Do catholics belive in demonic possession? Symptoms? Resolution?

Answer 1

They do now, but the tides they are a changing and one day those beliefs will live in limbo or should I say with limbo.

Answer 2

The church is not quick to accept the notion of demonic possession, however, as a last resort there are trained priests who perform exorcisims.

We are not taught to believe or dis- believe in
demonic possession. Most of it I think is rooted in psychological, rather than satanic possession but there are cases that defy scientific explaination.

Some people are suseptable to suggestion; the more
people around them are hooked on the demonic, the more the suppossedly possessed person will "take on" that role.
Young people should be advised not to dabble in these things because their minds haven't formed well enough yet to handle fearful things that are
easily conjured by suggestion.
It doesn't matter if these things are real or not, to the person who believes, they are very real and can produce symptoms of schizophrenia, paranoia, and acute anxiety reactions serious enough to put them into the hospital.
Absent of drug reactions and active mental disorder
of short or long duration, treatment is in a psychiatric hospital. Most do well quickly with the powerful psychologicval support in a hospital setting.
Remember, actual accepted cases (by the church) of
possession rerquiring exorcism is extrememly small.

The movie, "The Exorcist," was actually based on a true case of possession but in a boy, rather than a girl as depicted in the film. Strangely, the real case had a priest who suffered horribly during the exorcism and never got over it. It is said he died a very depressed man shortly after the boy was "cured."

So, my rule is always--tred lightly, humbly and with caution and hold your faith in God and forsake the devil (in case there is one). And always carry a big silver cross. just kidding

Answer 3

Catholics have been casting out demons ever since Jesus and the Apostles did it.

Modern psychology says that most of the people who had demons cast out of them were probably miraculously cured from schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. But their cures were still miracles.

The Catholic Church believes that real demonic possessions are rare but possible, so they keep a few exorcists around just in case.

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

I once met a Redemptorist priest (Congragation of the Most Holy Redeemer), who was an exorcist. The story he told of a possessed girl in India would have put any Hollywood horror story to shame.

Symptoms?
Half the girl's face looked like the carving of a demon at the temple where her non-Christian father worshiped. The rest was the usual demonic behaviour.

Resolution?
Following prayer (lots of it) the girl was healed.

The devil exists - don't underestimate him, or overestimate him.

Prayer from the heart works.

Answer 5

Yes, I'm pretty sure we do. When I lived in England our parish priest once told my mother about when he was staying with another priest. At night people would come to see the priest he was staying with and he would hear all of these horrible noises and things like that. Basically, that priest was exorcising them.

I also recently heard a story told by a woman but I'm not sure if this was a true possession or not. She and her friends were all sitting together once, and suddenly one of her friends went really stiff. One of the girls in the group had a gift of discernment and completely freaked out and was praying in tongues over the guy but had to do it from behind someone because she was so scared. Eventually they called someone and it was all sorted out. Ugh - this sort of thing really scares me :S

Talk to a priest about it. They'll be able to answer all (or at least most) of your questions.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Yes.
Ability to know unknown languages, ability to know hidden things and superhuman strength, among others.
Exorcism by a duly appointed priest.

To Nicola: yes when hell freezes over.

Answer 7

Yes we do, and only an appointed priest can perform exorcism, not a nice thing to happen to anyone but it dose happen to this day.

Answer 8

yes. i don't know if there are classic symptomes. resolution is exorcism

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=9464

http://members.aol.com/curiostybk/catholicexorcism.html

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/theexorcismofemilyrose/index.html