DISCLAIMER: The following texts, rules, guidelines, and prayers are extracted from the Catholic Handbook of Deliverance Prayers (Revised Edition) by Fr. Jose Francisco C. Syquia, Head of the Commission on Extraordinary Phenomena for the Archdiocese of Manila. This document is not intended to plagiarize Fr. Syquia’s work but to share its message with the Catholic faithful who seek liberation from demonic influence. To obtain a copy of the handbook, you may purchase it from St. Pauls bookstore nationwide or order it online through this link.


SOME GENERAL RULES FOR DISCERNMENT OF A PLACE

  1. Try to eliminate first and foremost all natural explantions for the paranormal occurrences in the place. 
  2. Interview more than one witness to gain a more objective view of the occurrences; also two or more witnesses to the paranormal manifestations give more reliability that what is occurring is not something merely psychological. 
  3. Answer the following questions. A positive answer to these question would give greater credibility that one is dealing with an infestation and will also help in determining how to proceed:
    • Did any occult/spiritist/pagan activity occur within the vicinity recently? Examples are feng shui, witchcraft, sorcery, spellcasting, spirit questing, seance, and padugo? 
    • Did a tragedy like death or murder occur recently within the vicinity? 
    • Did a tragedy like death or murder occur recently within the vicinity? 
    • Did someone just arrive in the place? If yes, check whether he is or was involved in occult/animist/spiritist activities. 
    • Was there something new added to the place? Like an antique mirror, old painting, "good luck" figurine, New Age crystals and stones or pagan god statue? They could have evil spirits attached to them. 
    • Was there a tampering or renovating of the place or the surrounding area recently? Examples would be the cutting of old large trees around the place and cleaning out the basement or attic. Territoria fallen angels in nature commonly known as "elementals" could be reacting. 
    • Did any traumatic event occur recently within the vicinity? Examples are physica violence and rape. 
    • Did any sinful activity occur recently? Examples are drug sessions and homosexual encounters. 
    • Had the residents quarreled or had a misunderstanding with someone who has access to witchcraft/sorcery? 
  4. It would also be good to check the history of the place; what was the place before the dwelling was constructed? A mass graveyard during the war? A place which was forested and known to be infested with "elementals"? A positive answer to these questions would give greater credibility that one is dealing with an infestation. 
  5. If it has been discovered that the infestation is connected with a person living in the house or place, he must be addressed first. It has happened that when the evil spirits attached to a person had been expelled, all paranormal activity in the place also ended. 
  6. After the interview, make a plan of action for the residents which would include:
    • If present, all ongoing sinful/occult/animist activities must be stopped. 
    • If present, all occult and infested objects like Ouija boards, amulets, talismans, good-luck figurines, and pagan god statues must be disposed of. 
    • The persons residing in the place, if they have taken part in these sinful/occult/animist activities, must confess them to a Priest and also renounce them three times in front of the Blessed Scrament if the are occult/animist in nature. 
    • The persons residing in the place must prepare and protect themselves spiritually before the deliverance of the place. 
      • Mas if offered for their protection and for the liberation of the place. 
      • Confession of all to be in the state of grace and therefore protected. 
      • Daily communal/family Rosary to seek the intercession and protection of Mama Mary. 
      • Marian consecration of the entire community/family. 
      • Wearing personal sacramentals lke the St. Benedict's medal and the Scapular. 
      • For each person: using Holy Water on oneself before going to bed and placing exorcized salt around the perimeters of the bedroom(s).
    • The inhabitants also prepare the following for the scheduled deliverance/blessing: water, rock salt, and candles (for the blessing) ; they ay add a number of religious statues, medals, pictures, and crucfixes to be blessed during the session and placed around the place after the deliverance and blessing. 

