angels and the exorcist…

… last week I traveled to Briscoe NC to hear an exorcist speak at Our Lady of the Americas parish. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, sensationalized ghost stories maybe. I’ll admit it, my morbid curiosity compelled me to make the almost two hour drive to hear Fr. Jose Antonio Fortea. I mean, how often do you get to hear an exorcist give a talk?

There seemed to be a genuine desire amongst the people in attendance to hear some one talk about and acknowledge the very real existence of evil and Satan. It’s a reality that is rarely addressed in homilies. Most view a belief in the supernatural as ignorant superstition and thinking that demonic forces can directly affect us is just plain crazy talk.

Fr. Fortea explained that true demonic posession is very rare but strongly cautioned against evil influences in our lives. He stressed the importance of an active prayer life and said to protect us ourselves we must invoke the angels, especially our guardian angels.

I don’t think I’ve been particularly devoted to my angel in the past, but that’s about to change.

Art by Albrecht Dürer.