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The real exorcist – Perth priest tells us about battling Satan in 50 years of ‘deliverances’

Perth-based Father James MacManus has conducted multiple 'deliverances' in more than 50 years as a priest.

Father James MacManus, standing outside his church, has been casting out evil spirits and demons for more than 50 years. Image: Steve MacDougall.
Perth-based Father James MacManus has been casting out evil spirits and demons for more than 50 years. Image: Steve MacDougall.

Demonic voices, rotating heads, green projectile vomit – exorcism has long been sensationalised in horror films.

But how closely does a real-life exorcism resemble those portrayed in the movies?

Not at all, says Perth-based Father James MacManus. And he, of all people, should know.

Father MacManus is one of the most experienced priests in Scotland when it comes to exorcism – the act of casting out evil spirits from people and places.

Based at St Mary’s Monastery on Kinnoull Hill, he’s performed multiple private “deliverances” over half a century, and has helped to liberate parishioners across the country from demonic forces.

Father James MacManus of St Mary's Monastery, Kinnoull Hill, in between the pews of his church
Father James MacManus of St Mary’s Monastery, Kinnoull Hill, Perth. Image: Steve MacDougall.

Now 85, the Redemptorist priest is still active in his role as an “exorcist”, although he prefers to describe what he does as “deliverance”.

Perth priest comes face to face with real evil as an exorcist

While he’s never encountered spinning-headed parishioners vomiting up green bile and speaking in tongues – as portrayed in films like The Exorcist – he knows he’s come face to face with real evil many times throughout his long career.

His quiet, sometimes silent, prayers, in tandem with the sprinkling of holy water, may not have the glamour or sensation of Hollywood horror films – but he’s certain they have helped rid many people of their demons.

A head and shoulders shot of Father James MacManus, a real-life exorcist based in Perth.
Father James MacManus is a real-life exorcist based in Perth. Image: Steve MacDougall.

I catch up with Father MacManus, who hails from County Fermanagh in Ireland, in a small parlour at the monastery.

His eyes are full of kindness and he has a gentle way about him. He also has a lovely sense of humour.

“I’m very forgetful now,” he apologises, as he launches into a story about his first experience of deliverance when he was working in the Midlands.

“It was a long time ago but this woman was so upset and came to me seeking help,” he recalls.

Detail on the waist area of Father James MacManus's outfit.
Detail on Father James MacManus’s outfit. Image: Steve MacDougall.

“Her husband had to go on long drives on business across Europe and she became convinced he was seeing other women. She was utterly ashamed of herself for even thinking that.

“I said, ‘well, let’s just pray now’. So we prayed, quietly, silently and then I put a hand on her shoulder and said: ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, evil spirit, I command you to leave this child of God and never return’.

“She went off a very happy woman. It had totally gone.

“She realised it was this thing, this evil spirit, the devil, saying these nasty things about her husband.

“But that was my first experience of the need at times for this prayer – the Lord’s own prayer – to cast out evil spirits.”

Ridding places of evil

While Father MacManus hasn’t encountered physical signs of possession (I’m thinking terrifying bangs, furniture being thrown around, beds shaking and people levitating), he has been called out to rid some places of evil.

“People sometimes feel that something bad has gone on in a place,” he reflects.

“I remember being asked to go to this hotel in London and pray because they felt there’d been a disturbance.

“People were experiencing noise, smells and feeling threatened. The prayer cast it out.”

Father James MacManus outside St Mary's Monastery on Kinnoull Hill, Perth.
Father James MacManus outside St Mary’s Monastery on Kinnoull Hill, Perth. Image: Steve MacDougall.

As well as helping people cope with emotional turmoil, Father McManus has stepped in to help those who have become entangled with the occult.

He warns of the dangers of ouija boards, saying they are prone to inviting in evil spirits.  Some people even describe them as a “tool of Satan”.

He recalls dealing with a group of students who had been badly affected by an ouija session at a party – becoming involved with a demonic spirit.

Ouija boards – a ‘tool for Satan’

“They came to me with their concerns, feeling that one girl’s character had changed after the ouija board session.

“She took charge and seemed to have some sort of power over them. They were all upset, angry and frightened of her, and blamed the occult.

