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Begone Satan
Roman Catholic Booksby Fr. Carl Vogl
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If you have any doubts about the reality of demonic possession, this book should lay them to rest.
It happened in the American heartland, three-quarters of a century ago. In a harrowing exorcism, marked by terrifying occurrences that defy natural explanation, a 40-year-old Catholic woman was ultimately liberated from possession. This priest’s account of the events -- based on first-hand testimony -- is brief and powerful.
While serving in a parish in Earling, Iowa in 1928, Father Theophilus Riesinger, asked the pastor, Fr. Joseph Steiger, for permission to have a 40-year-old woman whom he believed possessed by the devil brought into a nearby convent of Franciscans, where he would perform the rite of exorcism.
The woman’s problems had begun at age 14, when, as a religiously devout girl, she perceived some “mysterious hidden power” interfering with her regular reception of Holy Communion. Inner voices tried to arouse shameful thoughts and urged her to commit terrible sins, such as attack her pastor and burn down the parish church.
Doctors examined her repeatedly but were helpless to treat her.
Although Church officials examined her skeptically, it became evident that preternatural powers were at play. For instance, the woman understood languages she had never heard or read; when the priest spoke in Church Latin, she foamed at the mouth. She reacted violently to articles given to her that were sprinkled with holy water.
The local Bishop entrusted the case to Father Theophilus. As soon as the exorcism began, “With lightning speed the possessed dislodged herself from her bed and from the hands of her guards; and her body, carried through the air, landed high above the door of the room and clung to the wall with a tenacious grip.” She was forced down and restrained.
At one point during the exorcism, “a loud shrill voice rent the air. The noise in the room sounded as though it were far off, somewhere in a desert. Satan howled as though he had been struck over the head with a club.”
Different voices also came out of the woman, indicating possession by multiple demons. Some sounded bestial and unnatural, “uttering an inexpressible grief and hatred that no human could reproduce.” Others were quite human, “breathing an atmosphere of keen suffering.”
When Jesus’s name was mentioned, “Satan began through the woman to foam and howl like a wild raving animal.” This bellowing and howling “took place every day and at times lasted for hours.”
Father Theophilus addressed the devil, who identified himself as Beelzebub, in English, German, and again in Latin -- and Beelzebub replied correctly in the same languages. When the priest, in his exhaustion, would make minor errors or mispronunciations in his prayers and words of exorcism, Beelzebub would shriek out mockery and insults.
Among the spirits possessing the woman were damned souls, including one identifying himself as Judas Iscariot -- and two others well-known to the woman during their natural lives.
Satan threatened revenge against the priest -- and almost succeeded. While Father Theophilus was driving, “a dense black cloud appeared before him,” blinding him, just as he was about to go over a bridge. His car plunged into a deep ravine, and was totally destroyed -- but his life was miraculously spared.
Satan had embarrassing knowledge about the sins and the condition of the souls of those present at various times -- but only those not brought to Confession! Thus, the nuns and priest were spared embarrassing revelations.
“Why publish a story of this kind in our age and civilization?’” asks the noted Benedictine, Dom Virgil Michel, in his Foreword. “Stubborn facts cannot be denied when they baffle all natural explanation.”
And the author, Rev. Carl Vogl, draws out the particular value of this narrative for faithful Catholics: “The purpose of this [account] is not to frighten timid souls but rather to encourage those of strong faith to continue to give battle to the evil one. It is also a timely warning to sinners to amend their lives from sin to virtue.”
APPENDIX: “Possession by Demons” from the 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia
Hardcover
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