Skip to playerSkip to main content
Philippine exorcism center seeks to balance faith, science

Asia's only dedicated exorcism center sits just off a busy thoroughfare in Metro Manila. The two-month-old facility — intended to train not only Philippine priests but clergy from across the region —carries out exorcisms under Vatican rules revamped in 2024 that now make psychological exams mandatory. Father Jose Francisco Syquia, who holds a master's degree in psychology, said he welcomes that change, while still insisting he knows a demonic possession when he sees one.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Check out our Streaming Channel: https://streaming.manilatimes.net/

Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe

Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net

Follow us:
Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook
Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram
Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter
DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion

Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital

Check out our Podcasts:
Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify
Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts
Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic
Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer
Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein

#TheManilaTimes
#TMTNews
#Exorcism
#Philippines

Category

🗞
News
Transcript
00:10I command you to go to the foot of the cross.
00:30I command you to go to the foot of the cross.
01:02So usually when we do an exercise, there's one chair in the middle, and the priests are on the left
01:10or on the right.
01:11And then there's a person at the back who holds down the person, especially if you know that the person
01:18might become violent.
01:21So here's the, we have some relics, but we plan to fill this up with the relics of the saints.
01:27The relics are either the, we call them either the bones or the clothes of the saints, and they're very
01:34powerful in, when we do an exorcism, the devil hates the relics of the saints.
01:40But like, what if you just put some holy water on a, like, oh, here's a cold compress for your
01:44head.
01:45Feels like.
01:45Yeah.
01:46Okay.
01:54And this would be like the office for the association, the Philippine association, where the regional directors and the other
02:01priests can come and meet.
02:04Well, hopefully this center will help in training future exorcists, and it will be headquarters in order for the exorcists
02:14to gather and learn together, pray together.
02:17Because it's very important to have the same mindset, because, sadly, there are some priests who become exorcists who are
02:24not really properly trained, and they can commit mistakes.
02:28And we're, as we said, we're not dealing with a sickness, we're dealing with a being, with intellect and free
02:33will, who is more powerful than us.
02:35And the danger there is, if a person is not trained, like a priest is not trained in discerning, then
02:42he might mistake a psychological problem to be a spiritual problem.
02:47Or he might deal with a spiritual problem in a psychological manner, so the person is not helped in any
02:52way.
02:53That's why the important thing is to be able to see and diagnose and discern properly where is the problem
02:58coming from.
02:59Is it a spiritual problem? Is it a physical problem? Or is it a combination of both? Usually it's a
03:04combination of both.
03:04We ask them first to send narratives before we ever interview them.
03:10Now, if they send us a narrative and there's a big indication, there's a big chance that there is something
03:14diabolical, then we schedule an interview, then they come here.
03:19Because sometimes they come from very far when they have an exorcist there, then they have to come here.
03:24Or sometimes they have to be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist, or they have to be counseled first because
03:30of a lot of trauma.
03:31So most of the time, when they consider somebody who is possessed or in Tagalog, nasapian, it's usually, they would
03:40present with psychotic symptoms.
03:43So when we talk about psychotic symptoms, these are symptoms that the patient is not in touch with reality.
03:49So it can present with hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, disorganized behavior that we commonly see in psychiatric conditions such as
03:59schizophrenia, bipolar disorder.
04:02We see this actually more of in the rural areas where psychiatry is quite out of reach because psychiatry is
04:12actually very limited in the Philippines.
04:15Well, mental health in general, it's actually very limited in the Philippines.
04:19So far-flung areas, they tend to have these beliefs in relation to nature, religion, and then with little access
04:29to scientific information.
04:33But the challenge that may happen is, if they find exorcism more approachable, rather than going to a psychiatrist or
04:44any mental health professional that can help,
04:47well, there is a possibility that the person is receiving delayed help.
04:56So we all know that it's actually best when we manage the symptoms as early as possible.
05:26So yeah.
05:29Thanks for tuning in.
05:31Hello.
05:31Hi.
05:31Hello.
05:32Hi.
05:33Hi.
05:34Hi.
05:34Hi.
05:35Hi.
Comments

Recommended