# Real Priest Exposes Hollywood's Exorcism Myths

> Father Carlos Martins reveals why movie exorcisms misrepresent real Catholic exorcism practices.
- Title: Real Priest Exposes Hollywood's Exorcism Myths · SlashFilm
- Summary: Father Carlos Martins reveals why movie exorcisms misrepresent real Catholic exorcism practices. Real exorcisms focus on spiritual reconciliation, not…
- Keywords: father carlos martins, exorcism, catholic church, the exorcist, real exorcist, holy spirit, demons, spiritual reconciliation, priest, catholic exorcism, entertainment, culture
- Source: SlashFilm — https://slashfilm.com/2290240/real-life-priest-movie-exorcisms
- Author: Devin Meenan
- Published: 2026-10-20T14:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: father carlos martins, exorcism, catholic church, the exorcist, real exorcist, holy spirit, demons, spiritual reconciliation, priest, catholic exorcism, entertainment, culture
## What is a real exorcism?
An exorcism is a process sanctioned by the Catholic Church to remove supernatural evil from a person.

> The idea of a spiritual exorcism, the removal of a supernatural evil from a human being, goes as least as far back as ancient egypt
## Hollywood's exorcism myth
Movies depict exorcisms as supernatural battles between priests and demons, but real exorcisms are spiritual reconciliations.

> An exorcism is not a contest between a priest and a demon. It is an exercise of the authority of jesus christ over a fallen angel
## Real exorcism timeline
A real exorcism process lasts about 18 months and includes weekly sessions, spiritual changes, and sacramental confession.

> An average exorcism case lasts about a year and a half
## Why demons possess
Demons often enter through occult practices or transgressing god's laws governing sexuality.

> Engaging in the occult and transgressing god's law governing the proper use of our sexuality are the most common ways people obtain demons
## Exorcist's role
Exorcists help the possessed person reconcile with god, not fight demons directly.

> The exorcist's job is not to cast out the devil. His job is to find out why the devil is there
## No supernatural powers
Real exorcists have no personal power; their authority comes from christ, not themselves.

> An exorcist has no power of his own. His authority is powerful because it belongs to christ
## Exorcism signs
Three signs indicate demonic possession: impossible knowledge, unknown language, or superhuman strength.

> If a victim possesses knowledge they cannot know, if they speak in a language they do not speak, and/or if they show superhuman strength
## Hollywood vs real exorcisms
Hollywood measures exorcisms by violence; the church measures them by spiritual liberation.

> Hollywood is fascinated by the power of evil. It measures an exorcism by the violence of the confrontation. The church measures it by the liberation of the person
## Exorcism conclusion
Real exorcisms focus on freeing the person from demonic influence to live as a true human.

> The primary goal is to not simply excising the demon, but replacing a relationship with a demon with that of god
## Father Martins' background
Father Carlos Martins is a canadian catholic priest and author of the best-selling book 'the exorcist files'.

> Father martins is the author of best-selling book 'the exorcist files: true stories about the reality of evil and how to defeat it'
## Exorcism process
Exorcisms require careful discernment between natural illness and supernatural causes.

> The catholic church does not operate that way. It is possible to have both mental illness and be demonically afflicted
## Key takeaway

Real exorcisms focus on spiritual reconciliation, not supernatural battles, according to Father Carlos Martins.