82f asks: What's the weirdest/scariest case or situation you dealt with?
Father James LeBar: Well, in one sense none of them are scary, and from another point of view all of them are scary. But I think the most unusual one I had was where I was told there were several sets of demons that would leave at certain times. Not knowing whether the devil is his usual lying self or not, priests continue the exorcism anyway, and sometimes it happens just as was foretold. Other times you sort of have to look back to say "Oh yeah, that did happen after all." So I suppose if you want to use that word "scary," the scariest part of this work is trying to determine whether the devil is lying or not.
paulrhea asks: What are the criteria for determining when a person is possessed as opposed to suffering illness?
Father James LeBar: It's kind of hard to say exactly. Today we try to disprove the presence of mental illness before we look into exorcism. Sometimes we find both, and other times we find no diabolical interference.
marilynrose19 asks: When you exorcise, are you worried that you will become possessed?
Father James LeBar: Simple answer there: Never. I realize it could happen, but since I am doing the work of the Lord, at the request of the bishop, in this case Cardinal O'Connor, years ago, I trust in the Lord completely, and so, I'm not worried.
samantha_caine_aka_charly asks: Father LeBar, is it true the Pope did a recent exorcism at the Vatican or elsewhere?
Psychedelic_Rooster asks: Has the Holy Father ever performed a exorcism?
Father James LeBar: It has been reported that the Holy Father has done at least three exorcisms since he's been Pope. Recently, I believe it was September 6. At the conclusion of the weekly audience, as the Pope was giving the blessing to the people, there was an eruption and a loud source of confusion, and a woman was unable to be restrained by a number of security people. They brought her apart from the group, and eventually got her into one of the Vatican rooms. The Pope came in, prayed with her for about 20 minutes, after having summoned his own exorcist, Father Gabriele Amorth. They prayed for about 20 minutes and the woman was able to go home. Father Amorth and a bishop continued the exorcism the next day, and Father Amorth was greeted with a taunt from the devil: "What are you doing here? Why have you come? Your boss was here yesterday and could do nothing, so what do you think you can do?" There's the source of the allegation that the Pope couldn't do anything, but in fact the Pope did very much help in the situation for he calmed the woman down, kept the demons at bay so that the woman could rejoin her husband and go home. So there you are. The Pope did his part. He didn't fail, but he didn't complete it. Father Amorth will have to do that later.
halfshellheroes asks: Does the person's voice really change completely like in the movie?
Father James LeBar: Very much so. I have heard the voice of an ancient person, a woman, a child, a man, all coming from the same person on different occasions.
FirestarterG99 asks: When a person is possessed, is their physical appearance changed at all?
Father James LeBar: Because of the stress and strain that goes on, there is often change in appearance of the face, in the rigidity of a person and that generally disappears after awhile.
shergar22 asks: How do you know when you are successful and a demon has left?
jenni_parker_uk asks: Do you ever see the devil leave?
Father James LeBar: No, I have never seen the devil leave. We know that he leaves because he gives us a pre-selected sign of his departure. As the demon is interrogated at the beginning of the ritual, the priest asks him to state his name and the date and hour of his departure, along with, as we mentioned, some sign.
Court TV/TIME_Host: What is that sign?
Father James LeBar: The sign of departure can vary. In one exorcism the windows would open and it looked like the devil flew out. On one occasion it was a great noise, in another situation the woman relaxed completely and slipped onto the floor and slept for a bit.
Casanova_F asks: Do you charge to perform an exorcism?
warhorse46 asks: Does the Church charge a fee for exorcisms?
Father James LeBar: There is never any charge for an exorcism, and anyone who would charge, should be looked at suspiciously. We don't want to make money off the Devil. In many situations, however, a particular diocese may pay the transportation of the visiting exorcist and cover some other expenses, but, and I can only speak for myself and my associates, we go wherever we're needed, regardless of any inability to meet the cost. ctv_comment: Here's a kind of follow-up to the questions about knowing whether spirits have really been exorcised...
odeathoflife asks: Have you ever been fooled by a person?
Father James LeBar: Well, fooled is a relative term. The devil is a master of deceit and often tries to deceive us into thinking he's not there. We've had a few cases to determine whether an exorcism would be necessary, and it turned out it wouldn't be.
marilynrose19 asks: Is Catholicism the only religion that performs exorcisms?
Father James LeBar: No, the Catholic Church is not the only church that performs exorcisms. The Anglican Church does, the Episcopalian church does. There are some fundamentalists, evangelicals, and charismatics that do. Only a priest specifically appointed by his diocese may perform an exorcism.
slate83 asks: How do you know if someone is demon-possessed?
takakotsuji asks: What are the first sings when somebody is possessed?
tinkerbell04us asks: How do you know if you need an exorcism?
Father James LeBar: People are looking for my trade secrets? Basically we look for unusual behavior which is not in accordance with good citizenship. We look for an aversion to holy things, and a general aversion to going near a Catholic church or anything that is holy. Many times, people with mental illness have similar symptoms, but without the aversion to things sacred, without the fear of meeting up with God or his representative, you have a lot of paranoid people with mental illness, whose actions may resemble someone who is possessed.
kimberleah_01 asks: how does one become possessed?
sillygrl21_99 asks: How do you become possessed? I mean, do you have to like open the doors of Hell or something? How can demons just enter your body one day?
Father James LeBar: Well, for someone to get possessed, they have to give up God. However some of our greatest saints have been tormented by the Devil but never given in to his taunts and torments. The primary way that a devil does possess someone is that they find someone who has opened the door to evil, and then they try to destroy things in that fashion.
