2026-03-26 13:58:01

Senior Catholic exorcists have appealed to Pope Leo XIV for reinforcements, claiming a global spike in occult and Satanic activity is leaving the Church short‑staffed in the demon‑fighting department.

Members of the International Association of Exorcists (AIE) met the Pontiff earlier this month to hand over a report warning of a sharp rise in cases linked to occult practices, Satanism and spiritual experimentation gone wrong.

The group wants every Catholic diocese worldwide to have at least one properly trained exorcist on standby — and clearer rules for bishops on when to escalate a case.

According to reports from EWTN Vatican and InfoVaticana, the AIE is pushing for better training, stronger guidelines and a more consistent system for identifying when someone needs serious spiritual intervention rather than simple pastoral care.

Exorcists say more people are dabbling in “dark‑side” practices, often out of curiosity, and some end up in emotional or psychological distress. Father Francesco Bamonte, the AIE’s vice‑president, warned that ignoring the trend risks leaving vulnerable people without proper support and may push them toward “inappropriate solutions.”

During their meeting with the Pope, the group presented a new handbook titled Guidelines for the Ministry of Exorcism along with an image of Saint Michael the Archangel — the Church’s iconic spiritual warrior — from the Monte Sant’Angelo sanctuary.

Reports say Pope Leo XIV thanked them for their work and gifted rosaries in return, recalling famed exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth, one of the AIE’s founders.

Sceptics, however, argue that many so‑called possession cases are better handled by doctors and mental‑health professionals, warning that talk of “spiritual warfare” can frighten people who are already vulnerable.

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