Manual of Minor Exorcisms

Acknowledgements

Texts of Scripture are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, Darton, Longman and Todd, London, 1966; except those marked NRSV: The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989.

The Rite of Major Exorcism, unofficial translation by Morton A Gauld (2009)

The Small Ritual, extracts from the Rituale Romanum, Burns and Oates, London 1964

The Roman Missal (ICEL) 1973

Rite of Baptism for Children (ICEL) 1971

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (ICEL) 1982

Imprimatur

Nihil Obstat:  Rev John Flader; Imprimatur:  + Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney; Date: 4 May 2010

The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free from doctrinal or moral error. It is not necessarily implied that those who have granted them agree with the contents, opinions or statements expressed.

Use of this Manual

Priests in the course of their pastoral ministry meet situations where the possibility of the presence and activity of demonic spirits is suggested. This manual is intended as a pastoral resource for use by priests.

Minor exorcisms can be a normal part of the ministry of priests and are used to assist people in the spiritual struggle, particularly in the case of oppression.

The prayers for minor exorcisms contained in this manual are drawn from the Liturgy of the Church or are adaptations of liturgical prayers or come from other sources. The extracts in this manual that have been taken from the prayers and exorcisms in the Rite of Major Exorcism are allowed to be used for minor exorcisms.

+ Julian Porteous, Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, 19 June 2010

Table of Contents

Manual of Minor Exorcisms

Use of this Manual

Part I - Introduction

1.1   The Wiles of the Devil

Temptation | Oppression | Possession

1.2   Exposure to the Powers of Darkness

1.3   Combating the Powers of Darkness

1.4   Forms of Exorcism

Minor Exorcism | Rite of Exorcism | Prayers of Deliverance | Deprecative and Indicative Prayers

1.5   The Rite of Exorcism

1.6   Prayers of Deliverance

1.7   The Use of Minor Exorcism

Part II - Prayers of Minor Exorcism

2.1   Prayers of Minor Exorcism

Sacrament of Penance | Renewal of Baptismal Promises | A Prayer of Minor Exorcism

A Longer Prayer of Minor Exorcism | An Imperative formula from the New Rite

A simple imperative formula | Prayer of Pope Leo XIII

Prayer to St Michael the Archangel | A Prayer of Exorcism | Prayer of St Basil

2.2   Blessing of Holy Water

Rite of Blessing of Salt from Roman Missal

Rite of Blessing of Holy Water from Roman Missal

Blessing of Holy Water from Roman Ritual

Rite of Blessing of Holy Water from the Rite of Exorcism

2.3   Blessing of a Home

Blessing of a Home from the Roman Ritual

Another Prayer of Blessing for a home or building

2.4   Prayers for Protection and Deliverance

Prayer to St Michael the Archangel | Anima Christi

The Psalms | Texts from the Gospels

A personal prayer | Litany of the Most Precious Blood

Prayer against Every Evil | Prayer for Inner Healing | Prayer for Deliverance

Part I - Introduction

Chapter XII of the Roman Ritual, which dealt with exorcisms, was revised in the light of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council. In 1999 the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments published De Exorcismis et Supplicationibus Quibusdam as the Rite of Major Exorcism. The original text in Latin has yet to be translated into English – a translation is currently being prepared. The Introduction to the Rite presents the faith and understanding of the Church concerning the existence and activity of evil spirits and presents exorcism as an exercise of the Church’s work of sanctification.

The Scriptures and the teaching of the Church attest to the existence and activity of angelic beings.[1] Angels continually offer hidden yet real service to the Church. Some angelic beings have rejected God and exercise opposition to God and the Church. They are diabolic and seek the undoing of God’s work of salvation in individual lives. The Scriptures describe the chief demonic spirit under a number of names: Satan, the Devil, Prince of this World, the Father of Lies, the Tempter. Other fallen angelic beings are called evil spirits, demons or unclean spirits. These demonic spirits work towards the spiritual destruction of human beings.[2]

The history of humanity is marked by the great contest whereby evil spirits seek the destruction of the quality of human life and the perversion of the works of God. God has acted decisively in the sending of his Son, Jesus Christ, and by his death and resurrection has definitively broken the power of Satan over humanity. Though conquered, evil spirits continue to afflict human beings. There is a spiritual battle that continues and will continue until the end of time.

The coming of Christ as Saviour and Redeemer revealed the power of God against the “powers of darkness” (Col 1:13; Eph 6:12). Christ resisted the temptations in the wilderness (Mt 4:1-11). He showed authority over demons (See Mt 12:27-29). He freed those oppressed by evil spirits. His death on the cross once and for all established the Kingdom of God as the source of freedom and salvation.

During his public ministry Christ entrusted the power over evil spirits to his disciples (See Mt 10:1-8). They were to cast them out evil spirits in his name. In the age of the Church one of the signs that are to accompany believers is the power to drive out evil spirits (See Mk 17:17).

The witness of the Apostolic Church and the ministry of the Church in history shows that the power received from Christ has been effectively invoked and the Church confidently prays “in the name of Jesus” for deliverance from the Evil One.

1.1   The Wiles of the Devil

The struggle with the powers of evil is part of the experience of every human being.  While human beings have a natural orientation towards the good we find ourselves confronting evil in various ways. We can speak of three dimensions to this experience of evil: temptation, oppression and possession.

Temptation

The experience of temptation is a daily reality for all human beings. Temptation comes from various sources. Catholic teaching speaks of “the world, the flesh and the devil”.[3]

“The world” – or more appropriately the fallen world – is that aspect of the world that denies or rejects God. Human beings experience temptation from the false allurements of the world around us. Advertisers urge us to live for ourselves, to satisfy basic cravings for comfort and success. We are shown images of happiness that are essentially hollow. Through media in its extraordinary variety of forms we are constantly being tempted. Indeed, there is such an all pervasive attractiveness to live for ourselves. What is really selfish or shallow or crude becomes part of the landscape of our daily lives. We become deadened in our sensitivity because temptations are so much the environment in which we live.

The second source of temptation comes from our fallen nature – “the flesh”. All human beings, as a result of Original Sin, are affected by what Scripture calls “concupiscence”.[4] People find themselves attracted to what is inappropriate and wrong. All people experience evil in their thoughts – jealousy, anger, frustration. There is the daily battle with temptations coming from our fallen nature. We base our description of the flesh on the passage of St John in his First Letter (2:16): “For all that is in the world, the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of life, is not from the Father but is from the world.” Therefore, the spiritual foe which we term the flesh may be further divided into: the concupiscence of the flesh, which is the inordinate love of sensual pleasures; the concupiscence of the eyes, which is all unwholesome curiosity and inordinate love of the goods of our earth; the pride of life, which is excessive self-love and is accompanied by vanity.

Then there are the temptations of the devil. We experience temptation as a voice within us seductively suggesting the ways we can satisfy our basic cravings. We have an awareness of an active agent bent upon drawing us into what we realise is wrong, a subtle whispering in our ear. Some persons are tempted frequently and intensely, while others are tempted less and without being deeply agitated.

St Paul in his Letter to the Romans gives a lengthy consideration of the experience of sin and comments on his own personal experience: “So I find this rule, that for me, where I want to do nothing but good, evil is close at my side”. He acutely senses the presence and attraction of evil. He feels himself its prisoner, though he sorely wants to do good. Finally in an expression of exasperation he cries out: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death?” (Rom 7: 24)

We can identify with his experience as it is so with us. Daily life is burdened with an interior struggle. We want to do good, but we carry a tendency to evil that weighs us down.

The moral theologian, Adolfe Tanquerey quotes the teaching of St Augustine to explain the three phases of temptation – suggestion, pleasure and consent. He says, “Suggestion consists in the proposal to some evil. Our imagination or our mind represents to us in a more or less vivid manner the attraction of the forbidden fruit”. Then he describes how pleasure follows the suggestion: “Instinctively our lower tendencies are drawn towards the suggested evil and a certain pleasure is experienced”. He adds, “this pleasure does not, as long as the will refuses to consent to it, constitute a sin”. But then explains, “If on the contrary, the will delights in the pleasure, willingly enjoys it and consents to it, the sin is committed”.[5]

Oppression

There is a deeper level of struggle that we have to face. This can be called oppression. If we describe temptation as an inclination coming from without, oppression is something from the outside but weighing heavily upon a person or harassing them. This is the case where we experience a very strong drive to do something that we know is damaging to ourselves or to others. It can be smoking, binge drinking, stealing or pornography. This is the area of addictions. A person here senses the power of an attraction to do something that is damaging to him or herself and which is quite overwhelming. There is the feeling that the addiction is too strong to resist. Our freedom to decide is diminished. This attraction is oppressive. We can find that giving in to the craving only makes it more difficult to resist next time. We can find that we have become trapped. This is the lot of the drug addict, the alcoholic, the gambler.

