- Title: ITALY: VATICAN HOLD SPECIAL COURSE FOR PRIESTS ON EXORCISM AND SATANISM.
- Date: 16th February 2005
- Summary: (EU) ZAGAROLO, ITALY (FILE -1996) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF EXORCISM PERFORMED BY ARCHBISHOP EMMANUEL MILINGO (EU) ROME, ITALY (FEBRUARY 15, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2. LIBRARY AT REGINA APOSTOLORUM PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY WITH STUDENTS READING 3. VARIOUS OF FATHER FRANCESCO BAMONTE, EXORCIST, WALKING PAST BOOK SHELVES, AND READING BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT OF SATANISM. 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) FATHER FRANCESCO BAMONTE SAYING: "There has been a lack of training in the last 20-30 years in the classes held in seminaries and in theology lessons. This has also created a problem on the part of some priests to address this problem which has continued to increase, that of people turning to occultism, which has caused a lot of damage." 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) FATHER BAMONTE SHOWING AN INVERTED CRUCIFIX, SAYING: "This the inverted crucifix, as you can see the hole is found on the bottom part and represents the overturning of all those values which have always been in the heart of man, irrespective of culture and religion -- an overturning of society presenting good as being evil, and evil as being good." 6. VARIOUS OF CLASS UNDERWAY AT THE UNIVERSITY 7. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) CARLO CLIMATI, PROFESSOR OF THE COURSE SAYING: "A phenomenon, which I define as do-it-yourself Satanism, is occurring. Today's young Satanists don't belong to sects, but are small groups of two or three people who come together via means of communication, through music, lyrics, internet which provides this type of information. So, today, we see it is much easier to come into contact with Satanism compared to 20 years ago." 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) FATHER PAOLO SCARAFONI, UNIVERSITY CHANCELLOR, SAYING: "It is important to be able to distinguish between other types of pathologies, sensations, something which has become a fashion, and, instead, where the demon really exists. The work of exorcists concerns cases where the demon has intervened. Not all priests are exorcists, but they can still help by distinguishing (the type of problem) and bring to an exorcist cases where there is a highly probable presence of the demon -- a possession. In other cases, they could suggest going to a psychologist, or simply give good advice -- to pray more, or to attend more sacraments. At this moment, where there is great confusion, we thought it was a good idea to offer this type of training to priests." 9. VARIOUS OF CLASS IN PROGRESS Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 3rd March 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ROME/ ZAGAROLO, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVA2U5B3CQ6YVRB3ODBKFUSF74W4
- Story Text: Forget the new Exorcist film, the Vatican is
offering the real thing -- a special course for Roman
Catholic priests on Satanism and exorcism.
Mention the word exorcism and blood-curdling scenes
of a priest battling a violent demon -- as portrayed in the
1973 film The Exorcist -- immediately spring to mind.
But, even in the modern-day Catholic church, this
centuries-old ritual is still performed by many of its
priests, including, Zambian Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo,
who shocked Catholics when he briefly married a member of
the Moon sect.
An exorcism is performed to cast a demon from a person suspected
of
possession.
The Regina Apostolorum, one of Rome's most prestigious
pontifical universities, will hold a special theoretical
and practical course for Roman Catholic priests on Satanism
and exorcism in response to what the Church says is a
worrying interest in the occult, particularly among the
young.
Experienced exorcist, Father Francesco Bamonte, agrees
the course is a good idea as there is a lacking among
priests on how to confront this ever-growing phenomenon.
"There has been a lack of training in the last 20-30
years in the classes held in seminaries and theology
lessons," explained Father Bamonte, who practices in the
archdiocese of Rome.
"This has also created a problem on the part of some
priests to address this problem which has continued to
increase, that of people turning to occultism, which has
caused a lot of damage," he said.
This year, Italy was gripped by the story of two
teenage members of a heavy metal rock band called the
Beasts of Satan who were killed by other band members in a
human sacrifice.
The deaths horrified Catholic Italy, with pages of
newspapers given over to descriptions of the black candles
and goats skulls decorating one victims bedroom and witness
statements of sexual violence.
According to some estimates, as many as 5,000 people
are thought to be members of Satanic cults in Italy with
17-to 25-year-olds making up three quarters of them.
Interest in the devil and the occult has been boosted
by films such as The Exorcist in 1973 and this years
Exorcist: The Beginning.
"A phenomenon, which I define as do-it-yourself
Satanism, is occurring," Carlo Climati, one of the
professors of the course, told Reuters.
"Today's young Satanists don't belong to sects, but are
small groups of two or three people who come together via
means of communication, through music, lyrics, internet
which provides this type of information. So, today, we see
it is much easier to come into contact with Satanism
compared to 20 years ago," he said.
The two-month course, which begins on February 17 and
will be limited to priests and advanced students of
theology, will include themes such as Satanism, diabolic
possession and prayers of liberation.
University Chancellor Father Paolo Scarafoni says the
course will also help priests distinguish the problem of
Satanism from the need for exorcism -- saying one does not
necessarily lead to the other.
"It is important to be able to distinguish between
other types of pathologies, sensations, something which has
become a fashion, and, instead, where the demon really
exists," said Father Scarafoni.
"The work of exorcists concerns cases where the demon
has intervened. Not all priests are exorcists, but they can
still help by distinguishing (the type of problem) and
bring to an exorcist cases where there is a highly probable
presence of the demon -- a possession. In other cases, the
could suggest going to a psychologist, or simply give good
advice -- to pray more, or to attend more sacraments. At
this moment, where there is great confusion, we thought it
was a good idea to offer this type of training to priests,"
he said.
In 1999, the Vatican issued its first updated ritual
for exorcism since 1614 and warned that the devil is still
at work.
The official Roman Catholic exorcism starts with
prayers, a blessing and sprinkling of holy water, the
laying on of hands on the possessed, and the possessed.
It ends with an imperative formula in which the devil
is ordered to leave the possessed.
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