Too Smart to Believe There is a Devil?

Background

More than a half-century ago, St Pope Paul VI warned that “the smoke of Satan has entered the Church of God” (6/29/1972).  He went on to say,

This matter of the Devil and of the influence he can exert …is a very important chapter of Catholic doctrine which should be studied again, although it is given little attention today (11/15/1972).

It was probably William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist that brought Satan more into early 1970s conversations than St Pope Paul VI’s words (cf, Exorcism and Popular Culture): 

I thought I was writing was a novel of faith in the popular dress of a thrilling and suspenseful detective story – in other words, a sermon that no one could possibly sleep through — and to this day I haven’t the faintest recollection of any intention to frighten the reader.

When I first heard, in 1949, of an actual case of demonic possession and an exorcism going on nearby while I was a junior at Georgetown University, I remember thinking, ‘Someday, somebody’s got to write about this, because if an investigation were to prove that possession is real, what a help it would be to the struggling faith of possibly millions, for if there were demons, I reasoned, then why not angels? Why not God?’ (William Peter Blatty, FoxNews.com, 10/28/11)

Though popular culture still seems to like a “good scare,” my impression is that notions of demonic influence are not taken very seriously.  Many seem to fancy themselves as “too smart” for such a belief.

Civilization Before Jesus, With Jesus and After Jesus

A “messianic rabbi,” Jonathan Cahn, relates how Western Civilization was changed for the unimaginably better by its rejection of pagan “gods”/demons and its embrace of the One True God of Christianity:

with the entrance of the gospel into the pagan world, there came an inevitable collision of values over the sanctity of human life, the value of women, the treatment of the weak, the care of the sick, and the worth and protection of children, born and unborn (The Return of the gods, p. 90).

In a pattern unbelievable but sadly predictable, we are now witnessing widespread rejection of the Christian message (cf, p. 28).  We see the widespread embrace of abortion, IVF, marital dissolution, and encouragement of sexual confusion (cf., Catholic Stand, 8/7/2024).  Catholics need to embrace practices that keep evil at bay! (cf, Bishop Donald W. Montrose, 4/1/1996)

Does the Catholic Church Even Still Teach that there is a Devil?

It is widely known that many Catholics do not believe that Holy Communion is the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.  How even practicing Catholics could fall into such error is beyond me.

Though bishops, priests, and deacons may mention Satan and other demons infrequently, the Church absolutely acknowledges their existence!

CCC 391 Behind the disobedient choice of our first parents lurks a seductive voice, opposed to God, which makes them fall into death out of envy.

CCC 266  Scripture and the Church’s Tradition see in this being a fallen angel, called “Satan” or the “devil”.

CCC 267 The Church teaches that Satan was at first a good angel, made by God….

Scripture witnesses to the disastrous influence of the one Jesus calls “a murderer from the beginning”, who would even try to divert Jesus from the mission received from his Father.273….

395 ….Although Satan may act in the world out of hatred for God and His kingdom in Christ Jesus, and although his action may cause grave injuries – of a spiritual nature and, indirectly, even of a physical nature – to each man and to society, the action is permitted by Divine Providence which with strength and gentleness guides human and cosmic history. It is a great mystery that providence should permit diabolical activity, but “we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him.”

1673 When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism. Jesus performed exorcisms and from Him the Church has received the power and office of exorcizing. In a simple form, exorcism is performed at the celebration of Baptism. the solemn exorcism, called “a major exorcism,” can be performed only by a priest and with the permission of the bishop. the priest must proceed with prudence, strictly observing the rules established by the Church. Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church. Illness, especially psychological illness, is a very different matter; treating this is the concern of medical science. Therefore, before an exorcism is performed, it is important to ascertain that one is dealing with the presence of the Evil One, and not an illness.(Catechism of the Catholic Church)

As we are reminded in Interview with an Exorcist, “confession is a divine gift much greater than exorcism…. Frequent confession strengthens us in sanctifying grace and is a powerful force in helping us resist temptation”

 Conclusion

As previously mentioned, we are seeing the widespread embrace of abortion, IVF, and marital dissolution, as well as the encouragement of sexual confusion.  Are we too naïve to question the source?

Put bluntly by one priest:

Catholics are obliged to believe in the existence of the Devil and of Hell…. Priests and bishops who don’t teach about Hell will probably wind up there.  It is my job to keep as many of you as possible out of Hell (Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, 11/21/2017)