The distinction between oppression and possession is that, with oppression, people are still in control of their wills and are able to reflect upon their condition; whereas, with possession, it appears that something has taken over their will. A minor exorcism is traditionally used for oppression and a major exorcism for possession. In a minor exorcism, prayer is addressed to God to deliver the person from evil. In a major exorcism, as well as invoking the power of God, the demon is directly addressed in the name of Jesus and commanded to leave.

When we turn to St Mark we note that the first miracle recorded is that of Jesus being confronted by and then casting out a demon in the synagogue (Mk 1:21-28). What is of interest is that the demon initiates the confrontation by calling out, “What do you want with us Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?” It is as though evil is threatened by the presence of Jesus. It suggests that this is the battle that is about to be waged. God is going to challenge the free reign that evil has had over the lives of people.

The Gospels record a number of instances of such a confrontation. The mentality of the time readily ascribed to demons forms of oppression that afflicted people. Today we might be more circumspect in attributing some afflictions to the influence of demons, explaining such conditions in psychological terms. However, as we have seen already we cannot eliminate the possibility of the influence and power of demonic forces coupled with something that may also have a psychological cause.

Obsessions like gambling, pornography, substance abuse are destructive of human character and have a spiritual dimension as well as physical and psychological dimensions. People can experience being assailed by forms of darkness that can be overwhelming – such as fears of various kinds, memories of rejection or injustice, depression, a sense of worthlessness. These are very real and can be quite debilitating. Some can be helped by psychology and medication, but the person suffers a real debilitating power which is a burden for their lives. Added to these experiences are others that could be termed torments of the soul – for instance an enduring bitterness, an irrational jealousy. These are the “demons” that infest our lives. In our common speech we speak about “facing our demons”.

Such experiences mean that the person is not totally free. The person may be substantially burdened and in the grip of forces over which they have little or no control.

Points of entry for the power of evil to gain influence over our lives can be from such experiences as trauma or an area where we have been wounded. It can be due to habitual sin of a serious kind where a person has begun to lose control over behaviour. It can be the result of involvement in the occult where a person seeking power through other than divine influences allows demonic entry. Or it can have an origin in past generations where there have been sinful patterns or curses from our ancestry.

Possession

Possession is a great extent of demonic influence – at least a part of the person is under more or less the complete control of the evil spirit. Just as there are varying degrees of oppression, so are there of possession. An extreme form comes about because the person has, in some way, surrendered their freedom to the Evil One. Possession is a rare, but real, consequence of the activity of evil spirits.

In the literary tradition there is reference to “selling one’s soul to Satan”. [6] This occurs either by being duped or by complicity with evil. Possession witnesses to the fact that evil is not just a moral option, but is an active and personal force. This last and greatest form of demonic influence over a person has been recognised by the Church as a real possibility and the Church has provided a Rite of Exorcism to address this calamity. There are many documented accounts – as well as stories in literature and film – of this most horrific of experiences. The destructive power of evil can be seen for what it really is.

There is a graphic story told in some detail by St Mark. It is the story of the Gerasene demoniac (Mk 5:1-20). The description of the demoniac is of a person being destroyed by powers that consume him. He lived among the tombs. He would howl and self-harm, cutting himself with stones. It is a picture of a human being robbed of dignity. When we meet such people we are filled with pity: this is not what a human being should be like!

In this story Jesus drives out the demons – in this case there are many, “legion” – and the final picture is of a man, calm, clothed and in his right mind. He is a man restored to his proper human dignity.

Jesus declared as he began his public ministry that the “Kingdom of God is close at hand” (Mk 1:15).  This declaration proposes that God is acting to bring about a restoration of humanity, to rescue it from the powers of darkness. In one interesting parable Jesus speaks about himself as coming to take over the house of “a strong man” (Mt 12:29). To do this he will bind the strong man. In a graphic image Jesus presents himself as being in a contest with one who has controlled things to date but whose time has come. The stronger one has arrived.

The accounts of the many miracles of Jesus, be they physical or interior, give testimony to the fact that he has come to bring restoration to humanity suffering under the weight of afflictions of various kinds. It is the case that the border-line between oppression and possession is not always clear.

The Christian experience is one of an awareness of the existence of the Devil and of evil spirits. This is based on the witness of the Scriptures, especially instanced in the ministry of Jesus Christ, and the teaching and ministry of the Church over the centuries. 

1.2   Exposure to the Powers of Darkness

Satan is a defeated enemy, but he is still able to conduct “guerrilla warfare” on humanity. There are many ways in which the devil is able to gain a damaging hold in people’s lives.

The first is when sin, or more importantly, habits of sin, become a feature of a person’s life. This gives Satan a particular foothold. He is able to expand the dimensions of this sin and increase its detrimental effect. Various forms of apostasy, or rejection of God, open the door for the presence of the powers of darkness. Wilful rejection of the Church and its teaching makes a person susceptible to the influence of demonic forces. In such an instance a person has removed himself from the protection of the Church.

Then too, increased interest these days in other religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, or various pagan religions can lead people outside the protection of the Christian faith. The adoption of various practices and accompanying spiritualities emerging from these non-Christian sources – like Yoga and Reiki – is fraught with danger. Even a Christian delving into these practices can be spiritually affected without realising it.

Dabbling in the occult, which is quite widespread, is a more immediate opportunity for demonic activity. Any form of divinisation – séances, fortune telling, Tarot Cards – is a sin against faith and invites in evil spirits. Even “white magic” – Wicca, for instance – sought as a source of healing can lead to deception and the influence of demons.

The general rise of interest in the New Age has become a significant source for people coming under the influence of the powers of darkness. Even what may appear innocuous can become the doorway to entry into a dark and dangerous world.

As well as these potential sources for demonic activity in a person, the general state of a person’s soul can be fertile ground for evil spirits. If a person is engaged in sexual perversions, pornography, or the use of drugs, the door is opened to the powers of darkness.

Some people have very fragile personalities and may carry serious defects of character as a result of upbringing or particular experiences. Serious insecurities that manifest themselves in depression or low self-esteem can provide avenues for demonic presence.

It is also important to mention that people well advanced in the Christian life can become subject to intense demonic attack. The Book of Job recounts the story of a just man who is tested to the extreme. Many saints attest to the darkest of intense personal struggles, for example St Antony of Egypt, St John Vianney, St Pio of Pietrelcina.

Finally, mention needs to be made of specific engagement with satanic rites. There are indications that there is a rise in this sort of activity and a morbid fascination with dark rituals. This, of course, is a most dangerous activity and will have deep and lasting consequences.

1.3   Combating the Powers of Darkness

Every person has an individual struggle with Satan. The Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation are the means by which we become Children of God. We belong to God and this identity should not be underestimated in the spiritual struggle. We are Children of Light – as the Baptismal Rite declares[7] – and do not belong to the powers of darkness. In these sacraments we receive the Holy Spirit, who is the agent of God’s sanctifying presence within us – the “mark of God’s ownership” (Eph 1:13).

In the Rite of Baptism we formally reject Satan and “all his empty works and promises”. In the three-fold formula we formally renounce evil and proclaim our intention to be “Children of the Light”.

The Christian still must contend daily with temptation to sin. The Church has traditionally urged every believer to live in Christ and use prayer, fasting and the sacramental life – particularly the Rite of Penance – as ordinary means to resist temptation and grow in holiness.

It is important to recognise that sin, which is not brought to the Sacrament of Penance, can induce spiritual weakness and susceptibility to demonic activity. Every Catholic should take seriously the need for regular Confession as a means of being strengthened to resist temptation. The Confessional is also the place where a person struggling with particular temptations can receive not only forgiveness for failures, but the grace to be stronger in maintaining the spiritual struggle. The confessor can also assist the person with sound spiritual advice.

The Christian tradition regularly utilises the practice of invoking the mercy of God. The prayer of the publican – “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:9-14) – is the basis for many practices in liturgy and devotion. At each Mass we use the three-fold formula: “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy”. This prayer, said in a heart-felt manner, is heard. The Christian East has adopted the “Jesus Prayer” – “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, be merciful to me a sinner” – as the ground for developing the spiritual life. This prayer can be a powerful means of relying upon the saving action of God to assist us in overcoming sin and resisting temptation.

