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Review by Dr Pravin Thevathasan



Interview With An Exorcist
Fr Jose Antonio Fortea
Ascension Press

Fr Fortea is a Catholic priest and an exorcist from Spain. This book is written in a simple question and answer format and is an easy read. He covers much the same ground as Fr Amorth but, arguably, in a more systematic way. All the major questions we would like to ask are covered: the different kinds of demonic activity, the symptoms of possession, how much demons know, what happens during an exorcism and the difference between possession and mental illness. There is a certain detachment of manner in which the questions are answered, surely a virtue in an exorcist.

How can one tell the difference between mental illness and possession? " If something that seems extraordinary is a mental illness, it will get progressively worse and obvious psychosis will develop." Schizophrenia can be distinguished from possession because there are no extraordinary phenomena in schizophrenia. Can demons read our thoughts? No. Can they cause natural disasters? No, unless we have strong evidence to the contrary. Can the devil have a human child? No, because the devil is a spirit. Why do some exorcism last so long? Because there are some demons whose angelic nature belonged to a higher order.

Fr Fortea does not have the answer to all the questions. For example, why do demons use the bodily senses to possess someone? He admits his answer is speculative.

There are some wonderful answers. What is more important, confession or exorcism? Confession, because exorcism only drives out a demon from one's body. Confession drives out evil from one's soul.

We are in the hands of a master. A wonderful work.


Copyright ©; Dr Pravin Thevathasan 2016

Version: 15th May 2016



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