By Stephanie Chuang Aug 15, 2013
Do
you believe in exorcism?
More and more people do. New information
reveals Americans are turning to exorcism to deal with their demons.
NBC Bay Area take a look at two Bay Area exorcists who are being tapped more and more for their spiritual powers.
Father Gary Thomas is the official exorcist for the Diocese of San Jose.
Under
order of Pope John Paul II, he traveled to Rome in 2005 to train in the
Vatican-certified seminary on how to perform an exorcism.
Father Thomas was the inspiration for Anthony Hopkins' character in the 2011 movie "The Rite."
“Since the movie came out the number of exorcists has quadrupled," Father Thomas said.
He
works with a team and is accompanied by three medical professionals
during the procedure, which he says does not happen in one day. He
estimates 90-percent of the cases he sees are just mental health issues.
No
major U.S. medical organization recognizes exorcism. It doesn't even
get one mention.Father Thomas says the ritual doesn't need a debate or
acknowledgement from anyone, except those who need it.
"If
people are coming and they're suffering from what they perceive to be
demonic and even though it may not be, we're still there to help support
them however we can," Father Thomas said.