Originally published at Churchpop
The former chief exorcist of Rome saw a rising number of young people coming under the influence of evil but found that Saint John Paul II is a powerful intercessor in the battle for souls.
A small, unassuming office in southwest Rome seems a rather ordinary setting in which to play out a grand battle between good and evil. It is here, though, that Father Gabriele Amorth carried out an estimated 100,000 exorcisms in his lifetime.
The Ordinary and Extraordinary Powers of the Devil
“The world must know that Satan exists,” he told CNA in 2011. “The devil and demons are many and they have two powers, the ordinary and the extraordinary.”
The late Italian priest of the Society of Saint Paul and former official exorcist for the Diocese of Rome explained the difference.
“The so-called ordinary power is that of tempting man to distance himself from God and take him to Hell. This action is exercised against all men and women of all places and religions.”
As for the extraordinary powers Satan uses, Father Amorth explained it as how the Devil acts when he focuses his attention more specifically on a person.
He categorized the expression of that attention into four types: diabolical possession; diabolical
