Possession a way to God, says exorcism book

THE COUNTRY’S leading exorcist has launched a new book, focusing on the rite as a spiritual journey.

Stripped down to its spiritual grounding, curing the possessed is more about leading them back to God’s love, according to Thomasian Fr. Jose Francisco Syquia, author of Exorcist: A Spiritual Journey.

The new book, which was launched at the San Carlos Seminary last January 8, takes off from Syquia’s successful first title, Exorcism: Encounter with the Paranormal and the Occult.

Syquia’s latest work presents exorcism as more of a healing process wounded souls go through to reconnect with God.

“Exorcism is merely God manifesting His true nature, seeking with love what is lost. When the [demonized] child chooses freely to return to Him, God uses this ministry to destroy past attachments, obstacles, and painful memories so that the repentant child can again belong and experience His love,” he said.

He added: “Those who lack faith with the Lord and those who expose themselves to the paranormal are common preys used by evil spirits.”

Syquia said demonic possession allowed people to discover the true face of God’s love, to discover what it means to be cut off from His infinite love, and what it means to be deceived by the devil.

In one of his encounters with a possessed person, he recalled feeling pity more than fear for the suffering victim.

“When exorcising possessed people, I do not feel fear because it is not the devil that I see on their faces, but the image of Jesus suffering,” he, head of the Archdiocese of Manila’s Office of Exorcism, said.

Syquia said driving away evil spirits required “proper disposition” for exorcists.

“I ask myself many times if this endeavor is really meant for me. But I thank the Lord because [this] allowed me to gain experience and see His true love and power,” he said.

Apart from driving away evil spirits from the body of human beings, Syquia noted that exorcism is a ministry which promotes forgiveness among the prodigal children of the Lord.

Fr. Domie Guzman, Publication Director of St. Paul’s Publishing Philippines, said that Syquia’s new book greatly portrays the Christian tradition of healing, forgiving, and returning back to the Lord.

The book, according to Guzman, shows the people that there are really periods in a person’s life when his faith and spiritual belief are being tested.

“This book is a serious synthesis of letting Catholics know that in the very heart of the Catholic tradition, healing and deliverance are the richest,” Guzman said. “It deals with a serious fact and presents the reality of Christian life as a spiritual warfare.”

A member of the International Association of Exorcists based in Rome, Syquia attended the San Carlos Major Seminary and UST Central Seminary. He also finished his master’s degree in Psychology from the UST Graduate School and his Licentiate in Spiritual Theology from the Angelicum University in Rome.