Exorcisms

53. Notion and division. By the name exorcism is signified an imperative adjuration of the devil.

It is distinguished: a. into solemn exorcism, which is done for expelling devils, and simple exorcism, which is done only for restraining the power of the devil, lest he harm persons or things.

b. Into public exorcism, which is done by the ministers of the Church in the name and authority of the Church, and private exorcism, which is done in the proper name of the one exorcising.

Exorcism is properly directed against the devil, who is imperatively adjured to depart from possessed bodies; but sometimes it is also directed toward persons or things, as toward harmful animals, water, salt, lest they themselves or their use harm men. For since all creatures, even irrational ones, are subject to the curse of sin and therefore to the power of the devil, the Church by simple exorcism everywhere repels the devil and prohibits his influence.

54. Assertions. 1. Solemn exorcism can be performed only by priests of the Church, and this with the express permission of the Ordinary presupposed: for it is performed in the name of the Church; but the Church prohibits any priest, whether secular or regular, from doing this without permission.

a. Clerics receive the power of exorcising through the order of exorcist; but their power is impeded, because according to the present discipline of the Church they cannot use it: for it is not permitted to perform a solemn exorcism without special permission; but this permission, for preventing abuses, is not granted except to priests.

b. The formula of solemn exorcism is contained in the Roman Ritual (tit. X, c. 1), where there are also precepts to be observed in the use of solemn exorcism. It is provided there (n. 14) that the exorcist not mingle curious and useless conversations with the possessing devil; nevertheless to make one or another useless question does not exceed venial sin.

c. The universal law which requires the permission of the bishop is this: No one can lawfully utter exorcisms over the possessed unless he has obtained a special and express permission from the Ordinary. This is not to be granted except to a priest endowed with piety, prudence, and integrity of life. Cn. 1151.

2. Solemn exorcism is not to be employed unless the fact of possession is certainly evident. Cn. 1151, 2.

a. Although the fact of demoniacal possession cannot be denied without the sin of heresy because of the testimony of the Gospels, nevertheless this must be conceded, that possessions in our time are much rarer; indeed, several phenomena which in antiquity were held as signs of possession must be attributed not to the devil but to natural illnesses. Wherefore in judging facts of possession great caution and discretion are needed.

b. The Roman Ritual (n. 3) lists these signs of possession: "to speak in an unknown tongue with several words or to understand one speaking; to disclose distant and hidden things; to show strength above the nature of one's age or condition, and other things of this kind"; yet these and things of this kind are not certain signs of possession, but, as the Ritual itself warns, certain indications which are greater as more of them occur together: for there are natural illnesses, especially hysteria and demonomania, in which phenomena of this kind are observed.¹ In doubt about the fact of possession, it is useful to consult a skilled and thoroughly Catholic physician, who does not reject a priori the very fact of possession.

c. Although probability of possession of itself suffices for licitly performing an exorcism, nevertheless now it must be employed only when moral certitude exists. This is required both by scandal, which today is more easily apt to arise because of the mockeries of the impious, and by the welfare of the one to be exorcised, whom exorcism, especially more frequent exorcism, could greatly harm if he is in reality laboring only from a natural illness;² and the cited canon also requires this.

3. Simple exorcism can be performed by all having power for this, that is, by priests; and absolutely it could be performed also by exorcists, unless the present discipline of the Church stood in the way.

An exorcism of this kind is, for example, that which occurs in the rite of baptizing or of confecting blessed water.

4. Private exorcism can be performed by all the faithful: for to avert temptations or vexations of the devil, anyone can command the devil through God or through Jesus Christ not to harm himself or others.

The effect of this exorcism is not derived from the authority and prayers of the Church, since it is not done in the name of the Church, but from the virtue of the name of God and of Jesus Christ. "For devils," says Pesch (l.c., n. 342), "naturally dread the mysteries of faith by which they know themselves to have been conquered; therefore, when they see the sign of the cross and hear the name of Jesus and other similar things, they are tormented and flee."