1.4   Forms of Exorcism

There are several exorcisms in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The catechumen is prayed over with a Prayer of Exorcism. It is a part of the Rite of Baptism of Children.[8] These exorcisms remind us of the Church’s awareness of the presence and power of the Evil One and that the Christian life is a spiritual struggle from its very inception.

The Church is engaged in the task of assisting the sanctification of its members. The spiritual struggle that is the lot of every Christian needs to engage specific prayers and rituals that support the task of spiritual warfare. The threefold profession of faith is preceded by a threefold rejection of Satan: “Do you reject Satan, and all his works and all his empty promises?”

Minor Exorcism

These prayers are what we call Minor Exorcisms. Minor exorcisms can be a standard part of the ministry of priests in assisting people in the spiritual struggle. This tradition was reflected in the practice of previous times when each candidate for the priesthood received the Minor Order of Exorcist. In the “old rite” the bishop addressed the candidates in these words, “You receive, therefore, the power to lay your hands upon the possessed; and by the imposition of your hands, the grace of the Holy Spirit, and the words of the exorcism, the unclean spirits shall be cast out from the bodies of the possessed”. Spiritual authority was given to the candidates to act in the name of the Church: “Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, vouchsafe to bless these Thy servants for the office of exorcist. May they have power and authority, by the imposition of their hands and the word of prayer, to restrain the unclean spirits and be the approved physicians of Thy Church, endowed with the power of healing and with heavenly strength.” The older manuals certainly supported this approach. The moral writer Noldin said, “It is much to be desired that ministers of the Church should perform simple exorcisms more frequently, remembering the words of the Lord, ‘in my name they shall cast out demons’ ... they should use this, or a similar formula: ‘In the name of Jesus Christ I command you, unclean spirit, to leave this creature of God.’”[9]

A part, an important part, of the ordinary ministry of a priest is the role of utilising prayers of minor exorcism to meet the spiritual needs of the faithful.

The other two forms of exorcism are: Major Exorcisms and Prayers of Deliverance.

Rite of Exorcism

Major exorcism involves the use of the Rite of Exorcism.[10] The Rite, De Exorcismis et supplicationibus quibusdam, was approved by Pope John Paul II on 1st October 1998. The previous Rite of Exorcism was promulgated as part of the Roman Ritual of Pope Pius V in 1614. At present there is no official translation of the new Rite in English. The Rite can only be used in cases where serious possession is identified and can only be exercised by an exorcist with the explicit permission of the bishop. Major Exorcism can only be carried out by a priest. The Code of Canon Law states: “No one can perform exorcisms legitimately upon the possessed unless he has obtained special and express permission from the local ordinary. The local ordinary is to give this permission only to a presbyter who has piety, knowledge, prudence, and integrity of life” (CIC, can. 1171 §§ 1-2).

In the case of a Major Exorcism the priest acts not in his own name but in the name and by the authority of the Church. This is fulfilling the authority that the Lord explicitly gave to his disciples and thence the Church: “Whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven and what you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19).

Prayers of Deliverance

A mention needs to be made of what are commonly called prayers of deliverance. Such prayers have become commonplace in the Church in recent decades. The Charismatic Renewal has been a particular influence in fostering this spiritual work, carried out particularly by lay people. Prayers of deliverance can be used by lay persons. However, care must be exercised as to what forms of such prayers are appropriate.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a note (29th September 1984) on this matter and commented, “For several years, in certain areas of the Church, assemblies formed to pray for liberation from the influence of demons (though they do not perform exorcisms as such) have been increasing in number. These assemblies are often led by members of the laity, even when there is a priest present”. While acknowledging that such prayers for deliverance have a place, the Congregation was concerned that such prayers did not move into the area of explicit exorcism. Thus, it made these clarifications referring to Canon 1172 of the Code of Canon Law, “It follows also from these same prescriptions that Christ’s faithful may not employ the formula of exorcism against Satan and the fallen angels which is excerpted from that formula made official by order of the Supreme Pontiff Leo XIII, and certainly may not use the entire text of that exorcism.” The formula of Pope Leo XIII is readily available and some praying for deliverance employed this prayer. The prayer is a prayer of explicit exorcism and the Congregation was concerned about blurring the distinction between deliverance and exorcism.

Deprecative and Indicative Prayers

Prayers seeking deliverance from evil spirits can be deprecative or indicative in character.

Deprecative prayer is prayer seeking to ward off danger or evil. It is a prayer invoking God’s power or protection. Indicative prayer, on the other hand, is a direct command. Our sacramental formulas use indicative prayers. We do not simply request, we act with authority: “I absolve you from your sins”. Deliverance prayers should remain within the area of deprecative prayer. The acts of the Church in relation to deliverance from evil spirits can take an indicative form.

The 1984 note from the Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith commented on the practice of calling on the spirits to name themselves: “those who lack the required power attempt to lead assemblies in which prayers are employed to obtain liberation from demons, and in the course of which the demons are directly disturbed and an attempt is made to determine their identity. This applies even to cases which, although they do not involve true diabolical possession, nevertheless are seen in some way to manifest diabolical influence”. The Congregation proscribes this practice of endeavouring to engage in a dialogue with the evil spirit and have the spirit give forth a name.

The note concludes with an encouragement worth quoting: “Of course, the enunciation of these norms should not stop the faithful of Christ from praying, as Jesus taught us, that they may be freed from evil (cf. Mt 6:13). Moreover, Pastors should take this opportunity to remember what the tradition of the Church teaches about the function properly assigned to the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, the Apostles and the Saints, even in the spiritual battle of Christians against the evil spirits.”[11]

1.5   The Rite of Exorcism

The Rite of Exorcism gives explicit explanation as to the conditions under which it can be exercised. The Introduction to the Rite states, “The power to minister exorcism to those possessed is granted by special and expressed permission of the local Ordinary”. It goes on to state that, “permission must be granted only to a priest possessing devotion, knowledge, prudence and integrity of life who has undergone specific preparation for this function”.

The Rite is a sober document and urges the exorcist to exercise “necessary and extreme circumspection and prudence”.  The priest must not be “too ready” to decide that the person is a victim of demonic possession. The exorcist is urged to use “every means to investigate accurately whether the victim’s claim to be tormented by a demon is really true”.

The Introduction to the Rite describes signs traditionally associated with diabolic possession: speaking of unknown languages, the knowing of distant or hidden things and the manifestation of abnormal physical strength. These should not be taken as absolute indications and the Introduction adds other spiritual signs: aversion for the name of God, the Holy Name of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Saints, the Church, the Word of God, the Church’s rites or sacramentals and sacred images. 

The Old Rite of 1614 gives twenty-one directives for the exorcist. The introduction offers a more comprehensive guide for the exorcist than the current Rite. The directives are a distillation of the accumulated wisdom and experience of the Church. The directives 4-6, 8-9, 13-17, 19-20 have no equivalent in the new Rite. This means that most (i.e., 12) of the 21 are deleted. These deleted directives can be of use to a priest involved in exorcism.

1.6   Prayers of Deliverance

As we have noted, a distinction needs to be made between “exorcism”, which is a priestly ministry, and “deliverance”, the broader prayer for protection from evil spirits which is open to all the baptised.

Lay people are permitted to say prayers of deliverance in which they ask for divine assistance to cast out the evil influence on any person, place or object. This is best done in a private manner. In the doctrinal note of 1985 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith commented that the lay faithful may not employ formulas of exorcism which are taken from the Rite of Exorcism. 

As we saw, the Note also mentioned that lay people should not attempt to determine the name of demons in prayers of deliverance. Great prudence is needed in this area. If prayers are prayed in the presence of others – in a group – they should not address the demon directly, nor seek especially to engage in some form of conversation. This is extremely dangerous and is to be avoided.

With these cautions in mind a person can pray set prayers or spontaneous prayers of deliverance for themselves or others. The prayer takes the form of a beseeching of God for assistance – a deprecative formula. A person can pray privately or prayers can be prayed in a group setting. When there is a group prayer the leader of the prayer should have some experience and knowledge of what he or she is doing.

The prayers should be marked by restraint and the avoidance of anything that could attract attention and curiosity. If there is some reaction by the person prayed for, all effort should be taken to restore calm and peace. Any groups praying for a person should recognise their limitations and if there is the sense of some strong presence of demons then a priest should be consulted.

Prayers for deliverance can make use of sacramentals like holy water and the presence of a crucifix. The tracing of a cross on the forehead of the person being prayed for is acceptable.

