Rooted in 2000 Years of History, Why is One Business So Busy

There are businesses that we don’t want to boom. Some businesses have negative connotations that come with them. Weapons manufacturing, arms dealing, and war come to mind.

While the most notable business booms post-20th century may be in war and the weapons industries, other businesses boomed more under the radar. Particularly, one rooted in thousands of years of mystery and legend.

A Rise In Exorcisms

In modern times, exorcism often has been a subject of movies and television. From The Exorcist to Sam and Dean Winchester in the CW show Supernatural, to The Pope’s Exorcist, we have been entertained, scared, and our spirits shaken by the idea of demonic possession.

Andrew Chestnut is a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and co-author of a paper looking at the rise in exorcisms in the United States. In an Associated Press article, Chestnut remarked how in Mexico in 2015, high-ranking members of the clergy performed a nationwide exorcism to expel demons.

The event was in response to current affairs in Mexico at that time. They were seeing heightened levels of violence, abortions booming, and drug cartels becoming more and more out of control. Chestnut commented that exorcism, in its known form as a demon-chaser, was spreading increasingly around the world. Due to church rules, there are no official statistics.

Those who work in the exorcism ministry report there is an alarming increase in demonic activity. This was reported in 2017 by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. While steps were being taken to increase the number of trained exorcists, demand continued to outperform the supply of qualified priests and clergy trained in the rituals.

One such exorcist, Father Vincent Lampert, worked as the exorcist for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis from 2005 to at least 2017. He was trained at the North American College in Rome and reported working more than 40 exorcisms with Italian exorcist Father Carmine De Filippi.

Father Lampert is one of few who open themselves up to the public as most exorcists' identities are kept secret. In an interview with the National Catholic Register, Father Lampert echoed the sentiments put forth by Dr. Chestnut and reported that there were an increasing number of people engaging in Satanic rituals and opening themselves up to evil.

In possessions I have seen eyes rolled back in the head, throwing out obscenities, bodily contortions, foul odors, temperatures drop in the room, and I’ve witnessed someone levitating.

— Father Lampert, Catholic News Agency Article 3–15–2017

When considering the rise in exorcisms, what’s the scariest reality of an exorcism? It’s easy to believe that Father Lampert may have worked 40 cases and reports only three were actual possessions. As the number of exorcists in the United States has grown from less than 15 to somewhere around 100 or more, clearly more is happening in the realm of exorcists.

Approval For Exorcisms

From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Diocese established protocols for responding to claims by the faithful they are demonically inflicted.

As part of protocols, there needs to be an assessment done that includes medical, psychological, and psychiatric testing before a final determination on performing an exorcism can be made by the church.

In the case of major exorcisms, the rites are viewed as sacramentals. The practice of who may receive a major exorcism is governed by Canon 1170 of the Code of Canon Law. It allows for the following to receive the specialized blessing if it is determined necessary.

• Catholics
• Catechumens
• Non-Catholic Christians who request it
• Non-Cristian believers provided they had a sincere desire to be free of demonic influence.

Conclusion

It would be easy to say it is time to get right with god. As exorcisms have boomed in number, it has happened with little to no fanfare. The biblical heroism of those who are training and meeting demons head-on is more often than not, confined to pop culture.

Whether you believe in demons, heaven, or hell, there’s no arguing that the first 23 years of the 21st century have been filled with dark times. We started with the attacks on New York City and 9/11. We entered into a 20-year war that grew into war on two fronts. America, the heroes, were believed to have been asked to shut down a terrorist holding facility in Thailand for human rights violations.

There are many examples of evil grasping the human race and holding it tight, and few examples are ever mentioned of angels reaching down and grasping us tightly, raising us from perditions flame. That is, sometimes, what the world feels like to many people.

What do you believe? Light up those comments and share your opinions about why exorcists are the most overworked members of the church.