Elinor, Excellent point that exorcism isn't a sacrament, but to say that it isn't a fundamental belief of the Catholic Church would, I think, go a bit far. The office of exorcist was historically one of the four minor orders of the church with exorcist ordination rites going back at least as far as the Fourth Council of Carthage in 398 A…
Elinor, Excellent point that exorcism isn't a sacrament, but to say that it isn't a fundamental belief of the Catholic Church would, I think, go a bit far. The office of exorcist was historically one of the four minor orders of the church with exorcist ordination rites going back at least as far as the Fourth Council of Carthage in 398 AD, and much further when you consider that Carthage was merely formally approving what had already been practiced from time immemorial.
Anytime someone is ordained for a ministry and given formal rites to follow, I think it is safe to assume that such a ministry is considered a foundational part of the Church's function on earth and part of her core belief structure.
Elinor, Excellent point that exorcism isn't a sacrament, but to say that it isn't a fundamental belief of the Catholic Church would, I think, go a bit far. The office of exorcist was historically one of the four minor orders of the church with exorcist ordination rites going back at least as far as the Fourth Council of Carthage in 398 AD, and much further when you consider that Carthage was merely formally approving what had already been practiced from time immemorial.
Anytime someone is ordained for a ministry and given formal rites to follow, I think it is safe to assume that such a ministry is considered a foundational part of the Church's function on earth and part of her core belief structure.