[Question:]{.underline} Can lay persons, or even non-Catholics, expel demons?
[Answer]{.underline} The order of exorcist is the third of the minor orders, being, like the other minor orders, a participation in the diaconate. It gives to the cleric a real power over the devil. However, it is forbidden for him to use that power, He must first receive the order of the priesthood, with its much greater power over the devil. It is in virtue of this power that the priest performs the exorcisms in the rite of baptism, or in the blessing of holy water and some other sacramentals. Furthermore, if a priest is to do a formal exorcism, he must receive explicit permission from his bishop (Rituale XI, I, 1), required by the Church on account of the dangers involved in this personal struggle with the evil one and his minions.
However, this does not mean that a person who is not a priest, does not have any power over the devil. To the contrary, it is the valid sacrament of baptism, that makes us members of the mystical body of Christ, one with our divine Savior, that is fhe foundation of our freedom from the slavery of the devil, and of all our real power over him.
The daring confidence that a Catholic ought to have face to face with the devil, entirely founded on the Passion and Cross by which he is vanquished and cast back into hell, is described, in her usual vivid fashion, by St. Teresa of Avila in her autobiography:
I went on. “If this Lord is powerful, as I see He is, and know He is, and if the devils are His slaves… what harm can they do me, who am a servant of this Lord and King.? How can I fail to have fortitude enough to fight against all hell?” So I took a cross in my hand and it really seemed that God was giving me courage: in a short time I found I was another person and I should not have been afraid to wrestle with devils, for with the aid of that cross I believed I could easily vanquish them all…It certainly seemed as if I had frightened all these devils, for I became quite calm and had no more fear of them…I have acquired an authority over them, bestowed upon me by the Lord of all, so that they are no more trouble to me than flies…(Ch XXV, p. 242 in the 1960 Image Books edition).
Consequently a baptized Catholic who has the true Faith and is in the state of sanctifying grace need not fear the devil at all, but can command the devil, in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, provided that he have Faith, confidence, the state of grace and no attachment to the things of this world through which the devil typically overcomes us. Let us listen to St. Teresa again:
These devils keep us in terror because we make ourselves liable to be terrorized by contracting other attachments - to honours, for example, and to possessions and pleasures… This is the great pity of it. If only we will hate everything for God’s sake and embrace the Cross and try to serve Him in truth, the devil will fly from these truths as from the plague.” (Op. cit. p. 243).
Father Gabriele Amorth, official exorcist of the diocese of Rome, in his book An Exorcist tells his story, confirms that an exorcist has an additional and particular power, but that in addition “Jesus gave the power to expel demons to all those who believe in him and act in his name. I am referring to private prayer, which we can collectively call ‘delivrance prayers’”. (p. 153. Ignatius Press, 1999). He goes on to explain that the power to expel devils is one of the charisms mentioned by St. Paul (I Cor 12), although he also points out that great difficulty exists in discerning those who have a real charism from impostors, whose pretense is so often used by the devil himself. (Op. cit. p.155). Clearly ecclesiastical authority alone can make the discernment, but as Fr. Amorth points out, the Church never puts its authority behind such a gift - “I know of cases in which ecclesiastical authoriites intervened to alert the faithful against charlatans and swindlers, but I do not know of any who are officially recognized to have such charisms” (Ib.) All the more could it never discern as being true the actions against the devil of those separated from the unity of the Church by heresy or schism. What, then, of the many claims amongst Protestants of the power to cast our devils? Theoretically, it is not impossible that they be true, provided that the person is in good faith, that is in invincible ignorance as to his separation from the Church, and that he lives an exemplary life of humility and prayer. However, since falsehood and deception are so easy, since this ability is so easily a passing phenomon or pretence, and since the devil so easily highjacks the entire charismatic movement by his lies and deception, it would be most imprudent to accept any claim of demonic expulsion, especially if done by a non-Catholic or member of some charismatic group.
As for those non-baptized persons, pagans, sorcerers and others who claim to have some paranormal powers to deliver from diabolic manifestations, they cannot in any way have a power over the devil. To the contrary, they are in his power. If they give the appearance of expelling devils, it is only a temporary deception, a part of a diabolical intrigue, a pure pretense, it is one of the lies in which the father of lies excels. Of such efforts can be applied the words of our Divine Savior, when accused of casting out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and house will fall upon house. If, then, Satan also is divided against himself how shall his kingdom stand?” (Luke 11:17, 18).
Answered by Father Peter Scott, SSPX.