EXORCISM. —
I. AMONG PRIMITIVE PEOPLES
A lustratory rite whereby evil spiritual influences are driven away through the use of formulas, gestures, and objects, and through the invocation of a being endowed with supernatural power.Among primitive peoples, the rite derives from the belief that every evil is caused by the intervention of a malevolent spirit, and it is generally carried out, through the medium of the sorcerer, in an invocation, a gesture, or the use of cathartic means.
Exorcism is also found among cultured peoples, and evidence of its profound significance is the importance attributed to the function of the exorcist. Thus in the Assorcist religion, in which exorcism consists of words and acts uttered on behalf of the god Ea and his son Marduk; in ancient and modern India; and in Zoroastrianism.
II. IN CANON LAW
In the strict sense, exorcism consists of all the adjurations which the minister appointed for this purpose by the Church makes in the name of God and authoritatively against the demon, either so that it may abandon persons possessed by it (solemn exorcism), or so that it may cease to infest persons or things, even inanimate ones (simple exorcism). Both simple and solemn exorcism are by their nature public and constitute a sacramental properly so called; whereas adjurations made on private initiative and in one’s own name are private exorcisms. Since exorcism is not a Sacrament, it does not necessarily and infallibly obtain the effect of driving out the demon or eliminating harmful infestations. The personal holiness of the minister also contributes to this. Therefore, although any cleric who has received the order of exorcist (v. ESORCISTA, ESORCISTATO) is radically capable of performing exorcisms, even solemn ones, for many centuries the Church has granted the faculty of solemnly exorcising only to priests distinguished for piety and prudence, by means of an express licence from the Ordinary and with the obligation of faithfully observing can. 1151-52 of the CIC and title XI of the Roman Ritual. Nevertheless, any priest may perform private exorcisms, especially in cases involving penitents who are particularly tempted or reluctant to confess their sins and repent of them.Exorcisms should normally be performed in a church or in another more religious place, except in the case of the sick or when serious reasons to the contrary are present; they should not, however, be performed before a large public. If the exorcism is to be performed on a woman, it is necessary that close relatives or women of exemplary honesty be present. In performing the exorcism, the minister
must ordinarily adhere to the forms of the Roman Ritual, avoiding in every case the use of medicines or superstitious practices. He must likewise absolutely avoid asking questions that are inappropriate or irrelevant to the purpose, unnecessary, or intended to discover future events. He should instead ask the demon whether it is alone or accompanied by other evil spirits, their name, the time when the obsession began, and its cause. Exorcisms may be performed not only on possessed Christians, whether Catholic or not, good or evil, or even excommunicated, including the living; but also on persons of other religions or entirely pagan persons, provided that in every case there is moral certainty that they are truly possessed (v. OSSESSIONE e OSSESSI).