Dear John:

Well, I am glad you ask the question because I have been meaning to set the record straight on this.

When I began deliverance ministry as a Catholic way back in 1993 there was no guidance at all to help interpret the document, Inde Ab Aliquot Annis (On The Current Norms Governing Exorcisms) written in 1985 by the Prefect of the Congregation on the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI). A correct understanding of this document is critical if a Catholic is to conduct deliverance ministry.

In early 1994 I found the Catholic Resource Net, the precursor to the EWTN website. Mr. Jeff Mirus and crowd (catholicculture.org, formerly petersnet.net) published an article called, Who Has the Authority to Perform an Exorcism, (still in the EWTN Library, but with anonymous author) that purported to explain Inde Ab Aliquot Annis (that Christopher Mirus translated himself from the Latin). I wrongly presumed that these people knew what they were talking about.

Since I trusted them to be accurate, and as I was a new Catholic at the time, it never occurred to me to check to see if their opinion held any veracity.  Thus, for years I followed their interpretation of "imprecatory" prayers without thinking more about it.

Then in 1999, Father Gabriele Amorth book, An Exorcist Tells His Story was published in English. This priest, who does know what he is talking about, seemed to interpret Inde Ab Aliquot Annis a little differently than that published by Jeff Mirus and crowd. Nevertheless, I continued to follow the mis-interpretation for years more.

I discussed this issue with my colleagues many times trying to decide how Inde Ab Aliquot Annis should be interpreted with regard to "imprecatory prayers".   In any research and review it was important to look to experts in the field of exorcisms and deliverance. Thus, in 2008, I began to sit down and review all the available evidence for a correct definition of "imprecatory", a careful re-reading of Inde Ab Aliquot Annis, books from exorcists, and listen to the opinions of one or two exorcists who looked at our ministry on behalf of a couple of clients.

The results of that research and review came to a different conclusion than the Mirus crowd and that article currently located at the EWTN Library.

This EWTN article correctly states that "All are encouraged to participate in deprecatory "exorcism", ordained or not, authorized or not, when necessary, but always, always in the name of Jesus and the Church."

The article correctly states that "...without authorization, all, including priests, are forbidden to perform imprecatory exorcisms."

But the article is utterly incorrect when the author defines "imprecatory". The writer's thesis is that, "There is imprecatory exorcism, which is a direct command to the devil, something which might be called a solemn exorcism no matter how short or improvised or discreet." (my emphasis).

Imprecatory does not mean a mere "command", as wrongly assumed by the writer of the questioned article. Imprecatory prayer is prayer that contains curses. The Bible has many imprecatory prayers.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines "imprecatory' as "to invoke evil upon; curse".

Father Hardon's Catholic Encyclopedia refers to imprecatory in the entry on "imprecatory psalms":

Those in which the psalmist pronounces a curse over the enemies of God and God's people, as when David prays, "May no one be left to show him kindness, may no one look after his orphans, may his family die out, its name disappear in one generation" (Psalm 109:12-13). Such imprecations should be seen as the ardent expressions of the Oriental mind, and written under divine inspiration. They were not only statements of the human author, asking God to punish evildoers, but in prophetic terms foretold the divine intention, i.e., what God was going to do to those who resisted his will. (Etym. Latin in- + precari, to pray: imprecor, to call upon, to invoke on a person.)

As we can see "imprecatory" is not a mere "command", it is refers "to invoke" and to "curse". The very word means in Latin "to pray, to call upon, to invoke on a person."

Here are some examples of imprecatory prayer in the Old Testament:

• Psalm 55:15 - Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave. 
• Psalm 58:6 - O God, break the teeth in their mouths.
• Psalm 69:28 - May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous. 
• Psalm 109:9 - May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.
• Psalm 137:9 - How blessed will be the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks. 

Here are some examples in the New Testament:

• Matthew 23:13 "But woe* to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in.
• Matthew 26:23-24 He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me, will betray me. The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe* to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.
• 1 Corinthians 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
• Galatians 1:8-9  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.

