Because Pinoys enjoy reading about ghost stories as much as they enjoy looking at car accidents, this is the second part of my interview with Father Jocis Syquia, the director of the Archdiocese of Manila Office of Exorcism and author of Exorcism, Encounters with the Paranormal and the Occult.
Father Jocis shares with us how to protect yourself from extra-demonic possession, the true nature of ghosts and how that friendly, neighborhood dwende might not be so friendly after all.
RJ LEDESMA: Father Jocis, please tell us what goes on during an exorcism. Is it just how Hollywood depicts it, with spinning heads and projectile vomiting? Just so I will know how much extra underwear I need to bring if I’m ever involved in one.
FATHER JOCIS SYQUIA: Remember that (an exorcism) is actually the power of God’s love destroying the demonic obstacles in a person’s life that block his relationship with God. Maybe when this person was younger, he was engaged in occult practices or made a pact with Satan that gave him certain “powers” that are not of God. What happens is that this person falls under the bondage of this evil spirit. So if he tries to live a good life, he will experience a lot of negative experience that seemingly come from nowhere. He will feel that his life is “cursed” because the evil spirits have attached (to him). These spirits not only block the relational dimension but also the temporal blessings of God. Exorcism is breaking down this barrier so that a person can experience the blessings and protection he should have as a child of God.
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In the beginning (of an exorcism), there are a lot of prayers of supplication calling upon God and Bible readings to build up the faith of the person who is about to be exorcised. Once the person is ready, when there is a faith environment, the person knows that he is loved by God and the presence of God is tangible in that place, then we confront the evil spirit and draw it out of the person.
At this point, we command the spirit to manifest itself. Once it manifests itself and takes control of the body, then it can (experience all of the) senses, it can also experience the full sacramental rites. When you put holy water on the forehead of the (possessed) person, the evil spirit can feel the holy water. And since the holy water is sacred, it will burn him.
Once we have drawn it out, we used to command it to tell us how it entered the person — whether it was a curse or the person made a pact with the devil. We get as much information as we can as to the cause so we can address it later on. Then we command the spirit to go in the name of Christ. (The exorcism) can take a long time depending on the person’s faith, how deeply the person was involved in the occult, and how sincere the person is to get back into a relationship with God.
People think that exorcism is (like) magic, but it’s not. If a person has a deep relationship with God, (it will not take long to exorcise him). When we tell a person who is under grave oppression by an evil spirit that we are going to pray over them and they pray along with us with all sincerity, then God will answer their prayers.
How long does an exorcism session last?
Before, it would take days. But nowadays it takes three hours at the most as we draw the spirit out and expel it. However, there are some cases that are brought to the (San Carlos) Seminary if the person cannot control him or herself. This usually means the spirit is not ready for a confrontation. In those cases, the exorcism lasts for about 15 minutes. But we know that (evil spirits) will return because the “doorways” that opened up to these spirits remain open. That is why when the person is back to their senses, I interview them: “What happened? How is your spiritual life? Were you contaminated with the occult? Is there unforgiveness in your heart?” Then I look at how the spirits entered, so that we may close those “doors” and use proper protection so that the spirits will never return.
When you expel these evil spirits, where do they go?
Usually, we send these fallen angels to hell in the name of Christ. But these (evil spirits) can really fight hard, so we send them to the Lord Jesus so it will be up to Him where He will send them. So I pray, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to go to the foot of the cross.” That means (for them) to go to the Lord Jesus and he will send you (where you belong). (This is just like in the Gospel) when (the evil spirits) pleaded to Jesus to send them to the pigs instead of back to hell. And then the (possessed) pigs killed themselves because they preferred human souls. When the pigs died, the (evil spirits) were let loose into the atmosphere to look for other souls. That is why the people were scared and got rid of Jesus. Because the legion (of evil spirits) was in that one person, but now the legion was out there in the atmosphere. And if these people become vulnerable, the evil spirits could enter them as well.
Aren’t you worried that these evil spirits will follow you around after the exorcism or perhaps even take revenge on you?
