{"id":3904,"date":"2026-07-11T05:06:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T05:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homebuyerrelocation.com\/?p=3904"},"modified":"2026-07-11T05:06:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T05:06:37","slug":"d-c-cardinal-cites-privacy-in-exorcisms-for-firing-priest-who-claimed-ufos-are-demons-in-disguise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homebuyerrelocation.com\/?p=3904","title":{"rendered":"D.C. cardinal cites privacy in exorcisms for firing priest who claimed UFOs are demons in disguise"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, said in a recent interview that the need to keep exorcisms \u201cprivate\u201d justified his firing of a priest who declared in a viral video that UFOs are demons in disguise.<\/p>\n

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Cardinal McElroy told the Catholic News Service that his decision to dismiss Stephen Rossetti last month \u201cwasn\u2019t touching on the question of UFOs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy major objection is that I think the traditional role of an exorcist is a very private one,\u201d the archbishop said in the June 29 interview, published Wednesday. \u201cIt\u2019s a sacred one.\u201d<\/p>\n

His remarks appear to walk back his assertion in a June 3 press release that \u201cstatements made by Monsignor Rossetti linking UFOs to demonic presence\u201d and his \u201crecent use of social media gravely undermine the Church\u2019s very precise teaching on the devil, demons and exorcism.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my personal belief that probably many, if not most, of these UFO sightings are in fact demons,\u201d Monsignor Rossetti said in the May 29 video.<\/p>\n

The footage went viral \u2014 building on the Trump White House\u2019s release of government files on UFOs and Vice President J.D. Vance\u2019s stated belief in a March podcast interview that \u201cthey\u2019re demons anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Published on the website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the cardinal\u2019s interview insisted that exorcism is \u201ca private, within-the-life-of-the-Church ministry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Monsignor Rossetti, a psychologist who teaches pastoral counseling at the Catholic University of America, did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n

In a statement last month, he pledged to continue his exorcism ministry elsewhere, and apologized \u201cfor any ways [he] failed to remain fully obedient to the Magisterium of the Church.\u201d<\/p>\n

Church insiders have been divided on his firing.<\/p>\n

Dawn Eden Goldstein, a theologian and canon lawyer, said Thursday that a priest \u201cacting as a media influencer to showcase his exorcism ministry\u201d betrays the confidentiality people expect.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe cardinal\u2019s statements are fully in line with the unbroken tradition of the Catholic Church, as well as all official documents concerning the ministry of exorcism,\u201d Ms. Goldstein said.<\/p>\n

Others have accused Cardinal McElroy of firing the exorcist for political reasons. They note that the cardinal is an anchor of the church\u2019s progressive wing and outspoken critic of the Trump administration\u2019s mass deportation of illegal immigrants.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if it\u2019s best or common practice for exorcists not to go public, I highly doubt this was Cardinal McElroy\u2019s true motivation for removing Msgr. Rossetti,\u201d Annette Jals, a Catholic laywoman based in Ontario, Canada, posted Wednesday on X. \u201cMy skepticism is based on McElroy\u2019s reputation as a dissenting or erring cleric, versus Rossetti\u2019s orthodoxy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Historically, exorcisms have evolved from Gospel accounts of Jesus Christ driving out demons in public to a more secretive ritual.<\/p>\n

Current church practice treats demonic possession with a level of confidentiality akin to counseling \u2014 but not with the same seriousness as the seal of confession, which results in excommunication for priests who break it.<\/p>\n

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines exorcism as asking \u201cpublicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mike Lewis, a Catholic blogger and former communications official for the U.S. Catholic bishops, cautioned against describing it as a \u201cprivate ministry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s the Church\u2019s terminology,\u201d Mr. Lewis said Thursday. \u201cThat said, Cardinal McElroy\u2019s broader point reflects a longstanding Catholic practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Trump rolls back protections for habitats of endangered species<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, said in a recent interview that the need to keep exorcisms “private” justified his firing of a priest who declared in a viral video that UFOs are demons in disguise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1218,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[107,6],"tags":[896,895],"class_list":["post-3904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local","category-news","tag-robert-mcelroy","tag-stephen-rossetti"],"yoast_head":"\nD.C. cardinal cites privacy in exorcisms for firing priest who claimed UFOs are demons in disguise - Home Buyer Relocation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/homebuyerrelocation.com\/?p=3904\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"D.C. cardinal cites privacy in exorcisms for firing priest who claimed UFOs are demons in disguise - 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