Here is my commentary on one of Fr Chris Alar’s YouTube shorts. The link to this clip can be found here:

https://youtube.com/shorts/pYAUJLnkZ0E?si=bZRikcED4c4cRIsd

Inasmuch as I love Fr Chris Alar, there are just a couple of points I would need to disagree on here. Yes! I agree that we are in an epic battle against the forces of darkness and that the Church needs to be well equipped to fight this foe. But I do not agree that ‘the reason’ for the Church needing specific authorization from the bishop alongside many other very technical, sometimes all-too finicky requirements in order to be able to engage the task of setting a person free from diabolical oppression, obsession, or most severely, possession, ought to be based on a perceived need to somehow ‘measure up’ to the devil’s standards of “legalism”. Fr Chris Alar makes the point that because the devil is very legalistic, the Church needs to get the authorization of a bishop to conduct exorcisms! Huh? 🤦‍♀️ While the bishop’s authorization may be perceived as essential, the reason for such authorization ought to be based more upon avoiding the pitfalls of leaving such a serious responsibility in the hands of either charlatans or those who are not well-equipped, although I must admit, even though there is such a requirement as a bishop’s authorization, that remains by and large a theoretical framework as there still exists in the contemporary Church, the unfortunate spectre of rogueish charlatan pastors who do not follow protocol and who do neither care much about their patients who need this serious kind of spiritual healing. Moreover, the reasons for promoting a sure, sound, and trustworthy all-round devilerance ministry within the Church should not be based upon what the devil wants, i.e. legalisms to be adhered to but instead it should be based on answering God’s call to do justice mercifully, through meeting the needs of the poor, afflicted, and all who are oppressed by the devil. The Church’s rationale to exorcise should NOT be dependant upon the devil’s warped perception about necessitating anything from us based upon his requirements of legalism because since when is the Church ever answerable to the devil? Shouldn’t the Church’s number one priority be that of earnestly answering God’s commands by putting first in the line of service the welfare of those who are tormented or oppressed by evil in its many guises?