CathInfo.com

Since this is about the other thread on Ripperger, here is the most recent reply I posted on that one.

(And Lad's thread gets a free bump)

"I don't know what to say. Everyone wants pre-vatican 2 sources. The photo I posted of the preface on the copy of the long form St Michael prayer stated that the laity could pray it in private. At the end of the prayer there's an imprimatur.

Both of Ripperger's books in question have an imprimatur. He says we can adjure demons in private.

The Catholic encyclopedia article has an Imprimatur. It states all laity may adjure privately.

Two of three bishops, pre VII. Three bishops and a priest that studied theology. All probably have degrees in theology.

Your conclusion doesn't have an Imprimatur. Neither does my opinion.

I dunno. My understanding is that an Imprimatur is a traditional means of implying a work is free of error.

Which way am I supposed to lean as a Catholic ?"


Pax

Lots of garbage has an "Imprimatur".  We "lean" as Catholics toward ... there's no benefit or need for Lay Exorcisms, no upside and tremendous downside.

St. Alphonsus, Doctor of the Church, not just some suspect Modernist "Bishop" clearly teaches that ...

1) only imperative adjurations may be made and ...

2) imperative adjurations may only be made by Exorcists against demons.

This is not MY conclusion, but the clear teaching of St. Alphonsus.

As for the Catholic Encyclopedia and Ripperger, they claim to base their "conclusions" on St. Thomas and St. Alphonsus, but that's garbage, as neither saint taught what they claim they taught.

I've never seen a pre-Vatican II "Exorcism" prayer fror use by the Laity.  Of the "Exorcism" prayer tied to Pope Leo XIII, only the prayer to St. Michael is approved for use by the Laity, but the private / minor Exorcism part at the end comes with a WARNING (correctly so) that it is to be said by priests only.  It is termed "private" only because it's not the formal prayer in the Approved Official Exorcism Rite.  There's the Long Form of the St. Michael prayer, which has not adjuration of demons, but the accompanying Exorcist Adjuration is not intended for use by the faithful.

Ripperger's theology degree might as well have come from a CrackerJack box, as Novus Ordo theology programs are garbage.  I took multiple graduate-level classes at both Loyola Universit and The Catholic University of America, and I can assure you they were completely worthless.  I learned more Catholic theology in the first month at STAS than in all those classes combined.

But you do what you want.  Go ahead and conjure demons for yourself and see what happens.  I for one trust perfectly in God, Our Blessed Mother, my Guardian Angel, the Guardian Angels of my family, and St. Michael.  Saints advise us to ignore demons and the devil, knowing full well that they can do nothing against those of us who have been Redeemed by Christ ... except what God the Father allows.  It demonstrates extreme hubris to fancy that our Delivernace/Binding Prayers have greater efficacy than the protection of the God, Our Lady, the Angels, and the Saints and the Sacramentals of the Church, and Deliverance/Binding is decidedly and unequivocally Protestant terminology, all hinging on the Protestant presumpation that all "faithful Christians" have "power" over demons ... with its underlying disparagement of the Priesthood and the Churchs' authority.

You guys need to stop pushing this dangerous Protestant garbage being promoted by Ripperger.

EVEN ASSUMING that there could be some theoretical justification for it (I have seen none ... no evidece for Ripperger's assertion that we can use these in the case of those over whom we have authority), it's incredibly dangerous.  It just takes a momentary bit of arrogance, fancying ourselves as having some kind of power, just a tiny little "taunt" of the devil ... and all literal Hell could break loose.

Catholics need to stay far away from this garbage and seek refuge in Our Lady, the Terror of Demons.  Period.  This Deliverance/Binding stuff is just Protestant garbage repackaged wtih a veneer of Traditional smellls and bells.

So for all Ripperger's talk about authority, what does he say to this? --
https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/docuмents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19850924_exorcism_en.html

Your most Reverend Excellency,

Recent years have seen an increase in the number of prayer groups in the Church aimed at seeking deliverance from the influence of demons, while not actually engaging in real exorcisms. These meetings are led by lay people, even when a priest is present.

As the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has been asked how one should view these facts, this Dicastery considers it necessary to inform Bishops of the following response:

1. Canon 1172 of the Code of Canon Law states that no one can legitimately perform exorcisms over the possessed unless he has obtained special and express permission from the local Ordinary (§ 1), and states that this permission should be granted by the local Ordinary only to priests who are endowed with piety, knowledge, prudence and integrity of life (§ 2). Bishops are therefore strongly advised to stipulate that these norms be observed.

2. From these prescriptions it follows that it is not even licit that the faithful use the formula of exorcism against Satan and the fallen angels, extracted from the one published by order of the Supreme Pontiff Leo XIII, and even less that they use the integral text of this exorcism. Bishops should take care to warn the faithful, if necessary, of this.

3. Finally, for the same reasons, Bishops are asked to be vigilant so that – even in cases that do not concern true demonic possession – those who are without the due faculty may not conduct meetings during which invocations, to obtain release, are uttered in which demons are questioned directly and their identity sought to be known.

Drawing attention to these norms, however, should in no way distance the faithful from praying that, as Jesus taught us, they may be delivered from evil (cf. Mt 6:13). Finally, Pastors may take this opportunity to recall what the Tradition of the Church teaches concerning the role proper to the sacraments and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Angels and Saints in the Christian’s spiritual battle against evil spirits.

I take the opportunity to express my deepest respects,

Your most esteemed in Christ,

In bold of #3 above, you have Ripperger's method unequivocally condemned.

What does Ripperger say to this?

That "conjuring" part was a suggestion regarding what could happen to you if you continue to engage with demons.

As for the letter from Ratzinger, it's quite clear that he's not just talking about gruops.

He says explicitly that even the Pope Leo XIII formula (that you were here promoting a moment ago) is not to be used by the faithful (the second part of it after the St. Michael prayer).

You are absolutely dishonest, and you read into everything what you want to see there.  You are literally hell bent on playing lay Exorcist, and if you keep it up, you'll likely get what's coming to you.  But what's worse is that you keep promoting this garbage.

Ratzinger clearly affiirms that the Laity are to have absolutely nothing to do with casting out demons, but should be encouraged to have recourse to Our Lady, the Angels, and the saints for protection.

Now, I don't generally care what Ratzinger says, except he happens to be right about this ... and Ripperger acknowledges his authority and yet has set up his demonology circuit in defiance of what he said.

You have been lying from the very beginning, claiming that there are no prayers in Ripperger's book directly addressing demons, but that all the prayers were addressed to the God, the Angels, and the saints.

You go do what you want (good luck to you), but stop pushing your trash here.