Evil spirits? Use holy water with salt

MANILA, Philippines - For those burdened by evil spirits, a bishop has the antidote: holy water, with salt added.

An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said believers could effectively drive away evil spirits by calling on priests who are experts on exorcism or just finding an ordinary cleric armed only with holy water mixed with rock salt and prayers in Latin.

Fr. Francis Lucas, chairman the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Social Communication and Mass Media (ECSCMM), said that in almost every diocese there are priests who can perform exorcism.

Lucas, who has been a priest for 36 years, can no longer recall the number of times he was requested to bless a home or an establishment. After a house blessing, residents or occupants have not complained of weird noises and apparitions in the middle of the night.

“So far, there have been no complaints of disturbance,” Lucas said.

He admitted that not all priests follow the same formula in making holy water.

“Some priests may not be using the formula of mixing water and salts,” Lucas said.

He explained that there are several types of holy water and one of them is the one blessed by priests. He would then exorcise with the only holy water, then mix rock salt with the holy water, and then say the special prayer.

“Water is a symbol for cleansing and protection from the evil,” he said. “Exorcism is also a prayer to shoo away any evil because evil can penetrate anything. So you pray in the name of Jesus.”

Lucas said that to accomplish the task for getting rid of unwanted spirits, the family must also join the priest in prayer.

Candles, which would eventually be blessed by the priest, should also be lighted at the ceremony.

Lucas advised the faithful that if they are being bothered by a spirit, “the best thing to do is not to be be frightened. Pray for them because they are asking for help. We, the living, can help them. Prayer is powerful so you pray for others not only for yourself.”