http://jmahoney.com/exorcism.html
EXORCISM AND MPD FROM A CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE
There can be a lengthy theoretical argument about what exactly is meant by
the idea of possession. In one sense, any situation of a person's subjective
perception of identification with, or influence by, some outside force can
be considered to be possession. Many cultural variables can influence that
phenomenon, and the possession can be greatly feared or highly desired.
Added to that issue is the highly variable use of language, with some
religious groups considering any encounter with impulses not easily
controlled, or an emotional illness not responding to treatment as being
evidence of possession or influence by the demonic. Thus, a religious
community can refer to being oppressed or possessed "by the spirit of anger"
when there is difficulty for someone in controlling their temper.
I would like to limit my discussion to the idea of exorcism and its
implications in the context of the usual theological and cultural
understanding of Catholics.
In this discussion, I would define demonic possession as a continuing state
or presence of an evil entity that is not "of the person." That external
entity is capable of direct control of the person and/or taking over of the
person's body. I would define demonic oppression as a continuing state of
severe assault by an external evil entity, but the person retains control of
behavior and of the body. Both possession and oppression are far more than a
situation of temptation, and are inherently direct contacts with the
presence of evil.
I would define exorcism as a religious attempt, using prayers, religious
symbols, and orders to expel an evil entity. As soon as there is an attempt
at expulsion, with a perception that there is something there to expel, it
is an exorcism. The simpler, historic prayers of protection or blessing that
are sometimes called exorcisms are in a different category, because there is
no such presumption of an external entity. In this presentation, any
reference to the process of exorcism will presume there is reference to that
presence.
Some Catholic Charismatic groups, and others, have borrowed from the
practice and understanding of some other religious groups, especially
fundamentalists. They have engaged in exorcisms based on a sense that the
only authority needed is a sense of calling to that activity. Assessment is
based on a perception of having received "the gift of discernment."
As a Catholic, if I encounter someone who in any way represents the Catholic
community, a group of Catholics, or the institutional Church, and that
person engages in an activity that is an exorcism, I am being told that an
evil entity is present or directly influencing my life. The spiritual,
moral, and personal implications are profound. To tell someone that they are
possessed is to make a spiritual diagnosis.
I believe that for any such diagnosis to be made in accord with Canon Law,
and before any such approach can be acceptable for a Catholic, the process
outlined in the Rituale Romanum must be followed, and the diagnosis must be
confirmed by the Ordinary of the Diocese before any action can be taken. The
specific action of exorcism must be directly authorized by the Ordinary and
proceed according to his orders.
That often does not appear to be the case. I have heard the opinion from
some priests (whether or not they have performed exorcisms) that so long as
the formal Rite of Exorcism is not used, other forms of exorcism are
permissible. The procedure of referral to the Ordinary of the Diocese seems
to be considered by some to be merely an administrative process that can be
dispensed with under the rubric of "pastoral need."
I have been told of Catholic priests and lay persons who under the concept
of "deliverance ministry" have engaged in various forms of exorcism. At
times a group of Catholics will engage in intense, prolonged, and repeated
rites of exorcism. A popular culture has developed in which some Catholics,
if confronted by phenomena that confuse or frighten them, will immediately
diagnose the phenomena as demonic and begin a process of ordering an evil
entity to leave the person. In these situations, the name of Christ and the
authority of the Church is being invoked. I believe it to be a situation
that is spiritually dangerous, psychologically dangerous and abusive, and
scandalous.
The motives of those who engage in such activities can certainly vary. Some,
with the best of intentions, may believe that they are doing good. Others
may be motivated by grandiosity, a fascination with the dramatic, or the
attraction of having psychological control over another human being.
There may be a tendency to view the situation as relatively benign, trusting
that if indeed there is no possession present, the person will not be unduly
harmed by the process. In fact that is not the case, but many who have been
most severely harmed are not in a position to effectively protest.
There is substantial documentation that the victims of extreme abuse are
especially susceptible to damage. Especially if the abuse involved some form
of captivity and/or began during childhood, there is a process of
psychological fragmentation and disruption of the person's sense of
identity. There is frequently a high susceptibility to trance states and
hypnosis, and a difficulty is resisting manipulation while in those states.
The degree and symptoms of the fragmentation may vary, but the most severe
and chronic form occurs in Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD). I will
discuss the issue as it pertains to MPD, with the understanding that at
least some elements may also be found in other trauma-related disorders.
Some mental health authors have suggested that there may be cases where
exorcism is "therapeutic." This belief is based, I feel, on a judgment that
if the patient subjectively feels or fears that possession has occurred,
providing the suggestion that they are now freed may lead to improvement.
The therapist may also believe that true possession is not ever a
possibility. There may be as well a sense that religious ideation and
understanding is not really an important consideration. Rarely is Christian
theology seriously considered, except by fundamentalist "Christian
counselors" or "Catholic Charismatics" who may consider possession and
oppression to be common occurrences, with exorcism a tool to be freely used.
I obviously consider the theology involved to be very important, but the
idea of it being "therapeutic" also should be examined.
