DEMONBUSTERS: The top five exorcists of our time

DEMONBUSTERS: The top five exorcists of our time

In an age of hyper-rational materialism and atheistic scientism most educated people feel obliged to scoff at the notion of the supernatural. Such things, they  tell us, are only suitable for entertainment as a kind of adolescent indulgence in escapism. They believe demons and hauntings should be limited to something found on the fiction or sci-fi section. 

I’m reminded of a few of these fun 1980’s era films such as Ghostbusters, Poltergeist and the more recent Van Helsing. In each case the protagonist finds himself or his team with an impossible task of fighting against the ‘undead’ and their supernatural powers of evil (fallen human spirits, demons and vampires) with the merely natural weapons of human ingenuity, technology and cleverness. 

From when I was a kid in the 1980’s to now that I am an adult there has been a cultural shift from seeing this genre of the supernatural as merely fun mythology and legendary anecdotes to true stories. Today many have embraced the fact that spiritual warfare and demonology are worthy subjects of academic study.   

Catholic faith has always taught that we humans are in both worlds, the natural and supernatural. We are called to participate in spiritual warfare. Now, it seems the culture, at large, has finally caught up to the Church. We have a growing group of famous or at least well known exorcists to thanks for that. They have sparked a spiritual awakening and a re-enchantment in the imaginations of the average person.

There are some standouts among this highly educated elite group of exorcists who have discovered that the genre of demonic possession and exorcisms can be found in the non-fiction section at your local Barnes and Nobles. In fact some of them are the authors of such works. Notably, the late cultural icon, Fr. Gabriel Amorth and the esteemed Fr. Chad Ripperger.

So…“When there's something strange in the neighborhood, who ya gonna call?

We don’t need goofy Ghostbusters when what we have had all along are real life DEMONBUSTERS!. 

Top 5 DEMONBUSTERS of Our Time…

1. Fr. Gabriel Amorth was an Italian member of the Society of Saint Paul who wrote two best selling books which give an account of the tens of thousands of exorcisms that he performed: An Exorcist Tells His Story and An Exorcist: More Stories. You may recall Russell Crowe portrayed Amorth in the 2023 supernatural horror film, The Pope's Exorcist. Fr. Amorth, a World War II veteran, passed away in 2016 after he went on to write over 30 books on the subject and became known and respected by Catholics and non-Catholics as an expert exorcist, a real demon-buster. As the founder of International Association of Exorcists, he more than anyone else has given the proper credibility that the subject deserves and is responsible for paving the way for the other exorcists on this list. He said, “We are living in an age when faith is diminishing. If you abandon God, the Devil will take his place’. More about Fr. Gabriel Amorth here.

2. Fr. Chap Ripperger, the 60 year old Doloran Father (member of the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother) spends most of his time as an author and as a trainer of exorcists. He has appeared on many podcasts and has even been a spiritual advisor to members of president Trump's 2024 campaign. His most notable contribution to the cultural awareness of the demonic and of spiritual warfare as a whole is through his 536 page book, Dominion. In it he gives a comprehensive overview of all things related to the topic with an aristotelian/thomistic rigor. He has degrees in Theology and Philosophy and is well versed in psychology. As a stalwart defender of Catholic tradition, he said, “Nothing happens unless God allows it. The demons are on a short rope. They cannot do anything without permission from God." More about Fr. Ripperger here.

2. Msgr. Stephen Rossetti a diocesan priest from the diocese of Syracuse has become known as Chief Exorcist for the Archdiocese of Washington. Before that he served in the USAF (United States Air Force) and achieved the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He is a licensed psychologist and professor at CUA (Catholic University of America). Author of Diary of an American Exorcist and creator of the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal. With his online presence, Msgr. Rossetti has led thousands of lay people to a deeper appreciation of the supernatural and how to discern demonic influence from mental illness. The 73 year old has participated in hundreds of exorcisms and has helped train exorcists in his own diocese and beyond. He was quoted as saying, “Mystics find themselves delighted in being surprised again and again by the many loving manifestations of God . . . ‘Surprise’ is one of the hallmarks of a true manifestation of the divine." More about Msgr. Rosetti here.

4. Fr. Vincent Lampert, the 61 year old is the designated exorcist of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis is very visible online through his mastery of social media. Father Vince received his Master of Divinity degree from the Benedictine monks at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology. He received his exorcist training at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy. He worked with and advised Father Michael Maginot in the famous exorcism of the ‘Demon House’ in Indiana. He has shed light on exorcisms and the influence of demons through the following films, The Rite of Exorcism: Myth, Mystery & Hope (2011) Paranormal Witness (2011-) (episode aired November 20, 2013)Paranormal Declassified: S1E6 “Gateway to Hell” 1/26/2021. His favorite quote is also known as the Jesus Prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner." More about Fr. Lampert here.

5. Fr. Carlos Martins, a former atheist, holds a Master of Arts degree in philosophy from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa. The widely regarded as an expert on exorcism, demonology, and spiritual warfare.  Throughout his almost two decades of ministry, his teaching and work in exorcism have set people free all over the world.  Father Martins, aside from being an exorcist, is also an expert on Catholic saints and their relics. Recently, while on tour for his  Treasures of the Church, a ministry of evangelization that helps people experience God through the relics of the saints, Fr. Martins was accused of touching a girl’s hair and making a joke about flossing with it. This overblown lawfare attack has all but destroyed his reputation. Is this a sign that he is under attack from the many demons he has encountered? The Devil would most likely want to see his podcast called The Exorcist Files, which features reenactments of his exorcism case files come to an end. Fr. Carlos reminds us,"The battle is already won in Christ, even demons must obey and serve God's purpose".   More about Fr. Martins here.