In a video released May 29, now-former exorcist of the Archdiocese of Washington D.C., Msgr. Stephen Rossetti (a priest of Syracuse, New York) described his opinion on the phenomenon of UFOs and their possible connection with demonic activity.
A few days later, on June 3, the Archdiocese publicly announced that Msgr. Rossetti was no longer the diocesan exorcist, and it had ended any affiliation with his associated non-profit, the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal. Msgr. Rossetti stated in his own brief release on the site that he was grateful to have served as the diocesan exorcist for some 19 years. He offered an apology for any disobedience and encouraged others to remain faithful to the Church, as well as stating his intention to pray for the Archdiocese.
A skimming of the online reactions to this scuffle would leave one absolutely convinced that people have very strong feelings about UFOs and demons, and perhaps even stronger feelings about Msgr. Rossetti and the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., Cardinal Robert McElroy. However, one would also likely be left wondering exactly what Msgr. Rossetti said in the first place, or, worse, certain that he had said something that, in fact, he had not.
Some background is helpful for understanding this latest American ecclesiastical mushroom cloud. Cardinal McElroy, with his degrees from Harvard and Stanford, is the chief representative of the American hierarchy’s “intellectual left.” Pope Francis’s decision to elevate him to the College of Cardinals in San Diego–instead of his metropolitan archbishop in Los Angeles–was broadly seen as a clear sign that he was the Holy Father’s chosen son in the United States. Given the broadly progressive thinking of the late pontiff on important matters such as those related to marriage, liturgy, and geopolitics, it is no surprise that a transference of opinion and emotion occurred; that is, what one thinks about Pope Francis, one will think about Cardinal McElroy.
Contrast this with Msgr. Rossetti, a name known by devout American laity, rightly or wrongly, as a “celebrity exorcist.” The ministry of exorcism is not something one typically associates with the “left-wing,” and those who make themselves known for their work in this field attract cult followings of both the piously and politically active. In a word, as one of the highest-profile exorcists in the world, Msgr. Rossetti is one of the chief representatives of the American “pastoral right.”
This is an oversimplification–and that’s the point. People do not have the time, energy, know-how, or access to sift through the mess of opinions, web of relationships, and complicated set of decisions that span the decades of two lengthy priestly ministries. This is especially true of Msgr. Rossetti’s time as president of the St. Luke’s Institute (1996-2009, and again in 2013-2014), a facility for psychological assessment and treatment for priests, placing him in arguably one of the most complex and sensitive positions in the American Church. Naturally, the details of his work there are not public knowledge. For 14 years, Rossetti oversaw the cases of dozens (if not hundreds) of troubled priests, and likely many priests sent to the institute for punishment or manipulation by their bishops instead of for proper psychological treatment.
The weaponization of psychology is a well-known phenomenon to those familiar with American priestly formation and ministry. If a bishop wants to gain control over a priest he dislikes, he may send him for “assessment” or “treatment” for his “problem.” One of the main places for such a sabbatical would be St. Luke’s. After this, the bishop and others will always be able to hang over Father’s head that he was so psychologically disturbed that he had been sent for evaluation or treatment “by Fr. Rossetti at St. Luke’s”.
So what is really going on here? Is this scuffle really about aliens? Every possibility seems to be insufficient to explain the sudden nuclear option of not only removing Rossetti as diocesan exorcist but also booting his non-profit, which helps to promote his work.
While speculation has blossomed as to the “right-left” paradigm accounting for the oust, with the liberal archbishop simply itching for an opportunity to get rid of this troublesome high-profile conservative exorcist, this seems to be too convenient an explanation. If the Cardinal wanted to remove Rossetti as the diocesan exorcist, he could have easily done so quietly and quickly upon first arriving in Washington, D.C., with the easy excuse that he was just shuffling personnel as any new bishop might do.
Could it be that buried deep inside of decades of sensitive professional actions and complicated relationships related to St. Luke’s, the Cardinal has other beef with Msgr. Rossetti, and simply wants him out of his way? This is perhaps plausible, but the timeline does not make much sense from a professional standpoint. While McElroy was Vicar General in San Francisco from 1995 to 1997, he was not a bishop until after Rossetti’s first round as president was over.
While it is true that one might feel slighted in other ways, it doesn’t quite add up. If there was a simmering grudge of that magnitude and staying power, we are left once again wondering why the Cardinal did not quietly remove Rossetti before now.