General prayers of deliverance said by lay people can invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels and the saints.

1.7 The Use of Minor Exorcism

In normal pastoral work a priest can come across situations that suggest some activity of evil spirits. A priest must exercise prudence and make allowance for possible psychological or physical causes. However, a priest can see his ministry as complementary to that of the psychologist or doctor. While there may be a natural cause for a particular situation, it is not to say that there is no demonic activity associated with it.

A priest can meet such situations in the course of his pastoral ministry when people confide in him and speak of an oppressive burden in their life. As the person outlines their situation a priest can sense that there is more than just a human or psychological cause to the affliction. A priest should trust his spiritual sense.

In the confessional a person may speak of a powerful, sinful tendency over which they have little control. Compulsions in the sexual area can be quite common: pornography, masturbation, sexual fantasy. Some have deep struggles with gambling. A person may speak of an obsession of some kind. While some obsessions need appropriate psychological counselling and medication, a prayer of minor exorcism said with the person can address the possibility of the presence of evil spirits associated with the obsession.

A prayer of minor exorcism can assist a person who speaks of a darkness over their spirit, or an incapacity to pray. Occasionally a person who is suffering various sicknesses and asks for Anointing of the Sick may reveal that the sickness has some demonic dimension. Some elements of depression or simple apathy may require prayer. In spiritual direction a person may describe spiritual resistance to their growth in prayer.

Others may speak of some intergenerational oppressive power. Others may speak of the encounter with dark or evil spirits.

A common experience for priests is a request for the blessing of a house because of a perceived presence of evil. Such a phenomenon can take place when occult spiritualism, satanic rites, or various forms of esoteric activities have been practised in that house. People can speak of strange movement of things, unusual sounds or noises or cold, or a sense of some discomforting spiritual presence.

There are a great variety of cases that a priest can encounter. While there is a need for discretion, many priests can recognise that the person seeks and needs spiritual assistance. In these instances a priest can use prayers of minor exorcism as are given in this manual, or he can use his own spontaneous words.

An important pastoral decision is whether to do such minor exorcisms silently or aloud. Generally speaking, if the person does not suspect the presence of an evil spirit, it is better to rebuke it silently, lest alarm be caused. If someone thinks they are aware of a demonic element and the priest thinks so too, then using exorcism prayers out loud will often be a blessed and strengthening relief for the afflicted person to know that they are being taken seriously and helped in their spiritual battle.

Each case is unique and there are no set formulas or modes of procedure. The priest should engage in some enquiry of the person’s background in an effort to understand where such experiences may have originated. A clearer diagnosis can be of great assistance in determining the approach that can be taken.

Prayer of minor exorcism can be used in relation to a sacrament, especially the Sacrament of Penance or Anointing of the Sick. The prayer can be accompanied with the use of sacramentals like Holy Water or Blessed Salt. The use of religious symbols can be helpful – crucifix, an image of Christ or the Virgin Mary.

Saying prayers of minor exorcism in the Church can strengthen the spiritual atmosphere in which the prayer is said. A priest can wear a stole, hold a crucifix, or lay hands as part of the prayer. The prayer can end with a priestly blessing.

In the case of unusual things happening in a house, the families usually ask the priest to bless the house. Such a blessing with Holy Water can be accompanied with prayers of simple exorcism. The family should be encouraged to offer prayer in the house and to keep Holy Water at the ready.

The use of minor exorcisms can be an ordinary part of the ministry of a priest.

Part II - Prayers of Minor Exorcism

2.1   Prayers of Minor Exorcism

Sacrament of Penance

1. Prior to using prayers of minor exorcism a priest should investigate whether there is need for the Sacrament of Penance. If a person has come under spiritual affliction of some kind due to involvement in the occult, or some other area of sin, then a good confession is a wise pastoral preparation. Deliverance from the influences of evil requires the active co-operation of the person. Their own spiritual dispositions are important.  

Renewal of Baptismal Promises

2. It can be pastorally useful to include a renewal of baptismal promises prior to prayers of minor exorcism. This practice is recommended in the Rite of Major Exorcism and reminds the person of their own responsibility to life in Christ. In some cases a profession of faith can confirm the person in their Christian faith, especially if their actions have somehow contributed to an experience of evil spirits.

Do you reject Satan?

R/ I do

And all his works?

R/ I do

And all his empty promises?

R/ I do

Do you believe in God , the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?

R/ I do

Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died and was buried, rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?

R/ I do

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting?

R/ I do

A Prayer of Minor Exorcism

3. Prayers of Minor Exorcism used in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults can be used for people experiencing some form of oppressive evil presence. The prayers that follow have been adapted from the Rite.

God of power,
who promised us the Holy Spirit through Jesus your Son,
we pray to you for our brother/sister.
Protect him/her from the spirit of evil
and guard them against error and sin,
so that he/she may be a temple of the Holy Spirit.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Or:

Lord Jesus Christ,
after calming the storms and freeing the possessed
you gave us a sign of your mercy
in assigning the power to overcome evil spirits to your Church.
We pray for your servant.

Hold in check the power of the evil one,
and show him/her your mercy;
heal in him/her the wounds of sin
and fill his/her heart with your peace.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

A Longer Prayer of Minor Exorcism

4. The use of the Rite of Major Exorcism is reserved to priests duly authorised by a bishop. However in pastoral situations a priest may make use of individual prayers from the Rite of Major Exorcism. The prayer in the deprecative form below is taken from the Rite.

O God of Heaven, God of earth,
God of angels, God of archangels,
God of patriarchs, God of prophets,
God of apostles, God of martyrs,
God of priests, God of virgins,
God of all the Saints:

O God, you have power to give life after death, rest after toil;
there is no other God but you,
Creator of all things seen and unseen.
O God, you desire that all people be saved,
and so loved the world that you gave your only-begotten Son
to bring to nought the works of the Devil.

We humbly entreat your glorious majesty
to deliver this you servant, [Name],
from all the power, the snares, the deceits and
wickedness of all the spirits of Hell,
and to keep him/her in safety.

We beseech you, O Lord,
send forth the Spirit of truth,
whom you Son promised to his disciples;
as once you cast down the Devil like lightning from the heavens,
so now send forth the Paraclete from above
to drive far away the accuser and oppressor of all people
and protect us against all that would harm us.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

An Imperative formula from the New Rite

5. As mentioned above the Code of Canon Law allows a priest to carry out a minor exorcism. At times pastoral necessity may require the use of the stronger imperative formula of minor exorcism. The formula below is taken from the new Rite of Major Exorcism (n. 62).

I command you, Satan, enemy of our salvation,
acknowledge the righteousness and goodness of God the Father,
who justly condemned your arrogance and enmity:
depart from this servant of God, [Name],
whom the Lord has made in his own likeness,
endowed with his gifts
and adopted as a child of his mercy.

I command you, Satan, prince of this world,
acknowledge the power and might of Jesus Christ,
who conquered you in the wilderness,
overcame you in the garden,
robbed you of your prey upon the Cross
and by rising from the tomb
bore off your prize to the kingdom of light:
depart from [Name], whom God has created,
whom Christ by his birth made his brother (sister),
and by his death won for himself by his own blood.

I command you, Satan, deceiver of all people,
acknowledge the Spirit of truth and grace,
who banishes your snares and confounds your lies:
depart from [Name], whom God has created,
leave forever this man (woman)
who is sealed with the heavenly seal of the Holy Spirit.

Go therefore Satan and never return,
in the name of the Father + and of the Son + and of the Holy + Spirit;
go through the faith and the prayer of the Church;
go through this sign of the holy + Cross of Jesus Christ our Lord
who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.

A simple imperative formula

6. At times there may be a need to use a simple yet authoritative formula. When it seems pastorally appropriate and there is a clear awareness of the presence of an evil spirit, the priest could pray in a spontaneous manner along the lines indicated below.

Evil Spirit of _______, in the name of Jesus Christ,
by the authority given to his Church,
I command you to flee from this person –
go now, harm no one and nevermore return  
–  in the name of the + Father and of the + Son and of the + Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Prayer of Pope Leo XIII

7. The two following prayers were authorised by Pope St Leo the Great. They are part of a rite of exorcism he authorised. They cannot be used by lay people, but could be used by priests. These prayers could be useful as a general prayer of minor exorcism when the presence of evil appears strong.

Prayer to St Michael the Archangel

Glorious Prince of the Celestial Host, St Michael the Archangel,
defend us in the conflict which we have to sustain
“against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness,
against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.” (Eph 6:12).

