Holy Father Pope Francis during his weekly address praised exorcisms as a ‘way to fight against evil’, battle against ‘seductions’ and ‘escape from the power of sin’. In a powerful portrayal of the world as a constant, cosmic battle between good and bad, His Holiness Pope Francis urged Christians to ‘drive out evil’ and emphasized the importance of baptism in order to exorcise demons.
As reported by Christian Today, Holy Father Pope Francis remarked that “All Christian life is a battle, believers should take precautions against the deceit of the devil. The sacrament of baptism ‘enables those who receive it to fight against the spirit of evil. We know from experience that the Christian life is always prone to temptation, especially to the temptation to separate from God, from his will, from communion with him, to fall back into the webs of worldly seductions. Baptism ‘is not a magic formula’ but a gift from the Holy Spirit.”
His Holiness Pope Francis explained that adults preparing for baptism are subjected to ‘repeated exorcisms pronounced by the priest’. More than 200 aspiring exorcists gathered in Rome for Vatican conference on exorcism. Catholic Church officials insist the number of demonic possessions is on the rise, saying the internet and television programmes have prompted a ‘fascination’ with the occult.
Source: Christian Today