Note 1. The use of sacramentals is indeed prescribed nowhere, yet the faithful are earnestly to be exhorted to use them frequently and devoutly in order to perceive their manifold effects. Therefore pastors of souls should explain the nature of sacramentals to the faithful and aptly instruct them in their right use, so that those who seem to themselves wiser may not despise them, and the more uneducated may not use them in a superstitious way.

Note 2. Priests should remember that the priestly blessing itself is a sacramental which it is permitted to employ privately, here and there, by the formula May the blessing of almighty God, etc., or May He bless you, etc. The power of blessing is conferred upon priests in ordination together with the power of consecrating, and they can by the use of this power avert many impending evils from men and pour out an abundant blessing upon them, especially upon infants and the sick, whom the divine Savior so often blessed from His heart. The effect of the priestly blessing will be more abundant in proportion as the faith and confidence of the priest blessing is firmer.

Note 3. It is greatly to be recommended to the ministers of the Church that they perform simple exorcism rather often, mindful of the word of the Lord: in my name they shall cast out devils; but especially over those who are troubled by vehement temptation, and over penitents whom they notice to experience difficulties in eliciting sorrow and purpose concerning sins or in sincerely manifesting their sins. They can use this or a similar formula: In the name of Jesus I command you, unclean spirit, to depart from this creature of God.

¹ Cf. Olfers, Pastoralmedicin, p. 128 ff.; Heyne, Uber Besessenheitswahn (Paderborn: Schoningh, 1904).

² Genicot I, n. 300, 3.

107. A sacramental etymologically is that which pertains to a sacrament; whence the ceremonies accompanying the essential rite of the sacraments are often called sacramentals by the ancient theologians. Yet in present-day use, under this name come ecclesiastical rites which have a peculiar likeness with the sacraments, and are, as it were, lesser sacraments.¹ They have both difference from and analogy with the sacraments: they are practical signs which in some measure depute to divine worship, and they have an effect, but one inferior to sacramental grace. For they are things or actions which the Church is accustomed to use, in a certain imitation of the sacraments, in order to obtain effects, especially spiritual ones, from her own impetration (can. 1144). They can be defined: sensible and sacred rites instituted by the Church for signifying and producing certain effects, both spiritual and temporal. They are called:

¹ The word sacramentalia is already used by Peter Lombard, in IV, d. 6, H.

1. sensible rites: for they are things, such as holy water, an Agnus Dei, the paschal candle, or actions such as blessings of persons or things, the sign of the cross, the prayer Confiteor;

2. instituted by the Church, which nevertheless received from Christ Himself the power of instituting them; whence if certain ones existed independently of the Church, nevertheless they have from the Church that they are sacramentals, namely, stably instituted;

Hence can. 1145: "Only the Apostolic See can constitute new sacramentals, or authentically interpret those received, abolish or change any of them";

3. for signifying and producing certain effects, both especially spiritual and temporal: namely, effects to be obtained from her own, i.e., the Church's, impetration.

Hence they are distinguished a) from mere ceremonies of the sacraments, such as the white garment in Baptism or sacred vestments, which are ordered solely to the adornment of worship, and to reconciling reverence to the sacraments and to signifying their efficacy; b) from the sacraments, both by reason of origin, and by reason of the effect, which is not justification itself and habitual grace or its increase, and by reason of the mode of operating, because they are not efficient causes ex opere operato, but as moral causes they have influence ex opere operantis Ecclesiae and by force of her impetration.

108. Benedictions for the most part constitute sacramentals, or are even sacramentals. - Benedictions are distinguished:

1. Constitutive, by which a thing or person becomes sacred, i.e., is deputed or consecrated to divine worship: thus the blessing of a church, oratory, bell, vessels, vestments; the consecration of a church, altar, chalice; the blessing of an abbot or virgin; the deputation of a cleric to divine ministry through tonsure. They are the efficient cause of a sacred thing, and per se they are not properly sacramentals; yet per accidens they can be such if by the blessing itself or by the use of the blessed thing they obtain for us goods that are to come to us as by a moral cause, as, for example, a blessed rosary or scapular.

