T H E S T A T E O F M O D E R N E X O R C I S M

A SONY PICTURES RELEASING INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION – FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY • ARTICLES AND PHOTOS REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

POSSESSED

by ANGELA DOLAND (AP)

ROME (AP) – In a classroom ringedby Rome’s pine-covered hills, 100priests solemnly stood in prayer,made the sign of the cross and gotdown to business: a lesson onSatanism, demonic possession andexorcism.

Worried about ritual killings inItaly and simple adolescent angst, aVatican-recognized universitylaunched the course Thursday tohelp priests and seminariansunderstand what makes people turnto the occult. The class is billed asthe first of its kind, with wide-ranging instruction by exorcists,psychologists and a policecriminologist.

The Pontifical Academy“Regina Apostolorum” wants to clearup misconceptions – especially aboutexorcisms, a practice most priests do

not carry out.“An exorcist once told me that

he asked his bishop for advice andwas told, ‘Go figure it out by

yourself,” said Giuseppe Ferrari,secretary-general of the Socio-Religious Research and Information

Group, co-sponsor of the class.Thursday’s lecturer, Rev.

Gabriele Nanni, touched on thepitfalls of driving the devil fromsomeone’s body.

Priests must never be proud oftheir ability, remembering that theyare merely conduits of Christ, hesaid. They must not performexorcisms on people they suspecthave psychological problems. Andthey should not get carried away andinvent mystical gestures.

“Everything must be carriedout in extreme sobriety,” cautionedNanni, an exorcist himself. Amongthe few acceptable tools are acrucifix and prayer.

In shop talk at the end of class,one priest admitted that in hisdecades of performing exorcisms,he wasn’t always sure he was doingit right. Another asked if seances, forexample, could leave people

vulnerable to psychologicalproblems.

“All contact with the occultand the esoteric is extremelydangerous,” Nanni told the sea ofpriests in black jackets and whitecollars.

The class debuts as an Italiancourt prepares to try eight peoplebelieved to belong to a Satanic sectfor their alleged role in three ritualkillings. Sect members belonged to aheavy metal band called “Beasts ofSatan.”

One of the victims was a 19-year-old stabbed to death in 1998.She may have been targeted becauseher killers believed she was apersonification of the Virgin Mary,prosecutors allege. Another victimwas shot last year and buried alive.

Beyond the violence, Italianofficials are concerned about youngpeople who develop personal formsof Satanism, outside the sects closelymonitored by police. They oftenlearn about the devil through theInternet.

“It’s a more spontaneous andhidden phenomenon, a problem ofloneliness and isolation, a problem ofemptiness, that is fulfilled by thevalues of Satanism,” said CarloClimati, an author who will teach acourse on the devil’s lure to youngpeople.

The class at the academy – runby the Legionaries of Christ, aconservative order – drew bothItalians and foreigners. Rev.Christopher Barak, who came fromthe Lincoln, Neb., area at his bishop’srequest, senses a renewed concernabout the devil among RomanCatholics.

“In the ‘60s and ‘70s, people gotaway from that,” Barak said. “Eventheologians said, ‘No, the devil is justa myth.’”

The course ends in April withthe culminating lesson: “Testimony of

an Exorcist.” Two of Italy’s some 400exorcists are to tell their stories.

Widely accepted signs ofpossession – some of which weredepicted in the 1973 movie, “TheExorcist” – include speaking inunknown tongues and demonstratingphysical force beyond one’s naturalcapacity. In 1999, when the Vaticanissued its first new guidelines since1614 for driving out devils, it urgedpriests to take modern psychiatry intoaccount in deciding who should beexorcised.

The updated exorcism rite,contained in a red, leather-bound

book, was a reflection of Pope JohnPaul II’s efforts to convince theskeptical that the devil is very muchin the world. At the time, he gave aseries of homilies denouncing thedevil as a “cosmic liar and murderer.”

A former papal aide, the lateCardinal Jacques Martin, wrote in hismemoirs that John Paul performedthe exorcism rite in 1982, on anItalian woman who was screamingand writhing.

Associated Press. New York: Feb17, 2005. Copyright AssociatedPress. Associated Press writer LizaKeidan in Rome contributed to thisreport.

WORRIED ABOUT DEVIL’S LURE, Vatican-recognizedacademy debuts class on Satanism and exorcism

THE FOLLOWING NEWS ARTICLES chronicle just a few of the events surrounding the act of exorcism in our modern world. The real-life practice of

exorcism is on the rise worldwide. The feature film The Exorcism of Emily Rose, starting its international release this fall, is based on the true story of a young

girl who died while being exorcised. The priest responsible was tried for manslaughter. What would your verdict be if your religion was put on trial?