Several commentators have noted that such an abrupt dismissal of Rossetti cannot reasonably be ascribed to zeal for Catholic doctrine, especially given that there is in fact no magisterial position on the demonic vis-à-vis UFOs.
That brings me to what was actually said by Rossetti.
Several distinct but related claims were made: first, he does not believe in “aliens.” Second, that demons can “break into” the physical world, taking on various strange shapes such as shadows or other forms, which he says he has seen many times; third, that he personally believes–and only “personally” believes–that “probably many, if not most of these ‘UFO sightings’ are in fact demons, and they can do things that we can’t do,” such as very fast movement; fourth, that the point of this is to manipulate people “behind the scenes.”
There are several valid criticisms of Rossetti’s claims. The first problem is that the vast majority of UFO sightings are rather easily explained as rogue weather balloons or some such thing, and perhaps sometimes advanced (and confidential) military/surveillance equipment that is being seen when and where it is not supposed to be. One would certainly hope that Rossetti would agree to such a qualifier. What he meant to say was likely something along the lines of, “UFO sightings which are implausibly explained” by human technology and mistakes.
However, even a more cautious and reasonable statement like this runs a prudential risk, now being verified in real-time across the Catholic blogosphere: two sensationalistic phenomena about which there are very strong opinions colliding in the person of a high-profile exorcist is bound to create an explosive wave of support from those who confuse opinions for facts and jump to superstitiously inclined conclusions. The nuances of Rossetti’s statement–let alone the unspoken qualifier–will be quickly forgotten, leaving a wake of simplified and erroneous collective memory that soon becomes an untrue truth: “Msgr. Rossetti says all UFOs are demons; therefore, they are, and it’s impious and not really Catholic to think otherwise.”
It seems unlikely that mere concern over the wandering minds and loudmouths of the credulous keyboard warriors would of itself suffice for the Cardinal’s judgment that a somewhat poorly worded passing comment from a generally renowned exorcist would constitute such a threat to spiritual welfare that they “gravely undermine the Church’s very precise teaching on the devil, demons and exorcism,” as the Archdiocese put it.
If so, not only does this seem to be excessively punitive, but the Cardinal has fallen prey to a massive prudential error himself in a textbook case of the Barbara Streisand Effect–by seeking to draw attention away from Rossetti and his comments by active suppression, he has platformed Rossetti’s comments in the New York Times, Slate, NBC, Newsweek, and so on, as well as cementing the narrative swirling around himself of “left vs. right” in the process.
Rossetti will come out of this looking stronger than ever, and those most devoted to him will now not only see him as a wise and experienced spiritual father, but also as a living martyr.
We may never know the real reason for Cardinal McElroy’s actions. Maybe someone else just told him that this was the best thing to do, and he didn’t want to fight it. Maybe he was just having a really bad day. Maybe he is a die-hard “true believer” in aliens and can’t stand to have that challenged. Probably it is a collection of some of the foregoing. Ecclesiastical politics, like most human conflict, is not a cartoon. The truth is usually quite complicated and messy.
Whatever the case may be, one thing is sure: the truth is out there.
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“We may never know the real reason for Cardinal McElroy’s actions. ”
And “that right there” is the problem. The reason we WILL never know is twofold.
1.) “Several commentators have noted that such an abrupt dismissal of Rossetti cannot reasonably be ascribed to zeal for Catholic doctrine, especially given that there is in fact no magisterial position on the demonic vis-à-vis UFOs.” So the explanation is so deficient, anybody can see the action isn’t merited.
2.) McElroy has earned a reputation for being a leftwing politician in clerical attire. His entire focus is politics, which is odd considering he opined against withholding the Eucharist from politicians on the basis that it would “cast the church as a partisan actor in the American political system.”, something that never bothers him when episcopal pronouncements comport with his Ivy League limousine leftism .
In short we have good reason to suspect a “hidden agenda” or personal “beef” at play here, and that speaks volumes about McElroy and his (ab)use of authority. I hope in three years his resignation as Archbishop is promptly accepted. In eight years, he will be ineligible to vote for a future Pope, and that alone would be good enough reason to pray he is denied another vote in a conclave.
We do know because of The Deposit Of Faith, Christ Has Entrusted to His One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church, In The Unity Of The Holy Ghost, for The Salvation of Souls.
“The Truth Is Out There.”
