Gabriele Amorth Exorcist of Diocese of Rome and Catholic priest answers questions

Question: A young man of twenty-eight who suffers from panic attacks and anxiety, went to many doctors, but that did not solve the problem. It was recalled that when he was just ten years, together with friends, he participated as a joke in seances.

Father Amorth: And so by a joke you can ruin your whole life. However to this young man I recommend three tips that Jesus gives to heal the ills of evil, even without the need for exorcisms:(1) much faith (2)much prayer and (3) fasting. I remember the advice that Jesus gave to nine apostles who failed to release a young man from demons." "Why do not you have faith, it takes prayer and fasting to banish some demons."

Question: When I commit a mortal sin, can I ask forgiveness from God without having to confess to a priest?

Father Amorth: Two things: When you commit a mortal sin you should make an act of perfect repentance and this you can do yourself with God: "Lord, I ask your forgiveness because I have offended you, because I deserved hell, I offended you, I went against your commandment. "This has to be done right away, for fear of a sudden death, but it is not enough. The Lord was clear: "Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven whose sins you shall retain they are retained." So you must confess as soon as possible." Jesus wants priests to forgive sins, because sin is not just a personal matter, it is something that damages the whole of society, even if done in secret.

Question: Our Lady says that fasting today is really necessary, why does the Church does not speak?

Father Amorth: It 'a good question. I remember as a child that it was held to be enormously important not to eat meat on a Friday and also to fast on any particular day. Our Lady insists so much on fasting, then why does the Church not speak? It will be good if you go back to talk about it even just as an observation.

Question: If two gay people love each other why can they can not marry?

Father Amorth: Dear children, God has instituted marriage between a man and a woman. God created men and women complementary, but here you go against the most basic principles of reason. It's true that we are in a world so confused! At the time I was flabbergasted when, on the occasion of the referendum on divorce, I saw many Catholics vote for divorce. At that time I broke the friendship with my dear friend that maybe some of you have heard of -Carlo Carretto, Monaco. He publicly said: "I vote in favor of divorce." In my area in Emilia all the advocates of divorce went around with the speech of Carlo Carretto. Many Catholics voted for divorce, then, even worse, many Catholics voted for abortion. Jesus said, "What God has joined together let no man put asunder." Abortion is against the 5th commandment "Thou shalt not kill." I have seen many Catholics vote for abortion, and those who practice abortion are murderers who have a patron: King Herod, the author of the Massacre of the Innocents. Doctors should cure the disease and not kill. But you say it's crazy we live in a world so upset that if today a referendum were held on euthanasia it could be passed. If a referendum were held on adoption of children by homosexual couples it could pass. It is 'a shattered world , so here it is essential that a Christian who wants to live as a Christian, must be different from the others. Christians must stand up for their beliefs and not be shy.

Question: Why is there so much corruption in the Church and so much luxury? Why do not you sell many goods and give the money to the poor? The property of the church were made with the money of the poor?

Father Amorth: Look at these great cathedrals, these mosaics, these paintings, the statues, go to visit the Vatican Museums. Why should you shut down the Sistine Chapel, which is for the joy and faith of all? Did you know that the Sistine Chapel is visited by twenty thousand people a day at the height of the tourist season? Things are then given to God for the benefit and enjoyment of all. There was a pastor who I think you have all heard of. He was the Cure of Ars. He used to dress very poorly, but when it came to buying for the church, he wanted the most beautiful things, because they are for the Lord. There are people who can give money to the poor and the Church does its best. Look at Caritas worldwide, also think of the many cafeterias that Caritas has in Rome.

Question: Many people say many rosaries but then it seems they misbehave with others.

Father Amorth: We pray for Christian living. We pray to God for strength to live as Christians. What does it mean? To love God with all your strength and love your neighbor as Jesus has loved him. In that way Jesus loves us. St. John is so clear: "Jesus loved us by giving his life for us, this means that we must love our neighbor by giving our lives for others. The more you pray the more you can understand God and His goodness. Maybe we do not pray with the heart, ah this is possible!! We must pray in faith, not mechanically. Pray with faith and prayer increases faith and charity.

Question: Although I pray, my situation in the office is just desperate. My colleagues are bad for me, and even threaten to kill me, because I have heard bad things about them. I also know a high level employee who has been fired unjustly, because he came to know of the big flaws at the top. I have lost all hope. I wonder if the Lord does not see my situation? I can not quit my job because I do not know how to earn a living in any other way. I have to stay even if full of fear.

Father Amorth: Sometimes you are forced to live in an environment like that and just because a person is a Christian, who disapproves of certain things that others approve, it is likely he /she will be persecuted. The Christian must accept being persecuted. Christians must also agree to give their lives for the Lord. You see in the Middle East, many Christians were killed in the Church. A Christian must also agree to be frowned upon by others because the Church is different from the others and is in trouble if it conforms to the ideas of others.

Question: For eighteen years I have been trying to bring my daughter Paola to behave like a child of God, but this time things are getting worse to the point that she professes to be someone else. Now it's as if she no longer lives,. She spends all night and day on her computer and contacts horrible persons. She is no longer interested in anything, not even in her little daughter, or us parents. What should I do?

Father Amorth: When a person loses his head completely he loses out. So you just have to pray, and treat her with kindness, because goodness can conquer.If you are acerbic it is counterproductive. Yes, yes, disapprove but continue to love and submit to the mercy of God

Question: What are the causes of the spread of magical practices? What are the consequences of the spread of these practices?

Father Amorth: It is clear that the spread of these magical practices depends on the spread of the loss of faith. When you lose faith, you give in unerringly to superstition. That is the cause of the spread of magical practices. Here in Rome, one of the first years I was an exorcist, I was invited by a religion teacher to a high school, one of Rome's most famous. I asked the children: "Dear children, I want to know how many of you are playing a game where you speak with the dead. The Bible says, "He who speaks with the dead is an abomination to God." It is true Satanism and I asked: More than half raised their hands. And I asked them again. A large number of hands went up again. Present was the religion teacher who had invited me. The game of the glass is extremely dangerous. Unfortunately, many priests do not know about these things and think it is a harmless joke. Instead there are those who suffer flu or worse yet a demonic possession. You have to stay away from anything that can cause disorders of evil character, which sometimes can become very serious. About the worst case I can think of was where the Sicilian exorcist named Father Matteo La Grua, who died recently, was the first to make the diagnosis of a person possessed by Satan with twenty-seven legions. He is now well, having been healed(by exorcism) .