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An Exorcist Tells His Story

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Fr. Gabriele Amorth's revealing portrait of demonic possession and exorcism casts detailed, spiritual light on this dark area of inquiry which is fraught--more often than not--with controversy and misunderstanding. It also supplements other pertinent texts such as Father Malachi Martin's classic study HOSTAGE TO THE DEVIL, and Bob Larson's IN THE NAME OF SATAN.

Fr. Amorth covers critical ground by exposing the dangers of magic and sorcery (namely spells, hexes, incantations and curses) and their ability to adversely effect a recipient individual psychologically, physically, and spiritually, even to the point of inducing demonic possession. Conversely, he details the various remedies that the Church offers to the afflicted--in the form of Sacramentals--such as blessed oil, water, and salt, that can supplement the solemn rite of exorcism, ensuring an easier liberation from the fetters of and shackles to the Devil.

He also examines those tell-tale, mental and physical signs (he calls them 'negativities') that often confirm the presence of a possessing demon. Attention is also paid to the numerous forms of bizarre behaviour that the unfortunate victims of possession exhibit--both prior to and during an exorcism--and how these capital signs authenticate the source of their existential torment as evil spirit, and not merely psychophysical malady as the genesis.

The author effectively concludes the book with a look at the new attitude (pastoral directives) of Vatican II toward possession, demons and--as the good Father says--'...the influence that they can exert on single individuals, on communities, on entire societies, or on events...(as)...very important...

In the final analysis, Fr. Amorth's objective, straight-forward presentation of the complexities of demonic possession and exorcism facilitates a terra firma of understanding--partially unravelling the ageless mystery of good versus evil--thereby, providing a solid addition to anyone's private library on the topic.

C.S. Lewis said there are two mistakes people usually make when it comes to the devil: one is not to believe in him at all; the other is to believe in him too much.

According to Father Amorth, only priests have the gift of exorcism. The problem, he points out, is that there are virtually no priests left in the Catholic Church who believe in demons or exorcisms. That's the first danger pointed out by C.S. Lewis. Even Ignatius Press, a Catholic publisher, apparently could not find a Catholic priest who believed in exorcisms because the foreword is written (reluctantly) by a priest who can only say, "I have difficulties with Fr. Amroth's [sic.] approach." He then closes his foreword with the warning, "This book needs to be read with care but with an open mind." Not much of a recommendation as forewords go. It may be that the priest writing the foreword believes in the devil, but just believes there are better ways of dealing with the devil. He doesn't say what it is about Fr. Amorth's approach that bothers him. He does say, however, "I recognize in this book the account of an intelligent and dedicated pastor who has had the courage to go where most of us fear to tread."

Perhaps some caution in reading the book is wise--not that you will go wrong by reading it, but because the other peril with the devil is believing in him too much. The more some people read about demons, the more they see them . . . in everything that goes wrong. They start to live in fear, and if the devil has one great power over us, I suspect fear is his greatest weapon. If you're the type of person who reads a family medical guide and says, "Oh, I have that. I've felt that," and then reads about the next illness and says, "Oh, I might have that, too," then this isn't the book for you.

Though Father Amorth doesn't describe the rites of exorcism--since they can only be performed by priests--he does offer some efficacious prayers for deliverance in an appendix and says that "Jesus gave the power to expel demons to all those who believe in him and act in his name." I'm not sure what the distinction is between exorcism and expelling, and Father Amorth doesn't clarify the matter.

What Fr. Amorth does provides is numerous first-hand encounters with demonic possession. These provide examples that can help one understand the symptoms of posession in order to differentiate it from things that might simply be mental illness. And, as the foreword indicates, Fr. Amorth gives an intelligent account. This is not the account of some faith healer who sees demons under every doily. He's careful to point out that most people need psychologists, not exorcists, and that, even after an exorcism, many people still need a psychologist to deal with the trauma of their lives. Therefore, he usually works as a team member with a psychologist. He's careful not to overstep his area of expertise. He's not the type who goes around casting out "demons of drunkenness," "demons of homosexuality," and "demons of deafness" every time he runs up against someone with a problem.