“You cannot be My Disciples, if you do not Abide In My Word.” The Charitable Anathema Of Jesus The Christ
By denying that God’s Universal Call to Holiness, is a Call to be chaste in our thoughts, in our words, and in our deeds, and thus be Temples of The Holy Ghost, in all our relationships and all our experiences, cardinal McElroy is in a state of schism, from Christ and His One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church, having defected from Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church , the moment he denied The Sanctity and Dignity of the marital act within The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and thus God’s Will that we respect The Sanctity and Dignity of all Human Life from the moment of conception.
Canon 750 1. Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines. 2. Furthermore, each and everything set forth definitively by the Magisterium of the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals must be firmly accepted and held; namely those things required for the holy keeping and faithful exposition of the deposit of faith; therefore, anyone who rejects propositions which are to be held definitively sets himself against the teaching of the Catholic Church.[new]” “Canon 751 of the Code of Canon Law states that schism is “the refusal of submission to the supreme pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.” Canon 1364 stipulates that the penalty for this crime is excommunication “latae sententiae,” i.e., automatically upon the commission of the offense.” Furthermore, “Canon 188 §4 states that among the actions which automatically (ipso facto) cause any cleric to lose his office, even without any declaration on the part of a superior, is that of “defect[ing] publicly from the Catholic faith” (” A fide catholica publice defecerit“).
Thus we can know through both Faith and reason that the best thing that came out of this whole affair is not that Father Rossetti accepted the verdict of cardinal McElroy with humility because cardinal McElroy, lacks the authority to make such a verdict.
Father Rossetti is absolutely right about UFO phenomenon. I have held the same belief for 40 years. And I am a traditional Roman Catholic deacon! Some of the UFO sightings caught on film, show balls of light travelling at incredible speeds, and changing directions in ways that defy physics! Evil spirits can do that sort of thing. Trust me. The devil is real and he is a master deceiver.
Dear Deacon Jeffrey Pearce, I confirm what you say; it is true; a basic reality within this universe.
To those who say: “Why would demons (fallen angels) bother to do that sort of thing?” the answer is satan & his demon horde delight in malice, mischief, and mockery of GOD and against every good thing that human beings have achieved. They rejoice to humiliate.
“Look at us! You people are nothing!”
Any who have studied freemason & witchcraft inductions will confirm the malicious, mischievous, mocking humiliation of the candidates. Basically demons proclaiming: “We are gods, far superior; you are our slave now!”
Literally: only King Jesus Christ can set these poor mugs free, as they have freely volunteered to a journey into eternity as slaves of demons.
This understanding used to be basic in good Catholic teaching about spiritual realities.
Summarized as: “Watch-out for sugar-coated cyanide!”
Wow! You are so correct. McElroy is more politician than cleric. I remember quite well when he took over the diocese of San Diego. His reign was a complete negative IMO.
“UFOs transporting demons” conveyed in messages in the mid-seventies to the mid-eighties by Veronica Lueken in her Bayside messages were condemned by the Church by Bishop Francis Mugavero of Brooklyn in 1986. Cardinal McElroy was right to dismiss Monsignor Rossetti for publishing similar messages. Similarly any bishop would be within his right to dismiss an exorcist who held similar viewpoints as Veronica Lueken’s condemned messages, a sampling of which is seen in the link below.
https://www.tldm.org/Directives/d467.htm
Ok, Cardinal McElroy.
“UFOs transporting demons” conveyed in messages in the mid-seventies to the mid-eighties by Veronica Lueken in her Bayside messages were condemned by the Church by Bishop Francis Mugavero of Brooklyn in 1986. Cardinal McElroy was right to dismiss Monsignor Rossetti for publishing similar messages, albeit the Monsignor’s published messages were not as extensive or dramatic as Lueken’s messages which cite the Blessed Mother and Jesus as the source of the anti-UFO messages. Similarly any bishop would be within his right to dismiss an exorcist who held posted similar messages that might be construed by the faithful to have some equivalence to Veronica Lueken’s condemned messages, a sampling of which is seen in the link below.
https://www.tldm.org/Directives/d467.htm
There is a substantial difference between publicly speculating regarding the nature of UFOs, and claiming special revelations from the Blessed Mother regarding the nature of UFOs.
As ought to be fairly obvious to everyone who has ever speculated about anything.
Careful Deacon. You’re witness may earn you the title of cardinal. Deservedly.
Amanda: I agree. Troutman is comparing apples to oranges.
Bishops (which means archbishops, cardinals and popes) are not beyond making up stories, narratives, etc (i.e. lying).
Deception is of intrinsic value in their means to their end yet we must judge to determine if the Church administrators are leading their flock to God or not. That confession is god for the soul is just as applicable to each & all within the Church though one may suspect that the higher up the administrative ladder the less if at all that principle is practiced.
