Patrizia Cattaneo

INTERVIEW WITH FATHER BIANCO
CONCERNING EXORCISM

Father Michele Bianco blessing a man

Extract of the long interview published in the book «The devil kneeling», Patrizia Cattaneo, published in Italian by Edizioni Segno «Il diavolo in ginocchio» and in French «Le diable à genoux», Ed. Parvis, www.parvis.ch.

Father Bianco, how many exorcisms are necessary to release a person?
It occurs that it is enough with one exorcism to obtain liberations, like the first case that occurred to me but this is relatively rare. Usually, many exorcisms are needed, mainly when the evil is entered a long time ago, if the person has not prayed a lot, if the person only saw it late… It also depends if the diabolic action is very invasive or not. In any case, it is only God who makes somebody free and not the exorcist. Of course, faith is the essential indispensable condition for liberation. If someone prays with a greater faith, he obtains more results. However, it takes at least one year to obtain good results.
While leaving the body of a possessed person, the devil can leave a concrete trace of his former presence by divine will. For example, spittle can be transformed in various objects: nails,pieces of glass. Normally, hair with bloody mucus is expelled.
Personally, I saw mucus to be transformed into needles or pieces of glass.

During the exorcism, is it possible that the devil, leaving the possessed person, takes possession or attacks another person who attends the ritual?
This is a diffuse belief but it nearly never occurs, unless there is someone who is irritating the devil by lack of faith, by a total incredulity or because the person is only present to defy the devil.

Why are the women more easily the prey of the devil?
The population that goes to the exorcist is mainly women. This is a curious and strange case, also revealed by other exorcists. Women are the most numerous, perhaps because women are more sensitive to occultism and are intellectually more curious, but there might also be psychological reasons.

What are the weapons to defend ourselves from the action of the devil?
Confession, rosary, prayer, fast and the holy Mass are always tremendous weapons, with or without the devil.

Is it dangerous to live with a possessed person?
Living with people having those troubles also help to grow in faith and to reach liberation through his/her own presence, especially if he/she is praying. Therefore, people should not be afraid. The Lord does not allow the devil to come out of a body to enter another one. More people are victims of the presence of an obscure evil and more they need to be loved, listened to and helped by prayers.
Of course, they should not be provoked because, if a person puts him/herself next to them and wants to act as an exorcist, using the same roman ritual or the exorcism of Leon XIII, he/she makes the thinks much more complicated and he/she exposes him/herself to an important risk. Only exorcist priests can give order to the devil!

What is the difference between prayer of liberation and prayer of exorcism?
The prayer of liberation can be done by any priest or deacon or by simple faithful people who meet and pray God for the liberation of the evil. But we cannot address ourselves to Satan by calling him by his name. Moreover, with the prayer of liberation, we do not accomplish a sacramental act in the name of Christ and with the authority of the Church. On the other hand, in the official exorcism, it is the Church which engaged herself with all her power, and thus, it is not the exorcist priest who is powerful but the sacred side of the mediation which makes it strong and powerful because he acts in the name of Christ and in the name of the Church.

Father Michele, who is exorcist?
Only a priest who receives mandate from his bishop to carry out exorcisms on possessed people holds this power. He can only exert it in his diocese.

How can we defend ourselves from evil spells? Are they always effective or can they not succeed, be deviated, attenuated or strike another person to whom they were not directed to?
Normally, they strike the person that someone wants to strike. I believe that the person who lives in the grace of God, who has an active sacramental life and who really tries to make God’s will up to the end can hardly be struck, even if there are some exceptional cases, like saints, who were put to hard tests by the Lord.