November 23 - Adult Ed Course on the Angels, Session 6: The Wicked Angels and Exorcisms (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

On the Angels, Session 6 -- On the wicked angels and exorcisms.

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