“The Truth Is Out There.”
“You cannot be My Disciples, if you do not Abide In My Word.” The Charitable Anathema Of Jesus The Christ
By denying that God’s Universal Call to Holiness, is a Call to be chaste in our thoughts, in our words, and in our deeds, and thus be Temples of The Holy Ghost, in all our relationships and all our experiences, cardinal McElroy is in a state of schism, from Christ and His One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church, having defected from Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church , the moment he denied The Sanctity and Dignity of the marital act within The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and thus God’s Will that we respect The Sanctity and Dignity of all Human Life from the moment of conception.
Canon 750 1. Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines. 2. Furthermore, each and everything set forth definitively by the Magisterium of the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals must be firmly accepted and held; namely those things required for the holy keeping and faithful exposition of the deposit of faith; therefore, anyone who rejects propositions which are to be held definitively sets himself against the teaching of the Catholic Church.[new]” “Canon 751 of the Code of Canon Law states that schism is “the refusal of submission to the supreme pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.” Canon 1364 stipulates that the penalty for this crime is excommunication “latae sententiae,” i.e., automatically upon the commission of the offense.” Furthermore, “Canon 188 §4 states that among the actions which automatically (ipso facto) cause any cleric to lose his office, even without any declaration on the part of a superior, is that of “defect[ing] publicly from the Catholic faith” (” A fide catholica publice defecerit“).
Thus we can know through both Faith and reason that the best thing that came out of this whole affair is not that Father Rossetti accepted the verdict of cardinal McElroy with humility because cardinal McElroy, lacks the authority to make such a verdict.
Is the mingling of UFOs and demons a metaphor for what separates the oversimplified “left” from the oversimplified “right”?
Take Cardinal McElroy, for example, and his commendable struggle—possibly—between the sociological world and the sacramental world…and the potential for cognitive dissonance between prudential judgments in the political domain—over abortion and the irreducible reality of fetal infanticide as seen through the lens of moral theology.
From Vatican II, the Church’s mission to be “in” the world but not “of” the world.
So, within the Eucharistic Church, itself, the issue of “Eucharistic coherence”—as with a former nominally Catholic president who not only lived in the complex political world of prudential judgment but then, moreover, also was a conspicuous personal promoter of abortion/fetal infanticide? Or, another case, the seeming moral/theological conundrum whether LGBTQ-ism is primarily a complexity, or whether it is more primarily a matter of non-culpable tendencies versus a knowing and willed active lifestyle as seen through the lens of moral theology. McElroy seems to opt for complexity over moral content and clarity.
Now, about the present mingling of UFOs and demons—and channeling John Courtney Murray (McElroys academic specialization)—why not resolve another dilemma by simply dismissing an exorcist?
In his July 2004 letter to McElroy’s predecessor in DC, the laicized McCarrick (a letter intended for all of the bishops but which came to light only when later leaked to the press), Cardinal Ratzinger clarified: “Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia….There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.”
Instead of cognitive dissonance, we have distinctions and moral absolutes as a very precise teaching (!)–without exceptions or categorical exemptions–as already affirmed and set forth in the encyclical Veritatis Splendor (1993).
SUMMARY: For Cardinal McElroy is the mingling of UFOs and demons simply one (false) conundrum too many? Narrowly said to: “gravely undermine the Church’s very precise teaching [!] on the devil, demons and exorcism.”
As having previously expressed my viewpoint on a complex issue – as well described by Eamonn Clark – the Church is correct in its approach to unexplained phenomena inclusive of possible spiritual manifestations – which to first exhaust whether there are scientific explanations. As did Urban IV regarding the miracle of the bleeding Eucharist at Bolsena.
At the time Urban had a team of theologians including St Thomas Aquinas and St Bonaventure. After their examination they determined it was a miracle. Today we have developed sciences that are able to make a reasonable judgment.
Although demons as alluded to by Clark can visibly manifest themselves in our world it wan’t prudent for Msgr Rossetti to express his opinion without the necessary qualifications that the Church requires. His humility in accepting McElroy’s verdict is probably the best thing to come out of this.
Solely on the basis of McElroy’s decision, which is not to exclude the Cardinal’s personal interests, it’s who Msgr Rossetti is. A very popular widely respected priest with a large, devoted following.
Anything he might say regarding demonology – especially that he confirms his belief that most UFO sightings are demonic – that large following will likely be convinced, with hysteria, that there are demons everywhere. Indeed they are. Although not necessarily disguised as UFOs.
