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Inner Life of a Catholic

The Profession of Faith 

The chief sacramentals are the many blessings given by members of the clergy - exorcism, and the blessing and use of such objects of devotion as holy water, candles, medals, rosaries, scapulars, incense.

Exorcism: 

The formal act or ceremony of driving a devil out of a person who is possessed. The Roman Ritual contains the prayers and directions for this ceremony. Although all priests are ordained exorcists, they may exercise the office by using the formal exorcism only with special permission of the local bishop. Since cases of diabolical possession are not very common in Christian countries, exorcisms are seldom necessary. However, missionaries in pagan lands frequently speak of diabolical possession as a more common phenomenon. There seems to be a huge increase in diabilical possession in Latin American countries and throughout the West where there is an increase in New Age Therapies and Occult Practices such as the Ouija Board, Mediums, Spiritists and Fortune Tellers.

Exorcisms, which do not imply a state of diabolical possession, are part of the rite of Baptism and are found in the blessing of some objects, e.g., water, salt, etc. Any priest may perform these lesser exorcisms.

In the New Testament there are many examples of exorcisms by Christ, some of which occasioned opposition by His enemies (Matt. 12 :22-30). Some presumed to cast out devils in the name of Christ (Mark 9 :37). The sons of Sceva, who were casting out devils in Christ's name, were maltreated by the possessed (Acts 19:16). 

What is possession? 

Possession is when Satan enters and takes over the physical and mental capabilities of a victim, however, the soul and will remains free. Satan acts through the victim without the victim's consent, thus the victim is morally blameless. Satan does not act alone when he possesses an individual. He works side by side with many evil spirits such as spirits of lust, hate, destruction, suicide, revenge, anger, anxiety, desperation, death, torment, etc. For example, look at the case of the possessed man in the country of the Gerasenes. Jesus asked the demons possessing him their name, they replied, "Legion, for we are many." Satan's army of evil, torment many unknowing lost souls to the point of destruction of others and of themselves. 

Today a more favorable climate exists for cases of possession then ever before. Our world has become a playground of pornography, sex, money, material possessions, drugs, and alcohol. There are so many instruments to spread these Satanic messages such as television, Internet, radio, music, and even the clothing we wear; thus our children are exposed to a multitude of temptations and are wide open to evil. The "predominant" gods of this age we live in include money, television, music, and sex. Unfortunately, the "cure" - exorcism, is considered an "ancient" ritual and is snubbed by most religious leaving many victims to suffer indescribable torments, and in some instances, even suicide.

Since Vatican II we hear less and less about sin and the benefit of the Sacrament of Penance. Many deny the presence of the devil and many Priests fear his power more than they trust the Power of God. A spiritual yearning is leading unsuspecting folk towards New Age cultures, all of which have their roots in paganism or the occult.

Exorcist. 

One who has received the third of the Minor Orders (which see) by which he is granted the power of expelling devils from a pos- sessed person by the laying on of his hands. The exercise of this power is governed by the local bishop. Read here about Exorcists

Holy Water 

Water blessed by the celebrant during the services on Holy Saturday, and also, as needed, before the principal Mass on Sundays. It is a sacramental and has been used in the Church since early times, more extensively in the Western Church than in the East. It is employed principally by the laity themselves on entering and leaving Church, and in almost all blessings of persons, places, and things. Coffins of the deceased are also blessed with Holy Water

The prayers of the Roman Ritual for the blessing of holy water explain its widespread use. The Church exorcizes the water, in the name of the three persons of the Blessed Trinity, thereby removing it from the power of the devil, and she invokes upon the blessed water power to root out and supplant, by the presence of the Holy Spirit, the influence of the devils or fallen angels. Blessed salt is also mixed with the blessed water to signify preservation from evil. The devout use of holy water, as in the case of other sacramentals, benefits the user through this blessing of the Church and also through the faith and piety it inspires.

Water is a symbol of life and it is significant that at every Apparition Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary there are blessed wells or water. The most famous of these, of course, is at Lourdes in the South of France where many, many miraculous cures can be attributed to the waters, either from the sping or by bathing in the baths.

Candles 

Tapers, encased in wax or animal fat, which are burned as a mark of respect to a person or an action. The use of candles was common in pagan religions and in Roman civil life. The use of candles in church services is probably an adaptation of the secular practice. According to its recognized symbolism, the candle stands for Christ, the Light of the World. Just as the burning candle is consumed and dies out, so Christ sacrificed Himself and died on the cross. A further symbolism has from the earliest ages been seen in the beeswax candle. Convinced of the virginity of bees, the early Christians regarded the wax as typifying the flesh of Jesus, which was born of the Virgin Mother. The wick through the wax candle was looked upon as a symbol of the soul of Christ, the flame being the of divinity dominating both the body and the soul. 

Present liturgical law requires the use of candles in many ways. The Paschal Candle is blessed before the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday, and represents the risen Christ. Hence, it is lighted at liturgical functions during the 40 days between Easter and the Feast of the Ascension. 

A lighted baptismal candle is handed to each newly baptized Christian (or his sponsor) at the conclusion of the baptismal rite, as a symbol of the new life now in the soul of the Christian. A beautiful tradition is to keep the Baptismal Candle safe and use it again at Confirmation and even when a marriage takes place.

Candles are lighted during the administering of many of the sacraments. On the main altar of the church and on any altar at which the Blessed Sacrament is reserved, and lighted candles are required for every Mass.  