“We went into a little room and sat round a table. They were all trembling. We started a prayer of deliverance and they all said they felt much better afterwards. A spirit had entered her.

Father James MacManus warns of the danger of using ouija boards. Image: Shutterstock.
Father James MacManus warns of the danger of using ouija boards. Image: Shutterstock.

“But that’s the problem with fascinations like the occult – when you call these spirits forward, they happily accept the invitation. The ouija board is an evil thing.”

Father McManus acknowledges there are many people, even believers, who don’t accept the existence of the Satanic forces.

He is convinced it’s a reality that does exist.

The Devil is invisible – a spirit. He often puts on shows but he’s a spirit. A spirit who wants to destroy all followers of God.”

Father James MacManus

“Many people who say they’re believers don’t believe in Satan until a crisis comes,” he muses.

“Satan is the devil. There are many demons. Satan’s the boss.

“Our answer is not to be afraid – and to help people not to be afraid. Don’t fear. God protects us.

“We have to be aware there are lots of evil things in the world that don’t like us at all.

“There are hundreds of manifest ways in which the devil can do his work.”

The Devil wants to destroy, says Father James MacManus

How would Father MacManus define the devil? He laughs: “I’m not very good at that!

“The Devil is invisible – a spirit. He often puts on shows but he’s a spirit. A spirit who wants to destroy all followers of God.

“Many people follow the devil consciously – they venerate the devil. There are devil worshippers – groups of them.

“Why are they drawn to that? I couldn’t answer.

Father James MacManus inside St Mary's Monastery on Kinnoull Hill in Perth. Image: Steve MacDougall.
Father James MacManus inside St Mary’s Monastery on Kinnoull Hill in Perth. Image: Steve MacDougall.

“I can only say that if they’re not in tune with God in some way, they’ll be inflicted by something else.”

So what can we do to combat such evil, if, as Father MacManus says, it’s all around us, waiting to creep in to our lives given half a chance.

Power of prayer

He strongly believes in the power of prayer. “Many Christians have forgotten about prayer. You need to be living a spiritual life, not just a physical life, and then the holy spirit is with you.

“It’s most important that people make themselves more aware of evil-doing every day.

“Many people don’t realise they have authority themselves to cast evil things out if they believe in God.”

People sit in the pews of a church
Father MacManus believes in the power of prayer, whether in private or in a church. Image: Shutterstock.

But not everyone who asks for deliverance, or exorcism – or “this kind of prayer”, in Father MacManus’s words – is molested by the devil.

Some blame it on the devil, he says, when, in fact, they might be responsible themselves.

Therein lies the problem. Is it a mental health issue, or is something more sinister at work?

“When you are dealing with someone who is very troubled, it’s only when you have exhausted all other means that you consider a demonic spirit could be blocking their route to God and happiness,” muses Father MacManus.

Perth priest has performed many deliverances

“I’ve performed many deliverances, helping people with no obvious reasons for their extreme unhappiness, guilt, ill-feeling or distress.

“Evil spirits can take advantage of a person’s grief or bad feelings and move in when they have the chance.”

Some regard ouija boards, puctured, as a 'tool of Satan'.
Some regard ouija boards as a ‘tool of Satan’. Image: Jon Santa Cruz/Shutterstock.

Father MacManus, also a prolific author who has published 15 books, cites another chilling example of an evil spirit taking over a person.

“Her father had her consecrated as a wee girl to the devil – he handed her over to the devil,” he explains.

“He was a religious person but he’d lost his faith. As far as I know, this thing is still in her.”

Public exorcisms can be controversial

An official public exorcism, as often portrayed in movies, involves top-level theological approval, in consultation with doctors and mental health experts.

According to tradition, the rite is conducted in a church and the exorcist then commands Satan to leave the victim.

The traditional symptoms of possession in these more extreme cases include the person speaking in tongues or boasting supernatural strength and knowledge.

Evil spirits can take advantage of a person’s grief or bad feelings and move in when they have the chance.”

Father MacManus

But signs of smaller-scale demonic involvement can include symptoms as subtle as unexplainable grief, torment and distress.

The smaller, private exorcisms involve Father MacManus saying a “deliverance prayer” to banish the evil spirit.

“You do not see the evil spirit departing from the person,” he explains. “You see the person who has been set free of the evil spirit relaxing in peace and gratitude to God.”