“that large following will likely be convinced, with hysteria, that there are demons everywhere.”
As opposed the following that’s convinced demons don’t exist are limited we can proceed without any concern. Remember there are two types of statistical errors, and we can apply that idea here, since we don’t have a head count. Yes we can overestimate diabolical prevalence, but we can also underestimate it. As a general rule, I think very few people overestimate it.
It really comes down to this Father. A lot of people have no faith in the episcopacy, and McElroy and his ilk are among those that have contributed to that perception. Take Cardinal Consalvi’s statement to Napoleon and add a couple hundred years and that’s how we view the Cupiches and McElroys. We hear the USCCB is meeting and figure BOHICA, more inversion of the prudential with the imperative.
This is the same Archbishop, who when it came to the allegations made by Dr. Sipe, claimed he was limited by Sipe’s inability to share evidence. In other words, every I had to be dotted and T crossed.
He also wants to allow the reception of Communion by active homosexuals, claiming there is “the privileged place” of conscience and that sexual activity does not lie at the heart of the hierarchy of truths.
When it came to Fr. Rosetti, he acted with full speed, and apparently doesn’t consider conscience or the fact that speculation doesn’t lie at the heart of truths.
I am not a Bishop. I am a manager with graduate training in that art. In his capacity as the chief officer of his diocese, a Bishop is a manager, so I feel qualified to make observations about public personnel decisions.
A good manager is FF&C. Firm, FAIR and CONSISTENT. McElroy acted here with severity and severity isn’t firmness. Severity and celerity detract from fairness. We have reasonable belief here that this decision was inconsistent with the cautious process made in the case of McCarrick.
There very little to suggest that McCarrick had any concern for good order, and much to suggest this is arbitrary and capricious.
I’m just very glad I won’t be asked to shake his hand.
Errata:
s opposed the following that’s convinced demons don’t exist or are limited.
There very little to suggest that MCELROY had any concern for good order, and much to suggest this is arbitrary and capricious.
Really need proper caffeination before posting. Obviously McCarrick didn’t give a murine posterior.
To your point. Legality can become legalism when ulteriorly motivated. An imperious, progressive prelate like McElroy would likely take stock in the reputation of his own academic credentials and touted intellect being threatened by the popularity of the pious conservative Rossetti.
UFO sightings are not exactly an everyday event for most people. I doubt many people are going to alter their behavior even if they believe that 100% of UFO sightings are demonic. Not unless they’re already inclined to go seek demons out.
What qualifications does the Church require for expressing an opinion on demons? Do they have to be provided/stated before every expression of the opinion, in every youtube video of the opinion, or is some sort of sporadic restatement sufficient? Is this topic so much more important than heretical statements that it merits removal of ministry permissions rather than requiring the party concerned to issue a clarification (or as demonstrated with Synodal Report #9 on gay marriage, simply going quiet on the subject)?
And, dear Fr Dr Peter, this can be related to the parable of the villainous tenants, who were supposed to be looking after the King’s vinyard but rebelled and murderously misappropriated it.
For vinyard think: our universe of space-time/energy matter. For tenants think: satan the deceiver and the millions of his fallen angels. For the apparently ungodly parts of our existence think: the constant mocking corruption and obdurate sabotage by those demonic tenants.
That our universe has been able to make steady godly headway think: the persevering labors of multitudes of holy angels, faithfully serving GOD’s good plan.
The ‘Book of Job’ is a key to help us appreciate this arrangement.
Basic biblical understanding readily overthrows the vain misunderstanding of books like: “The Blind Watchmaker” by Richard Dawkins.
To the question: “Why does it have to be like this?”
Ethical Encounter Theology argues that GOD is a just judge who wills evil & evil-doers be allowed to comprehensively actualize their worst so they can eventually be justly exciled; not on suspicion but on hard evidence.
That then is the larger context permitting our world to be a ‘vale of soul-making’ (John Hick) where its inherent good and the evil are put to use in helping form willing human souls for the perfection of GOD’s New Jerusalem.
This worldview comes with the advantage of denying any possibility of a Zoroastrian ‘war between good & evil’.
The GOD & FATHER of our LORD Jesus Christ is in charge – omnicompetantly and omnibenevolently – from the start to the finsish!
Hopefully: this solution to the ‘Theodicy’ question might help some.
Wow father, why are you allowed to express your opinion, when he is not?
If you’re referring to me, my argument is not based on my opinion, rather on the policy of the Church, which I agree with.
