But there is so much more to learn about the tricks of Satan and his devils than what is shown on the television.

Father Gabriele Amorth's new book, An Exorcist Explains the Demonic explains how Satan actually works, and what his limitations are.

Here are five facts from Father Amorth's book about the reality of demonic activity.

1. Demons cannot read your thoughts
Demons may be spirits but they are incapable of reading minds. Rather, they rely on observing behaviors to gain insight into our thoughts and weaknesses.

This actually hearkens to what C.S. Lewis wrote in The Screwtape Letters: "Oh Wormwood, you fool!"

The Holy Spirit can chase away these evil spirits, but only works within the confines of free will, so we have to be open to letting Him chase away the demons.

2. Exorcism is a sacramental
Sacramentals dispose us to receiving the grace of the sacraments, so it's easy to see how exorcism fits into this- literally getting rid of evil that has taken over a person's life and opening that person again to the grace of God.

Only an exorcist can perform an exorcism, though, and each diocese has one priest exorcist.

Interestingly, the Orthodox Church has many exorcists, as it has been peacefully reintroduced into Holy Orders, which has not been done in the Roman Church.

3. Haunted houses are actually a thing
They are called diabolical infestations and it's demonic disturbances that act on houses, places, objects, or animals, rather than on people.

4. There are different levels of "possession"
Generally, when we think of demonic possession, we think of the full-on, head spinning, cuss word slinging, possibly vomiting possessions we see in the media.

But this is only the most serious form of extraordinary action the devil takes and, to become possessed, a person must completely open himself to Satan and allow the evil one in.

When possessed, Satan can make a person do and say as he wishes and the person has no control.

Of note here, the devil cannot possess someone's soul, only their body- unless the person consents to possession of the soul. Continue reading

Sources

• EpicPew article by Theresa Williams, writer, homemaker, friend and sister, wife, and mother of two children.
• Image: Catholic News Agency

The game consists of a pair of pencils or pens, a piece of paper and the invocation of a demonic spirit named "Charlie".

The demon supposedly answers "yes" or "no" to questions put to him.

The Catholic News Agency described local reports of the plight of 22 young women aged between 12 and 15, who started convulsing and behaving strangely.

Caracol News reported that the girls may have been "possessed" due to playing the game.

One of the affected youths, whose identity has been withheld, told the outlet: "You can end up dying from those games because you know this is something from the devil, and you don't play around with the devil."

Claudia Patricia Asprilla, the mother of one of the girls involved, said that her daughter "said she doesn't want to go to school because she's afraid . . . ".

The young people were taken to a local health centre.

Local authorities are visiting the affected girls' homes, bringing psychological, social and spiritual help.

Fr Wilson Tamayo, pastor of Divine Child Church in Istmina said: "All this happens precisely because we have closed the door of our hearts to God, and so I invite you to welcome God's message which is salvation, mercy and freedom."

Last year, "Charlie Charlie" became popular among young people worldwide.

Social media posts of the invocation went viral, prompting a wave of concern over the potential risk of being exposed to demonic possession.

Sources

• Catholic News Agency
• Image: Catholic News Agency

On May 20, the ceremony was carried out behind closed doors at the cathedral of San Luis Potosí.

The Archbishop Emeritus of Guadalajara, Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iñiguez, presided.

Also participating were Archbishop Jesús Carlos Cabrero of San Luis Potosí, Spanish demonologist and exorcist Fr José Antonio Fortea, and a smaller group of priests and lay people.

Archbishop Cabrero said the reserved character of the ceremony was intended to avoid any misguided interpretations of the ritual.

The great exorcism followed a series of events the bishops see as linked to the presence and influence of Satan.

Mexico has been subject to a growing wave of violence, and according to official figures, there have been some 100,000 abortions performed in Mexico City since the practice was legalised in the capital in 2007.

With the exorcism, the bishops asked God to end the spiral of drug-related violence in the country, as well as abortion.

Fr Fortea told Breitbart that "undoubtedly the abortion, Satanism, corruption, the cult of ‘holy' death and the legalisation of sexual aberrations have caused great satanic infestation throughout Mexico".

Explaining how an entire nation can be infested with demons, he replied: "To the extent sin increases more and more in a country, to that extent it becomes easier for the demons to tempt (people)".

Fr Fortea warned that the great exorcism would not solve all of Mexico's problems in a day.

But the exorcism would have "positive repercussions", he said.

Fr Fortea noted that St Francis of Assisi had exorcised the entire Italian city of Arezzo, although the saint did this in a "private manner".

The priest said that every bishop in Mexico should celebrate the great exorcism in his own diocese.

Sources

• Catholic News Agency
• Breitbart
• Image: Lonely Planet

Madalin Ciculescu, 34, accused the five of fraud after they turned up several times to exercise the demons which were responsible for the bad smells that were ruining his business.

He claimed that after the failed exorcism the demons even started haunting him at his home at Pitesti in Arges County in central Romania.