Presence of a bad spirit?

Having just seen a friend’s post on Facebook about strange ghostly “orbs” spotted in photos taken in her new home, I feel compelled to ask Father MacManus’s advice.

She’s worried they could indicate the presence of a bad spirit and that her house is haunted – but a quick Google reveals they could simply be a sign from a deceased loved one, or simply dust particles.

A supernatural concept of floating orbs of light in a deserted house. Image: Shutterstock.
A supernatural concept of floating orbs of light. Image: Shutterstock.

“It could certainly be a spiritual thing,” he reasons. “Just the other day I visited a lady who was seeing these sort of orbs. She also thought things were looking at her.

“It could well have been some sort of evil manifestation, but she was extremely upset and has been for a very long time.

“I was able to help, but to have a real impact would take time and I don’t think she wants to try again.

“I prayed with her, and all her crying evaporated. She was very peaceful when I left but she’s in a difficult situation.”

Could he help my friend, I ask? he nods.

“Oh yes. I’d just shake some holy water on the wall, say a little prayer and banish it. I would know it’s gone – if it is a spirit. It may be in her imagination and that’s part of the problem.”

No degree in exorcism!

In terms of training, Father MacManus jokes that “you can’t get a degree in exorcism!”.

But there are courses run on the very subject – and he attended one in Rome last year, alongside 400 fellow priests, all with experience of deliverance or exorcism.

The Vatican, meanwhile, also runs an annual exorcism course, with priests learning how to tell the difference between demonic possession and mental illness, and finding out more about the rituals behind expelling demons.

A view of St Peter's Square in the Vatican.
A view of St Peter’s Square in the Vatican. Image: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini.

“It’s about looking at how to help somebody who’s totally paralysed or suffering in one way or another,” says Father MacManus.

“You can only learn exorcism, and you learn by listening to other people’s experiences.

“Go back 40 or 50 years and there was very little interest in the devil.

“But in the last 20 years, churches have been making sure they have members who can do deliverances and help people become free from any kind of attachment to evil spirits.

A scene from The Exorcist, 1973, in which a young girl, played by Linda Blair, is possessed by a demon.
A scene from The Exorcist, 1973, in which a young girl, played by Linda Blair, is possessed by a demon. Image: Supplied.

“Churches try to make sure there are lay men and women who feel confident enough to do these exorcisms, to do this ministry.

“They want to encourage every believer to know they’re capable of helping somebody who has that kind of manifestation; they don’t have to be in the clergy ranks.”

Exorcism in films

With the release of a raft of exorcism-themed films on the cards, what does Father MacManus make of such sensationalist drama?

“A lot of it is Hollywood myth and fantasy,” he smiles. “I’ve never seen creatures with red horns and spiked tails or anything like that.

“I did see The Exorcist. It was, I believe, based on a true event. But the film had to use its own interpretation and leave out all the prayers and so on.”

A possessed girl levitates above her bed as two priests perform an exorcism in a scene from The Exorcist, 1973.
A scene from The Exorcist, 1973. Image: Hoya Productions.

Father MacManus moved from Ireland to Perth in 1956.

He had been studying with the Presentation Brothers (an international Roman Catholic Congregation of religious brothers) in Cork in the desire to become a Brother.

Aged 16, he decided he wanted to be a missionary priest.

“I talked to my parish priest about this desire and he encouraged me to join the Redemptorists,” he recalls.

“So I did. That was 68 years ago.”

Russell Crowe holds up a crucifix in a scene from The Pope's Exorcist.
Russell Crowe starred in The Pope’s Exorcist.
  • The Exorcism, starring Russell Crowe, is due to be released on June 7. The actor also starred in the 2023 film The Pope’s Exorcist.
  • The Exorcist was released in December 1973. The film, directed by William Freidkin, and based on William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel, follows the demonic possession of a young girl and her mother’s attempt to rescue her through an exorcism by two Catholic priests.
  • Veteran horror director Mike Flanagan is in talks to direct the next Exorcist film, The Exorcist: Deceiver. He would take over from David Green Gordon, who directed and co-wrote The Exorcist: Believer, which bombed in 2023.
  • Father MacManus is based at St Mary’s Monastery, Kinnoull.

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