7 Little-Known Facts About Roman Catholicism

Though movies like The Exorcist and The Exorcism of Emily Rose have tied exorcism (the practice of casting out demons by the power of Christ) to the Roman Catholic Church, modern Catholic officials regard demonic possession as extremely rare. Exorcism in the Catholic Church is the use of exorcism in the Roman Catholic faith for those who are believed to be the victims of demonic possession. In Roman Catholicism, exorcism is sacramental but not a sacrament, unlike baptism or confession. Unlike a sacrament, exorcism's "integrity and efficacy do not depend ... on the rigid use of an unchanging formula or on the ordered sequence of prescribed actions. Its efficacy depends on two elements: authorization from valid and licit Church authorities, and the faith of the exorcist."