Popes and Angels.

There is a new book out by an Italian Priest, Fr. Marcello Stanzione, The Popes and Angels. Fr. has written several books on Angels in an attempt to promote devotion to them.

The Church teaches that we all have a Guardian Angel to protect and intercede for us. Well sometimes.

A few years ago I was making a left hand turn into the Church parking lot. It was in the wee dark hours of morning. I was broadsided. Hey wait a minute God, I was going to Adoration, and it was the feast day of the Guardian Angels. I told my spiritual director that my angel must have been asleep on the job. Father reminded me that no one was injured. Besides, Guardian Angels don’t protect us from our own stupidity. Gee thanks Father.

Rome Reports has a YouTube video up on Fr. Stanzione’s latest book.

Demons

Msgr. Pope saw the movie, The Rite; which is loosly based on the non fiction book by an excorcist, The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist by Matt Baglio. Msgr. liked the movie.

He has a very informative post up on exorcism.

Excerpt:

The Church is very careful when it comes to approving an exorcism. Natural causes must be ruled out as a likely cause of the behavior of the afflicted person. Bishops normally will not approve an exorcism unless, and until, psychotherapists and psychiatrists, as well as medical doctors have thoroughly examined the afflicted person and generally concur that natural or organic causes are not at work. There is no rush to perform formal exorcisms if the guidelines are followed. The Ritual stipulates that an exorcist may use these prayers only when he is “morally certain” that the person he is praying over is possessed. Numerous mental illnesses can be mistaken for possession. Hence a careful and thoughtful evaluation is necessary by experts who do not simply reject the notion of possession but who are also not the sort to quickly presume it either.

2. The Ritual mentions three signs that indicate the possible presence of a demon: abnormal strength, the ability to speak or understand a previously unknown language, and the knowledge of hidden things. There are also possible signs in an aversion to the sacred. For example, one may experience the inability to pray or say the name of Jesus or Mary, to go to mass, or to receive communion. Another important sign is some degree of unawareness or refusal in the afflicted one of the notion that they are possessed. If some one comes to a priest and says, “I am possessed.” That is usually a sign they are not.

If you want to learn more about exorcism in the Church get thou there.