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Q&A: The reality of exorcism for Canadian Catholics | Holy Post | National Post

“The devil likes to be an object of curiosity and sensationalism, and I don’t want to give him any more attention than he deserves,” a Calgary bishop announced in a statement several years ago. His headline-grabbing remarks came after it was revealed that a Canadian was among 120 priests set to attend a month-long course at the world’s only formal school for exorcists at the Vatican.

Since then, the archdiocese of Ottawa, which has one official exorcist on hand, has reported seeing an average of four major exorcisms per year over the past five years, and a Quebec Catholic priest said last fall that he has performed roughly a dozen exorcisms since he was ordained nearly five years ago.

Indeed, exorcisms have been carried out in Canada for generations — albeit quietly, and in relatively small numbers as compared to countries such as Italy, where the belief in demons is more widespread. In 1999, the centuries-old rite was updated in the Vatican’s 1614 manual on exorcism, Of Exorcisms and Certain Supplications, reigniting interest in a practice most often associated with holy water, the crucifix, the Bible, and writhing humans exhibiting supernatural strength and demonic voices.

Then, more than a decade later, it was revealed that Italy — with its more than 300 official exorcists — was experiencing a shortage of priests able to perform the religious rite. Here, the National Post’s Kathryn Blaze Carlson speaks with Neil MacCarthy, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Toronto, to dispel myths and gain insight into exorcisms in Canada.


Read more: http://life.nationalpost.com/2011/01/28/qa-the-reality-of-exorcism-for-canadian-catholics/#ixzz1CQYYnwbn

Comments

  1. Les acteurs sociaux et médiatiques du Québec feraient bien de lire ce qui suit.

    1- "Notre civilisation a toujours su se doter de
    structures de pouvoir et de soumission,
    aussi bien politiques que culturelles (notamment grâce aux moyens de communication sociale), qui lui permettent d'imposer à l'humanité entière ses erreurs et ses excès." (Entrez dans l'Espérance, p.205)

    "Les médias
    ont habitué les différents groupes sociaux à n'entendre que ce qui "caresse les oreilles" (cf. 2Tm 4,3). La situation ne fera qu'empirer si les théologiens, et surtout les moralistes, au lieu de se faire les témoins de "l'enseignement solide", se font les complices des médias lesquels, bien entendu, donnent alors une large diffusion à leurs doctrines nouvelles."(p.256)

    "... la condamnation
    de Dieu par l’homme
    n’est pas fondée sur la vérité, mais sur un abus de pouvoir et un lâche complot. Cette condamnation ne découvre-t-elle pas la vérité de l’histoire de l’homme, la vérité sur notre siècle? De nos jours, semblable condamnation n’a-t-elle pas été répétée par les innombrables tribunaux des régimes d’oppression totalitaires? Et nous, n’avons-nous pas rendu des verdicts analogues au sein de nos parlements démocratiques, par exemple en condamnant l’être humain avant sa naissance, en vertu de lois régulièrement promulguées?" (p.112)

    "Il n'y a pas, pour l'homme, de droit plus fondamental que le droit à la vie! Et pourtant, une certaine culture contemporaine a voulu le lui dénier, en allant même jusqu'à en faire un droit qu’il est " gênant " de défendre. Mais aucun autre droit ne touche de plus près l’existence même de la personne!…"(p.297)

    http://www.amazon.fr/Entrez-dans-lEsp%C3%A9rance-Jean-Paul-II/dp/2266140914

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  2. 2- Démographie 101

    Examinons la situation démographique au Québec.

    Le Québec décline. Comment ça? Sa population vieillit. Bientôt le ratio travailleur- personne retraité sera de 2 pour 1. Moins de travailleurs pour supporter de plus en plus de retraités.

    Si on prend une génération 1 de 100 personnes adultes (soit 48 femmes en âge de procréer), il faut que ces 48 femmes mettent au monde 2,1 enfants chacune afin que la génération 2 soit renouvelée et comprenne à son tour 48 x 2,1 = 100 personnes.

    Au Québec, la fécondité d'une telle génération 1 n'assure que 1,6 enfant par femme, la génération 2 sera donc de (100/2,1) × 1,6 = 48 × 1,6 = 77 (environ) personnes.

    Par un rapide calcul en chaîne, et en supposant un indice de fécondité constant, on peut envisager l'avenir du Québec pour les générations suivantes :

    génération 3 = (77/2,1) × 1,6 = 59
    génération 4 = (59/2,1) × 1,6 = 45 personnes, soit un 45% de la génération 1.

    http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crash_d%C3%A9mographique

    3- Gérard-François Dumont
    est l’auteur de formules ou de néologismes, largement repris, pour définir des réalités sociales ou géographiques nouvelles, comme :

    « L’Europe ridée » : pour illustrer le vieillissement contemporain de la population de l’Europe ;

    « L’hiver démographique » : situation d’un territoire ayant « une fécondité nettement et durablement en dessous de seuil de remplacement des générations » ;

    « La paraurbanisation » : « processus conduisant au peuplement d’espaces de morphologie rurale situés au-delà des agglomérations et dont une proportion importante de la population active occupée vient quotidiennement effectuer ses activités professionnelles dans l’agglomération », à distinguer de la périurbanisation, « urbanisation qui s’étale sans discontinuité à partir de la ville-centre et qui forme une agglomération morphologique » ;

    « La gérontocroissance » : « l’augmentation du nombre de personnes âgées dans une population », à distinguer du vieillissement, c’est-à-dire de l’« augmentation de la proportion des personnes les plus âgées dans une population considérée » ;

    « la gérontodécroissance » : « la diminution du nombre de personnes âgées dans une population » ;

    « La juvénocroissance » : « l’augmentation du nombre de jeunes dans une population » ;

    « La juvénodécroissance » : « la baisse du nombre de jeunes dans une population ».

    http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A9rard-Fran%C3%A7ois_Dumont
    Analyse

    ReplyDelete
  3. I find this article contradicts itself.

