The Archdiocese of St. Louis has spoken out against a live TV exorcism set to air on Halloween weekend is supposed to rid a suburban home of malevolent spirits.
The Destination America networks 'Exorcism: Live!' will air on Friday night.
The boy who was the subject of the head-turning 1949 exorcism immortalized in William Peter Blatty's 1971 book, 'The Exorcist,' and subsequent movie, briefly lived in the Bel-Nor, Missouri house.
However Bishop Robert Hermann, with the Archdiocese of St. Louis, said it is not the type of thing that should be televised.
What is an Exorcism?
Exorcism is an attempt to evict demons or spirits from the body of a (normally living) human being. Belief that demons can be evicted follows automatically from belief in demons capable of possessing people. So long as there is a belief that demons can posses a person, there will be belief that some people have power over those demons, forcing them to cease their possession.
Who can perform an exorcism? Who is an exorcist?
In the Catholic Church, an exorcist is a bishop or a priest appointed by him, who has a special permission to perform exorcisms. The dignity of the sacramental and the nature of an exorcism require a special and explicit permission of a local ordinary (usually a bishop of the diocese).
More here http://exorcismus.org/who-is-exorcist/
Watching an Exorcism
The Mirror carries a video of a 22 year old women he 22-year-old woman, identified only by her first name Laura, is pinned to the ground as Bishop Manuel Acuna, 52, drives the evil spirits out of her.
See it here
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/watch-priests-perform-exorcism-screaming-5392567
Exorcism is not entertainment. Exorcism is serious business,' he told KSDK.
Bishop Hermann also said the event is potentially dangerous.
'It can only be done with the authority of the Archbishop by someone appointed by the Archbishop who is the exorcist for the diocese,' he said.
Henry Schleiff, group president at Discovery Communications who oversees the network, is determined to keep going with the project.
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