Exorcism seminar draws in crowd of hundreds

A conference on evil and the unknown compelled hundreds to gather at a weekday presentation offered by the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo.

About 700 individuals from all over West Texas traveled to San Angelo Monday for a seminar on exorcism and diabolical influence.

"It's one of the best presentations we've ever had," said Bishop Michael Pfeifer with the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo. "It's something very, very unique. The people were enthralled, and they had so many questions to ask."

The seminar was led by the Rev. Dennis McManus, whose appointed ministry with the Archdiocese of New York is exorcism. Priests, deacons and lay people attended the free and public presentation Monday; the seminar then was extended for clergy throughout Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

Exorcism has been portrayed in movies for decades, usually with only a bit of truth, according to the bishop. The issue of dealing with the devil is represented throughout the Bible, Peifer said. He cited the temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, which Pfeifer refers to as the original sin, and Jesus's own confrontations with the devil. One of the powers Jesus gave his disciples was the power to cast out devils, Pfeifer added.

"Over the centuries, ritual books have been prepared by the churches to be used in exorcisms and dealing with diabolical influence," Pfeifer said. Different forms of that influence include obsession, such as with sex, drugs or alcohol; posession, which commonly is referred to as the haunting of places or things; and the most critical case of possession, when the devil takes over a person. Possession is usually the stage that requires a major exorcism.

"It's a very frightening and difficult experience," Pfeifer said. Though he said he has participated in exorcisms in West Texas, he would not disclose the number of cases or details about the experiences. Ritual prayers and sacraments such as holy water are used, he said.

Pfeifer said he believes there is demonic influence in West Texas manifested through cults and Satan worship, but more so through secular things in the world that can be used for good, such as the Internet. He listed voodoo as a type of possible cult, but said it wasn't very prevalent in West Texas.

Every baptized Catholic has gone through a simple form of an exorcism, Pfeifer said. One of the prayers a priest uses while baptising a person is to free him or her from the evil influence of the devil and put the person under the care of Jesus. This is because of original sin, which Pfeifer said all Catholics believe carries on throughout the human race.

"We're not born into a perfect state," Pfeifer said. "We're born into a state that's been tainted by sin."

Priests receive the power of exorcism when they are ordained, but cannot perform an actual exorcism without the bishop's permission. Someone who is believed to be possessed must go through physical and psychological checkups, and show signs of supernatural power or be speaking in tongues, according to the Rev. Frank Chavez of San Miguel de Archangel Catholic Church. Chavez, who said he found the event informative, said he never has participated in an exorcism and doesn't anticipate facing such an experience in his life.

"Am I being cynical? No, I don't think so," he said. "There's a lot of things that are unexplained in this world that you can't laugh at or throw under the rug that someone's going through."

Chavez has been approached by congregation members and others who have visited curaderos, or folk healers, or heard from friends that they are possessed. He often helps people who have demonic influence in the form of obsessions by praying and giving advice, he said.

"What we have to do with them is hear their stories and make a judgment," he said.

Sara Higgins can be reached at shiggins@mrt.com.