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[Someone
I know] has been dedicated to following the mystical path to Christ (we
are both Catholic) for several years. To put it simply, he has sacrificed
his life for this in ways I’ve only read about in books of saints. It
seems he has made much advancement. . . . he has many spiritual
experiences both in the sense of locutions and physical phenomenon—from
both sides. He swears to me, though, now he has accidentally opened/gone
into a “box” inside and has a battle going on with not only demons,
but he speaks with Lucifer himself. He receives/communicates with Our Lady,
Christ and the good angels as well. Much consolation is offered but they
want him to continue to fight his way out. . . . but the last
thing he was told is that he is in fact possessed by 12 demons (it began
as 7). They (both sides) keep referring to a box he has gone into where he
should not have gone. . . . he’s falling
apart. . . .
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 s a first principle, it’s
important to understand that whenever someone claims to receive private mystical
revelations, no other person has the authority to say either that these
revelations are genuine or that they are not genuine. For example, I myself
cannot just contact Our Lord or the Blessed Virgin and ask them if they are
really speaking with someone; nor can I simply declare that someone who claims
to be receiving revelations is really suffering from a delusional disorder.
After all, how can any psychologist really know that someone
isn’t communicating with demons or angels?
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Note that in
the case of alleged public revelations, a bishop must investigate; although
he cannot say conclusively that the revelations really are genuine, he will
declare either that the revelations are worthy of belief or that they are
not worthy of belief. |
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The
Dilemma
So, in regard to this person,
there is a dilemma. Is this a genuine mystic experiencing demonic attacks?
Or did something that started out simply as well-meaning
prayer and sacrifice become a psychiatric delusion
due to, say, the sin of pride? Or, has this person,
because of a spiritual hunger to be “special” enough to receive
mystical revelations, perpetrated a fraud, thus opening the door to the devil
and demons, and leading to his
possession?
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Note that no
one can be possessed who does not “open the door” to demons first.
Possession is always the sign of some sin, somewhere. |
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I recommend,
therefore, that you contact not just any priest but an
exorcist.[1] It’s
a little known fact, but every diocese is supposed to have an official exorcist
on
staff.[2]
So locate the exorcist in your diocese and speak with him about this person.
Let the exorcist, who has the grace, the training, and the
authority to make an assessment, determine if this person has the
genuine signs of possession. If so, the exorcist will do what is necessary
to
help.[3]
Warning Signs
of Fraud
Below are a few “red
flags” that often point to alleged revelations being fraudulent. Note
that “fraudulent” can mean either deliberately created for attention
or unconsciously created—i.e., delusional.
1. |
Has this person been an enthusiast
of other alleged apparitions, such as
Medjugorje? The point here is that some persons,
under the influence of unapproved mystical phenomena, will, in an unconscious
attempt to feel special, unwittingly fabricate “revelations” of
their own. |
2. |
Does this person have any reason
for intense anger at his
father, such as for being abusive or
authoritarian? The point here is that unconscious anger at a father
can manifest psychologically as a delusion of persecution—that is, the
person believes he is being persecuted by others but is really being persecuted
by his own guilt about his
anger at his father. Ironically, the feeling of
being persecuted allows the person to believe he is “special,”
in compensation for the humiliation caused by the father’s
abuse. |
3. |
Does this person speak openly
to others about his experiences? The point here is that genuine private
revelations should, as an act of humility, be
kept private. The urge to tell others about the experiences points to the
sin of pride. |
4. |
Is this person fighting this
battle alone, rather than under the guidance of a spiritual director? The
point here is that “maverick mystics” can get themselves into a
whole lot of psychological trouble. |
The Final
Irony
The final irony is that, as I
said above, a fraudulent mystic—especially because of the unconscious
anger and desire for revenge underlying the need to be seen as
special, along with the pride of wanting to believe that
he is special—could be vulnerable to real demonic influence.
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A HERMIT
had a gift from
God to cast out evil spirits. One time he asked to learn what they feared most and what compelled
them to flee. |
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“Perhaps
it is fasting?” he asked one of them. |
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“We,”
the evil spirit replied, “neither ever eat nor ever
drink.” |
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“Sleepless vigils, then?” |
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“We do not sleep at all.” |
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“Flight from the world?” |
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“Supposedly an important thing. But we spend the greater part
of our time wandering around the deserts.” |
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“I
implore you to confess what it is that can subdue you,” insisted the
elder. |
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The evil spirit, compelled by a supernatural force, was pressed to
answer: “Humility—which we can never overcome.” |
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—
The
Ancient Fathers of the Desert: Section 1
V. Rev. Chrysostomos, trans. |
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Notes
1. Sadly, I have heard of cases where persons suffering from
demonic influence have gone to a priest to request a referral to an exorcist only to be told,
“You don’t need an exorcism. Just frequent the Sacraments and you will be
fine.” Well, to me, that attitude is a dereliction of priestly duty. I personally
have seen many persons who frequented the Sacraments daily and still have had
multiple demons cast from them once they finally got to see a competent exorcist.
2. The key words here are “supposed to”.
In about 2003 the Vatican requested that every American diocese have an
officially-appointed exorcist. Not every bishop has complied, however, and
not every officially-appointed exorcist has training and experience in performing
exorcisms. If the bishop of your diocese believes that
demons are just a figment of medieval imagination,
you will have to go to another diocese to find an exorcist who is competent
to help you.
3. He may request some sort of psychological
assessment to determine whether the symptoms could be the result of a psychiatric
disorder. Nevertheless, demonic influence often accompanies a psychiatric disorder, so
psychiatric symptoms should not be a reason to refuse deliverance prayer or an
exorcism.
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