Come to the rescue of people,
whom God has created to His image and likeness,
and whom He has redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil.
It is you whom Holy Church venerates as her guardian and her protector,
you whom the Lord has charged to conduct redeemed souls into Heaven.

Pray, therefore, the God of Peace to subdue Satan beneath our feet,
that he may no longer retain people captive nor do injury to the Church.
Present our prayers to the Most High,
that without delay they may draw His mercy down upon us.
Seize “the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan,”
bind him and cast him into the bottomless pit
“...that he (may) no more seduce the nations.”

A Prayer of Exorcism

God of heaven, God of earth, God of Angels, God of Archangels, God of Patriarchs, God of Prophets, God of Apostles, God of Martyrs, God of Confessors, God of Virgins, God who has power to give life after death and rest after work, because there is no other God than you and there can be no other, for you are the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, of whose reign there shall be no end, we humbly prostrate ourselves before your glorious majesty and we supplicate you to deliver us from all the tyranny of the infernal spirits, from their snares, and their furious wickedness. Deign, O Lord, to protect us by your power and to preserve us safe and sound. We beseech you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From the snares of the devil, deliver us, O Lord.
That your Church may serve you in peace and liberty, we beseech you to hear us. Amen.

Prayer of St Basil

8. The following prayer is attributed to St Basil of Caesarea. St Basil, one of the great Fathers of the Church in the fourth century, has among his many writings three prayers of exorcism. These prayers are used widely in the Eastern Church today.

Heavenly God, Lord of light, God of the Angels under your power, God of the Archangels under your authority, Lord of lords, Lord of the Saints, Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, you have freed the souls from death, and through your Son you have brought light to man. Lord you have loosened our pain; you have dispersed all our burdens, and have driven away the deception of the wicked one, Son and Word of God, through your death you have made us immortal and have exulted us with your glory, through your resurrection you have granted man that he may reach God, and through your Cross you have freed us from our sinfulness and have taken our wounds upon you healing them. Lord, you who have revealed the way to Heaven and have turned our wickedness into good, hear my prayer, full of love and trepidation I call to you, in fear of whom mountains and skies melt away, at whose power speechless souls tremble, through your decree the fire of damnation will not trespass the boundaries you have set, but awaits with fear your command; for you all creation suffers sighing silently, having your commandment to await its time; all wickedness has been banished by you and the army of the enemy was defeated, and the devil fell and the snake was trampled underfoot and the head of the dragon was crushed, the nations who believed were enlightened and strengthened in you, Lord; through whom life was revealed, hope was founded and faith was strengthened, The Gospel was preached, through whom man was made anew from dust, believing in you. For who is all-powerful God like you?

For this we ask you, God of our Fathers, and God of mercy, who is before all time, and above all creation, receive this man who comes to you, in your holy name and that of your beloved Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy and all-powerful and life-giving Spirit, drive away from this soul all helplessness, all faithlessness, all unclean spirits, greed, lust for gold, love of silver, madness, licentiousness, all evil – dark, faceless and shameless. Thus, Lord, drive away from your servant (N.) all the work of the devil, all witchcraft, all idolatry, all passion for pleasure, all concupiscence, love of money, drunkenness, debauchery, shamelessness, anger, love of discord, restlessness and all deceitful intentions. Our Lord God, breathe into him your spirit of peace, so that being protected by your spirit, he may grow in faith, virtue, wisdom, cleanliness, restraint, love, goodness, hope, gentleness, patience, tolerance, humility and understanding. For your servant commends himself to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, with faith in the Holy Trinity, confessing it with the Angels, the Archangels, the Saints and all of Heaven. Protect our souls with his.

For you are powerful Lord, and we glorify you with your Son, and your most Holy life-giving Spirit now and forever.

Amen.

Our Lord God, only begotten Son and Word of the Father, through your passion you have broken the bond of our sin, you have breathed on the Apostles and said: receive the Holy Spirit, for those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained. You, Lord, through your holy Apostles have given to those who throughout time serve in your Holy Church, the power to forgive sins on earth, and fasten and unfasten the bond of sin. We pray now for our brother/sister (N.), who stands before you, have mercy on him/her, break the bond of his/her sins, and whether through word unbeknown to him/her, or through carelessness, or through his/her weakness, you who know our human frailties, you who are good and loving, Lord, forgive him/her his/her sins, known and unknown. For you are the one who has mercy on those who are bound by sin, who raises the fallen, the hope of the hopeless, the repose of the weary. Free this servant of yours, (N.), from the bondage of sin.

For the glory of your name, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.

2.2   Blessing of Holy Water

9. Holy Water is a sacramental that can be used to bless people, objects and homes. The blessing of Holy Water done in the presence of the people helps them understand the significance of the use of Holy Water. The water once blessed can be then left with the people. The formula for the blessing of Holy Water is found in the Roman Missal.

Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3

Rite of Blessing of Salt from Roman Missal

10. The Missal includes the formula for the blessing of salt and can be used in conjunction with the blessing of Holy Water. The Blessed Salt in poured into the water to be blessed.

Almighty God,
we ask you to bless + this salt
as once you blessed the salt scattered over the water
by the prophet Elisha.
Wherever this salt and water is sprinkled,
drive away the power of evil,
and protect us always
by the presence of your Holy Spirit.

Rite of Blessing of Holy Water from Roman Missal

Dear friends,
this water will be used
to remind us of our baptism.
Ask God to bless it,
and to keep us faithful
to the Spirit he has given us.

God our Father,
your gift of water
brings life and freshness to the earth;
it washes away our sins
and brings us eternal life.
We ask you now to bless this water,
and to give us your protection on this day
which you have made your own.
Renew the living spring of your life within us
and protect us in spirit and body,
that we may be free from sin
and come into your presence
to receive your gift of salvation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

[return to Blessing of a home]

Or:

Lord God almighty,
creator of all life,
of body and soul,
we ask you to bless this water:
as we use it in faith,
forgive our sins
and save us from all illness
and the power of evil.

Lord, in your mercy
give us living water,
always springing up as a fountain of salvation:
free us, body and soul, from every danger,
and admit us to your presence in purity of heart.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

[return to Blessing of a home]

Blessing of Holy Water from Roman Ritual

11. The Blessing of Holy Water found in the older Roman Ritual is more expressive of the use of the water to counteract the presence and activity of evil spirits. The blessing begins with the blessing of salt.

I command you in the name of the living, + true + and holy + God, of God who ordered you to be cast into the water by the Prophet Elisha, thus to make the stagnant water drinkable. May you be salt free henceforth from all evil, ministering to the well-being of all who believe. May you give health of mind and body to all who partake of you; and from any place where you are sprinkled may all evil fantasies depart, and all wickedness, and all the cunning scheming of Satan. May every evil spirit flee away, at the command of him who is to come to judge the living and the dead and world by fire.

R/ Amen.

Let us pray.

We humbly beg of your unbounded clemency, almighty and eternal God, in your goodness to bless + this salt which you have created and given to human beings for their use. Let it bring health of mind and body to all who partake of it. Let no uncleanness nor any onslaught of the powers of evil come near anything that shall have been touched or sprinkled with it. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I command you in the name of God the Father + almighty, in the name of Jesus + Christ his Son our Lord, and in the power of the Holy + Spirit. Be water now no longer in the power of our enemy, but availing rather to put all his power to flight, to dislodge that enemy, with all his rebel angels, and to rid the earth of them; through the power of that Jesus Christ our Lord who is to come to judge the living and dead and the world by fire.

R/ Amen.

Let us pray.

O God, who bringing salvation to mankind made water the foundation of the great symbolic rites, give kindly ear to our prayer. Pour the strength of your blessing + into this element, many times purified to receive it. May this your creature be your servant now in religious rites. May it have henceforth the power, which divine grace can give it, to drive out devils and to ward off diseases; so that in the homes of the faithful and wherever the faithful may be, all that this water touches may be unsullied and wholesome. May no breath of contagion linger there, no taint of corruption. May the snares of the lurking enemy fall asunder. And if anything threatens the safety or the peace of those who dwell there, may it be banished by the sprinkling of this water. Thus may that well-being, which they sought when they called upon your holy name, be shielded from every assault. Through Christ our Lord.

R/ Amen.

12. He puts some of the salt into the water in the form of a cross, saying,

May this salt and this water mingle and blend together, in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

R/. Amen

The Lord be with you.

R/. And with your Spirit..

Let us pray.

