Why Catholic Exorcists Are Seeing More Requests Colleen Curry - VICE News
go to original November 6, 2014

On the first day of each month, thousands of people flock to a house in Mexico City. They bring offerings of candles and fruit, tequila and marijuana. They've come to worship at the alter of Saint Death. (Journeyman Pictures)

Catholic exorcists and experts have said that there has been a revival in requests for the practice in recent years, gaining a nod even from Pope Francis earlier this week when he thanked priests who perform the ritual.

The Pope sent a message to members of the International Association of Exorcists, a Catholic organization that held a conference in Rome October 25 and 26, thanking them for showing "love to those possessed," IAC spokesman Valter Cascioli told Vatican Radio after the conference, according to the Religion News Service. Cascioli told the radio station that there had been a "steady increase" in requests for exorcism.

Rev. Gary Thomas, a member of the IAE and practicing Catholic priest and exorcist in Saratoga, California, explained that the uptick in requests is a result of young people moving away from the church and toward an ill-defined "spirituality" that he said can lead to danger.

Read the rest at VICE News

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!