By REY FLORES
Diary of an American Exorcist by Msgr. Stephen Rossetti; Sophia Institute Press 2021; hardback $21.95. Order at www.sophiainstitutepress.com or call 1-800-888-9344.
Since the beginning of humanity, and even before that, the battle of good versus evil and it continues to rage on, through the ages. In our current society, we Catholics have witnessed all sorts of cultural evil; abominations like abortion, contraception, addictions, divorce, the breakdown of the traditional family, attacks against anything holy, including the Traditional Latin Mass.
It doesn’t end with just these things. Evil can also manifest itself when a demonic attack or possession occurs to an individual or a family. We have seen these type of occurrences portrayed in popular culture for decades. Movies like The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby were the two films which started a whole genre of moviemaking in Hollywood.
It is interesting how as Catholics — and also members of other Christian denominations — we firmly believe that Satan does indeed exist. However, bring it up to any garden variety of nonbelievers, and even some wishy-washy lukewarm Christians, and they will dismiss it as antiquated fiction and superstition.
“The devil’s finest trick is to persuade you that he does not exist.” While people debate who should get the credit for this remark, it is usually credited to the nineteenth-century French poet Charles Baudelaire. One of my all-time favorite quotes of all time.
And this brings us to the review of Sophia Press’ recent publishing of Diary of an American Exorcist, authored by exorcist Msgr. Stephen Rossetti. In the book, Rossetti shares his firsthand experiences and bloodcurdling stories — so that if your faith isn’t strong, you’d probably be afraid to read this book alone at night. Thankfully Monsignor reminds of the absolute power of Jesus Christ and His Church — “especially by invocations to the Blessed Mother.”
One of the topics that Monsignor addresses in this book is tattoos. It really made me think about how many people whom we see in public, at our workplaces, and even within our parishes, Catholic high schools and universities, who are all tattooed up on their arms, hands, legs, necks, and even their faces. It used to be that tattoos were the exception and not the norm, but today it’s the opposite. I always find it refreshing to see a young person without any tattoos.
While the whole concept of tattoos isn’t the entire focus in Monsignor’s writings here, he refers more specifically to people who basically brand themselves with evil and satanic images which not only look awful in my opinion, but can actually be a portal to evil, and should be at best removed, covered, and decommissioned.
Monsignor recommends this ritual which can be found in the Catholic Exorcism app on your smartphone or tablet, or at the website www.catholicexorcism.org.
There are so many ways in which Satan and his minions can manifest themselves and the evil they are literally, and figuratively, hell-bent on using to torture our lives. Monsignor also writes about another aspect of demonic possession in which demons can take full advantage of our vulnerabilities and sometimes destroy us if we are not a lot more aware and careful.
For example, one thing many people struggle with is loneliness and isolation. While some people may make the best efforts to use their alone time faithfully and productively, in this digital age, others resort to hours of time wasted on our “smart” gadgets.
And how about the Internet? For the most part, it is a wasteland of distractions and filth which leave us open to all sorts of temptations and sin. Yes, like a hammer or any tool, we can use them to either build or destroy. Thank God for a respite in some helpful online educational and religious resources
Demonic possession is no joke, and if anyone tells you otherwise, we must pray that they remain clear of Satan’s destructive path any further.
This is an incredible book by a brave and dedicated holy man who puts himself out there in the frontlines against evil itself, knowing the importance of always wearing the armor of God. Pray for all of our clergy and religious always, especially exorcists.
A quick side note. I receive dozens of books to review for The Wanderer, but this book, while well packaged for delivery, arrived pretty battered with one corner smashed enough to break the binding. I’m not necessarily saying it was demons who did it, but it is possible.
Please add this powerful book to your home library. A great gift as well for your loved ones, and especially for teenagers of all ages from 13 and up.
Powered by WPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress