Lessons Learned: The Anneliese Michel Exorcism

Book excerpt: In 1976, a twenty-three-year old German girl named Anneliese Michel died following months of exorcism sessions. Despite the fact that she had been medically diagnosed with epilepsy and manic depressive psychosis, two priests conducted numerous exorcism sessions and ignored her mental, medical, and physical condition. Ms. Michel's death due to misdiagnosed demonic possession and negligently applied exorcism was neither the first nor the last case of such negligence to occur. Complete familiarity with the spiritual elements of demonical posssession and attack is the sole focus of most demonologists, exorcists, and clerical members of Christianity. Few clerics have a sufficient understanding of psychiatric conditions that may mimic the symptoms of demonic possession. The result has been catastrophic for many innocent people over the centuries. The overlooking or ignoring of a person's medical and psychiatric condition is the primary culprit behind misdiagnosed possession and botched exorcisms resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Reverend Father John Duffey, a Reformed Catholic Church of North America priest, renders a standardized approach to properly investigating suspected demoniacal possession, determining the existence of possession, and in the safe execution of exorcism/deliverance acceptable to virtually all denominations of the Christian faith.