GUIDELINES FOR THE DELIVERANCE SESSION

NOTE: A PRIEST AND A TRAINED TEAM ARE ASSUMED TO BE MINISTERING THE HOUSE DELIVERANCE AND BLESSING.
  1. The team prepares a Mass kit (if there is the decision to celebate Mass), a thurible including charcoal and incense (if there is the decision to use incense), a book of blessings, a manual of deliverance prayers, and the sacramentals to be used. A Mass is recommended for serious cases of infestation. 
  2. If a Mass is celebrated, begin with it. Offer it for everone's protection and for the blessing and deliverance of the place from all demonic forces.
  3. After the Mass, bless the water, rock salt, candles, and incense. Bless also all religious statues, crucifixes, pictures, and medals that have not yet been blessed. 
  4. Begin the deliverance of the place with prayers to the Holy spirit for guidance and strength for the whole team. You may use one's own words. 
  5. Call upon the protection of Mama Mary for all those present as we as for everyone's loved ones and possessions. You may use one's own words. 
  6. Call upon the intercesion and assistance of all the saints and the angels, especially Saint Michael. You may also use one's own words.
  7. With a Crucifix in one hand, pray the Prayer of Pope Leo XIII, which is very effective against infesting spirits, or any other deliverance prayer. 
  8. Then start to move around the house or place, going from room to room; prayers of deliverance (you may pick one of the deliverance prayers fround in this handbook but adapt them for a place) are prayed in each of the rooms of the house. While the prayers are being said, sprinkle the surroundings with Holy Water. The rite for each room concludes by calling upon the Holy Spirit and the warrior angels to reside and protect the newly delivered location.
  9. Another person sprinkles the exorcised salt around the perimeters of the room, on the windowsills (this is also to prevent evil spirits from the outside to enter into the place, especially at night), and doorways. 
  10. Incense the room after exorcised salt has been sprinkled. The use of incense is optional. 
  11. It would help to establish the precise locations of the paranormal disturbances so that more deliverance prayers are directed there and more sacramentals are place there (ex. a particular room, corner, or furniture). To assist the priest in locating these areas of infestation, the residents should prepare beforehand a list of the precise spots where paranormal activities were seen to have occured. Charismatic individuals who are sensitive to evil spirits are also very helpful in determining these locations. 
  12. Know the preferences of the evil entities within a home or place and focus deliverance prayers and the use of the sacramentals on these locations:
    • Areas which are smelly and dirty like toilets, garbage areas, and the like;
    • Darkly lit rooms and corners;
    • Damp and unoccupied areas of the house or place such as bodegas, attics, unoccupied rooms, and the basement. 
  13. After all the rooms have been cleansed, the blessing of the house or place follows. Use the standard ritual for blessing of places.
  14. After the blessing, a consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary is done. The residents must be the ones who pray the consecratory prayers. 
  15. Finally, a thanksgiving prayer is made to God, Mama Mary, the Saints, and the Angels. 

AFTER DELIVERANCE SESSION

  1. The residents of the place should start to develop their spiritual life as well have time for prayers in common such as the Rosary and the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy.
  2. They also have to remember that sin is the greatest opening for the demonic to enter into their home/place and sanctity is the greatest protection. The residents, therefore, strive to live lives pleasing to God. 

INFESTATION OF AN OBJECT
NOTE: INSTRUCTION FOR PRIESTS

  • Included among infested objects are amulets, talismans, good luck charms, New Age stones and crystals, wands, objects used in hexing and cursing, and idolatrous statues and objects.
  • They must be sprinkled with Holy Water while a prayer of deliverance is made over them.
  • If they an be burne, burn them. While the object is burning, one prays the Our Father. Afterwards, the ashes are thrown outdoor running water like in a river.
  • If they cannot be burned, after the deliverance prayer, they are thrown in outdoor running water. Make sure that they are thrown in an area where they would not be found.
  • Do not forget to wash one's hands with Holy Water after hanling such objects.
  • How does one deal with infested objects of nature such as tree or mound of earth where "elementals" have been seen to dwell? Here are the steps to follow:
    • Call upon the protection of Mama Mary for oneself, one's loved ones, and also one's possessions.
    • Call upon the intercession and assitance of all the Saints and the angels, especially Saint Michael. With a Crucifix in one hand, pray a deliverance prayer over the object.
    • Sprinkle Holy Water and exorcised salt on the object and the surrounding area.
    • If appropriate, you may afterwards place a sacramental on the object such as St. Benedict's medal or a crucifix (blessed, of course)