“They [Priests]

must not perform

exorcisms on

people they

suspect have

psychological

problems.”

A SONY PICTURES RELEASING INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION – FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY • ARTICLES AND PHOTOS REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

by VICTOR L. SIMPSON (AP)

VATICAN CITY (AP) – The Vaticanclamped down Thursday on abuses in faith healing and exorcisms, ruling outsensationalism, theatricality and“anything resembling hysteria.”

A document by the powerfulCongregation for the Doctrine of theFaith, which was approved by Pope

John Paul II, said bishops shouldclosely supervise such practices.

It noted that prayer for therestoration of health is part of theChristian experience, with the NewTestament speaking of Christ’sencounters with the sick and hishealing through miracles.

What is new, the document said,is the “proliferation of prayermeetings” for the purpose of obtaininghealing from God.

“In many cases, the occurrenceof healings has been proclaimed,

giving rise to the expectation of thesame phenomenon in other suchgatherings,” the document said.

If healing does take place, thedocument said, witness testimonymust be submitted to churchauthorities.

In addition to ensuring that faithhealing sessions are free ofsensationalism, bishops must decidewhether such gatherings can be open

for television coverage, the Vaticansaid.

The document did not indicatethe extent of abuses, and a Vaticanofficial did not immediately respondto a request for clarification. Nor didthe document cite names ormovements within the church.

The Vatican recently disciplinedan African bishop, EmmanuelMilingo, who since coming to Romein the early 1980s has attractedthousands of people from acrossEurope seeking cures for cancer and

AIDS. He has also performedexorcisms.

Milingo, a former arch-bishop ofLusaka, Zambia, was removed fromhis Vatican position as special delegateon immigration issues.

Exorcism is a ritual to drive awaythe forces of evil. New guidelinesissued by the Vatican last year urgedexorcists not to mistake psychiatricillness for satanic possession.

In September, a Romenewspaper said the pope tried toexorcise the devil from a youngwoman who appeared to be possessedduring John Paul’s general audience.The Vatican said the pope comfortedher, but did not confirm he performedan actual exorcism.

Tuesday’s document said theritual must be performed under closesupervision by the local bishop, thatprayers of exorcism must remainseparate from healing services and thatsuch prayers must not be included inthe celebration of Mass.

Associated Press.New York: Nov 24, 2000. Copyright Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) –The Vatican said Tuesdayit would neither confirmnor deny a report thatPope John Paul II has nowcarried out threeexorcisms during hispapacy, the latest inSeptember.

The Rev. Gabriele Amorth, an exorcist for the Rome diocese,told La Stampa newspaper, that the most recent exorcism involved ayoung woman who appeared to be possessed during the pope’sgeneral audience.

A former papal aide, the late Cardinal Jacques Martin, wrote inhis memoirs that John Paul performed an exorcism on an Italianwoman in 1982.

A second case occurred during John Paul’s general audience twoyears ago, Amorth said at that time. A papal spokesman said then thatthe pope comforted the woman, but he did not believe John Paulperformed an exorcism.

In 1999, the Vatican issued guidelines for driving out devils,stressing the power of evil. John Paul has repeatedly sought toconvince the skeptical that the devil is very much in the world.

Amorth told La Stampa said the pope had carried out theexorcisms “because he wanted to give an example” to his priests.

Associated Press. New York: Feb 19, 2002. Copyright Associated Press

Vatican attacks abuses infaith healing and exorcisms

“Exorcism is a ritual to driveaway the forces of evil.”

Report: Pope performed

third exorcism of his

papacy

Sung Soo Choi boards a bus to be returned to the men's central jail afterhis and two other defendants' arraignment on murder charges in the WestLos Angeles court in Los Angeles Tuesday, July 9, 1996. The three menpleaded innocent in the death Kyung Chung, who died during an exorcism.(AP Photo/Nick Ut)

by FRANCES D’EMILIO (AP)

VATICAN CITY (AP) – The Vaticanissued new guidelines Tuesday fordriving out devils, urging exorcistsnot to mistake psychiatric illness fordiabolic possession - but alsostressing the power of evil.

The new exorcism rite, in Latinand contained in a red, leather-bound, 84-page book, also reflectsPope John Paul II’s efforts toconvince the skeptical that the devilis very much in the world.

“The existence of the devil isn’tan opinion, something to take orleave as you wish,” said CardinalJorge Medina Estevez, a Vaticanofficial who presented the revisions.“Anyone who says he doesn’t existwouldn’t have the fullness of theCatholic faith.”

