When in doubt, do what Rome has approved. When in doubt, avoid what Rome has not positively approved.
I am very concerned about some websites which are promoting the prayer forbidden by the laity to use of Pope Leo XIII against the devil. We can and should say daily the St. Michael short prayer most of us know and which is on this blog daily.
However, there is a slew of new books on deliverance. These are not usually in line with real Catholic practice. The charismatic approach is not the one approved by the Catholic Church.
Lay people cannot and must not take part in deliverance services or exorcisms. The only lay people who can be involved in exorcisms are those trained and approved by the local ordinary individually to work with a priest exorcist.
Anything else is from the protestant tradition and wrong.
Do not buy any books on deliverance, but instead follow the guidelines of such as Father Chad Ripperger, fssp, who teaches exorcists. He is very specific about his warnings.
Can a lay person join the Auxilium Christianorium or the third order I have highlighted on this blog here? Yes, these have ecclesiastical approvals.
Some bishops have been lax about charismatic prayer meetings and healing Masses, allowing protestants to do the music, using heretical words, and even allowing heretics to pray over people.
No, no, no.
There are some priests and ex-priests who have written books about deliverance.
If you want to read the real deal, read Fr. Amorth's books.
I am very concerned about lay people who are acting out of their egos and not out of the Holy Spirit.
None of this confusion happened until recent times, the last fifty years, with the attack on the authority of the Church. Those who act outside the authority of the Church have fallen into error. Those who pray over others without being holy themselves put others in danger.
I cannot warn Catholics enough about this subject.