Casanova_F asks: When was your last exorcism?
Father James LeBar: The last exorcism I did was about 10 days ago.
himynameischristina44706 asks: Can a person become possessed again after you cast out the demon
Father James LeBar: Well, if you read the gospels, he goes around looking for a place to go. If he doesn't find a place, he goes back to where he started to see if anything has changed. If nothing has changed to cause him not to want to go there, he might easily return and bring with him seven others.
scooby200021821 asks: If a person is not really possessed can an exorcism hurt them?
Father James LeBar: Exorcism is basically a series of prayers. If the exorcism ritual is used, and no devil is present, then theoretically nothing should happen. But once in awhile the devil sees it as an invitation, and he moves in to give the exorcist what he's looking for, some activity. But for the most part if the devil is not present, he doesn't manifest himself.
delicious_blond asks: In an age that is becoming more shaped by science and metaphysics, how can you make us believe your so-called exorcisms are not a scare tactic to keep people hooked into Catholicism?
Father James LeBar: Well, first of all I can't make anybody do anything. Human society works on the basis of truth, accuracy and honesty. There is certainly no doubt that people can be deceptive, even to the point of fooling many people, but it's an interesting thing here -- and that is that the devil does not like to be outdone in his deceptions. Consequently, if there are deceptions practiced by someone trying to make someone believe the Devil is there when he's not, it might just happen that way. I think in closing we might borrow the words of Franz Werfel, who wrote The Song of Bernadette, about Lourdes. Somewhere, I believe towards the end of the book: "For those who believe, no proof is necessary, for those who don't believe, no proof is possible." I believe this is true when we talk of the Devil. The only difference is: the Devil will sometimes object to being ignored and will come on with a vengeance.
Court TV/TIME Host: Thank you very much, Father LeBar, for joining us today.
Father James LeBar: Thanks for much for the opportunity to educate, inspire, and motivate participants in good things instead of bad. Perhaps some will have a new appreciation of the evil work of the Devil.
Devotion to the souls in Purgatory contains in itself all the works of mercy, which supernaturalized by a spirit of faith, should merit us Heaven. de Sales
I have this book
The Devil And How To Resist Him
Author: Fr. Gerald Vann
Devil and How to Resist Him
More Details:
ISBN 0-918477-61-1
Manufacturer: Sophia Institute Press
Date: 1957
Pages: 166
The book that the Devil doesn’t want you to read. . .because it shows you how to recognize his temptations. . . and successfully resist them.
The Devil shows that Satan is a very real person bent on your damnation. Are you prepared to resist his attacks?
While most people aren’t possessed — or even harassed by Old Scratch the way some saints have been — the Devil does try to gain power over everyone’s soul (including yours)! This book explores the one time that he revealed himself long enough to let you study his usual plan of attack, and give you sure ways to counter it.
You need this information now if you’re going to fend off the Devil’s next attack. Until you have it, you’re vulnerable . . . especially to the dangerously subtle methods he uses against people like you, who know the Devil exists and are already on guard. The wisdom here will quickly strengthen you in your struggles against evil in all its forms.
About the Devil:
* How he often twists Scripture to serve his own evil purposes
* Why it’s foolhardy to deny his existence or to downplay his power to tempt you
* How he uses your resistance to temptation to make his temptations more effective
About Christ:
* How He reveals His love for you in permitting you to be tempted
* How His loneliness in the desert can comfort you in your loneliness
* How His responses to Satan show you how to respond to the temptations Satan places before you
About your own temptations:
* Why absence of temptation is more dangerous to your soul than temptation itself
* Why you need not grow discouraged in your struggle against strong temptations
* How to tell which temptations you must resist and which ones you must simply flee
The Devil And How To Resist Him
Author: Fr. Gerald Vann
Devil and How to Resist Him
More Details:
ISBN 0-918477-61-1
Manufacturer: Sophia Institute Press
Date: 1957
Pages: 166
The book that the Devil doesn’t want you to read. . .because it shows you how to recognize his temptations. . . and successfully resist them.
The Devil shows that Satan is a very real person bent on your damnation. Are you prepared to resist his attacks?
While most people aren’t possessed — or even harassed by Old Scratch the way some saints have been — the Devil does try to gain power over everyone’s soul (including yours)! This book explores the one time that he revealed himself long enough to let you study his usual plan of attack, and give you sure ways to counter it.
You need this information now if you’re going to fend off the Devil’s next attack. Until you have it, you’re vulnerable . . . especially to the dangerously subtle methods he uses against people like you, who know the Devil exists and are already on guard. The wisdom here will quickly strengthen you in your struggles against evil in all its forms.
About the Devil:
* How he often twists Scripture to serve his own evil purposes
* Why it’s foolhardy to deny his existence or to downplay his power to tempt you
* How he uses your resistance to temptation to make his temptations more effective
About Christ:
* How He reveals His love for you in permitting you to be tempted
* How His loneliness in the desert can comfort you in your loneliness
* How His responses to Satan show you how to respond to the temptations Satan places before you
About your own temptations:
* Why absence of temptation is more dangerous to your soul than temptation itself
* Why you need not grow discouraged in your struggle against strong temptations
* How to tell which temptations you must resist and which ones you must simply flee
Devotion to the souls in Purgatory contains in itself all the works of mercy, which supernaturalized by a spirit of faith, should merit us Heaven. de Sales