The Enlightenment: Just a phase, part XXVI

The Vatican. Not so welcoming to some groups. Others find themselves welcomed with open arms.

At the end of his weekly general audience on Wednesday Pope Benedict greeted Italian exorcists who, he disclosed, are currently having their national convention, presumably in Rome.

The Pope encouraged them to "carry on their important work in the service of the Church."

[...]

A Vatican university announced last Thursday that for the second year running it will hold a course on exorcism and Satanism for Roman Catholic priests.

The course starts next month at the Regina Apostolorum, one of Rome's most prestigious pontifical universities, and this year participants can take it not only in person at the Rome campus but via videoconference from other Italian cities.

This, a university statement said, was because of great interest after last year's course, which was attended by nearly 130 people.

The four-month course, which begins in October, is what the university calls inter-disciplinary. It includes medical, psychological and religious aspects of Satanism and exorcism.