Father Theophius was a tall, strong-minded and self confident man. He was born in Stelza, Bavaria and followed the guidelines of the German exorcism traditions. This would explain why the first account of Anna's exorcism was in German. In 1936, he said he had performed exorcisms on 22 people. He carefully studied each case of alleged possession before he was willing to perform an exorcism. He knew that the symptoms of possession resembled mental disorders and hysteria. He preferred to keep the exorcisms confidential; however some cases were so profound that he felt he had to share them.
The exorcisms were grueling and draining. Some of the nuns asked to be transferred to other convents.
The local priest, Father F. Joseph Steiger, was not pleased that an exorcism was going to happen in his parish. He asked Father Theophius if cases of possession were increasing. The answer was that this was true. The Bishop had asked Theophius to perform the exorcism. He was chosen of his success in numerous exorcisms. This case would be his most difficult and would tax his physical endurance almost beyond its breaking point. Anna lived a distance from Earling and he wanted to bring her to Earling because it would be too sensational to perform the exorcism in her home town. It could cause further problems to Anna.
Joseph, again, asked why his parish. The answer was that Earling was an outlying country district. The exorcisms could be performed without causing a sensation. There were two places where the rites could be performed, the convent of the Franciscan Sisters or the sacristy.
Joseph was not sure if Mother Superior of the convent would permit the exorcisms to be done in her convent and he would not allow Anna in his house.
Finally, Joseph agreed that the exorcisms could be performed in the convent, but only if Mother Superior allowed it. Not a problem. Theophius already had her permission.
It was summer and the people were working in the fields. The two priests could keep the exorcisms a secret. The Bishop was consulted. He told Joseph to protect himself because the devil would do his best to seek revenge against him of he were to help relieve Anna of her possession.
