words by Carol King
The Catholic diocese of Milan is facing such a high demand for exorcisms that it has set up a telephone hotline.
The hotline is open on weekdays from 2.30pm to 5pm. Callers can book an appointment to see a specially trained local priest. The diocese has also doubled the number of priests trained to cast out evil spirits from six to twelve.
The move is in response to an increase in those seeking the aid of an exorcist. Diocese official Auxiliary Bishop Monsignor Angelo Mascheroni told the diocese news website ‘Incrocinews’ that the number of people asking for help has doubled. However, he said that cases requiring an exorcism were infrequent: “...real diabolical phenomena, at least in my experience, are very rare.”
Mascheroni has been training priests to carry out exorcisms since 1995 and said that all kinds of people seek help: the old, the young, both men and women from diverse social backgrounds. He said: “Often, parents call saying that their child doesn’t go to school any more, takes drugs, is rebelling... In reality, there is no demon there but, at the age of 18, young people don’t want to be ordered around any more. It’s important to be able to discern the situation well.”