O God, whose power is unconquerable, whose empire will never be overthrown, whose final victory will be great and glorious, you hold in check the powers opposed to you; you bring the raging enemy to his knees and subdue with a mighty hand the wickedness ranged against you. In awe of you yet in need of your help we ask of you your favour, begging of you to look kindly upon this mingled salt and water. Let your loving gaze enliven it and freshen it, and your goodness like dew from heaven sanctify it. Where it is sprinkled and your holy name invoked may unclean spirits cease from troubling us. Like a venomous reptile may the devil be banished and terrify us no more. And wherever we are who ask your mercy, may the Holy Spirit in his goodness be with us. Through Christ our Lord.

R/ Amen.

[return to Blessing of a home]

Rite of Blessing of Holy Water from the Rite of Exorcism

13. There is also a version of blessing of Holy Water given at the beginning of the Rite of Exorcism and this formula more particularly refers to the use of Holy Water against evil spirits, and so could be usefully employed when blessing Holy Water explicitly for minor exorcism

O God, for the salvation of all people
you have ordained the great sacrament of Baptism
under the form of water:
mercifully be present with us when we call upon you;
and pour upon this water the power of your + blessing,
that in the service of your holy mysteries
and by your divine grace
it may avail to cast out demons and to drive away sickness.

May whatever is sprinkled with this water among your faithful people
be delivered from harm,
may no evil spirit have its dwelling there
and may all the snares of the hidden foe depart thence:
and so may your people be safe from harm
and by the invocation of your holy name
be delivered from all assaults.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

R/ Amen.

2.3   Blessing of a Home

14. The Rite of Blessings contains a formula for the Blessing of a Home. If demonic presence or activity is suggested, then the adaption of the Blessing of a Home is offered below. Another option is taken from the Roman Ritual and is given below. The blessing of a home may be accompanied with specific prayers of minor exorcism if required.

Peace be with this house and with all who live here.

R/ And with your Spirit..

15. Blessing of Holy Water (if required).  

Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3

16. A reading from Sacred Scripture follows.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark [1:21-28]

They went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the Sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the Scribes, he taught them with authority.

In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit, and it shouted, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God”. But Jesus said sharply, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. “Here is a teaching that is new”, they said, “and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him. And his reputation spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.

The Gospel of the Lord  

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 4:1-11 - The Temptation of Jesus

Mark 16:15-18 - The Commissioning of the Eleven

Luke 10:17-20 - The Return of the Seventy-two

Luke 11:14-24 - Jesus and Beelzebul

John 1:1-14 - The Prologue

Alternative readings may be selected. The readings can be followed by a brief homily.

17. After the homily Prayers of Intercession are said.

The Son of God, Lord of Heaven and earth, came to deliver us from the power of the Evil One. Let us call upon him saying:

R/ Lord, hear our prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, by your life with Mary and Joseph you sanctified the life of the home; dwell in this home, and let your blessing and protection be upon who live here. Lord hear us.

R/ Lord, hear our prayer

Deliver this home from all snares of the demons and keep all who dwell here safe under the protection of your wings. Lord hear us.

R/ Lord, hear our prayer

You taught your followers to build their houses on solid rock; grant that the members of this family may hold fast to your teachings and, free of all discord, serve you with their whole heart. Lord hear us.

R/ Lord, hear our prayer

Aided by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and of St Michael the Archangel may all who dwell in this home experience peace and joy. Lord hear us.

R/ Lord, hear our prayer

Lord our God hear our prayers and we seek your protection over all who dwell in this house. We ask you to drive out all unclean spirits and free this house from any evil presence or attachment. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.

R/ Amen.

18. Following the prayer the priest moves through the house blessing each room with Holy Water.

Once the blessing is complete the members of the household assemble for the Lord’s Prayer and a final prayer. All recite the Lord's Prayer.

At the Saviour's command, and formed by Divine teaching, we dare to pray:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses;
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

19. Invocation of St Michael the Archangel can be said together.

Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle;
be our defence against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host;
by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan
and the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

20. Concluding prayer is now said.

O God, creator and saviour of all people, look with kindness on us as we have invoked your protection over this home. Grant that the spirit of evil may no longer dwell here and that those who live here may experience the goodness and peace of the Holy Spirit.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

R/ Amen

21. Concluding rite

The Lord be with you

R/ And with your Spirit.

Bow down for the Blessing.

May the Lord bless and keep you.

R/ Amen

May his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.

R/ Amen

May he look upon you with kindness and give you his peace

R/ Amen

May almighty God bless you,
the Father and the Son + and the Holy Spirit.

R/ Amen

Blessing of a Home from the Roman Ritual

22. The Roman Ritual offers the following formula for the blessing of a home.

Peace be upon this house.

R/ And upon all who live here.

23. As he sprinkles the principal room he says:

Purify me with hyssop, Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Ps. 50.1)
Have mercy on me, God, in your great kindness.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Purify me with hyssop, Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord, heed my prayer.

R/ And let my cry come to you.

The Lord be with you.

R/ And with your Spirit.

Let us pray.

Hear us, holy Lord and Father, almighty everlasting God, and in your goodness send your holy angel from heaven to watch over and protect all who live in this home, to be with them and give them comfort and encouragement; through Christ our Lord.

R/ Amen.

24. An alternative formula

Our help is in the name of the Lord.

R/ Who made heaven and earth.

The Lord be with you.

R/ And with your Spirit.

Let us pray.

God the Father almighty, we fervently implore you for the sake of this home and its occupants and possessions, that you may bless + and sanctify + them, enriching them by your kindness in every way possible. Pour out on them, Lord, heavenly dew in good measure, as well as an abundance of earthly needs. Mercifully listen to their prayers, and grant that their desires be fulfilled. Be pleased to bless + and sanctify + this home, as you once were pleased to bless the home of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Within these walls let your angels of light preside and stand watch over those who live here; through Christ our Lord.

R/ Amen

The home is sprinkled with holy water.

Another Prayer of Blessing for a home or building

25. This prayer is given by Fr Gabriel Amorth at the end of his second book, An Exorcist: More Stories. This prayer may be useful to conclude a blessing of a house or building where there has been some demonic activity.

O Father, come and visit our home (shop, office, and so on) and protect us from the lures of the enemy; may your holy angels come to guard our peace and may your blessing remain with us forever. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your apostles, “In whatever home you enter, greet it, saying, ‘Peace be in this home’”, let this same peace, we pray abide in this place. We beseech you to sanctify it by the merits of our trusting prayer.

Pour your blessings on it, and make it a place of peace. May salvation enter our abode as it entered the house of Zacchaeus, when you graced it with your presence.

Entrust your angels to guard it and banish from it every evil power.

Grant that all who live in it may please you with their good works, and so receive from you, when their time comes, the reward of your heavenly home.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

R/ Amen

2.4   Prayers for Protection and Deliverance

26. The following prayers are more general prayers and could be used by lay people as well as by priests.

Prayer to St Michael the Archangel

27. This prayer was composed by Pope Leo XIII, 1878-1903.[13]

Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our defence against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host; by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

Anima Christi

28. This ancient prayer has been mistakenly attributed to St Ignatius Loyola who used it in his Spiritual Exercises. It has an earlier origin and reflects a solid Eucharistic theology and draws on the devotion to the Five Wounds.

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me;
within your wounds hide me.
Let me never be separated from you.
From the malicious enemy defend me.
In the hour of my death call me
and bid me come unto you
that I may praise you with your saints
and with your angels,
forever and ever.
Amen.

The Psalms

29. A number of the psalms are very suitable as prayers of deliverance. Psalm 90 (91) is particularly appropriate. Other psalms include Ps. 3, 10 (11), 12 (13), 21 (22), 30 (31), 34 (35), 53 (54), 67 (68), 69 (70).

Psalm 90 (91)

Psalm 3

Psalm 10 (11)

Psalm 12 (13)

Psalm 21 (22)

Psalm 30 (31)

Psalm 34 (35)

Psalm 53 (54)

Psalm 67 (68)

Psalm 69 (70)

Texts from the Gospels

30. Texts of Holy Scripture can be read in association with prayers for deliverance. The Rite of Exorcism identifies the following Gospel readings –

Matthew 4:1-11 - The Temptation of Jesus

Mark 1:21-28 - The Cure of the Demoniac

Mark 16:15-18 - The Commissioning of the Eleven

Luke 10:17-20 - The Return of the Seventy-two

Luke 11:14-24 - Jesus and Beelzebul

John 1:1-14 - The Prologue

A personal prayer

31. This prayer of unknown source is one of many that can be appropriately used by a lay person seeking personal protection from evil spirits. It could be adapted by a priest to apply to a particular person or situation.

