A Monsignor Gerhart (as I recall the name) used to say the 7 am weekday Masses at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington, DC. He died within the last 10 years, and his obituary ran in The Washington Post. It was remarked that he had authority for exorcisms in the Archdiocese of Washington--I think he was chancellor--at the time The Exorcist came out, and was visit by a surprising number of young women who thought that they were possessed by a demon. His counsel to them was to go the church, cross themselves with some holy water, pray, and take a few days to consider--the theological equivalent, I guess, of "take two aspirin and see me in the morning". I gather that most of his visitors reconsidered and did not return.
Well, God bless him, I say. Though my Jesuit mentor once told me of a most interesting sort of exorcism that he witnessed. There are more things, Horatio ...
A Monsignor Gerhart (as I recall the name) used to say the 7 am weekday Masses at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington, DC. He died within the last 10 years, and his obituary ran in The Washington Post. It was remarked that he had authority for exorcisms in the Archdiocese of Washington--I think he was chancellor--at the time The Exorcist came out, and was visit by a surprising number of young women who thought that they were possessed by a demon. His counsel to them was to go the church, cross themselves with some holy water, pray, and take a few days to consider--the theological equivalent, I guess, of "take two aspirin and see me in the morning". I gather that most of his visitors reconsidered and did not return.
ReplyDeleteWell, God bless him, I say. Though my Jesuit mentor once told me of a most interesting sort of exorcism that he witnessed. There are more things, Horatio ...
ReplyDeleteByt th way, George, thanks for postings. Your posts are invariably interesting.
ReplyDeleteFrank, thank you, and you're welcome. As you've inferred, I very much enjoy your blog.
ReplyDelete