Before I used to experience that they would take revenge on me and when I was protected, they would take revenge on my family. My father was always sent to the hospital after I performed an exorcism. When my family was being harassed and I experienced depression, sickness and freak accidents to the point that I could have died, I placed myself under Mama Mary’s protection. I went to the blessed sacrament at the chapel, I prostrated myself (before the altar) and I said “Mama Mary, I will not leave this chapel until you answer me that you will be my protectress.” Then, deep in my heart, I felt Mama Mary answering: “Yes, I will protect you!” After that, I no longer experienced harassment.
Of course, I can still experience manual harassment. For example, the night before a big (possession) case, I will have an uneasy sleep as spirits try to appear in my dreams. When we sleep, we are very open to the spirit world. Or sometimes I will experience a nightmare or a very vivid dream of a demon trying to attack me, then the next day an unannounced (possession) case arrives (at the Seminary). So depending upon the gravity of the case, the more I can experience a negative reaction from the evil spirit. The spirit knows we are going to have an encounter, and he is going (to make a preemptive attack). The Lord allows these minor harassments to remind me to always be on my toes and not become complacent.
Are there people or situations that are more susceptible to extra-demonic possession than others?
Actually, most of our cases are children and women. For children, the right side of their brains are very active — since the rational side of their brain is not fully developed, they are very intuitive. Children are very open to the spirit world. Women are more right-brained, so they are more intuitive and (are inclined toward) psychic abilities: they can sense when something is wrong.
(Those who are susceptible to extra-demonic possession are) persons who are very psychic or sensitive to the spirit world or who are not psychic but develop these powers through the occult and opens the “third eye” as they call it in occult terms; secondly, if this person is not close to God, has no religious life whatsoever and especially is not close to Mama Mary; thirdly, the person has a lot of occult dealings (i.e. going to occult activities, playing with Ouija boards or tarot cards). If all three are present — your psychic ability is open to them, your occult dealings “call” upon them and make use of their “powers” and lastly you are not protected by God — after some time you can get possessed.
Is there a way that you can protect yourself from extra-demonic possession?
The St. Benedict’s Medal has been known in Church tradition to be very effective protection against curses. For example, gagayumahin ka or may barang na pinadala sa iyo. (Together with that), there is having a good relationship with God, having a good sacramental life, using the sacraments properly, knowing how to pray deliverance prayers, having a devotion to our guardian angels (which we have forgotten), and especially to Mama Mary and living a good Christian life.
Also using the sacrament of confession (is very important) because, according to Fr. Gabriel Amorth, the chief exorcist of the Vatican, “a good confession is more powerful than exorcism.” Confession is a sacrament, while exorcism is merely a sacramental. We must know what is occult or pagan or superstitious and avoid these activities. Sometimes we mix these (occult) things up (with our Catholic beliefs) without our knowledge, like placing other (non-Catholic) images other than Jesus Christ on our altars or carrying around a “magic” bullet or anting-anting or an amulet to “protect” you from evil spirits.
So these anting-antings provide you with no protection whatsoever?
Yes, because where does it get its power? The power of protection can only come from the kingdom of God or the kingdom of Satan. There is no middle (ground) or third form of kingdom from where you can gain spiritual power. If there is a “spiritual” power in an amulet or talisman or charms or anting-anting and it is against the teaching of the Church, then we know that the power comes from the other side. So, if I use an anting-anting, I’m protected from other evil spirits using the evil spirit that is in that anting-anting, because evil spirits hate one another. So the other evil spirits won’t bother you. However, let’s say a very powerful mangkukulam gets angry with you and he sends a more powerful (evil) spirit than your evil spirit; then your anting-anting is useless as his will break through and the curse will hit you.
But if you use the sacramental and the power of God, than even if the most powerful mangukukulam or fallen angels or even Satan himself is sent (your way), it will have no effect because it is God who protects you. As a Christian, remember that pagans used these (amulets or charms) because they did not yet have the power of God. Christ had not yet come to establish His kingdom.