Medals

There is a story told of a Franciscan named Father Dominic Szymanski (a one time companion of St. Maximillian Kolbe) who was working with a Benedictine priest, when Fr. Dominic asked the Benedictine if he was wearing the medal of St, Benedict. The Benedictine responded, "Yes, I am." Father Szymanski told him that he saw the devil in the form of a blue light going around him in circles, and that the evil spirit was unable to touch him because he was wearing the medal.

Another medal of great importance which was used in the conversion of the worldly Jew, Alphonse Ratisbone, propagated by St. Maximillian Kolbe, and used by the founder of the Legion of Mary-Frank Duff-is the Miraculous Medal (Medal of the Immaculate Conception of Mary). While placing the medal around the neck, the Presider prays, "Ut piisima et Immaculáta caelórum Domina vos prótegat atique defendat'' (May the Holy and Immaculate heavenly Lady protect and defend you). Our Lady promises special graces to those who wear this medal around their neck. The same is true for the scapular. If worn with faith, "They shall not suffer the eternal flames of Hell" and "shall be delivered from Purgatory on the Saturday after their death." 

Rosary 

1. A set of 150 beads divided into 15 groups or decades of ten beads each. Usually the decades are separated by one larger bead. Attached to this string there are five other beads, two large and three small, and a crucifix. This is the complete Rosary. However, today, the Rosary in common use has only five decades, one-quarter of the entire Rosary, now that we have the new Mysteries of Light.

2 .The form of prayer said on beads and in honor of the Blessed Virgin. A Hail Mary is said on each small bead, an Our Father on each large bead preceding a decade, and a Glory be to the Father following each decade. While saying the Rosary, one of the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, or Glorious Mysteries is contemplated. 

According to one tradition, the present devotional use of the Rosary was revealed by Our Lady to Saint Dominic. Prayer beads were used several centuries earlier, but there is no record of a Rosary of 150 Aves before the time of Saint Dominic. 

The blessing of the rosary states, "Nos eriperes de potestate diaboli" Our Lord Jesus Christ through His life, death and resurrection has "snatched us from the power of the devil." Abundant graces are granted through proper recitation of the rosary, "Ab omni hoste visibili et invisibili et ubíque in hoc sáeculo liberetur" (from every enemy both visible and invisible and everywhere in this lifetime be freed). St. Dominic freed a heretic from 15,000 devils, when the man had blasphemed the Blessed Mother and the Rosary. St. Dominic preached on the fifteen mysteries of the rosary and asked the faithful to pray and meditate. For every mystery, 1,000 demons left him in the form of burning coals until he was delivered. The rosary is the chain that Our Lady uses to bind Satan. It is often seen in a possessed individual, that the demon is irritated and they complain that the rosary burns them and they often destroy the rosary. 

Scapular 

The name given to any one of three particular emblems of devotion. 

(1) It may mean that part of the monastic dress worn over the habit and extending almost to the feet in the front and back, with a hole in the center for the head, so that it may fall over the shoulders. 

(2) It may also mean a smaller scapular, e.g., the Carmelite scapular, which is about 10 inches wide and 20 inches long. 

(3) The smallest scapular is that of the Franciscan tertiaries, which is made up of two squares of wool, one worn on the chest and one on the back, which are connected by two narrow strings over the shoulders. There are 18 different kinds of small il scapulars approved by the Church.

Read more about The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The Green Scapular has become well known as the CLOTH OF CONVERSION

Scapular Medal. The medal which may be worn in place of small woolen scapulars if the proper blessings are obtained, but not in place of the large ones. It was approved by Pope Pius X in 1910. The image of the Sacred Heart is imprinted on one side and that of the Blessed Virgin on th the other. 

Incense 

Sweet smelling gums and spices taken from trees, usually burned with foreign substances to make the smoke thicker and the smell sweeter. Ovid and Virgil speak of its use in pagan rites and also to eliminate foul odors. Because the smoke of burning incense ascending to heaven reminded men of the ascent of prayer to God, we find records of its use very early in the Old Testament, with minute directions for building the altar on which the incense is to be offered (Ex. 30-:1-10). In time, incense came to be regarded as a mark of divine honour, so that incense offered to the idols or Moses' brazen serpent was considered idolatry (4 Kings 18:4). 

In the New Testament, Zachary offered incense in his official capacity as priest. The Apocalypse has an angel offering incense to God with "the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar" (Apoc. 8 :3). Incense is used today in the Church. For a time its use was discontinued in the Western Church because of its close association with pagan worship, but it has always been used in the Eastern Church. The incense used today is powder or grains of resin or vegetable gums or other such substances which, when burned, give off a sweet smelling of smoke. 

The term incense is applied both to the substance and to the smoke emitted. It is sprinkled over charcoal, burning in a censer or thurible, during solemn services of It the liturgy; for example, at solemn Mass, Benediction and over a coffin before it leaves the church. Incense is kept in an incense boat, so named ir because of its shape, and is handled by means of an incense spoon. 

Blessed by the Church, it is a sacramental. Symbolically, it represents the zeal that should burn in the heart of the Christian, while its sweet odor signifies the fragrance of Christianity and the ascent of prayer before the throne of God. Psalm in 140:2 asks: "Let my prayer come to like incense before you." And and in the days of solemn Mass, when the celebrant used to incense the bread and wine after the Offertory, he prayed: "May this incense which Thou hast blessed, O Lord, ascend to Thee and may Thy mercy descend upon us." 

Scott Hahn, when writing about his journey to conversion to Catholicism, tells us in 'Rome Sweet Home' that Catholics experience all of the senses when attending Mass, incense highlighting the sense of smell.