- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Doubleday Books (10 Mar 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0385522703
- ISBN-13: 978-0385522700
- Product Dimensions: 14.7 x 2.8 x 21.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 700,821 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
In The Rite, journalist Matt Baglio uses the astonishing story of one American priest's training as an exorcist to reveal that the phenomena of possession, demons, the Devil, and exorcism are not merely a remnant of the archaic past, but remain a fearsome power in many people's lives even today.
Father Gary Thomas was working as a parish priest in California when he was asked by his bishop to travel to Rome for training in the rite of exorcism. Though initially surprised, and slightly reluctant, he accepted this call, and enrolled in a new exorcism course at a Vatican-affiliated university, which taught him, among other things, how to distinguish between a genuine possession and mental illness. Eventually he would go on to participate in more than eighty exorcisms as an apprentice to a veteran Italian exorcist. His experiences profoundly changed the way he viewed the spiritual world, and as he moved from rational skeptic to practicing exorcist he came to understand the battle between good and evil in a whole new light. Journalist Matt Baglio had full access to Father Gary over the course of his training, and much of what he learned defies explanation.
The Rite provides fascinating vignettes from the lives of exorcists and people possessed by demons, including firsthand accounts of exorcists at work casting out demons, culminating in Father Gary's own confrontations with the Devil. Baglio also traces the history of exorcism, revealing its rites and rituals, explaining what the Catholic Church really teaches about demonic possession, and delving into such related topics as the hierarchy of angels and demons, satanic cults, black masses, curses, and the various theories used by modern scientists and anthropologists who seek to quantify such phenomena.
Written with an investigative eye that will captivate both skeptics and believers alike, The Rite shows that the truth about demonic possession is not only stranger than fiction, but also far more chilling.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Matt Baglio was a freelance journalist living in Rome when he learned about a class the Vatican was offering on exorcism that was open to the public. Mr. Baglio thought it would give him enough information to write an article if he attended the class. He was wrong, from what he learned in class and contacts made, the author was able to write this book and has a new look on life.
In this class Mr. Baglio met and an American Priest from California who was appointed by his bishop to become the diocese exorcist. The book is written mainly as a biography of this priest, Father Gary Thomas. So with the investigative eye of a journalist, the insights of the exorcist and interviews of the subjects of some exorcisms we are given a glimpse into the world where good still battles evil.
The small biography of Father Thomas is a fast read that shows the sad truth that most priest do not even believe in the devil until the come face to face with pure evil. This was where Father Thomas was until he started the class to become an exorcist and actually started attending some exorcism. Every diocese is supposed to have an official exorcist appointed but the majority live in Italy and there is only a handful in the U.S.A. Most countries have none at all.
The author also covers the teachings of the Catholic Church on demonic possession and the basis for the belief in the rite of exorcism. Through Father Thomas' eyes we are shown different forms of possession and learn that each exorcist is a unique individual with his own strength and weaknesses. In order for the rite to be successful both the possessed and the exorcist must have faith in God. For the rite is a manifestation of God's benevolence and deliverance and the priest is only the conduit of His grace as a priest is for all the sacraments. And there is no standard situation when it comes to demonic possession or for how long the exorcism could take, which can sometimes years.
I found this a very interesting read and the author has a very short section at the end where he shares from his own personal experience from his time researching for this books. The author also provides copious notes and a bibliography. From his own words it is obvious he has many more notes from which he can pull from. So perhaps the author will write a book from his own perspective giving us a look behind the Rite and delve deeper into the subject. The book is a good introduction to a subject that most feel have been relegated to the back lots of Hollywood.
In this class Mr. Baglio met and an American Priest from California who was appointed by his bishop to become the diocese exorcist. The book is written mainly as a biography of this priest, Father Gary Thomas. So with the investigative eye of a journalist, the insights of the exorcist and interviews of the subjects of some exorcisms we are given a glimpse into the world where good still battles evil.
The small biography of Father Thomas is a fast read that shows the sad truth that most priest do not even believe in the devil until the come face to face with pure evil. This was where Father Thomas was until he started the class to become an exorcist and actually started attending some exorcism. Every diocese is supposed to have an official exorcist appointed but the majority live in Italy and there is only a handful in the U.S.A. Most countries have none at all.
The author also covers the teachings of the Catholic Church on demonic possession and the basis for the belief in the rite of exorcism. Through Father Thomas' eyes we are shown different forms of possession and learn that each exorcist is a unique individual with his own strength and weaknesses. In order for the rite to be successful both the possessed and the exorcist must have faith in God. For the rite is a manifestation of God's benevolence and deliverance and the priest is only the conduit of His grace as a priest is for all the sacraments. And there is no standard situation when it comes to demonic possession or for how long the exorcism could take, which can sometimes years.
I found this a very interesting read and the author has a very short section at the end where he shares from his own personal experience from his time researching for this books. The author also provides copious notes and a bibliography. From his own words it is obvious he has many more notes from which he can pull from. So perhaps the author will write a book from his own perspective giving us a look behind the Rite and delve deeper into the subject. The book is a good introduction to a subject that most feel have been relegated to the back lots of Hollywood.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Matt Baglio is to be commended on steering a steady course through some fairly perilous waters and managing to give a clear-headed and relatively dispassionate account of the Vatican-sponsored, university-based training in exorcism undertaken by a contemporary American priest.
At the risk of simply rehashing the blurb from the book's cover, this really is a fascinating insight into a world that most of us are probably completely unaware of, other than through Hollywood. Coming from a position of confirmed aetheism, it's quite a shock to learn just how many people, especially in Italy, are seemingly afflicted by "demonic possession". Without wishing to question the sincerely-held beliefs of the "victims", it is hard not to wonder at how these people have been failed by the respective national medical and social welfare systems.
Father Gary Thomas has performed a valuable service in co-operating with the author and both men are to be commended on a work which will be of significant interest and value to believer and non-believer alike.
If I had one critiscism it would be that Father Gary's post-Rome experience of exorcism in the field, back in his native USA, could have been treated more extensively.
At the risk of simply rehashing the blurb from the book's cover, this really is a fascinating insight into a world that most of us are probably completely unaware of, other than through Hollywood. Coming from a position of confirmed aetheism, it's quite a shock to learn just how many people, especially in Italy, are seemingly afflicted by "demonic possession". Without wishing to question the sincerely-held beliefs of the "victims", it is hard not to wonder at how these people have been failed by the respective national medical and social welfare systems.
Father Gary Thomas has performed a valuable service in co-operating with the author and both men are to be commended on a work which will be of significant interest and value to believer and non-believer alike.
If I had one critiscism it would be that Father Gary's post-Rome experience of exorcism in the field, back in his native USA, could have been treated more extensively.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is NOT ABOUT EXORCISMS. It's about a DOOD who left his fiancee for a job at the Catholic Church. If you want a book about Exorcism, get Malachi Martin's "Hostage To The Devil".
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