A question: I'm getting hints of right wingers coming together with

[hedgehog]

Charismatics. Bobby Jindell doing the exorcism is an example of what I am referring to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YQs9whiZao

Apparently, German bishops are also getting back into the exorcism business. What's your view of this?

[mrs_p]

1. what i remember from my nun days is

that the ritual act of exorcism is regulated by the local bishop and there are only a handful of priests who can perform one. the church actually has to investigate first, the one to be exorcised has to give consent, and then the exorcism may take place over several visits. from what i hear, there is much prayer and fasting involved, and the church "certifies'" in some way who can perform an exorcism. finally, the church rarely rules that an exorcism need to take place.

my thoughts: if people want to pray that's one thing - but labeling someone as "possessed" is VERY dangerous. in fact, i find "lay exorcisms" rather frightening and i would not trust anyone who said s/he was an exorcist. what jindell did to his friend was without consent and, frankly, not in the spirit of christ. seems more like a narcissist with messianic delusions... IMHO

[hedgehog]

2. I've been very laissez-faire about Charismatics - after all, Joyce

called the Catholic Church "Here comes everybody!"

On the other hand, the pastor has been associated with a charismatic group meeting at church on a weekly basis for quite a while. He encourages people to attend. It's hard to distinguish between hysteria and "being slain by the Spirit". My thinking is this; if the Spirit was really that intimately involved, wouldn't we be seeing the fruits of the Spirit in parish life?

[mrs_p]

3. yea

i haven't ever really gotten into the charismatic movement either. i have seen someone slain in the spirit during the anointing of the sick and it was actually very quiet and the priest just had a couple of people discreetly move the person into the nearest pew. but, it really isn't my thing at all. i do think that the Holy Spirit moves us each according to our gifts. though, mine is definitely NOT as the center of attention, so maybe this just won't be my experience ever.

i agree too that the fruits should be seen in the parish life. otherwise, it just seems too "me, me" centric. we recently moved from seattle to colorado and started going to a parish that has NO life to it. it really makes a difference!!