Interview With The Exorcist

What's the most extreme case you've ever seen?
I've seen the great strength. I've heard the talking in different languages. I've heard the hatred in the Devil's voice.

How can you tell is someone's possessed instead of just going through psychotic episode?
It just sort of comes to you by experience. There's not any strict form or regular thing that happens. Sometimes a person speaks a lot of things in a strange language. Other times they may be struggling and have to be restrained. Everyone's different.

But how does one know that you've got a bona fide case of possession as opposed to simply a severe case of mental illness?
Before we do an exorcism we do a complete psychological, psychiatric evaluation.

What would happen if you did an exorcism when it wasn't warranted?
If a person were truly mentally ill, and you tried an exorcism, you could hurt them, actually.

How so?
Because you're messing with their mind. If they're mentally ill, they're seeing things differently than we are.

Do you have to get church approval before doing one?
In the Catholic Church, only a priest can do an exorcism, and he needs the permission of a Bishop.