Fr César Truqui said that this demon, cited in the biblical story of Tobias, is called "Asmodeus".

In the Old Testament book, the demon is known to have killed seven of Sarah's husbands and was chained in the desert by St Rafael.

The demon "is present" in many exorcisms, Fr Truqui said.

Continue reading

The challenge, which has been trending on Twitter, is seen as a poor man's Ouija board.

In a demonstration of the increasing power of social media, in slightly more than two days, an estimated 2 million people have used the hashtag #CharlieCharlieChallenge.

The game requires a handful of pencils and supposedly summons a Mexican demon named Charlie.

Players draw a cross on a piece of paper and write a "yes" in two opposing sections and a "no" in the other two.

Then two pencils are placed in the middle of the drawing in a plus sign formation while the participants ask aloud: "Charlie, Charlie, are you there?" or "Charlie, Charlie can we play?".

The top pencil is likely to move because of its position - leading some to believe the demon is making its presence felt.

Pennsylvania school chaplain Fr Stephen McCarthy wrote an open letter to students warning of the dangers of the game.

The letter was linked to a student's Twitter feed.

"I want to remind you all there is no such thing as 'innocently playing with demons'," Fr McCarthy told the students.

"The problem with opening yourself up to demonic activity is that it opens a window of possibilities which is not easily closed."

Fr McCarthy suggested the Rosary and the Mass for students wanting to encounter the spiritual.

"I think you'll find these far safer and more rewarding alternatives in the long run."

He asked students to encourage others to avoid participation in the Charlie challenge.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church directs the faithful to place their cares and anxieties in the hands of God, and avoid any practices designed to access information, guidance and help from other powers. (CCC #2115).

Sources

• Huffington Post
• National Catholic Register
• Image: News.com.au

"It is true that at that time, they could confuse epilepsy with demonic possession; but it is also true that there was the devil! And we do not have the right to simplify the matter, as if to say: ‘All of these [people] were not possessed; they were mentally ill'.

"No! The presence of the devil is on the first page of the Bible, and the Bible ends as well with the presence of the devil, with the victory of God over the devil."

Continue reading

"At the moment of consecration of the precious blood I asked the Lord to shower his blood upon the youth and to help any young men who may have a vocation to the priesthood."

The instant reaction of one 13-year old boy shocked the young priest, "he fell backwards and started growling. And I thought, ‘I wasn't expecting this!'"

Several years later, and he is one of a new generation of exorcists-in-training following a decision by the U.S. bishops in November 2010 to vastly increase the number of exorcists, which might number as low as 50 in America.

The priest, who is from the U.S. Midwest, spoke to CNA on the basis of anonymity so that he will not be deluged with inquiries. As he explained, "we have set structures to make sure those who most need help get it."

He now finds himself in Rome, sent by his bishop to shadow the work of the six official exorcists of the Rome diocese. In practical terms that means he is "involved in about three exorcisms a day."

And the learning curve has been steep. "No two cases are alike. That's been a real education for me. The rite of exorcism is not a magic formula," he said.

"It is not the devil or the exorcist who is at the center of this but a person is suffering a lot and who is in need of certain liberation through Christ."

As for correct terminology, is it a demon or a devil? "Demon comes from Greek, devil comes from Latin, either is okay," he explained. What you are dealing with "are fallen angels who were created good."

The early Church Fathers, including St. Jerome and St. Augustine, speculated that these angels rebelled "because of the revelation to them of God's plan of incarnation" and their "repulsion at the notion that God, who is pure spirit and infinite, should become a man." Read more

Sources

• Catholic News Agency
• Image: Word on Fire