* ["Woe to you" means to call down sorrow and calamity]

Imprecations are reserved to a priest authorized to perform a Solemn exorcism.

In terms of this issue of imprecation invented my Mirus and company, Inde Ab Aliquot Annis never once mentions imprecatory prayers. It says nothing at all about prohibiting mere direct commands to a demon.

What it does say is that we are not to solicit information from them or ask a demon his name:

3. Finally, for the same reasons, bishops are asked to be vigilant that -- for even cases in which true diabolical possession is excluded, diabolical influence nevertheless seems in some way to be revealed -- those who do not have the required faculty not serve in the leading of meeting where, in order to gain freedom, prayers are used which dignify demons by directly questioning them and in searching to make known their identity. (my emphasis)

Neither in this paragraph, or in any other part of the document, does Cardinal Ratzinger prohibit direct commands to demons. He only prohibits asking demons questions and trying to discover their name.

I think it is crystal clear that Mirus and Company are wrong in their assertion that "direct commands" are inherently imprecatory and thereby prohibited outside of a solemn exorcism. Command language in imperative, not imprecatory.

Imperative Prayer

"Imperative" language is permitted when prudence warrants it. John LaBrioa, host of St. Joseph Radio Presents heard over EWTN Radio Network, wrote an excellent book entitled, Onward Catholic Soldier: Spiritual Warfare According to Scripture, the Church, and the Saints. In his book, LaBrioa explains the difference between deliverance ministry and Exorcism. He writes:

Deliverance ministry is prayer said in the name of Jesus, which seeks to neutralize any demonic influence being exerted over yourself or another person. It is simply an expression of your baptismal authority...

There are important distinctions between a major or solemn exorcism and a deliverance ministry. In a major or solemn exorcism it is the power and authority of the Church that is exercised. ... In deliverance ministry it is the power and authority of one's baptism that is exercised. This authority is proper to one who is baptized: it is done in the name of Jesus Christ. ...Additionally, part of a major or solemn exorcism is to directly confront and question the demon. It is never part of a deliverance ministry to confront or question the demon.

Deliverance ministry is substantially different than an exorcism. Deliverance ministry is not, therefore, a violation of any of the precepts of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Code of Canon Law, or On the Current Norms Governing Exorcism.

Assuming certain conditions, it appears that the laity has the authority to engage in spiritual warfare on themselves and on behalf of others.

LaBrioa goes on to provide the Scriptural proof for this, including Mark 3:14-15 where Jesus gave the power of exorcism to the apostles; Luke 10:17 when Jesus the same power to the seventy-two disciples; Mark 16:15-18 when Jesus gave the power to all who are baptized and believe.

There is also Patristic evidence that exorcism was not limited to the ordained in the writings of St. Justin Martyr (c. A.D. 155), St. Irenaeus (c. A.D. 170), Tertullian (c. A.D. 200), and Origen (c. 250s).

Despite these Biblical and Patristic passages that show that exorcism was not restricted to the ordained, the Church has the right and duty to make restrictions to this activity in her role as Pastor to the Faithful. The Church has made such restrictions. Eventually, solemn exorcism was restricted to priests only. Then, there have been a couple documents from the Church giving limitations to the laity concerning deliverance, such as Inde Ab Aliquot Annis and Instructions on Prayers for Healing.

As long as we stay within those guidelines we can pray deliverance prayers for ourselves and for, or on behalf of others.

Now with all this said, we need to be very careful in commanding a demon. Sometimes this can instill a pride is a person. The devil would love to see that.

Deprecatory Prayers

In the example given above, "Depart from me, demon of anger, and go where Christ tells you to go" is an "imperative" Prayer but not imprecatory, and thus us allowable. The intent of this prayer, however, can also be said in deprecatory language (appealing to God to intervene), as in, "Father in heaven, please command this demon of anger to depart from me and go wherever you want it to go."

Both styles, imperative and deprecatory, are acceptable. 

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary