The Catholic Church has specially-trained priests who are ready to perform EXORCISMS. The Catholic clergy in Ireland has a number of demon-fighting clerics ready to cast out evil spirits who possess people.
They have carried out actual exorcisms in the past - though incidences are rare.
A Church statement said: ”Church law requires that every diocese have a trained exorcist - someone who knows how to distinguish the signs of demonic possession from those of mental or physical illness.
“From time to time dioceses will get requests for help in this area. Not many. Maybe as few as one in the course of a year.
“Dioceses would refer people to one or two priests with training and expertise in this area.”
Exorcisms are rare here and it has been a few years since the last one was performed.
The church statement added: “In most cases it will emerge after several meetings that it may be a medical, psychiatric or psychological problem and they are then referred to medics with expertise in this area.”
Two priests in particular, one based in Galway and the other in Carlow, are said to be experts in the area.
Pope Francis has given support to the work of exorcists in the Catholic church, after a group of priests who claim to save people from demons were officially recognised under canon law.
The Catholic Encyclopedia defines exorcism as “the act of driving out, or warding off, demons, or evil spirits, from persons, places, or things, which are believed to be possessed or infested by them, or are liable to become victims or instruments of their malice”.
Interest in exorcisms are high at the moment due to the new FOX series The Exorcist.
But it was the the original 1973 supernatural horror film of the same name which brought the phenomenon into the public eye.
A source said: “A number of cases are referred to the church here every year
“All priests are trained in the Rite of Exorcism, just like the Rite of Baptism of any rite.
“However only a few are trained exorcists here in Ireland. In the vast number of cases it may be a matter of helping someone who has a psychiatric or psychological problem.
“But there are cases where exorcisms have been carried out.”
The church last night added: “In 1999 the Vatican issued its first new guidelines since 1614 and these urged priests to take modern psychiatry into account when dealing with a request for an exorcism.
“In July 2014 it was reported that Pope Francis had given his support to the work of exorcists in the Catholic Church, after a group of priests were recognised under Canon Law.
“The International Association of Exorcists is a group of 250 priests working across 30 countries.”