2. Invocative, by which some particular benefit is obtained for a thing or person from the goodness of God. They are sacramentals, as moral causes obtaining an effect: thus the blessing of a woman, of an infant, of the sick, of nuptials, of a field, of a house, of a table, of foods, of animals.

3. Constitutive and at the same time invocative, by which things are blessed for this end, that from their application or use some good may permanently redound to man or some evil may be averted: thus blessed breads or ashes, blessed palms, medals, an Agnus Dei, lustral water, etc.

4. To these last are referred exorcisms for repelling the harmful action of the devil upon persons or things: in these, invocative formulas are mingled, and at the same time the devil is commanded and a necessity is established for him to desist from harmful action.

Hence sacramentals are reduced to three species: a) to the blessings of the Church, b) to the use of blessed things, and c) to exorcisms.

Formerly other divisions were customarily handed down, but they were neither scientific nor sufficiently founded.

109. The efficacy of sacramentals is sufficiently understood from what has thus far been set forth. Namely, they obtain four effects:

1. the conferral of actual grace for carrying out special offices, for salutary works, or for the fervor of charity;

2. the remission of venial sin, or also of temporal punishment, insofar as they excite a movement of contrition, or contain at least implicitly a retraction of sin, or satisfaction;

3. the restraint and repulsion of the devil;

4. the bestowal of a temporal good, for example, health, or prosperity of fields, insofar as it can be useful for salvation.

They are obtained ex opere operantis Ecclesiae, not from the dispositions of the one ministering or of the one receiving, although in a greater or lesser degree according to the dispositions of the one receiving, upon which they depend as upon a condition; but they do not depend upon the dispositions of the one ministering, for example, of a most holy man, although from these another effect ex opere operantis ministri can be added.

Nevertheless they are not obtained immediately, nor infallibly, because the conditions required so that prayer may be infallibly efficacious can be lacking, and an obstacle can be present on the part of the thing asked or on the part of man; but when the required conditions are given, the impetrations of the Church are infallibly heard.

110. Dispositions of canon law. - A. Concerning the minister it is established:

can. 1146: "The legitimate minister of sacramentals is a cleric to whom power for this has been conferred and who has not been prohibited by competent ecclesiastical authority from exercising that power"; as it is prohibited to the excommunicated and personally interdicted, even if they are required after sentence, except in danger of death (can. 2261 and 2275).

can. 1147: "§ 1. No one who lacks the episcopal character can validly perform consecrations, unless one to whom this is permitted either by law or by apostolic indult."

§ 2. "But any presbyter can impart blessings, except those which are reserved to the Roman Pontiff or to the Bishop or to others." Reserved to the Pontiff are the pallium or Agnus Dei; to the pastor, the nuptial blessing and the blessing of homes on Holy Saturday; to the bishop, the solemn blessing of a church or bell.

§ 3. "A reserved blessing which is given by a presbyter without necessary license is illicit, but valid, unless in the reservation the Apostolic See has expressed otherwise."

§ 4. "Deacons and lectors can give validly and licitly only those blessings which are expressly permitted to them by law."

B. Concerning the rite to be observed:

can. 1148: "§ 1. In confecting or administering sacramentals, the rites approved by the Church are to be observed accurately.

§ 2. Consecrations and blessings, whether constitutive or invocative, are invalid if the formula prescribed by the Church has not been used."

C. Concerning the subject:

can. 1149: "Blessings, to be imparted first of all to Catholics, can also be given to catechumens; indeed, unless a prohibition of the Church stands in the way, even to non-Catholics, for obtaining the light of faith or, together with it, health of body." Nevertheless, the excommunicated and personally interdicted after sentence are prohibited from receiving them (can. 2260 and 2275), as are those who have dared to enter a mixed marriage without the dispensation of the Church (can. 2375).

can. 1152: "Exorcisms can be performed by legitimate ministers not only upon the faithful and catechumens, but also upon non-Catholics or the excommunicated."