    To me, 4 major exorcisms a year in Ottawa alone seems like alot, especially given the "long process" the Toronto gentleman describes. The gentleman from Toronto says it's not that common. That appears not to be the case in Quebec.

    I am guessing that there is more of a need now than ever given there aren't enough trained priests; unfortunately it appears to be more convenient to ignore that truth.

    ReplyDelete
  4. If the poster of those first two comments wants us to read them, we're gonna hafta have them in English, please.

    As for the subject of this post, I have to admit some astonishment. They still do exorcisms???

    ReplyDelete
  5. I always wonder why it took a priest so so long to do an exorcism while it didn't long for Jesus to do it & he always got very good results.

    Did you ever think maybe God is telling these priests something? That includes (especially) the hierarchy of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. They are not being totally honest & not being totally fair to their followers.

    God may be saying to these men they should come clean about all those crimes they hid & knew about (a track record of over 2000 years). Those awful crimes of cover ups & the delay of justice for all those abuse victims around the world & that includes other evil crimes that are too numerous to mention here.

    It may be God is not happy the way the Holy Roman Catholic Church is representing HIM here on earth.

    I believe all you priests are in BIG trouble.

    Of course, there is no need to pay attention to little old me after all, I am just a stupid female.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I always wonder why it took a priest so so long to do an exorcism while it didn't long for Jesus to do it & he always got very good results.

    Lina

    The bible tells us the apostles had the same difficulty with deliverance. Of course Jesus would have no problem. Afterall, he is the Son of God.

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Anonymous said... The bible tells us the apostles had the same difficulty with deliverance. Of course Jesus would have no problem. Afterall, he is the Son of God."

    I agree, Jesus is the Son of God.

    When some of these people wanted help for their loved ones that were filled with a demon or two or more & the apostles were not able to get those demon(s) out. Thank goodness these folks somehow found Jesus & told Jesus their problems & the problems they had with his apostles, that they could not do their jobs. These folks persistence paid off in finding Jesus. In a matter of a short time, Jesus took care of these pesky demons.

    Jesus was very annoyed with his apostles for not doing their jobs.

    That is what I was trying to say in my previous post. God may not be happy the way the Holy Roman Catholic Church is representing HIM here on earth.

    Bottom line...a major house cleaning is in order.

    All these priests & that also includes all the hierarchy of the Holy Roman Catholic Church have a very important responsibility given to them by God.

    Much..much more is expected from these men.

    I do not want to be in their shoes when God deals with them about covering up all those variety of crimes they knew & did nothing about it.

    That is what I meant when I said these men of God (many of them) are in BIG trouble.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lina

    With all do respect, you're fabricating a bible story that doesn't exist to somehow justify your hate for priests.
    The bible verse I refer to simply tells of the apostles having difficulty with some spirits where Jesus informs them that some spirits can only be delivered with prayer and fasting. He's not mad at them at all, just merely giving them instruction. The apostles did cast out demons however, as do priests today. As in Jesus time, some are harder to deliver than others.

    Cheers
    Paul

    ReplyDelete
  9. Paul with due respect I do not hate priests.
    I do not hate Fr. Tim.

    I may be disappointed with some priests in the Pembroke Diocese but I'm more disappointed and angry with the whole hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. Frustrated, is another word I would use.

    It may be that others (not necessary you Paul) agree with my opinions but do not feel safe to express those opinions for numerous reasons. Many people turned to other ways and vent their frustrations on others. Instead of learning in a healthy way to express their concerns.

    I can easily learn from constructive criticisms but not from pure destructive criticisms. If you dish that fuddle duddle crap to me I can easily give it back to you. I believe there is a time to speak up and a time to let things slide.

    We can learn to agree to disagree and still sort of be at peace with each other in the best of times and in the worst of times.

    It's a matter of attitude, personal choice and being prepared and being ready to live with the consequences of one's actions and inaction.

    I made many bad decisions, mistakes; therefore I'm not perfect human being.

    I'm on this earthly journey with you all. I'm a sinner and a part time saint.

    Lina

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lina: God bless you for the 'fuddle duddle' reference. I'm off to finish my last prayers and turn in for the night with a smile on my face. A wonderful gift indeed. Thank you.

    Fr. Tim

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lina
    Sorry for erantly claiming you seem to hate all priests but you never seem to have anything nice to say about them or the church so what is one to think? I'm not sure how we're supposed to see that as constructive criticism. If my challenge to your assertion that Jesus was angry at his priests for not getting immediate results during exorcism and was a result of their sinfulness was simply destructive criticism, why didn't you point me to the bible verses that supports your assertion? That would be the constructive thing to do.

    I agree whole heartedly with your last two lines. That applies to us all.

    Cheers
    Paul

    Paul

    ReplyDelete
  12. Korean Pentacostals do the best exorcisms. A lot of rolling around on the floor and mouth foaming.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Paul, you believe what you want to believe.

    What is somewhat disturbing, you even believe things which you know are NOT even true.

    I do ask myself does he realizes this or not?

    Only God knows for sure.

    "It's still legal...to think!"

    Lina

    ReplyDelete

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