
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 6, 1990                   TAG: 9003062141
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A/1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                 LENGTH: Medium

REPORT OF NEW YORK EXORCISMS SURPRISES THEOLOGIANS

The rare ritual of exorcism, practiced twice by the New York Archdiocese in a year, is cloaked in mystery even for those most familiar with it. But priests say the movie "The Exorcist" depicted it pretty well.

"A lot of people think they know the answer, but my experience is nobody really does," said the Rev. John Nicola, a priest with the Washington Archdiocese who assisted at four exorcisms in Rome from 1973 to 1975.

He added, "Even psychiatrists who have no belief in the supernatural will tell you about cases."

Catholic theologians expressed surprise Monday that Cardinal John O'Connor reported the two New York exorcisms. He made the disclosure during a Sunday sermon at St. Patrick's Cathedral in which he said, "Diabolically instigated violence is on the rise."

The cardinal said the exorcisms were approved by the archdiocese's vicar general and appeared to be successful, but he gave no details. He also said the novel "The Exorcist" is a "gruesomely authentic" portrayal of demonic possession.

Nicola agreed. Being there, he said, "is quite scary."

Typically, said the Rev. James Burtchaell, theology professor at Notre Dame University, an exorcist must be a "very self-possessed, consistently holy man" to survive the experience.

"It involves a great deal of self-abuse, bodies being flung around the room, excrement, assumed voices - it's pretty vile stuff," he said.

"The darn movie is going to be the image everybody has. But, I must say, events in the movie are very faithful to stories I've read" about real exorcisms.

Exorcisms are confidential; no figures are kept on the number performed in the United States, said Bill Ryan, spokesman for the U.S. Catholic Conference in Washington.

But Nicola estimated investigations result in only one exorcism every two years in this country. In Europe, some dioceses might have five or 10 a year. In parts of Asia, Africa, South America and Mexico, "it might be an everyday thing."

Pope John Paul II recently increased the number of exorcists in Rome and in Turin, where there are a reported 40,000 devil worshipers, the San Francisco Chronicle reported in December.

The Rev. Simon Harak, a Catholic priest and theology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, said the church's book of rituals recognizes exorcisms for people "who are no longer in charge of their own will."

Exorcism existed before the time of Christ, and Harak said it may gain prevalence in times or places of satanic worship.

"In the gospels, there's quite a bit of reference to Jesus not only healing people of diseases but freeing them from diabolical possession," Burtchaell said. "Ever since then, there have been outbreaks of similar behavior."

by CNB