John Paul has denounced thedevil in a series of recent homilies asa “cosmic liar and murderer.”

In today’s world, the cardinalsaid, the devil’s force comes throughwidespread acceptance of “lies anddeceit ... the idolatry of money ... theidolatry of sex.”

The new guidelines are the first

revision to the exorcism rite since1614. They did not drasticallychange the words or the gesturesused by exorcists, but they doprovide optional texts for priests touse.

The novelty appears largely inthe cautions offered to exorcists to

take psychiatric medicine intoaccount.

Exorcists must “not thinkpossessed by a demon someone whois suffering from some illness, aboveall psychic,” or who is “the victim ofone’s own imagination,” theguidelines advise.

Among the widely acceptedsigns of possession by the devil arespeaking in unknown tongues anddemonstrating physical force beyondone’s natural capacity.

The rite itself remainsessentially the same. It involves

making the sign of the cross, layingon hands, sprinkling holy water andordering the devil to leave thepossessed person.

John Paul himself onceperformed an exorcism during hispapacy, according to the memoirs ofCardinal Jacques Martin, the former

prefect of the pontifical household.Quoting the late cardinal’s

book, “My Six Popes,” the Italiannews agency ANSA said John Paulcarried out the rite in 1982, drivingout the devil from a woman who wasbrought to him writhing on theground.

The new guidelines willeventually be translated into modernlanguages.

Associated Press.New York: Jan 26, 1999.Copyright Associated Press

Vatican updates rules forexorcisms, urging caution

“…the devil’s force comes throughwidespread acceptance of “lies anddeceit ... the idolatry of money ...

the idolatry of sex.”

A SONY PICTURES RELEASING INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION – FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY • ARTICLES AND PHOTOS REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) —The Rev. Alberto Juarez has seen ayoung woman erupt in an angryman’s voice and growl like a dog.Father Enrique Maldonado tells ofhouses where locked doors flewopen and objects moved about.

In these days of hightechnology and lunch-hour therapysessions, many people think ofexorcism as a relic of the MiddleAges. But the ritual to drive awaythe forces of evil is alive and wellaround the globe, perhaps no moreso than in Mexico.

In Mexico City, a metropolis of20 million people, a steadyprocession of anguished souls passthrough the doors of Catholicparishes to seek out the eight priestsappointed by the archbishop to dobattle with Satan.

Others who believe they arepossessed consult Protestantministers or the country’s wideassortment of faith healers, whoemploy an elaborate blend ofreligious and pagan customs to castout evil spirits.

Juarez has performed threeexorcisms in the two years since hewas named a Catholic exorcist. Onewas on a young woman from thesouthern state of Campeche, whosefather, a psychiatrist, had beenunable to explain her behavior in anyclinical terms.

“She said, ‘Something is insideme, someone is doing something tome,”’ Juarez said. “She had anexpression of profound sadness, adeep depression. ... But when Satanentered her, she became completelydifferent.

“I told her to get up, ‘I want togreet you,’ and she slapped me. Thenshe began to speak in the very uglyvoice of a man. It was frightening. Itried to hug her and she began togrowl like a dog.”

Maldonado treated a woman inher 20s who spoke in languages shedidn’t know.

“And when I began to pray withher, she began to attack me,” he said.“She spit on the cross and went intoshock when I blessed her with holywater.”

A second client, a 19-year-oldman who used Ouija boards on a

regular basis with his family,“started to emit a very foul odor,inexplicably,” Maldonado said. “The

family also started to see objectsmove in the house, doors that werelocked with a key opening bythemselves.”

Mexico is full of people whobelieve they are possessed. Althoughit is an overwhelmingly RomanCatholic nation, Christianity here isinterwoven with centuries of pre-Hispanic rites of witchcraft, blackmagic and faith healing.

“Fortunetelling, consulting thedead, the spirits, astrology _ all of

these are the terrain of evil,” Juarezsaid. “Magic is a breeding groundfor the work of Satan.”

Exorcists say the number ofpeople seeking help has doubled andeven tripled recently and point to aseries of factors:

The release of a new version of

the 1973 movie “The Exorcist.” Reports that Pope John Paul II

himself tried to exorcise the devilfrom a young woman in Rome inSeptember.

A highly publicized case of abotched, unauthorized exorcism innearby Puebla state, in which severalwomen were seriously injured.

The exorcist’s job is todistinguish between those obsessedwith the belief that dark forces areattacking them and what the churchconsiders “true” possessions.

They also have to discountmental illness. Juarez is studyingpsychology, and Maldonado alreadyhas a degree.

