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Date Posted: 12:57:16 04/14/11 Thu
Author: UGIU
Subject: Re: Priest in ancient Battle
In reply to: iwugfwui 's message, "Re: Priest in ancient Battle" on 12:44:49 04/14/11 Thu

>>>>>>>>>MANILA (AFP) – A blood-curdling scream echoes
>>>>>>through
>>>>>>>>>the Roman Catholic chweapel in Manila as Father
>>>>>Jose
>>>>>>>>>Francisco Syquia says to be possessed by the
>>>>>>>>>devil.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>"It's very painful," the woman cries in an
>>>>>unearthly
>>>>>>>>>voice, her body contorting in an attempt to
>>break
>>>>>>>free
>>>>>>>>>from the tight grasp of Syquia's assistants.
>>>After
>>>>>a
>>>>>>>>>few minutes she falls silent, her limp body
>>>>>>>exhausted.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>The case is among hundreds documented on video
>>>and
>>>>>>>>>kept by Syquia, who heads the Manila
>>>Archdiocese's
>>>>>>>>>Office of Exorcism -- the only one that exists
>>in
>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>>>Catholic nation of 94 million people.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>"She would have levitated had she not been
>>>>>>>>>restrained," Syquia said of the woman in the
>>>>video,
>>>>>>>>>portions of which were shown to AFP during a
>>rare
>>>>>>>>>interview at his office in the basement of a
>>>>>>seminary
>>>>>>>>>in Manila.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Syquia believes he is in the frontline of the
>>>>>battle
>>>>>>>>>between good and evil on earth.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>"There is a great dramatic increase of
>>>possessions
>>>>>>>>>right now," said the 44-year-old priest. "More
>>>and
>>>>>>>>>more the demons are gaining a foothold into
>this
>>>>>>>>>society."
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>While non-believers often joke about the devil,
>>>>and
>>>>>>>>>demonic possessions are trivialised by
>>Hollywood,
>>>>>>>>>Syquia insisted the torment suffered by those
>he
>>>>>had
>>>>>>>>>healed was real.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>"I have seen scratches suddenly appearing on
>>>their
>>>>>>>>>skin, of inverted crosses on the forehead.
>These
>>>>>>>>>persons would be conscious at the time, and
>they
>>>>>>tell
>>>>>>>>>me its like razor cutting from the inside of
>the
>>>>>>>>>skin," he said.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Demons could manifest themselves in many ways
>>and
>>>>>>>>>could enter the human soul through occult and
>>New
>>>>>>Age
>>>>>>>>>teachings that were becoming increasingly
>>popular
>>>>>in
>>>>>>>>>the general community, Syquia said.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>The Catholic Church's exorcism ministry has
>>>>>>>throughout
>>>>>>>>>history tended to operate under a cloud of
>>>>>>>controversy
>>>>>>>>>and secrecy.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Syquia said a conspiracy of silence had
>>permeated
>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>>>church in the past, with its leaders wary of
>>>being
>>>>>>>>>branded as mediaeval as modern science tended
>to
>>>>>>>>>classify possessions as medical conditions.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>But Pope Benedict XVI had recently issued fresh
>>>>>>>>>guidelines encouraging more exorcisms and for
>>the
>>>>>>>>>church to be more open about the issue, he
>said.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>There are about 10 Filipino priests authorised
>>to
>>>>>>>>>perform exorcisms in the Philippines, but only
>>>>>>Syquia
>>>>>>>>>has a fully operational office that is backed
>by
>>>a
>>>>>>>>>staff of eight, including a lawyer and
>>>>>>psychologists.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>In his office, a bookshelf is stacked with
>tomes
>>>>on
>>>>>>>>>the paranormal, while a glass-encased cabinet
>>>>>>>contains
>>>>>>>>>his tools for spiritual warfare -- his
>>vestments,
>>>>>>>holy
>>>>>>>>>water, the crucifix, and a saint's holy relic.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>The most potent among his weapons is a copy of
>>>the
>>>>>>>>>Roman Ritual for Exorcism, a compilation of
>>>>prayers
>>>>>>>>>used by all the saints to expel and defeat
>>demons
>>>>>>>>>through generations.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>A figurine of St Michael the Archangel
>trampling
>>>>>>>>>Lucifer sits on a shelf, a graphic reminder of
>>>his
>>>>>>>>>extraordinary job.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Syquia was ordained only 11 years ago, after he
>>>>had
>>>>>>>>>already obtained a degree in psychology at one
>>of
>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>>>Philippines' leading Catholic universities.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>The second of four sons of a former diplomat,
>he
>>>>>>said
>>>>>>>>>he left a comfortable life in one of Manila's
>>>>>>>>>exclusive, gated communities and employment in
>a
>>>>>>>>>family-owned business after he heard God's call
>>>to
>>>>>>>>>serve the church.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Growing up in a modern household, he and his
>>four
>>>>>>>>>brothers did not believe in possessions --
>which
>>>>>>were
>>>>>>>>>made famous in the 1970s Hollywood film "The
>>>>>>>>>Exorcist".
