Imaginary Modern Catholic Baptismal Exorcisms

JMJ

This is a reblog of a note I posted in April 2023 in A List of Articles with Tradicat's Quick Comments.

It is a good example of changes that happened elsewhere in the Catholic Rituals. As you can read below, the change is significant, explicit and fairly incredible.

In other words, I fail to see how something can be called an exorcism that doesn't explicitly say what the priest it doing - which is ordering the unclean spirit(s) to depart.

P^3

I was at a meeting where a Catholic Diocesan Priest claimed that the exorcisms remain in the modern ritual of baptism. A quick review of the current and previous rites makes it obvious that what is presented as an "exorcism", is actually just a narrative.

In 1964, the words were explicit and meant what was said. In the new liturgy, the word exorcism is a label but there is no content. It is bland.

So ... looking at the Rituale Romanum (1964) we read:

Depart from him (her), unclean spirit, and give place to the Holy Spirit, the Advocate.

God's creature, salt, I cast out the demon from you, in the name of God the Father almighty, in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the strength of the Holy Spirit. I purify you by the living God, the true God, the holy God, by God who created you to be a preservative for mankind, and ordered you to be sanctified by His ministers for the benefit of the people who are about to embrace the faith. In the name of the Blessed Trinity may you become a saving sign empowered to drive away the enemy. Therefore, we beg you, Lord, our God, to sanctify and to bless this creature, salt, thus providing a perfect remedy for all who receive it, one that will permeate their inmost being. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire.

I cast you out, unclean spirit, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Depart and stay far away from this servant (these servants) of God, N. (N. and N.). For it is the Lord Himself who commands you, accursed and doomed spirit, He who walked on the sea and reached out His hand to Peter as he was sinking. So then, foul fiend, recall the curse that decided your fate once for all. Indeed, pay homage to the living and true God, pay homage to Jesus Christ, His Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Keep far from this servant (these servants) of God, N. (N. and N.), for Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, has freely called him (her) (them) to His holy grace and blessed way and to the waters of baptism.

Looking at the current rite as published in some Dioscesan websites we read:

--- Prayer of Exorcism and Anointing Before Baptism --- After the invocation, the celebrant says:Almighty and ever-living God, you sent your only Son into the world to cast out the power of Satan, spirit of evil, to rescue man from the kingdom of darkness, and bring him into the splendor of your kingdom of light. We pray for this child: set him (her) free from original sin, make him (her) a temple of your glory, and send your Holy Spirit to dwell with him (her). We ask this through Christ our Lord. All: Amen.
Just in case there is a concern that this isn't real - here's the text that I found in the "National Bulletin on Liturgy 1970"

PRAYER OF EXORCISM AND ANOINTING BEFORE BAPTISM 49. After the invocations, the celebrant says: (a) Almighty and ever-living God, you sent your only Son into the world to cast out the power of Satan, spirit of evil, to rescue man from the kingdom of darkness, and bring him into the splendor of your kingdom of light.

RITE OF BAPTISM FOR SEVERAL CHILDREN All: We pray for these children: set them free from original sin, make them temples of your glory, and send your Holy Spirit to dwell within them. (We ask this) through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Another form of the prayer of exorcism: (b) Almighty God, All: you sent your only Son to rescue us from the slavery of sin, and to give us the freedom only your sons and daughters enjoy. We now pray for these children who will have to face the world with its temptations, and fight the devil in all his cunning. Your Son died and rose again to save us. By his victory over sin and death, bring these children out of the power of darkness. Strengthen them with the grace of Christ, and watch over them at every step in life's journey. (We ask this) through Christ our Lord.