Cardinal McElroy owes everyone a rational, detailed explanation for his rather severe actions, and so far he hasn’t provided one. Until he does, the speculation will persist, and people like me will see this as the continuation of a lamentable tradition of obfuscation and stonewalling.
To those obsessed with UFOs and what the Church’s stance on them is, I say, “Get a job. Do something useful with your life.”
Thank you! My own reaction is that such people don’t have enough to do.
Just an observation about these two persons, Rossetti and McElroy.
While Msgr Rossetti’s comment about UFOs and demons seems a little odd to me, I see nothing wrong with it. Actually makes more sense than other beliefs about UFOs which contradict the principles of Math and Physics. More importantly, over the years I have read some writings of Msgr Rossetti in the publications “Living with Christ” and “Living Faith” and have always found them to orthodox and frequently inspiring.
By contrast, I am also somewhat familiar with some heterodox statements of Cardinal McElroy, an associate and seeming acolyte of Cardinal Ted McCarrick.
Therefore, based on what I know (and I acknowledge that I don’t know anything about the work of the St.Luke’s institution that Msgr Rossetti led), I believe McElroy’s action here is insupportable and probably derives from motives other than what he stated.
Nicely reasoned. Thank you ‘Tom in Florida’.
Why look for demons among the lights in the sky? We all have bountiful examples in real life. Any “exorcist “ worth his salt should well know that and avoid worldly speculation.
At this point everyone is speculating about the lights in the sky. Can’t a priest express his personal opinion publicly on the matter? He did qualify that it was such an opinion, of course based on the tremendous amount of experience and knowledge he has with the preternatural.
I doubt he has tremendous knowledge if he’s speculating that lights in the sky are demons. Or maybe more likely age has dimmed his faculty of reason.
Dear Gerard: “Speak for yourself, my friend!”
Huh!
The idea of “celebrity exorcists” makes me think of Hyacinth Loison, the Discalced Carmelite Friar who was excommunicated and who married and founded a Gallican church. A Friar who had known him believed that it was Loison’s success that was his downfall. He was one of the most outstanding preachers of his day and actors would listen to his sermons in order to study his speaking technique. Public success is rarely healthy in the spiritual life.
You know what’s worse? Celebrity Bishops.
“Celebrity Bishops”? Are you referring to Bishop Barron? There are a lot of well-known bishops, but being well-known is not at all the same as being a celebrity, not nowadays. With the internet, to be a celebrity you need both time and a platform, and Bishop Barron is the only bishop that I know who has a platform.
Some seek their publicity in the press.
No. I have no problem using media to teach. I’m thinking of the the three that felt the need to vomit their politics on the Sunday evening show a few weeks back.
I don’t know whether you consider Fr. Reehil a “celebrity exorcist” but he is very public. I found this comment today on his “Yootoob”
Are Aliens Real ? | Battle Ready with Fr. Dan Reehil
@Armydog-wc3hd
I haven’t gone to church since 1979….it was an AG church in Ohio….been praying for 2yrs to God to help me find him….your videos kept popping up more than any other. So I called a priest and asked him what is going on…..why in the last couple of weeks why I cry when ever I pray….well in the fall I’m joining ocia to become catholic and I can’t wait to get closer to Jesus each day…..THANK YOU FATHER….
Maybe we need more exorcists engaging in public ministry. instead of the community organizing Cardinal Archbishops such as the one assigned to the District of Corruption does.
Great to hear you will be back home in the Catholic Church again! Pray in front of the Eucharist… it calms the soul.
I’m quoting somebody else.
your last sentence seems quite true; yet the talented innocents are still too often targeted (e.g., Sheen)
Notoriety and celebrity are things that can get priests in trouble. Or anyone else really.
What do you think we seek posting here?
Conversation among brothers & sisters in Christ?
And what a unique honor it is to converse with wonderfully genuine Catholic clergy & lay people! Thanks to Catholic World Report!
your comment made me chuckle; back in the 70s our church did not have air conditioning. one packed 10 30 am mass, during an unrelenting heat wave, our priest walked up to the podium for the homily and stated, “due to the heat, there will not be a homily, as long as none of you call diocese tomorrow morning, as long as none of you call the diocese tomorrow morning.” (repeated). He also stated another time it seems many Catholics are born with lemons in their mouths.
I remember going to Mass with no AC also. I think we still had homilies but they were probably shorter. Heat & incense can be kind of overwhelming.
Once on Pentecost we had a bat fly in & circle around the altar during the homily. Perhaps opening the windows or something else had disturbed him. It should have been a white dove instead considering the feast day.
