Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
JesuiticalOctober 30, 2020
A scene from the documentary "The Devil and Father Amorth." Pauline Father Gabriele Amorth, who was chief exorcist of the Diocese of Rome. (CNS photo/The Orchard) 

Movies about demons and exorcisms are popular at this time of year, and are—let’s be honest—pretty scary. Well, real life demonic possession is even scarier—and nothing to mess around with.

This week, we talk with someone who would know. Dr. Richard Gallagher is a board-certified psychiatrist, a leading expert in the field of exorcism and the author of Demonic Foes: My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal.

Dr. Gallagher recounts hard-won lessons about the spiritual life as well as some of his most harrowing experiences with literal demons.

In “Signs of the Times,” we look at the 13 new cardinals that Pope Francis named over the weekend, including Washington’s Archbishop Wilton Gregory, who is set to become the first Black Cardinal in the United States.

A reminder that we’ll be discussing Pope Francis’ latest encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti” in reading groups (over drinks) with all members of our Patreon community throughout the month of November. It starts next week, but there’s still time to sign up to support the show and guarantee a spot in the reading group.

Links from the show:

Demonic Foes
Dr. Richard Gallagher, Demonic Possession Expert, Isn't Trying to Convince You
Pope Francis names 13 new cardinals, including Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington D.C.
How long will the Latino community have to wait for a cardinal in the United States?

What’s on tap:

Witches’ Brew, also known as a gin and tonic made with Empress Gin for spooky coloring.

We don’t have comments turned on everywhere anymore. We have recently relaunched the commenting experience at America and are aiming for a more focused commenting experience with better moderation by opening comments on a select number of articles each day.

But we still want your feedback. You can join the conversation about this article with us in social media on Twitter or Facebook, or in one of our Facebook discussion groups for various topics.

Or send us feedback on this article with one of the options below:

We welcome and read all letters to the editor but, due to the volume received, cannot guarantee a response.

In order to be considered for publication, letters should be brief (around 200 words or less) and include the author’s name and geographic location. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

We open comments only on select articles so that we can provide a focused and well-moderated discussion on interesting topics. If you think this article provides the opportunity for such a discussion, please let us know what you'd like to talk about, or what interesting question you think readers might want to respond to.

If we decide to open comments on this article, we will email you to let you know.

If you have a message for the author, we will do our best to pass it along. Note that if the article is from a wire service such as Catholic News Service, Religion News Service, or the Associated Press, we will not have direct contact information for the author. We cannot guarantee a response from any author.

We welcome any information that will help us improve the factual accuracy of this piece. Thank you.

Please consult our Contact Us page for other options to reach us.

City and state/province, or if outside Canada or the U.S., city and country. 
When you click submit, this article page will reload. You should see a message at the top of the reloaded page confirming that your feedback has been received.

The latest from america

Pope Leo XIV meets with Vice President JD Vance after the formal inauguration of his pontificate at the Vatican on May 18. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Leo I helped to ensure that Catholicism would outlast the Roman Empire. His name is a reminder that our faith rises above contemporary politics and temporal authority.
The Gospel parable of the “wasteful sower” who casts seeds on fertile soil as well as on a rocky path “is an image of the way God loves us,” Pope Leo XIV told 40,000 visitors and pilgrims at his first weekly general audience.
Cindy Wooden May 21, 2025
President Donald Trump, center, surrounded by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., speaks to reporters before a House Republican conference meeting, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
“These proposed changes threaten access to care for millions of Americans, particularly those in underserved areas, where our member systems work every day to provide quality, compassionate care.”
Kevin ClarkeMay 20, 2025
The Archdiocese of Chicago has scheduled a Mass and a special program to celebrate the election and inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, a native son of the Windy City.