The Catholic Churchrecognizes several symptoms itconsiders to be true possession:prolonged superhuman strength,speaking a language the person hasnever learned, and knowing thingsthey couldn’t possibly know. Thepriests say true possession accountsfor under 2 percent of the casesthey see.

The Rev. Daniel Gagnon,

pastor of the Our Lady ofGuadalupe parish in Mexico City,said he has seen “entire families thatare oppressed by evil forces.”

“One family has beentormented for years and years withobjects moving, levitations, animalsappearing and disappearing before

their eyes,” said Gagnon, who is notan exorcist but has researched thematter extensively and has referredmany people to an authorizedexorcist from a nearby parish.

“I don’t think I would have hadhalf the experiences in the Statesthat I have had here,” Gagnon said.“Because of the pre-Hispanicculture, there are a lot ofsuperstitions.”

Exorcists are appointed foreach of the church’s dioceses bytheir bishops. Although there are nosolid statistics for Mexico, there isapproximately one exorcist for eachof the country’s 83 dioceses, saidthe Rev. Francisco Javier Gonzalez,executive secretary of Mexico’sconference of bishops.

To drive away evil, exorcistsuse the crucifix, prayers andblessings. Maldonado and Juarezsaid they take the person to a sacred,private place — usually their ownchurch or chapel — andwith the aid of otherfaithful, recite a series ofprayers prescribed by thechurch.

The prayersdenounce evil, order thedevil to leave, and ask forliberation in the name ofJesus Christ. The processhas no defined duration,but can last up to an hour,Juarez said.

“You must alwayshave the crucifix in handas well as the scriptures inorder to use the precisewords of Christ,” he said.

He said he employsfive members of a parishBible group to help duringa ceremony because

sometimes the possessed personbecomes violent “and someone hasto hold them.”

But priests said violence isnever directed at the possessed, aswas the case in an unauthorized Julyceremony in Puebla state duringwhich a young Sunday-schoolteacher was critically burned with acandle.

Church spokesmen have saidthat the priest involved was notauthorized to perform exorcismsbut that he was forced to attend theceremony against his will.

“A priest approved by thebishop would never take part in thistype of physical harm,” Maldonadosaid. “Why? Because we alreadyhave our own recourses: prayer andgetting closer to the Bible.”

New exorcism guidelinesissued by the Vatican last year urgeexorcists not to mistake psychiatricillness for satanic possession. Butthe guidelines also stress the powerof evil.

“I believe that we exorcistpriests shouldn’t be ingenuous,seeing Satan everywhere, orskeptics either, to always deny thepresence of Satan,” Juarez said. “Itis evident that Satan is acting andacting terribly, more than onethinks.”

In the Middle Ages, mentaldisorders were often misdiagnosedas diabolical possessions. Now, thepriests said, the opposite occurs.

“Psychology is where youbegin ... but there’s an area thatscience can’t explain,” Gagnon said.“I used to be very scientific,pragmatic. But I’ve changed mymind. I have just seen too much.”

Copyright 2000 The AssociatedPress. All rights reserved. Thismaterial may not be published,broadcast, rewritten, orredistributed.

Exorcists busy in land of witchcraft, pagan rituals

“One family has been tormentedfor years and years with objects

moving, levitations, animalsappearing and disappearing

before their eyes…”

“Exorcists say the number ofpeople seeking help has doubled

and even tripled recently and pointto a series of factors…”

A FIRM FILMS PRODUCTIONA LAKESHORE ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONSCREEN GEMS PRESENTS “THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE”

TISH MONAGHANCOSTUMEDESIGNER JEFF BETANCOURTEDITED

BY DAVID BRISBINPRODUCTIONDESIGNER TOM STERNDIRECTOR OF

PHOTOGRAPHY DR. FELICITAS D. GOODMANCONSULTANT

ANDRE LAMAL TERRY MCKAY DAVID MCILVAIN JULIE YORNEXECUTIVEPRODUCERS PAUL HARRIS BOARDMAN TRIPP VINSON & BEAU FLYNNPRODUCERS

TOM ROSENBERG GARY LUCCHESIPRODUCEDBY PAUL HARRIS BOARDMAN & SCOTT DERRICKSONWRITTEN

BY

SCOTT DERRICKSONDIRECTEDBY

CAMPBELL SCOTT COLM FEORETOM WILKINSONLAURA LINNEY JENNIFER CARPENTER MARY BETH HURT WITH HENRY CZERNYAND SHOHREH AGHDASHLOO NANCY NAYOR BATTINO, C.S.A.

CASTINGBY CHRISTOPHER YOUNGMUSIC

BYKEITH VANDERLAANMAKE-UP EFFECTS ANDVISUAL EFFECTS BY