The most prominent writers in the field of the treatment of MPD have noted
that exorcism for MPD is therapeutically contraindicated, with various forms
of harm described.
The only organized, retrospective review I am aware of was done by Dr.
Fraser from the Royal Ottawa Hospital in Canada. He reviewed the experiences
of a number of his patients who had undergone exorcism in various
circumstances. The patients varied in religious background, as did the
religion of those doing the exorcisms and the form and nature of the
exorcism activity. Some exorcisms were supported by the Church or religious
community of the exorcist. Some of the exorcisms had occurred before, as
well as after, the diagnosis of MPD. Based on his retrospective review of 7
cases, he reached several conclusions:
The exorcisms had an effect in that they produced a change and had an impact
on the personality system. Alternate personalities can be, at least
temporarily, "banished" and new personalities can be created in response to
the sense of trauma.
The effect in each case was severely destructive.
At least in cases where MPD is present or may be present, exorcism is
contraindicated.
I do not have access to an extensive library regarding the Catholic practice
of exorcism, and certainly no access to restricted sources of information.
The sources that I have read indicate various diagnostic signs that are to
be assessed before there can be a prudent assessment that possession is a
possibility, and that exorcism may be appropriate.
Much of the assessment of the signs of actual possession involves the
experience, perceptions, and understanding of the person making the
assessment. Things that are not considered "an ordinary part of human life"
or "part of the natural order" may simply be outside the experience of the
evaluator.
Those working with MPD patients frequently encounter unusual phenomena that
are the lasting aftereffects of their desperate adaptation to severe and
chronic childhood abuse. The most striking of those phenomena are more
common with MPD patients reporting severe ritual abuse, especially Satanic.
Those same patients often have personalities mimicking demons. Often, they
were hypnotically suggested during the cult activity. Those personalities
were developed as attempts at avoiding punishment by the cult by simulating
the presence of demons. That certainly complicates the assessment process,
but there are, I believe, criteria that could be used to distinguish a
demonic MPD personality from a situation of true possession. The burden of
reasonable proof is on the person alleging the presence of the demonic.
If someone is diagnosed as having MPD based on other personalities, a
demonic presentation should be presumed to simply be another personality,
unless clearly demonstrated otherwise.
An MPD personality will have an identifiable time of formation and
functional role within the personality system consistent with the trauma as
it was occurring. MPD specific therapy will result in psychologically
consistent change in that personality, with improvement over time in the
presence of a healthy therapeutic alliance.
As the personality is worked with, emotions such as rage will be clearly
"human" in origin, and if the personality is more developed there will be
the clear existence of state-dependent learning. Knowledge possessed will be
appropriate to the role and function of the personality.
Unusual phenomena will be those seen and reported in at least some other
patients clearly diagnosed with MPD, and will follow the general patterns
for those phenomena.
Unusual phenomena consistent with true possession would be clearly outside
the "natural order" and/or would be situations not reasonably accounted for
by science.
There are strange phenomena that are frequently seen and observed in MPD
patients. They are accepted as MPD dynamics, and are often present with some
personalities and absent with others. In different patients, they may or may
not be linked with a subjective sense of "being evil" and are clearly linked
both to trauma and attempts at adapting to that trauma. These phenomena
would include at least the following:
Susceptibility to hypnosis and an unusual ability to cause others to enter
hypnotic or trance states.
Body memories having physical characteristics. These are reenactments of
past trauma and follow the same characteristics as the classic stigmata
phenomena. They may appear and disappear without external manipulation and
may include rashes, welts, cuts, burns, blood, swelling, and significant
physiological changes.
Apparent telepathy, clairvoyance, and unexplained knowledge. These may
reflect hyperacute senses, such as hearing thoughts reflected in the
movement of the larynx. Photographic state-dependent memory, extremely acute
awareness of others' body language and visual cues, and unusual mental feats
are also common.
Physical strength beyond ordinary perceptions of what is humanly possible.
Highly accelerated healing, control of bleeding, and ability to regulate
physiological states in ways not normally considered possible or under
conscious control.
Ability to cause in an observer a sense of cold, evil, or threat.
Acts of self-harm and extreme self-mutilation, hatred of God and religious
objects.
Ability to go for long periods with neither food or sleep.
Selective, personality specific anesthesia and the blocking of normal pain
stimuli.
It should be noted that many unusual phenomena that are considered in
popular culture to be "psychic" or otherwise unexplainable are often based
on the skills and illusions of magicians, the use of various forms of trance
states, suggestibility, intentional fraud, etc.
I am not discounting the possibility that a specific MPD patient may in fact
also be possessed. I feel that in such a case there should be specific
evidence leading to a prudent judgment and moral certainty that such is the
case, and the pertinent information should then be submitted to the Ordinary
of the Diocese. I do not believe that a pastoral diagnosis of possession
should ever be made without such authority.
I am available to defend the conclusions that I have reached, to provide
additional information in support of those conclusions, or to work toward a
more full consideration of these issues. My basic concern is that I believe
that exorcisms are dangerous and tend to target the victims of severe abuse.
I see them as, in effect, an additional form of abuse for which there must
be accountability.
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