The truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.
In our exorcism sessions, we typically have two priests, some strong laymen, a woman (especially if the afflicted person is female), and, often, a gifted person. These gifted people have spiritual sensitivities that help us discern what is troubling the person and how best to proceed. But we always “test the spirits,” to make sure they come from God. Even the holiest people can be deceived, as some of the great mystics occasionally were.
In one of our sessions, we had an exceptionally gifted person present. Toward the end of the session, one of the demons jumped off the person and attacked her. (Demons can be particularly threatened by the presence of such people and they do whatever they can to discourage the person from coming back.) As the session ended, I noticed she wasn’t moving. She looked up and said, “I can’t move. I can’t feel my body.” She was paralyzed from the neck down.
Needless to say, I was worried, although she seemed pretty calm. After everyone left, the other priest and I prayed over her, commanding the demon to leave. We laid hands on her head and prayed many exorcism prayers… nothing. She couldn’t move. Now, I am really getting nervous. Is this permanent? I was starting to imagine my conversation with her husband when I brought her home in such a state.
But I refused to believe it would be permanent. God does not allow such things. Then it occurred to me that if she was paralyzed, perhaps the demon was on her spine. So we carefully rolled her limp body over. We laid hands on her spine and started to pray. She said, “Yes, the demon is on my spine.” After a short minute, she said, “It’s gone.” She stood up, completely recovered, and left for home. Whew!
As I was driving out, I met the other team members. “What happened?” they asked. I responded, “It was a demon on her spine. She’s fine now.”
If someone had told me before I started in this ministry that this would happen, I wouldn’t have believed it. But I was there. It did happen. Believe it!
You can purchase Monsignor Rosetti’s new book, Diary of an American Exorcist, here.
Listen to Dan and Stephanie Burke interview Monsignor Rosetti on Divine Intimacy Radio:
This post was originally published on catholicexorcism.org and is reprinted here with permission.
