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Spatium, issue 5, September 1949

Page 13

SPATIUM                  FEATURE
INTERESTING INTELLIGENCE
   CONCERNING OBSESSION
Column One
   The following is a report realeased by the National Catholic Welfare Conference News Service.
   WASHINGTON (NC) A 14-year-old boy, described flippantly in newspapers last week as having been  "haunted", was actually tormented by devils, NCWC News Service learned.
   A priest drove out the deamons after the afflicted youngster had taken instructions in the Catholic Faith and been baptized, it was learned.
   The boy came into the Church with the consent of his parents, non-Catholics, who had tried and failed to find in other quarters somebody to help their son.
   The priest, using the Church's ritual of exorsism, drove out the devils and put a stop to the weird manifestations, which included frightening noises and mysterious movements.
   The priest, when reached by NCWC New Service, refused to discuss the case. The name of the boy, at the request of the parents, has been kept secret by all concerned.
   The case was made public by RICHARD C. DARNELL, PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY FOR PARAPSYCHOLOGY, and was published by newspapers with derisive implications about "h'ants."
   DARNELL, HOWEVER, WHILE AFMITTING THAT NEITHER HE NOR A NON-CATHOLIC CLERGYMAN SUMMONED BY THE FAMILY HAD BEEN ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE MANIFESTATIONS, DID NOT TREAT THEM LIGHTLY.
   He defined parapsychology as "a border-line science concerned with extra sensory perception and other paranormal psychic phenomena."
   He said a report on the boy had been sent to DR. J.P. RHINE, DIRECTOR OF THE PARAPSYCHOLOGY LABORATORY AT DUKE UNIVERSITY. DR. RHINE, HE SAID, CALLED THE CASE:
"ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE THAT HAS COME TO HIS ATTENTION."
   The case was eloquent of the fact that in modern world, despite its scientific and technological advances, the Catholic Church alone understands the activities of devils on earth and has the power to over come them.
COLUMN TWO
   Darnell said the strange manifestations began in January soon after the death of an aunt of the boy and ended about Easter time.
   Darnell apparently did not know of the exorsism. He told reporters that he could offer no explanation of either the beginning or the end of the lad's affliction.
   Darnell submitted the following Account of the case to the Society for Parapsychology:
   The family reported that unexplainable scratchings had been heard from the ceilings and walls of their home, which noises appeared to follow the boy around, and furniture had been mysteriously moved.
   "They said at night when their son retired, his bed was shaken so violently that he could not sleep. This disturbance continued at times until 3 or 4 a.m.
   "So that he might observe the alleged phenomena under conditions which would permit careful examination, the clergyman obtained permission of the parents to have the boy spend a night at his home.
   "During the course of the night, he witnessed two unusual manifestations which apprently could not have been produced by the boy or be due to other normal causes.
   "When the boy first retired at the minister's home, the bed shook so violently that he was unable to sleep, He got up and sat in a heavy armchair with his feet on the chair and his knees drawn up under his chin.
   "While the clergyman stood over him, watching, the heavy chair tilted to one side and fell over, throwing the lad upon the floor.
   "The minister subsequently attempted to overturn the chair while sitting in it himself. He was unable to do so when in the same position as the boy, and only managed to tilt the chair by bracing his feet on the floor and swinging his weight heavily to one side.
   "Further attempts of the boy to sleep in the bed were interrupted by
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SPATIUM FEATURE INTERESTING INTELLIGENCE CONCERNING OBSESSION Column One The following is a report realeased by the National Catholic Welfare Conference News Service. WASHINGTON (NC) A 14-year-old boy, described flippantly in newspapers last week as having been "haunted", was actually tormented by devils, NCWC News Service learned. A priest drove out the deamons after the afflicted youngster had taken instructions in the Catholic Faith and been baptized, it was learned. The boy came into the Church with the consent of his parents, non-Catholics, who had tried and failed to find in other quarters somebody to help their son. The priest, using the Church's ritual of exorsism, drove out the devils and put a stop to the weird manifestations, which included frightening noises and mysterious movements. The priest, when reached by NCWC New Service, refused to discuss the case. The name of the boy, at the request of the parents, has been kept secret by all concerned. The case was made public by RICHARD C. DARNELL, PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY FOR PARAPSYCHOLOGY, and was published by newspapers with derisive implications about "h'ants." DARNELL, HOWEVER, WHILE AFMITTING THAT NEITHER HE NOR A NON-CATHOLIC CLERGYMAN SUMMONED BY THE FAMILY HAD BEEN ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE MANIFESTATIONS, DID NOT TREAT THEM LIGHTLY. He defined parapsychology as "a border-line science concerned with extra sensory perception and other paranormal psychic phenomena." He said a report on the boy had been sent to DR. J.P. RHINE, DIRECTOR OF THE PARAPSYCHOLOGY LABORATORY AT DUKE UNIVERSITY. DR. RHINE, HE SAID, CALLED THE CASE: "ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE THAT HAS COME TO HIS ATTENTION." The case was eloquent of the fact that in modern world, despite its scientific and technological advances, the Catholic Church alone understands the activities of devils on earth and has the power to over come them. COLUMN TWO Darnell said the strange manifestations began in January soon after the death of an aunt of the boy and ended about Easter time. Darnell apparently did not know of the exorsism. He told reporters that he could offer no explanation of either the beginning or the end of the lad's affliction. Darnell submitted the following Account of the case to the Society for Parapsychology: The family reported that unexplainable scratchings had been heard from the ceilings and walls of their home, which noises appeared to follow the boy around, and furniture had been mysteriously moved. "They said at night when their son retired, his bed was shaken so violently that he could not sleep. This disturbance continued at times until 3 or 4 a.m. "So that he might observe the alleged phenomena under conditions which would permit careful examination, the clergyman obtained permission of the parents to have the boy spend a night at his home. "During the course of the night, he witnessed two unusual manifestations which apprently could not have been produced by the boy or be due to other normal causes. "When the boy first retired at the minister's home, the bed shook so violently that he was unable to sleep, He got up and sat in a heavy armchair with his feet on the chair and his knees drawn up under his chin. "While the clergyman stood over him, watching, the heavy chair tilted to one side and fell over, throwing the lad upon the floor. "The minister subsequently attempted to overturn the chair while sitting in it himself. He was unable to do so when in the same position as the boy, and only managed to tilt the chair by bracing his feet on the floor and swinging his weight heavily to one side. "Further attempts of the boy to sleep in the bed were interrupted by PAGE -( 13 )- please turn to page 14.