Some of the events he describes, however, go clearly beyond anything psychology can explain or deal with. Behavior can always be explained psychologically, but Fr. Amorth describes physical events that go beyond behavior or physical illness. What do you make of someone, for example, who vomits up a talisman in the middle of an exorcism? You could speculate that he wasn't careful enough when he was eating his Cracker Jacks the night before. But that would't explain the levitation that occurred during the exorcism . . . just before the talisman came up.

Fr. Gabriele Amorth's portrait of demonic possession and exorcism casts detailed light on this dark area of inquiry which is fraught--more often than not--with controversy and misunderstanding.

Though less poetic or descriptively-gripping than the late Fr. Malachi Martin's classic study on the topic HOSTAGE TO THE DEVIL, Fr. Amorth's book manages to patch up some of the existing knowledge gaps left in the wake of several other pertinent works like Dr. M. Scott Peck's THE PEOPLE OF THE LIE (a psychiatrist's view of evil based on the case histories of his patients), and Bob Larson's IN THE NAME OF SATAN (Tales of a Protestant exorcist).

Fr. Amorth covers critical, new ground by exposing the dangers of Magic and Sorcery (namely spells, hexes, incantations, and curses) and their ability to adversely affect an individual psychologically, physically, and spiritually, even to the point of inducing demonic possession.

Conversely, Fr. Amorth details the various remedies that the Catholic Church offers to the afflicted--in the form of Sacramentals--such as blessed oil, water, and salt, which can be effectively applied--in conjunction with the solemn rite of exorcism--to facilitate an easier and quicker liberation from the fetters of and attachments to the Devil.

Examination is also given to those tell tale, mental and physical signs (Fr. Amorth calls them 'negativities') that often confirm the presence of a possessing demon. Attention is paid to the various forms of bizarre behavior that unfortunate victims of possession exhibit--both prior to and during an exorcism--and how these capital signs authenticate the source of existential torment as evil spirit, and not merely psychophysical malady as the genesis of their suffering.

The author effectively concludes the book with a look at the new attitude (pastoral directives) of Vatican II toward possession, demons, and--as Fr. Amorth says--'the influence that they can exert on single individuals, on communities, on entire societies, or on events,...(as)...very important...for Catholic doctrine.' And how, by calling attention to the ever-present danger posed by these evil entities, the Catholic Church can better assert itself--in the name of Jesus--as the leading organization with the designated spiritual authority to most effectively route the wickedness and snares of the Devil.

In the final analysis, Fr. Amorth's straight-forward, no frills, 'meat and potatos' examination of demonic possession and exorcism succeeds where other fail, providing a terra firma of understanding and solid addition to anyone's private library on the topic.

I highly recommend this book by Father Gabriele Amorth; an expert in the field of Exorcisism, who works closely with The Roman Pontiff, Pope John Paul, II.

In a mature and informative manner, he explains the different ways demonic forces have and can attack unsuspecting individuals; from curses to full blown demonic possession, without being overly dramatic. Fr. Amorth simply presents the truth as facts.

He also explains how some people with mental problems can "appear" to be under some sort of evil influence and stresses that anyone believing themselves to be under such influence, is to first undergo an extensive psychiatric evaluation in order to rule out mental illness.

He goes on to explain the various ways people can be either under demonic possession or demonic "oppression".

I found this book to be very well written and extremely informative.

DMShae

This is a surprisingly quick read considering how much information is in this book. Fr Amorth discusses multiple cases and reveals the many different types of evil activity that the exorcist may encounter, and how to deal with each. I found myself wishing for a lot more detail and a list of reference books. What will strike the average reader most is that all the grimness you expect in exorcism accounts, such as The Exorcist film or Malachi Martin's work, Hostage to the Devil, is largely absent. He presents the reality that the power of Jesus Christ is more than sufficient to overcome diabolic activity and protect the exorcist as well. I recommend the book wholeheartedly!

