Possession

The concept of possession within the Catholic church is interesting. It does notappear to be inflicted upon a person as a punishment for evil deeds. This isevident in the fact that truly holy people can be subjected to it. Only recentlythe church thought it was possible that Mother Teresa was possessed, and sheunderwent an exorcism just prior to her death. Clearly the authorities of theCatholic church thought that it was at least possible she was possessed in order toauthorize the ceremony. There does not seem to be any evidence of a pattern ofpossession, it appears that anyone, can at any time become possessed through nofault of their own.

Why are people possessed?

The reason a demon might possess a person is equally mysterious. However thereis some evidence that they might, on occasion, possess someone on God's orders. In the 16^th century, a woman named Nicole Obry was possessed by Beelzebub, andattempts were made to exorcise him. Beelzebub refused to be expelled, and whenthe priests tried to hide the exorcism from the public, he said that it is "not right tohide what God wanted to be manifested and known to all the world." (UncleanSpirits Page 22) So it seems that at least in this instance, Beelzebub was "actingas a direct agent of God." (Unclean Spirits Page 21)

How is possession diagnosed?

There are several diseases that were commonly mis-diagnosed as possession in the16^th and 17^th centuries. Epilepsy, hysteria, and melancholy were among these. Forthis reason the church came up with a list of indicators which could be used toprevent a mis-diagnosis of possession. "The theological theory behind thesemarks is the doctrine that devils, being fallen angels, retain their angelicintelligence; their minds are immeasurably quicker and more experienced thanthose of men, and their knowledge therefore enormously greater." (Unclean SpiritsPage 13) The list is as follows:

"1. The ability to speak and understand languages not known to the patient;

2. Knowledge of other people's secrets, of things hidden or in any wayunknowable by natural means - for short, we call this mark clairvoyance;

3. Bodily strength exceeding the patient's normal capacity;

4. Horror and revulsion at sacred things, at hearing Scripture, especially thebeginning of St John's Gospel, being touched by relics, the host, holy water, agnusdei or other blest objects." (Unclean Spirits Page 12)

Currently the church requires that a potential victim of possession be examined bya medical doctor and by a psychiatrist, before they are diagnosed as possessed.