RITE OF EXORCISM

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The priest delegated by the Ordinary to perform this office should first go to confession or at least elicit an act of contrition, and, if convenient, offer the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and implore God's help in other fervent prayers. He vests in surplice and purple stole. Having before him the person possessed (who should be bound if there is any danger), he traces the sign of the cross over him, over himself, and the bystanders, and then sprinkles all of them with holy water. After this he kneels and says the Litany of the Saints, exclusive of the prayers which follow it. All present are to make the responses.
LITANY OF THE SAINTS

The Litany of the Saints is used in ordination, Forty Hours', processions, and other occasions. Both the Roman Ritual and the Roman Pontifical direct that the first three invocations be repeated. The music for this litany is given in the music supplement. The invocations are sung (or recited) by the chanters or the priest; the responses by all.

P: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.

P: Christ, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.

P: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.

P: Christ, hear us.
All: Christ, graciously hear us.

P: God, the Father in heaven.
All: Have mercy on us.

P: God, the Son, Redeemer of the world.
All: Have mercy on us.

P: God, the Holy Spirit.
All: Have mercy on us.

P: Holy Trinity, one God.
All: Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us,*
* After each invocation: "Pray for us."

Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
St. Michael,
St. Gabriel,
St. Raphael,
All holy angels and archangels,
All holy orders of blessed spirits,
St. John the Baptist,
St. Joseph,
All holy patriarchs and prophets,
St. Peter,
St. Paul,
St. Andrew,
St. James,
St. John,
St. Thomas,
St. James,
St. Philip,
St. Bartholomew,
St. Matthew,
St. Simon,
St. Thaddeus,
St. Matthias,
St. Barnabas,
St. Luke,
St. Mark,
All holy apostles and evangelists,
All holy disciples of the Lord,
All holy Innocents,
St. Stephen,
St. Lawrence,
St. Vincent,
SS. Fabian and Sebastian,
SS. John and Paul,
SS. Cosmas and Damian,
SS. Gervase and Protase,
All holy martyrs,
St. Sylvester,
St. Gregory,
St. Ambrose,
St. Augustine,
St. Jerome,
St. Martin,
St. Nicholas,
All holy bishops and confessors,
All holy doctors,
St. Anthony,
St. Benedict,
St. Bernard,
St. Dominic,
St. Francis,
All holy priests and levites,
All holy monks and hermits,
St. Mary Magdalen,
St. Agatha,
St. Lucy,
St. Agnes,
St. Cecilia,
St. Catherine,
St. Anastasia,
All holy virgins and widows,

P: All holy saints of God,
All: Intercede for us.

P: Be merciful,
All: Spare us, 0 Lord.

P: Be merciful,
All: Graciously hear us, 0 Lord.

From all evil, deliver us, 0 Lord.*
* After each invocation: "Deliver us, 0 Lord."


From all sin,
From your wrath,
From sudden and unprovided death,
From the snares of the devil,
From anger, hatred, and all ill will,
From all lewdness,
From lightning and tempest,
From the scourge of earthquakes,
From plague, famine, and war,
From everlasting death,
By the mystery of your holy incarnation,
By your coming,
By your birth,
By your baptism and holy fasting,
By your cross and passion,
By your death and burial,
By your holy resurrection,
By your wondrous ascension,
By the coming of the Holy,
Spirit, the Advocate,
On the day of judgment,

P: We sinners,
All: We beg you to hear us.*
* After each invocation: "We beg you to hear us."

That you spare us,
That you pardon us,
That you bring us to true penance,
That you govern and preserve your holy Church,
That you preserve our Holy Father
and all ranks in the Church in holy religion,
That you humble the enemies of holy Church,
That you give peace and true concord to all Christian rulers.
That you give peace and unity to the whole Christian world,
That you restore to the unity of the Church all who have strayed from
the truth, and lead all unbelievers to the light of the Gospel,
That you confirm and preserve us in your holy service,
That you lift up our minds to heavenly desires,
That you grant everlasting blessings to all our benefactors,
That you deliver our souls and the souls of our brethren, relatives, and
benefactors from everlasting damnation,
That you give and preserve the fruits of the earth,
That you grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed,
That you graciously hear us,
Son of God,


At the end of the litany he (the priest) adds the following:

P: Antiphon: Do not keep in mind, 0 Lord, our
offenses or those of our parents, nor take vengeance on our sins.




P: Our Father
who are in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earh as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
All: But deliver us from evil.

Psalm 53


P: God, by your name save me,
and by your might defend my cause.
All: God, hear my prayer;
hearken to the words of my mouth.

P: For haughty men have risen up against me,
and fierce men seek my life;
they set not God before their eyes.
All: See, God is my helper;
the Lord sustains my life.

P: Turn back the evil upon my foes;
in your faithfulness destroy them.
All: Freely will I offer you sacrifice;
I will praise your name, Lord, for its goodness,

P: Because from all distress you have rescued me,
and my eyes look down upon my enemies.
All: Glory be to the Father.

P: As it was in the beginning.

After the psalm the priest continues:

P: Save your servant.
All: Who trusts in you, my God.

P: Let him (her) find in you, Lord, a fortified tower.
All: In the face of the enemy.

P: Let the enemy have no power over him (her).
All: And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm him (her).

P: Lord, send him (her) aid from your holy place.
All: And watch over him (her) from Sion.

P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.

P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.

God, whose nature is ever merciful and forgiving, accept our prayer that this servant of yours, bound by the fetters of sin, may be pardoned by your loving kindness.

Holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who once and for all consigned that fallen and apostate tyrant to the flames of hell, who sent your only-begotten Son into the world to crush that roaring lion; hasten to our call for help and snatch from ruination and from the clutches of the noonday devil this human being made in your image and likeness. Strike terror, Lord, into the beast now laying waste your vineyard. Fill your servants with courage to fight manfully against that reprobate dragon, lest he despise those who put their trust in you, and say with Pharaoh of old: "I know not God, nor will I set Israel free." Let your mighty hand cast him out of your servant, (The name of the person), so he may no longer hold captive this person whom it pleased you to make in your image, and to redeem through your Son; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.

All: Amen.

Then he commands the demon as follows:

I command you, unclean spirit, whoever you are, along with all your minions now attacking this servant of God, by the mysteries of the incarnation, passion, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the descent of the Holy Spirit, by the coming of our Lord for judgment, that you tell me by some sign your name, and the day and hour of your departure. I command you, moreover, to obey me to the letter, I who am a minister of God despite my unworthiness; nor shall you be emboldened to harm in any way this creature of God, or the bystanders, or any of their possessions.
The priest lays his hand on the head of the sick person, saying:

They shall lay their hands upon the sick and all will be well with them. May Jesus, Son of Mary, Lord and Savior of the world, through the merits and intercession of His holy apostles Peter and Paul and all His saints, show you favor and mercy.
All: Amen.

Next he reads over the possessed person these selections
from the Gospel, or at least one of them.

P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.

P: The beginning of the holy Gospel according to St. John.
All: Glory be to you, 0 Lord.