Since the II Vatican Council, the Holy Catholic Church has avoided to talk about the Devil. The Church seeks us to believe for the best reasons: love and not fear. Nevertheless, the Devil and its legions exist, and work. As St. Ignatius put it: Two armies coexist in this world: One that fights to broaden the kingdom of God, and one that fights for the kingdom of evil. Whether we like it or not, whether we are conscious of it or not, we are part of that metaphysical war. One battle after another takes place, in which our deeds and our words act as bombs, tanks and bullets would in a conventional material war. When we don't tell people about the other army, about the dangers they are going through, and also about the importance (to all of us) of every single deed of our lives, then we are misleading them, and we are rendering them powerless to participate in this epic battles. As C.S. Lewis said: The Devil's greatest achievement, is that of convincing us of his/her/its inexistence. The book I am reviewing contains the minimum information any good Catholic and Christian should know about "the other army". It is full of anecdotes, and an easy --if deep, read. Despite its soundness, the subject may lead to undesired side-effects. If the reader grows fearful, then he/she should leave the book for a while, and pray until he/she recuperates peace in his/her soul --but do then read on until the end: it is important. The other undesired side-effect, again, has more to do with the subject than with the author: Just like some persons tend to believe they are sick when they read medicine books, it is very easy to feel "sick" of "negative metaphysical influences" (or negativities) when one reads this book. It should not be recommended to people undergoing psychiatric treatment for paranoia and several other ailments --for example. But the truth is that many of us are suffering of diferent degrees of "negativities". I could only help three of my friends undergoing such ailments, once I read this book. This book becomes a must, therefore, in today's world, where God is seldom remembered, and the individual claims his/her rights to do what he/she pleases, disregarding the terrible consequences (to him/her and to others) that any bad deed brings naturally. A.M.D.G.

Rev. Gabriel Amorth is the chief exorcist of the six exorcists that are currently assigned by the Pope to work in Rome, Italy. And he has written stories about his more than twenty years experience as an exorcist. The central question of "An Exorcists Tells His Story" is whether some people need an exorcist? This is a very good question since some people experience pain and confusion that might not have a medical explanation.

Fr. Amorth teaches us that there are three signs of demonic manifestations: "talking in unknown languages, exhibiting superhuman strength, and knowing what is hidden" (p. 46). His advice for a person with one or more of the three symptoms is to visit a priest who appreciates his "power of exorcism". Of course, finding a such a priest is difficult since many "are afraid of reprisal" and retaliation by the devil (p. 67).

Amorth's twenty years of work with over 50 thousand troubled individuals have given him unique insights into spiritual topics, such as, what is hell like? "And this was the answer... Down there everyone lives folded within himself and torn apart by his regrets. There is not relationship with anyone" (p.76). Self absorbed, lacking relationships and filled with regrets? That's the best desricption of hell that I've heard and certainly worth the price of the book.

Amorth's preparation as an exorcist began in June 1986 when Cardinal Poletti, the Vicar of Rome, asked him to work with the one exorcist of Rome, Fr. Candido Amantini, who was retiring. Fr. Candido writes an excellent Foreward to Amorth's book and says, "Often the victims of an evil spirit believe that they are persecuted by bad luck. They see their life as a series of misfortunes" (p. 11). We all tend to thing we have a series of bad days and the value of Amorth's book is to help us determine whether we should see a doctor or an appreciative priest. Amorth tells us what to say if we suspect an evil spirit: "I say, 'My guardian angel watches over me so that I won't be touched" (p. 96).

I highly recommend Amorth's "An Exorcist Tells His Story" for any person who wonders whether an evil spirit is affecting his or her life negatively. Amorth lists the five areas where demonic activity takes place: "health, business, affections, enjoyment of life, and desire for death" (p. 80). Amorth repeats throughout the book the genuine solution to the spiritual problem with these five areas. He writes, "In all cases the cure is the same: prayer, fasting, the sacraments, charity and exorcisms" (p. 80).

Father Amorth says that one of the reasons he wrote this book was because exorcists are asked to consult the work of experts, and there are none - and this is a good beginning for building a library in the Church.

However, I must agree with Father Benedict Groeshel, who says that we must read this book with care - he does not specifically state what causes his misgivings, but I think I know.

I was greatly troubled that he seemed to ignore the rituals requirements of what signs must be present before you proceed with an exorcism - although his defense of his position was admittedly strong.

