[Healing] Re:Deliverance Ministry(New Thread)

prthomas prthomas at iol.ie
Wed Aug 2 07:44:09 GMT 2006


Hi Fr.Kevin,
To start with I don`t see the deliverance ministry in terms of à demons under the bed ` philosophy as in McCarthyism with Communism. Deliverance ministry is the end result of much other skilled consideration, counselling, listening, psychology and discernment,among others. It is a ministry of last resort. For if used inappropriately it can have quite the reverse effect to that which was intended. Also, I think the deliverance ministry got a bad press some years ago, and has never really recovered. Church leaders see it as being a bit too risky and best avoided. The term  `exorcist`has almost disappeared from church talk, so deliverance is being, like so many other things like death and terminal illness, sanitised. 
I think it is relevant in the church of today in that the dimension of evil - however one may understand that concept - is largely absent from homilies. A largely one sided Gospel is preached full of theological surmise and social commentary but giving little, if any, information, teaching, reassurance, etc. about the healing ministry in all it`s many dimensions. For it to `take off`again` ( for it was fully functional in the early church) requires leadership by preaching and by example. That can only come, I think, from the Bishops of the church. Many of them pay lip service to the principal of healing, but that is all and it is seen for what it is, a sham.In a sense this answers your second question addressed to all. For healing to operate as a usual part of parish life does depend on authoritative leadership. I know I didn`t go along those lines myself, but just got on with it.Maybe more us should do the same ?
I`ve rambled on for too long I`m afraid.
Pax Vobiscum.
Fr.Peter
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