On October 26, 2009 St. John’s Catholic Newman Center, as part of their distinguished speakers series, invited Fr. Vince Lampert to speak at Foellinger Auditorium. Approximately 1,600 people filled the seats to hear him speak of his experiences exorcizing demons as he is one of twelve authorized Catholic clergy to do so in the US. The talk raised two important issues.
On October 26, 2009 St. John’s Catholic Newman Center, as part of their distinguished speakers series, invited Fr. Vince Lampert to speak at Foellinger Auditorium. Approximately 1,600 people filled the seats to hear him speak of his experiences exorcizing demons as he is one of twelve authorized Catholic clergy to do so in the US. The talk raised two important issues.
First, some came to find greater evidence that the supernatural exists. However, as Fr. Lampert explained, “full possession is very rare” and so, whether its reality is convincing or not, it is not observable to the typical person.
This raises the most important question that Christians face: How do Christians verify with reason and experience the beliefs that they hold?
Verification comes not from lights turning on and off or cups falling from cupboards but rather the new (or magnified) humanity we experience when we follow Christ as well as recognizing His presence daily.
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This point cannot be emphasized enough, for without verifying this new humanity and His presence there is no reason to believe in Christ.
Secondly, the point of an exorcism is to liberate people from the power of a fallen angel. The possibility of something taking control of our body is indeed scary and the possibility of a remedy is consoling.
But is that the limit to our want for liberation?
The most important question for the listener is not a solution to demonic possession but rather a solution to the infinite needs and desires we have in our hearts. Who cares about being possessed, if you can’t find the satisfaction of the infinite needs of the heart?
Our hope for those who heard Fr. Lampert is that they ask: What will give me true liberation?
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