Father Amorth seems to presume diabolical possesion, as opposed to another cause. His strong belief in hexes seems to blind him to the fact that the events he often describes have been shown to be the work of scam artists - evil, yes, but not always the work of the devil.

Although his theory that the devil may use "sacraments" just as God does, the section on potions, etc., seems to defy logic. One would suppose that poison would be the more logical hypothesis, not possesion.

Father Amorth's disussion of gypsies having people bring them eggs, and rubbing it on their bodies, only to reveal a snake when broken is another point. He seems to imply a supernatural cause, while this is one the most well known scams - a switch is made.

By not pointing out that most of these things (the evil eye, hexes, etc.) are usually the work of scam artists and the power of suggestion, and by supposing that certain things, such as a run of bad luck, are always the work of the devil, he loses credibility.

I do believe that Father Amorth has conducted many legitimate exorcisms, and has freed many people from the grip of the devil. I also believe that the problem today is not that people are prone to blame the devil, but that they are loathe to acknowledge his existence.

However, I would like to see a book by one of the psychologists or psychiatrists that Father Amorth has worked with, so that we could have a better explanation of how to tell the difference between mental illness and posession - I found Father Amorth's "if the exorcism helps, it is the devil, if not, it isn't" to be somewhat lacking.

I borrowed this book off my brother and read it in two days.

It is very good and well written. Fr Amorth could easily have taken the more sensationalistic route. Instead he also explores and challenges some conventional religious theories and explains these very well. His role is first and foremost a ministry, and an important one.

The case studies that he refers to are all very interesting. But more interesting than this is the importance of leading a spiritual life. Some of the sacraments actually are akin to exorcism, going to confession, taking communion and baptism for example.

He cites scripture to challenge and clarify some common perceptions.

Topics include: why the world and humankind was created, predestiny and freedom of choice, why bad things happen to good people, if God has ultimate control then doesn't everything happen with his permission. I had always struggled with the issue of predestiny until I read this book. It is finally explained to my satisfaction.

He has divided devilish interference into several categories. The most interesting to me were oppression which I did not even realise on a conscious level, and extraordinary activity.

For example, if you are subject to oppressive or negative thoughts or obsess about a person or situation, these may be signs of oppression. There are several great prayers in this book to help you deal with these issues.

I was expecting to read about a subject which I was curious about, but it relates to everybody's experience with the ordinary and extraordinary challenges we face as we try to lead exemplary lives.

This is a very important book which I would recommend to anyone interested in spiritual themes and not just people interested only in this subject matter.

I hope you find this review helpful.

I will start by saying that, to my surprise, my U.S. edition of this book did not contain an imprimatur or a nihil obstat. [The original Italian Language book may have had them, I do not know]. Also, the introduction by Fr. Benedict Groeshel is.... shall we say "less than enthusiastic". I had some trepidation beginning the book based on these two things.

However, what I found inside was an extremely interesting book that did not conflict with Catholic teaching as far as I could discern.

In fact, Father Amorth gives a very concise and clear explanation of the nature of the Devil and his demons - both the history, the Biblical origins, and how they affect us still today. I have never seen any better explanation of Satan and how he works in the world even now.

Father Amorth's discussion of his job as an Exorcist [Chief Exorcist for Rome] and his experiences as such were very interesting. They certainly served to reinforce the idea of staying far away from anything that could drag you into bondage or oppression by Satan or his demons.

His explanation of why it is important to avoid things of the occult and "new age" and how those things are tied to Satan was also very instructive.

The book is somewhat frightening in a way too. To consider at length the reality of the power of Satan is rather scary. We must be sure that we balance this understanding of how Satan works and what his powers are with an equal understanding of the tremendous power of Christ and a strong faith that Christ can deliver us from every evil.

I think this book is important in our "modern age" that has decided to pretend Satan doesn't exist. He does, and Father Amorth gives an excellent accounting and explanation for Satan's activities. You can't fight what you don't even believe in - which puts an individual at a distinct disadvantage in the fight for his or her own soul.

This book was interesting and faith affirming for me - both increasing my understanding of Church teaching and the reality of Evil while at the same time strengthening my love for Christ.