🙂
J Tucker from the Epoch Times wrote a recent article about his first real job as a 12 yr old, (before the establishment said kids working was not good), anyway, it was cleaning and adjusting the pipes for church organs etc… He mentioned the pigeon remains he encountered sometimes. He remarked it was a great job, and had no idea why he was hired, until he figured out years later he was small and skinny, so he could slide between the pipes more easily. He also got to hear his first Catholic mass while waiting for a church to clear one morning.
Bats in the belfry, eh?
We had large tall fans on both front sides of the church; the ushers would walk up there once it started getting hot and start them up. In our farmhouse we would pull air from the cool cellar, and that helped a lot.
WOW! We once had a crow enter the sanctuary during Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at adoration on a Friday. He was flying back and forth, likely trying to find his way out. We alerted Father (in his office). Father opened all side and front doors to the Church, then entered the sanctuary. At his entry, the bird took off as if on an urgent mission, straight down the center aisle and out the front door. It was kinda’ cool to see. (The Church has no AC and a side door as well as many windows were open, so it was easy for the bird to enter, just like the welcome of the Church to all.)
Pride is unhealthy in the spiritual life, whether it comes with public success or not. The public success makes the fall more visible; it does not make the fall.
There were many Saints who were publicly successful, and an awful lot of good resulted for souls due to that success. The hidden-away Saints are beautiful, and for many people that is a safer way, but we have always needed the St. John Chrysostoms, Mother Teresas, Padre Pios, and St. Thomas Aquinases.
Wisdom is vindicated in all her works.
If you hate being in the limelight, then you are probably safe spiritually. It probably becomes dangerous when you feel that you belong there.
Mother Teresa hated it! She offered up the attention. Every time someone took a photo she murmered, “Another soul out of purgatory!”
she also requested the value of her Nobel instead of the awards dinner and used that in her ministry
Nicely put. Thank you dear Amanda
“…one thing is sure: the truth is out there.” So are lies.
Again I recommend Catholic philosopher Dennis Bonnette’s 2025 article: https://thepostil.com/feasibility-of-actual-space-alien-visits-to-planet-earth/
Before Msg. Rossetti became what the author calls a “celebrity exorcist”, he was likely best know to most as a fantastic researcher on the state of the priesthood in the US. Beginning in 2005 with “The Joy of Priesthood” and followed by “The Priestly Blessing” and other books. I wasn’t aware he was an exorcist until about five years ago when he published “Diary of an American Exorcist.” What I believe, from reading some of his books and having a few short conversations with him, is that he is a good, holy priest and this is a loss to the Archdiocese of Wash DC, but will be a gain to wherever his bishop sends him. I would love to have him as my pastor.
I too only knew his name for a long while as a “sociologist of the priesthood.”
From the New York Times article “Priest Who Said Aliens Were Demons Removed as Exorcist for Washington”, by Ruth Graham, June 4, 2026:
Monsignor Rossetti remains an associate professor of research in the School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America, a school spokeswoman said on Thursday. A spokeswoman for the diocese of Syracuse, where Monsignor Rossetti was ordained in the 1980s, said he remains a priest in good standing there, and that the diocese had no other information about his removal by the archdiocese of Washington.
Interesting.
Seems like that means that this move by the Cardinal will force Msgr. Rossetti to choose between remaining a professor at Catholic U, and continuing his deliverance ministry. Unless a nearby diocese will give him permission. In chess, this maneuver would be called a fork.
Personally, I think that most UFO sightings can be attributed to artifacts in the instrumentation, or things that look physically impossible because the camera happens to be mounted on a maneuvering fighter jet so that you have the sum of two aerial objects changing speed and direction, or experimental technologies, or a combination of the three. I also (as any orthodox Catholic would) believe that demons exist, that they hate our guts, that they are very practiced at tempting people to do wrong, either by overreacting or by underreacting, and that they are particularly opposed to exorcists and clerics.
Reinstating Rossetti would be a good move at this point.
Perhaps Msgr Rosetti suggested to the Cardinal that he was in need of an exorcism.
Dear Deacon Edward Peitler: “Cardinal (McElroy) . . . in need of an exorcism.”
Now we’re getting closer to the real reason; it’s not so complicated.
Good doctrine (Rosetti) being fraudulently accused by the doctrine of demons (1 Timothy 4:1-2) (McElroy). Par for the course.
