An Exorcism in Earling Iowa, Part I
Theophius told Joseph about Anna's background. The symptoms of possession began when Anna was 14. She felt inner forces stopping her from attending church serviced. She experienced inner voices suggesting disgusting things and creating thoughts of vile and shameful deeds and tried to persuade her to do them. There were times when she felt compelled to shatter the font that held her holy water. Other times she felt compelled to strangle her spiritual advisor.
Anna took the train to Earling. The nuns who met her at the station had not been told her identity. The conductors on the train were not told of her identity either, but they had been told about her mental imbalance. In Earling, steps had been taken to hide her identity so she would not be pointed out as one who was diabolically possessed.
The railway conductors had problems with Anna. Although she wanted to be exorcized, her behavior was hostile. When the nuns met her, the behavior became worse. She attacked and tried to choke the nuns. Despite this, the sisters took her to the convent.
Theophius and Joseph were in the rectory next to the convent while Anna was brought to her room. Word was given to them that things were going badly. Anna had been given food that was sprinkled with holy water and she was aware of this. She rejected it and, catlike, purred. Most people think cats purr only when contented. Cats also purr when in distress. This was replaced by unblessed food.
The exorcisms began in the following morning. Anna went into a state of unconsciousness when the rite began. There are stages of exorcism. For a fuller understanding of this, please refer to my article, Demonic Possession and Exorcism.
When all are in the room, the Presence is felt. It is all pervasive, cloying and evil. During the Presence, the demon tries to hide behind the possessed. It can be highly intelligent or grossly stupid. It can appear so pitiful that all present, including the exorcist, feels that he is the villain. The demon reveals the deepest and darkest secrets of those present. It is highly dangerous, very vulnerable. It must be forced to reveal itself for what it is. As it breaks down, the possessed's behavior normally increases in repulsiveness and violence. What happened was that the exorcist and the demons communicated. Anna thrashed about, spoke obscenities and sacrilegious words, vomited
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