On Wednesday, the Archdiocese of Washington removed Father Stephen Rossetti from his position as exorcist due to his public statements claiming that unidentified flying objects (UFOs) are demonic in nature. From now on, the only demons he will have to contend with are his own.
The decision to revoke the decree was made by the Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Robert McElroy. He emphasized that Rossetti’s statements contradict the official doctrine of the Catholic Church.
According to The New York Times, the archbishop emphasized in his statement that Rossetti’s attempts to link UFOs to demonic activity, as well as his recent posts on social media, are causing serious harm to the Church’s clear teachings on the devil, evil spirits, and the rite of exorcism.
A threat from the sky
Stephen Rossetti is an ordained priest, a licensed psychologist, and the author of several books detailing his experiences with exorcism. This time, however, his public reflections went too far.
During his live streams on Facebook and YouTube, he told viewers about the “dangers” of UFO sightings and speculated on their demonic undertones.
According to The Associated Press, Rossetti said, “As an exorcist, I’ve tried to warn people about this threat. The thing is, demons love to hide. They don’t want to reveal their actions, because they’re much more effective when we don’t even suspect they’re there.”
“I am personally convinced,” added the exorcist, “that a significant portion—and perhaps even the majority—of UFO sightings are actually manifestations of demons.”
Contrary to the doctrine
It is worth noting that the idea that aliens have a demonic origin is becoming increasingly widespread among Christians.
According to Christopher Baglow, director of the Science and Religion Initiative at the University of Notre Dame, the Church does not formally have an official position on the possibility of extraterrestrial life. However, as Baglow explained to the NYT, Rossetti crossed a line by attempting to present his own views as a new doctrine that all Catholic believers are supposedly required to accept.
After his dismissal, a dejected Rossetti reacted in the traditional Catholic spirit: he felt deeply guilty and asked for forgiveness.
“I ask forgiveness for any ways that I have not been faithful to the teachings of the Church’s Magisterium,” said the exorcist in his final statement.
According to CNBC