The Lilac Maffia (McCarrick, McElroy, et al.) are known by some Catholics as ‘the Lilith Mafia’, with the implication they’re inherently obdurately resistant to prayers for deliverance from demonic oppression.
Lilith, of course, teaches them: “There are no such things as demons”!
As Lilith covertly works to gain her ascendancy among the heterodox heirarchs in our Church, we might expect to see even more scandalous opposition to our magnificent & critically necessary Catholic deliverance ministers; resisting Christs’ command in Matthew 10:8 ” . cast out devils .”
Praise GOD for CWR and for faithfulness to Ephesians 5:11 –
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
yes!good suggestion as well as Cupich and all those in the Vatican who are freemasons and deliberately trying to destroy the Church from within. May all the evil in their hearts be exposed,destroyed and satan defeated and humiliated so Christ’s Church may triumph and reign
Touche
Dear Deacon Edward Peitler: “Cardinal (McElroy) . . . in need of an exorcism.”
Now we’re getting closer to the real reason; it’s not so complicated.
Good doctrine (Rosetti) being fraudulently accused by the doctrine of demons (1 Timothy 4:1-2) (McElroy). Par for the course.
The Lilac Maffia (McCarrick, McElroy, et al.) are known by some Catholics as ‘the Lilith Mafia’, with the implication they’re inherently obdurately resistant to prayers for deliverance from demonic oppression.
Lilith, of course, teaches them: “There are no such things as demons”!
As Lilith covertly works to gain her ascendancy among the heterodox heirarchs in our Church, we might expect to see even more scandalous opposition to our magnificent & critically necessary Catholic deliverance ministers; resisting Christs’ command in Matthew 10:8 ” . cast out devils .”
Praise GOD for CWR and for faithfulness to Ephesians 5:11 –
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
For Catholics & other Christians who are sickened by the betrayals of their hierarchs, & feel like giving up, this song (by a bunch of Aussie lay volunteers) might encourage a vigorous reigniting of their Faith:
CityAlight – We Too Have Overcome (Live) YouTube Feb 27, 2025 2.2M views
I was intrigued to see in the video someone in the congregation enjoying the worship who looks like our beloved Archbishop Shane MacKinlay.
It is well known that demons will attack exorcists.
I have thought that much of UFO activity, not all, were demonic for 50 years. People don’t see elves, fairies, leprechauns, or chupacabras anymore, they see ‘Greys.’ I watched the ‘Phoenix Lights’ with about five others. My conclusion was they were a ‘government black project.’
Rossetti’s work with demons makes him an expert in demonology and thus his analysis on possible demon manifestations would be more accurate than the Cardinal’s. When he said most UFO activity is likely demon related I assumed he meant the ones that have no explanation and remain categorized as “truly” unidentifiable. Also when I first read about this incident I thought that the Cardinal probably has yet to see a demon manifestation and that he quite possibly does not believe in an actual hell. It is quite alarming but I have known clergy who have a very different understanding of the devil and his works and hell.
Is Cardinal McElroy even Catholic? His history does not seem to reflect Catholicism as I know it. I thought that the Catholic Church was to be a LIGHT to the world. It seems to me that it is not part of God’s plan for our priests, bishops and cardinals to succumb to secular values which, at this time, in salvation history, are outrageously barbaric…abortion, euthanasia, transgenderism etc.etc. Msg.Rosetti, Fr.Ripperger,Fr.Reehill, Prof.Daniel O’Connor and many other dedicated,authentic Catholics are doing far more good for our beloved Church then the reprobates amongst us. Let us listen to Our Lady, and pray, Pray, PRAY for our shepherds. ALL of them!
Dear Deacon Jeffrey Pearce, I confirm what you say; it is true; a basic reality within this universe.
To those who ask: “Why would demons (fallen angels) bother to do that sort of thing?” the answer is satan & his demon horde delight in malice, mischief, and mockery of GOD and against every good thing that human beings have achieved. They rejoice to humiliate; to entrap.
“Look at us! You people are nothing!”
Any who have studied freemason & witchcraft inductions will confirm the malicious, mischievous, mocking humiliation of the candidates. Basically demons proclaiming: “We are gods, far superior; you are our slave now!”
Literally: only King Jesus Christ can set these poor mugs free, as they have freely volunteered to a journey into eternity as slaves of demons.
This understanding used to be basic in good Catholic teaching about spiritual realities.
Summarized as: “Watch-out for sugar-coated cyanide!”
And what a honor it is to converse with wonderfully genuine Catholic clergy & lay people! Thanks to Catholic World Report!