True or False Possession?: How to Distinguish the Demonic from the Demented - Softcover

Lhermitte, Jean

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1933184892 ISBN 13: 9781933184890

Publisher: Sophia Inst Pr, 2013

Synopsis

Unhinged or unholy? Fiend or fraud?

That's what authorities had to decide about the Carmelite nun Marie-Thérèse Noblet (1889-1930). She suffered sudden diseases that were as quickly cured, chokings, night beatings, unclean visions of blasphemous scenes, violent shakes witnessed by onlookers, foul assaults from filthy beasts, including one she recalled as full of terrible beauty with eyes full of hate.

Then there's Sr. Jeanne of the Angels, the 17th-century prioress of her Ursuline convent, plagued by diabolical visits with an explicitly erotic element, which spread, epidemic-like, to the Ursuline sisters under her care, whose convulsive attacks and obscene contortions scandalized all who witnessed them.

Were these sisters demonic? Deranged? Or merely deceitful?

That's the first question exorcists must answer--the question addressed in these pages by the world-famous French neuropsychiatrist Jeanne Lhermitte.

Genuine demonic possessions, admits Lhermitte, evade the explanations and exceed the competence of even the wisest physicians: they must not be handled in the clinic, but by the Church. At the same time, exorcisms do not help those who are mentally ill. So skilled physicians and trained clergy must press past the visions, the gibbering, the howlings and grindings of teeth, and other frightening symptoms to discern whether they're dealing with real possession, or only pathology, mental or physical.

That's the work Dr. Lhermitte undertakes in these these pages.

With sober clarity and reserve, he reviews the detailed clinical records of scores of cases that startled and alarmed our forefathers as well as the cases of many souls he's examined personally: unfortunate souls judged possessed, who manifested symptoms ranging from the picturesque to the loathsome and pitiful. By means of these cases, Lhermitte illuminates the criteria the Church holds to be decisive signs of genuine possession . . . and those that assure us that despite filth and fits, shrieks and slobbering in other cases the influence of the demon is sought in vain.

Good priests and wise Catholic physicians know that, for the sake of souls, disturbed souls must never be hastily examined or casually judged. True or False Possession? will teach you, too, not to rush to judgment, and show you when it's time to call the priest.

About this title

Review

"If you want to know the difference between true demonic possession and mental illness, then this is the book for you." -- Monsignor John Cihak, S.T.D., Pontifical Gregorian University "Personal Endorsement"

"Essential reading for anyone involved in the Church's ministry of exorcism, and for readers who want to better understand the mysterious phenomenon of demonic possession." -- Aaron Kheriaty, Author of The Catholic Guide to Depression "Personal Endorsement"

"This book contains much to be considered by both meidcal experts as well as those engaged by the Church in deliverance. ministry." -- Abbot Eugene J. Hayes, O.PRAEM., J.C.D., S.T.L., St. Michael's Norbertine Abbey "Personal Endorsement"

"As a psychiatrist, Lhermitte builds on the Catholic understanding of true possession and helps to treat the always troubling mixture of illness, sinfulness and the demonic present in such patients." -- Rev. Dennis McManus, St. John the Evangelist Seminary "Personal Endorsement"

From the Inside Flap

Unhinged or unholy? Fiend or fraud? That's what authorities had to decide about the French nun Marie-Th r se Noblet (1889 1930). She suffered sudden diseases that were as quickly cured, chokings, night beatings, unclean visions of blasphemous scenes, violent shakes witnessed by onlookers, foul assaults from filthy beasts, including one she recalled as "full of terrible beauty with eyes full of hate."

Then there's Sr. Jeanne of the Angels, the seventeenth-century prioress of her Ursuline convent, plagued by diabolical visits with an explicitly erotic element, which spread, epidemic-like, to the Ursuline sisters under her care, whose convulsive attacks and obscene contortions scandalized all who witnessed them.

Were these sisters really demonic? Deranged? Or merely deceitful?

That's the first question exorcists must answer the question addressed in these pages by the world-famous French neuropsychiatrist Jean Lhermitte.

Genuine demonic possessions, admits Lhermitte, evade the explanations and exceed the competence of even the wisest physicians: they must be handled not in the clinic, but by the Church. At the same time, exorcisms will not help the symptoms of those who are mentally ill. So skilled physicians and trained clergy must press past the visions, the gibbering, the howlings and grindings of teeth, and the other frightening symptoms to discern whether they're dealing with real possession, or only pathology, mental or physical.

That's the work Dr. Lhermitte undertakes in these pages.

With sober clarity and reserve, he reviews the detailed clinical records of scores of cases that startled and alarmed our forefathers as well as the cases of many souls that he personally examined: unfortunate souls judged "possessed," who manifested symptoms ranging from picturesque to loathsome and pitiful. By means of these cases, Lhermitte illuminates the criteria that the Church holds to be decisive signs of genuine possession ... and those that assure us that despite filth and fits, shrieks and slobbering in other cases the influence of the demon is sought in vain.

Good priests and wise Catholic physicians know that, for the sake of their souls, those who are disturbed must never be hastily examined or casually judged. True or False Possession? will teach you, too, not to rush to judgment and show you when it's time right now! to call the priest.

Edition details

• Publisher: Sophia Inst Pr
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1933184892
• ISBN 13: 9781933184890
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 129
• Editor: Kheriaty Aaron M.D.