The alternative version (#221) is:

III. ANOTHER FORM OF THE PRAYER OF EXORCISM 221. Almighty God, All: you sent your only Son to rescue us from the slavery of sin, and to give us the freedom only your sons and daughters enjoy. We now pray for these children who will have to face the world with its temptations,. and fight the devil in all his cunning. Your Son died and rose again to save us. By his victory over sin and death, bring these children out of the power of darkness. Strengthen them with the grace of Christ, and watch over them at every step in life's journey. (We ask this) through Christ our Lord .. Amen.
: New translation of absolution prayer - Arlington Catholic Herald; Catholic.sk - Rite of Baptism; The Old Rite of Baptism — Catholic Sacramentals; Baptisms in the Extraordinary Form; Should the Church Consider Reintroducing the Exorcism Prayers in the Rite of Baptism? - Community in Mission; Can Those Who Missed Out on Traditional Baptism Get the Exorcisms “Supplied”? - OnePeterFive; Minor exorcism in Christianity - Wikipedia; The Liturgy of Baptism - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah

Rome,the SSPX and this time of Crisis - Updated

+ JMJ Obviously there's lots of events right now. First we have the April 1st - I almost thought it was April Fools - meeting between Pope Francis and Bishop Fellay. Nothing really news worthy as this is a natural progression as Rome appears to be considering fulfilling Archbishop Lefebvre's wish to 'accept us as we are'. Second we have the April 8th publication of what will be a verbose exhortation of the Synod of the Family. I'm willing to bet that the Pope will give with one hand (unilateral regularization of SSPX) and take with the other (ambiguous document that opens the flood gates of sin further). Much to pray for. P^3

The Vatican and SSPX – An Organizational Culture Perspective

Introduction The recent and continuing interactions between the Vatican and the SSPX have been a great opportunity for prayer and reflection. The basis for the disagreement is theological and not liturgical. As noted by Dr. Lamont (2012), the SSPX theological position on the four key controversial aspects of the Second Vatican Council are base on prior theological work that resulted from relevant magisterial pronouncements. So it is difficult to understand the apparent rejection of the theological position of the SSPX.

A Reply to Martin Blackshaw’s FLAWED Remnant article titled: FLAWED: SSPX Advice on Abortion-tainted Vaccines

+ JMJ An article has appeared in the Remnant (link to article) and I am afraid that there are a number of flaws in it that need to be addressed. The author, Martin Blackshaw, believes that both the Church and the SSPX are misapplying the principle of Moral Theology called 'Cooperation In Evil'. Unfortunately, Mr. Blackshaw rests most of his arguments on citing authors that support his position, without considering the possibility that they are wrong. This highlights a key factor in this crisis: ignorance of the faith and its application . I don't am not singling out Mr. Blackshaw for this criticism, I have observed that it applies to laity and religious, superior and subject a like. No one seems immune in this enduring crisis, myself included. I further believe that this ignorance is why so many Catholics, both traditional and non, rely on their gut feeling or "Catholic conscience" for charting their way through this crisis of the faith. While...

Battle Joy

+ JMJ I was listening to a Cd of John Vennari on Battle Joy ( Recapture the Flag: Dedication and Battle Joy - by John Vennari ) and it really captures a key point that Catholics (Traditional and otherwise labelled) need to adopt. We should see this conflict as a chance to prove our mettle for our King and to earn our unending reward. As veterans we'll be able to talk about the old battles in which we fought and the honour we gained in fighting for our King! Attached is a preview of course that, although secular, contains some of the elements of Battle Joy. P^3 https://www.coursera.org/learn/war/lecture/VDwfk/the-joy-of-battle

SSPX and the Resistance - A Comparison Of Ecclesiology

Shining the light of Church Teaching on the doctrinal positions of the SSPX and the Resistance. Principles are guides used to aid in decision making. It stands to reason that bad principles will lead to bad decisions. The recent interactions between Rome and the SSPX has challenged a number of closely held cultural assumptions of people in both sides of the disagreement. This has resulted in cultural skirmishes in both Rome and the SSPX. Since it is the smaller of the two, the skirmishes have been more evident within the SSPX. The cultural fault-line that Bishop Fellay crossed appears to be linked to two points of Catholic Doctrine: Ecclesiology and Obedience. The cultural difference of view points is strong enough that it has resulted in the expulsion of a number of members. It should also be noted that some other priests expelled since the beginning of the latest interactions (starting in 2000) held the same view points and have joined with the l...

Tradicat

Search This Blog