Course Objectives
1) Consider demonic activity in general, and in comparison to the work of the good angels.
2) Understand the difference between ordinary and extraordinary demonic activity.
3) Recognize the Rite of Exorcism as a sacramental.
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A Course
on the Angels: Session 6, The Wicked Angels and Exorcisms
Fr Ryan Erlenbush
I. Review
of all that has come before
A. Angels are wholly incorporeal
B. Each angel is his own species.
We must multiply, not divide
C. Angels have no imagination, or
emotion, or passion
D. How did the devil and his
angels fall?
II.
References to the devil and demons in the Old and New Testaments
A. Old Testament
1. Genesis, The Fall: “Now the
serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the earth which the Lord God
had made.” (Genesis 3:1)
2. Wisdom 2:24 – “But by the envy
of the devil, death came into the world:”
2. Book of Tobit – “a devil named
Asmodeus” (3:8)
B.
New Testament: Battle between Jesus and the Devil
1. “Then Jesus was led by the
spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil.” (Matthew 4:1)
2. “Be sober and watch: because
your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may
devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
3. All the many times Jesus casts
out demons
4. Book of Revelation – “And
there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the
dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels:” (12:7)
III. Extraordinary
Demonic Activity, and our response
A. A word of caution from the
Vatican Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy:
“217. Popular devotion to the
Holy Angels, which is legitimate and good, can, however, also give rise to
possible deviations:
* when, as sometimes can happen,
the faithful are taken by the idea that the world is subject to demiurgical
struggles, or an incessant battle between good and evil spirits, or Angels and
daemons, in which man is left at the mercy of superior forces and over which he
is helpless;
* when the daily events of life,
which have nothing or little to do with our progressive maturing on the journey
towards Christ are read schematically or simplistically, indeed childishly, so
as to ascribe all setbacks to the Devil and all success to the Guardian
Angels.”
B. External Physical Attack
C. Diabolic Infestation of a
place or thing
D. Diabolic oppression – example,
Job. External attacks.
E. Diabolic obsession – Interior
attacks which affect the psychological state of the person
F. Demonic possession – The devil
takes full possession of the body, though never the soul
G. Can one sell their soul to the
devil?
IV. Exorcisms
A. The Bishop, The chief exorcist of
every diocese
B. Appointed Exorcists
C. Exorcisms as sacramentals
D. The role of psychology, medicine,
and natural means
V. Ordinary
Demonic Activity, and our response
A. Does everyone have a demon
tempter even as each has an angel guardian?
B. Are all temptations from the
devils?
C. The use of sacramentals
D. Prayer and fasting, especially
calling on the Holy Name
E. The binding prayer: “In the
Name of Jesus, I bind thee, evil spirit [name], and cast thee to the foot of
the Cross to be judged by our Lord.”
F. The question of dreams and
visions, whether they be from the devil