Lord, almighty, merciful and omnipotent God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
drive out from me all influence of evil spirits.
Father, in the name of Christ, I plead you
to break any chain that the devil has on me.
Pour upon me the most precious blood of your Son.
May His immaculate and redeeming blood
break all bonds on my body or mind.
I ask you this through the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin Mary.
Archangel St Michael, intercede and come to my help.
In the name of Jesus I command all devils that could have any influence over me, to leave me forever.
By His scourging, His crown of thorns, His cross,
By His blood and Resurrection, I command all evil spirits to leave me.
By the True God, by the Holy God,
by God who can do all,
in the name of Jesus, my Saviour and Lord, leave me.
Amen.

Litany of the Most Precious Blood

32. The use of litanies can be most helpful both in personal prayer for protection and in prayer for others. The Litany of the Most Precious Blood is particularly appropriate.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, save us.
Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God, save us.
Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament, save us.
Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony, save us.
Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging, save us.
Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns, save us.
Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross, save us.
Blood of Christ, price of our salvation, save us.
Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, save us.
Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls, save us.
Blood of Christ, stream of mercy, save us.
Blood of Christ, victor over demons, save us.
Blood of Christ, courage of Martyrs, save us.
Blood of Christ, strength of Confessors, save us.
Blood of Christ, bringing forth Virgins, save us.
Blood of Christ, help of those in peril, save us.
Blood of Christ, relief of the burdened, save us.
Blood of Christ, solace in sorrow, save us.
Blood of Christ, hope of the penitent, save us.
Blood of Christ, consolation of the dying, save us.
Blood of Christ, peace and tenderness of hearts, save us.
Blood of Christ, pledge of eternal life, save us.
Blood of Christ, freeing souls from purgatory, save us.
Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honour, save us.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

V/ You have redeemed us, O Lord, in your Blood.
R/ And made us, for our God, a kingdom.

Let us pray.

Almighty and eternal God, you have appointed your only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and willed to be appeased by his Blood.
Grant we beg of you, that we may worthily adore this price of our salvation, and through its power be safeguarded from the evils of the present life, so that we may rejoice in its fruits forever in heaven.
Through the same Christ our Lord.

R/ Amen

Prayer against Every Evil

33. Fr Gabriel Amoth, exorcist of the Diocese of Rome, in his book, “An exorcist tells his story”, offers a number of prayers of deliverance suitable for lay people to use. The Prayer against Every Evil, Prayer for Inner Healing and Prayer for Deliverance are included here. These prayers can be recommended to lay people experiencing evil spirits, or can be adapted by priests to pray with such people.

Spirit of our God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Most Holy Trinity, Immaculate Virgin Mary, angels, archangels, and saints of heaven, descend upon me.

Please purify me, Lord, mould me, fill me with yourself, use me.

Banish from me all the forces of evil, destroy them, vanquish them, so that I can be healthy and do good deeds.

Banish from me all spells, witchcraft, black magic, malefic, ties, maledictions, and the evil eye; diabolic infestations, oppressions, possessions; all that is evil and sinful, jealousy, perfidy, envy; physical, psychological, moral, spiritual, diabolical ailments.

Burn all these evils in hell, that they may never again touch me or any other creature in the entire world.

I command and bid all the powers that molest me – by the power of God all powerful, in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour, through the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary – to leave me forever, and to be consigned into everlasting hell, where they will be bound by Saint Michael, Saint Raphael, our guardian angels, and where they will be crushed under the heel of the Immaculate Virgin Mary.

R/ Amen

Prayer for Inner Healing

34. This prayer can be said by or with a person experiencing spiritual burdens associated with demonic influence.

Lord Jesus, you came to heal our wounded and troubled hearts.
I beg you to heal the torments that cause anxiety in my heart;
I beg you, in a particular way, to heal all who are the cause of sin.
I beg you to come into my life and heal me of the psychological harms that struck me in my early years and from the injuries that they caused throughout my life.

Lord Jesus, you know my burdens.
I lay them all on your Good Shepherd’s heart.
I beseech you – by the merits of the great, open wound in your heart – to heal the small wounds that are in mine.
Heal the pain of my memories, so that nothing that has happened to me will cause me to remain in pain and anguish, filled with anxiety.

Heal, O Lord,
all those wounds that have been the cause of all the evil that is rooted in my life.
I want to forgive all those who have offended me.
Look to those inner sores that make me unable to forgive.
You who came to forgive the afflicted of heart, please, heal my own heart.
Heal, my Lord Jesus, those intimate wounds that cause me physical illness.
I offer you my heart, accept it, Lord, purify it and give me the sentiments of your Divine Heart.
Help me to be meek and humble.

Heal me, O Lord,
from the pain caused by the death of loved ones, which is oppressing me.
Grant me to regain peace and joy in the knowledge that you are the Resurrection and the Life.
Make me an authentic witness to your resurrection, your victory over sin and death, your living presence among us.

R/ Amen

Prayer for Deliverance

35. This can be a prayer used as intercession for a person suffering under demonic influence.

My Lord, you are all powerful, you are God, you are Father.
We beg you through the intercession and help
of the archangels Michael, Raphael and Gabriel
for the deliverance of our brothers and sisters
who are enslaved by the evil one.
All saints of heaven, come to our aid.

From anxiety, sadness and obsessions,
we beg you: free us, O Lord.
From hatred, fornication, envy,
we beg you: free us, O Lord.
From thoughts of jealousy, rage and death,
we beg you: free us, O Lord.
From every thought of suicide and abortion,
we beg you: free us, O Lord.
From every form of sinful sexuality,
we beg you: free us, O Lord.
From every division in our family, and every harmful friendship,
we beg you: free us, O Lord.
From every sort of spell, malefice, witchcraft and every form of the occult, we beg you: free us, O Lord.

Lord, you who said, “I leave you peace, my peace I give you”, grant that, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, we may be liberated from every evil spell and enjoy your peace always.

In the name of Christ, our Lord.

R/ Amen

1. See The Catechism of Catholic Church (CCC), nn. 332, 391, 414, 2851. “The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls “angels” is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition” (CCC 328).

2. The Catechism of Catholic Church teaches, “Behind the disobedient choice of our first parents lurks a seductive voice, opposed to God, which makes them fall into death out of envy. Scripture and the Church’s Tradition see in this being a fallen angel, called “Satan” or the “devil” (CCC 391).

3. From his Catechetical Instruction on the Apostles’ Creed, St. Thomas Aquinas writes: “We know that every temptation is either from the world or the flesh or the devil”. Adolphe Tanquerey, in his classic The Spiritual Life: A Treatise on Ascetical and Mystical Theology states that we have three spiritual foes: the flesh; the world; the Devil. The flesh is often called “concupiscence,” which is the inclination to sin deep within us. The world and the Devil are external to us.

4. The Catholic Catechism states, “Etymologically, “concupiscence” can refer to any intense form of human desire. Christian theology has given it a particular meaning: the movement of the sensitive appetite contrary to the operation of the human reason. The apostle St. Paul identifies it with the rebellion of the “flesh” against the “spirit.” Concupiscence stems from the disobedience of the first sin. It unsettles man’s moral faculties and, without being in itself an offense, inclines man to commit sins” (CCC 2515).

5. Adolfe Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life, A Treatise on Ascetical and Mystical Theology, Tournai, Belgium, 1930.

6. The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus (published in 1604) is a play by Christopher Marlowe, based on a story in which a man sells his soul to the devil for power and knowledge.

7. See Rite of Baptism, n. 64.

8. See Rite of Baptism, n. 49.

9. Noldin, H., Theologia Moralis, Vol. 3, 59.

10. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1673) states:

When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism. Jesus performed exorcisms and from him the Church has received the power and office of exorcizing. In a simple form, exorcism is performed at the celebration of Baptism. The solemn exorcism, called “a major exorcism,” can be performed only by a priest and with the permission of the bishop. The priest must proceed with prudence, strictly observing the rules established by the Church. Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church. Illness, especially psychological illness, is a very different matter; treating this is the concern of medical science. Therefore, before an exorcism is performed, it is important to ascertain that one is dealing with the presence of the Evil One, and not an illness.

11. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Inde ab aliquot annis, On the Current Norms Governing Exorcisms (29th September 1984).

