Jesuit On Fr. Gabriele Amorth, S.S.P.

Jesuit Father, Brian Van Hove in a recent blog entry (here) posted a review about Fr. Gabriele Amorth's book entitled, An Exorcist Tells His Story. The book is published by the Jesuit Fr. Joseph Fessio's Ignatius Press. I find Fr. Brian's post compelling for a lot of reasons; first I read the book my myself at the same time I began my long journey out of darkness with "my Jesuit" as I made the Spiritual Exercises in every day life. If you have made the Spiritual Exercises you will understand the usefulness of this book as you partake of the "Purgative" portion of the Exercises. In the rear of the book Fr. Amorth lays out a lot of firm prayers of deliverance that will help one to find the freedom they are seeking in Jesus Christ. The book also lays out the "big picture" for you, you will start to see things around you and in others you in a whole new light. I have recently read Interview with an Exorcist, by Fr. Jose Antonio Fortea its question and answer approach fills in some gaps left in Fr. Amorth's books.

Here is a portion of Fr. Van Hove's post

For his ministry as exorcist Father Amorth believes in using the full assortment of signs and symbols found in the Catholic religious tradition. Exorcism is not a private devotion but a sacramental and a prayer of the whole church, and as such it shares in the intercessory dimension of the universal Church. (p. 186)

Three of the most important signs which he uses, and to which he dedicates a chapter showing their role, are salt, water, and oil. Since he adheres very closely to the formal liturgy of the Church, he was disappointed that the 1999 revised Rite of Exorcism made no reference to oil in the Praenotanda.

However, in the section on local adaptations made possible if requested by the episcopal conferences of the various regions throughout the world, there is clearly room for petitioning the Holy See to allow anointing with oil to be part of the official Rite of Exorcism in a particular part of the world. The same can be said for a restoration of the office of exorcist as part of minor orders or a revived ministry. (p. 187)

I recently baptized my son according to the 1962 Missal, this form of the sacrament uses salt as a key element. The wording of the exorcism portion is very intense compared to the new version of Baptism. It has left me as a father of three with much to think about in rearing my children.


More on Fr.Brian Van Hove, S.J.

“God has worked through others”

In the 25 years since he was ordained a Jesuit priest, Father Brian Van Hove, S.J., has served as a teacher, spiritual director, hospital chaplain, associate pastor and, presently, a retreat director at White House Retreat Center. In all of these roles, Father Van Hove has experienced God’s fidelity in Church tradition and the sound guidance of others. “The Catholic tradition teaches that grace is mediated, especially through the Blessed Virgin, the Church and the sacraments,” says Father Van Hove. “The older priests and religious, who are now nearly all in the cemetery, mediated to me whatever is good in me. I sometimes feel like the bear in winter who lives off the fat gained during the summer. God has worked through others.”.

Link (here) to the Archdiocese of St.Louis website