But as Christians, we already have all that is necessary. (Jesus) teaches us all the tools needed to attain supernatural power: grace and also supernatural protection. You cannot combine (Catholic faith and the occult). For example, you go to church but you always visit a fortune-teller; or if you are a pagan and practicing a pagan religion, there will be minimal reactions from the evil spirits because you are worshipping and pleasing them. But if you are Catholic and you are baptized and you try to merge both (Catholic faith and the occult), there will be a (negative) reaction.
So what are ghosts in the scheme of things? Are they really spirits of the dead? And should we be scared of them?
Some parapsychology theories about ghosts are that they are “psychic imprints” of a strong emotional event that keeps on replaying itself. But yes, there are really ghosts. Even in the Gospel, the Apostles were scared of the (resurrected) Jesus when they saw him. That’s why Jesus said “I’m not a ghost, you can feel me, I’m flesh and blood!” The Church teaching with regard to ghosts is that they can be souls of the dead whom the Lord can allow to appear to a loved one for prayers or for consolation. For example, your family can be together in the cemetery on Nov. 1 and playing pusoy dos. Then suddenly somebody will see an apparition or smell the perfume of the deceased to remind the family that this is a time for prayers.
But we need to be careful because these (so-called) ghosts could be evil spirits that don’t appear as a demon. They can appear as an “angel of light” or as a “soul” so you will start to communicate with it, it will show itself to you and then eventually befriend you. We had a case (with a woman) where the “soul” (who came in contact with her) claimed that it was a Japanese soldier who asked if he could make friends with her, then later asked if he could “marry her,” and as the bondage grew deeper and deeper, the woman could even feel the spirit “physically,” and before she knew it, she was already possessed. When she wanted to get rid of this “soul,” she would suddenly hear voices and there were times when she would blank out and the “soul” took over. That is an evil spirit. A demon will never say that it is a demon or else no one will interact with them.
In the first part of our interview, you said there were only two beings created by God: angels and humans. The evil spirits are the
fallen angels.” So what category do all these elementals and tikbalangs and kapres and aswangs fall under?
Actually, this phenomenon is worldwide. They call them “fairies”: they appear like small little people like leprechauns, dwarves, elves, etc. What has been taught to us by the early Church fathers and what we have learned from the Bible and from Church tradition and from the magisterium is that these “fairies” or what we call “elementals” — engkanto in the vernacular — is that these “fairies” are fallen angels.
That’s why they use sacramentals to exorcise all these trees and mounds and rivers because that is precisely the teachings of the Church. They say that these “elementals” are beings with intelligence and free will and that they are here to take care of nature. Why would God create a being with intelligence and free will to take care of nature? They are above nature when nature is passing away? What is God’s plan for them? Are they saved by Christ or not? What is the reason of their being and why they are with us on this earth? If you say that all the spirits around us are merely this third kind of being, engkanto, then where are the demons that the Church has always warned us about?
Are there literally millions of fallen angels out there?
Padre Pio (a recently canonized Catholic saint who was well-known for bearing the stigmata — bodily marks corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus) said that if you could see them these (fallen angels), they could blacken the sky. Recall that after the fall from heaven, the (fallen angels) where thrown to earth first and that’s why they are here. That is why Satan was at the garden of Eden. And when we sinned, we were also thrown to this place. That is why the (fallen angels) are all around us. So when Jesus came, he was exorcising thousands of people left and right. You cannot say those dwendes are benign beings as (Church teachings) only spoke about the good angels and the fallen angels. I always tell people I’ve never “met” a dwende that didn’t react negatively to holy water. An evil spirit can appear in any form. As St. Thomas tells us, these (fallen angels) can make direct use of the atmosphere in order to manifest themselves. They can use the heat of the place (that is why a specific area can feel cold) or they can use electrical energies (that is why the lights suddenly go out).
That’s it. I’m sleeping with all of the lights on tonight with my wife on one side and my yaya on the other side.