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>But Syquia said he had always been fascinated
>by
>>>>>>>>>paranormal activities and devoured entire books
>>>on
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>>>subject.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>After he was ordained in 2000, Syquia said he
>>was
>>>>>>>>>posted at a Manila church where, outside its
>>>>>>>premises,
>>>>>>>>>occult practitioners -- including spirit
>>mediums,
>>>>>>>>>oracles and faith healers -- also thrived.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>His first case came when a man singled him out
>>>>from
>>>>>>a
>>>>>>>>>group of priests and asked for deliverance
>after
>>>>>>>>>confessing that he had been deep into occult
>>>>>>>>>practices.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>How the man knew his name was a mystery to
>>>Syquia,
>>>>>>>>>although he said deep in his heart he knew --
>>>just
>>>>>a
>>>>>>>>>week earlier he had begun studying a book on
>>>>>>exorcism
>>>>>>>>>that he had bought long ago.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Syquia sought guidance from the the local
>>bishop,
>>>>>>who
>>>>>>>>>promptly granted him the authority to carry out
>>>an
>>>>>>>>>exorcism guided by his knowledge of
>psychology.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>"I realised God was leading me to this path. I
>>>>have
>>>>>>>>>treated hundreds and hundreds of cases since
>>>>then,"
>>>>>>>he
>>>>>>>>>said.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Syquia recalled an accomplished female doctor
>>who
>>>>>>>said
>>>>>>>>>she was befriended by demons that had appeared
>>to
>>>>>>her
>>>>>>>>>as benign dwarves that showered her with good
>>>luck
>>>>>>in
>>>>>>>>>the form of financial rewards.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Her troubles began when she decided to return
>to
>>>>>the
>>>>>>>>>Catholic Church and offer all her blessings to
>>>>>God.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Soon after, the demons took over her body for
>>>>hours
>>>>>>>at
>>>>>>>>>a time, while unexplained paranormal activity
>>>>began
>>>>>>>>>terrorising members of her family, Syquia
>said.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>"When the time came to bless her with holy
>water
>>>a
>>>>>>>>>voice that wasn't hers shouted for us to stop,"
>>>he
>>>>>>>>>said.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>"What really scared me was that this was the
>>>first
>>>>>>>>>time that I saw something very alien in her
>>eyes.
>>>>I
>>>>>>>>>was looking at something else. It was totally
>>>>>>evil."
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>The voice taunted Syquia and told him to return
>>>to
>>>>>>>his
>>>>>>>>>mansion and rich family, personal details that
>>>>were
>>>>>>>>>unknown to those in the room, he said.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>"We will never leave her," the demon said,
>>>>>according
>>>>>>>>>to Syquia.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Syquia said a barrage of prayers eventually
>>>forced
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>>>demon out, with the woman now a good friend and
>>>>>>>church
>>>>>>>>>volunteer.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>"With God by your side, you can do no wrong,"
>he
>>>>>>>said.

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