The presentation of a satanic black mass as a "cultural" event at Harvard tonight proves what attendees at a six-day meeting in Rome already know - godlessness along with a naive fascination with the occult is driving up the need for more exorcists.

ANSA is reporting that the ninth annual conference on exorcism drew 200 Catholic prelates from 33 countries to Rome from May 7-10. Entitled, "Exorcism and Prayer for Liberation," the intent was to train 200 more priests to serve as exorcists.

"It's devoted mostly to priests who are the first to learn the ministry of exorcism, but not only to them," said Father Cesare Truqui, an exorcist from the Legionaries of Christ, to Vatican Radio. "A priest is usually side by side with a group of laypeople who help."

Organized by the Legionaries of Christ and GRIS, the meeting also drew professionals such as psychiatrists, sociologists, doctors and criminologists who often assist in exorcisms.

“We live in a disenchanted society, a secularized world that thought it was being emancipated. But where religion is being thrown out, the window is being opened to superstition and irrationality,” said Giuseppe Ferrari of GRIS.

Ferrari makes a good point. Many people are quick to throw off the "shackles" of organized religion and pursue other "spiritualities" which finds them dabbling in dangerous areas such as occult-based practices like black magic, divination, psychics, channelers and the New Age. This too often results in a new kind of bondage - this time to the Prince of Darkness.

“Just in the dioceses of Rome, around a third of calls that are received are requests for the services of an exorcist,” said Fr. Truqui..

“Exploring the theme of demonic possession does not mean causing general paranoia, but creating awareness of the existence of the Devil and of the possibility of possession,” he said.

“It happens rarely but you can fight it with God, with prayer, with Marian devotion.”

Tonight's black mass at Harvard is the perfect example of how naive seekers who think their nonbelief somehow insulates them from the reality of Satan unwittingly place themselves in grave danger. The black mass is replete with invectives against God, obscenities, blasphemies, and invocations to Lucifer. Satan will certainly show up tonight, whether he publicly manifests himself or not, and no one in attendance will be beyond his reach.

May God have mercy on their souls!

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