12. See The Catechism of Catholic Church, n. 1673.

13. This prayer was written by Pope Leo XIII for the use of the faithful and was included in the prayers at the end of Mass prior to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

Appendix - Scripture texts

The Psalms

29. A number of the psalms are very suitable as prayers of deliverance. Psalm 90 (91) is particularly appropriate. Other psalms include Ps. 3, 10 (11), 12 (13), 21 (22), 30 (31), 34 (35), 53 (54), 67 (68), 69 (70).

Psalm 90 (91) NRSV

God’s Eternity and Human Frailty
A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You turn us back to dust,
and say, “Turn back, you mortals.”
4 For a thousand years in your sight
are like yesterday when it is past,
or like a watch in the night.

5 You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning;
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.

7 For we are consumed by your anger;
by your wrath we are overwhelmed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;
our years come to an end like a sigh.
10 The days of our life are seventy years,
or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span is only toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.

11 Who considers the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.
12 So teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart.

13 Turn, O LORD! How long?
Have compassion on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us,
and as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be manifest to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and prosper for us the work of our hands—
O prosper the work of our hands!

Psalm 3 NRSV

Trust in God under Adversity
A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.

1 O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
2 many are saying to me,
“There is no help for youa in God.” Selah

3 But you, O LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.
4 I cry aloud to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah

5 I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
6 I am not afraid of ten thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Rise up, O LORD!
Deliver me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.

8 Deliverance belongs to the LORD;
may your blessing be on your people!

Psalm 10 (11) NRSV

Song of Trust in God

In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to me,
“Flee like a bird to the mountains;
2 for look, the wicked bend the bow,
they have fitted their arrow to the string,
to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.
3 If the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”
4 The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD’s throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind.
5 The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked,
and his soul hates the lover of violence.
6 On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and sulfur;
a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the LORD is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face.

Psalm 12 (13) NRSV

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I bear pain in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O LORD my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 21 (22) NRSV

Plea for Deliverance from Suffering and Hostility

To the leader: according to The Deer of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
3 Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried, and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm, and not human;
scorned by others, and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock at me;
they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
8 “Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver—
let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”
9 Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
10 On you I was cast from my birth,
and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls encircle me,
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
15 my mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 For dogs are all around me;
a company of evildoers encircles me.
My hands and feet have shriveled;
17 I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O LORD, do not be far away!
O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
my life from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!
From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he did not despise or abhor
the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me,
but heard when I cried to him.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the LORD.
May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the LORD;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the LORD,
and he rules over the nations.
29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
and I shall live for him.
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
saying that he has done it.

Psalm 30 (31) NRSV

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

1 In you, O LORD, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
6 You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
but I trust in the LORD.
7 I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have taken heed of my adversities,
8 and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.
9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eye wastes away from grief,
my soul and body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,
and my bones waste away.
11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
a horror to my neighbors,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many—
terror all around!—
as they scheme together against me,
as they plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand;
deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
16 Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your steadfast love.
17 Do not let me be put to shame, O LORD,
for I call on you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be stilled
that speak insolently against the righteous
with pride and contempt.
19 O how abundant is your goodness
that you have laid up for those who fear you,
and accomplished for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of everyone!
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from human plots;
you hold them safe under your shelter
from contentious tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was beset as a city under siege.
22 I had said in my alarm,
“I am driven far from your sight.”
But you heard my supplications
when I cried out to you for help.
23 Love the LORD, all you his saints.
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the LORD.

Psalm 34 (35) NRSV

Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me!
2 Take hold of shield and buckler,
and rise up to help me!
3 Draw the spear and javelin
against my pursuers;
say to my soul,
“I am your salvation.”
4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor
who seek after my life.
Let them be turned back and confounded
who devise evil against me.
5 Let them be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them on.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
7 For without cause they hid their net for me;
without cause they dug a pit for my life.
8 Let ruin come on them unawares.
And let the net that they hid ensnare them;
let them fall in it—to their ruin.
9 Then my soul shall rejoice in the LORD,
exulting in his deliverance.
10 All my bones shall say,
“O LORD, who is like you?
You deliver the weak
from those too strong for them,
the weak and needy from those who despoil them.”
11 Malicious witnesses rise up;
they ask me about things I do not know.
12 They repay me evil for good;
my soul is forlorn.
13 But as for me, when they were sick,
I wore sackcloth;
I afflicted myself with fasting.
I prayed with head bowed on my bosom,
14 as though I grieved for a friend or a brother;
I went about as one who laments for a mother,
bowed down and in mourning.
15 But at my stumbling they gathered in glee,
they gathered together against me;
ruffians whom I did not know
tore at me without ceasing;
16 they impiously mocked more and more,
gnashing at me with their teeth.
17 How long, O LORD, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my life from the lions!
18 Then I will thank you in the great congregation;
in the mighty throng I will praise you.
19 Do not let my treacherous enemies rejoice over me,
or those who hate me without cause wink the eye.
20 For they do not speak peace,
but they conceive deceitful words
against those who are quiet in the land.
21 They open wide their mouths against me;
they say, “Aha, Aha,
our eyes have seen it.”
22 You have seen, O LORD; do not be silent!
O Lord, do not be far from me!
23 Wake up! Bestir yourself for my defense,
for my cause, my God and my Lord!
24 Vindicate me, O LORD, my God,
according to your righteousness,
and do not let them rejoice over me.
25 Do not let them say to themselves,
“Aha, we have our heart’s desire.”
Do not let them say, “We have swallowed you up.”
26 Let all those who rejoice at my calamity
be put to shame and confusion;
let those who exalt themselves against me
be clothed with shame and dishonor.
27 Let those who desire my vindication
shout for joy and be glad,
and say evermore,
“Great is the LORD,
who delights in the welfare of his servant.”
28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
and of your praise all day long.

Psalm 53 (54) NRSV

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “David is in hiding among us.”

1 Save me, O God, by your name,
and vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For the insolent have risen against me,
the ruthless seek my life;
they do not set God before them. Selah
4 But surely, God is my helper;
the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will repay my enemies for their evil.
In your faithfulness, put an end to them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble,
and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

Psalm 67 (68) NRSV

Praise and thanksgiving

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm. A Song.

1 Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
let those who hate him flee before him.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
let the wicked perish before God.
3 But let the righteous be joyful;
let them exult before God;
let them be jubilant with joy.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds—
his name is the LORD—
be exultant before him.
5 Father of orphans and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
6 God gives the desolate a home to live in;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious live in a parched land.
7 O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness, Selah
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
you restored your heritage when it languished;
10 your flock found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
11 The Lord gives the command;
great is the company of those who bore the tidings:
12 “The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!”
The women at home divide the spoil,
13 though they stay among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
its pinions with green gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings there,
snow fell on Zalmon.
15 O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
at the mount that God desired for his abode,
where the LORD will reside forever?
17 With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands,
the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.
18 You ascended the high mount,
leading captives in your train
and receiving gifts from people,
even from those who rebel against the LORD God’s abiding there.
19 Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
and to GOD, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
21 But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.
22 The Lord said,
“I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 so that you may bathe your feet in blood,
so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.”
24 Your solemn processions are seen, O God,
the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,
between them girls playing tambourines:
26 “Bless God in the great congregation,
the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in a body,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28 Summon your might, O God;
show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample under foot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31 Let bronze be brought from Egypt;
let Ethiopia hasten to stretch out its hands to God.
32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel;
and whose power is in the skies.
35 Awesome is God in his sanctuary,
the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!

Psalm 69 (70) NRSV

Prayer for deliverance

To the leader. Of David, for the memorial offering.

1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me.
O LORD, make haste to help me!
2 Let those be put to shame and confusion
who seek my life.
Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who desire to hurt me.
3 Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!”
turn back because of their shame.
4 Let all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you.
Let those who love your salvation
say evermore, “God is great!”
5 But I am poor and needy;
hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O LORD, do not delay!

Texts from the Gospels

30. Texts of Holy Scripture can be read in association with prayers for deliverance. The Rite of Exorcism identifies the following Gospel readings –

Matthew 4:1-11 - The Temptation of Jesus [NRSV]

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,
‘One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,
saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ”
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mark 1:21-28 - The Cure of the Demoniac [NRSV]

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mark 16:15-18 - The Commissioning of the Eleven [NRSV]

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

And Jesus said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Luke 10:17-20 - The Return of the Seventy-two [NRSV]

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19 See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Luke 11:14-24 - Jesus and Beelzebul [NRSV]

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

John 1:1-14 - The Prologue [NRSV]

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

The Gospel of the Lord.