Bishop José Trinidad Zapata Ortiz, head of the newly established Pastoral Care of Consolation and the Ministry of Exorcism (DEPAC) for the Mexican Bishops’ Conference, has warned that a lack of mature, committed faith is driving many Catholics toward esoteric practices.

“We are in need of a mature, committed, and convinced faith,” the bishop of Papantla told ACI Prensa. He lamented that “many of our parishioners who are baptized do not live out their faith in an orthodox manner” and instead seek solutions to their difficulties in “spiritist practices or other types — satanic ones, or the so-called ‘Santa Muerte.’”

Zapata emphasized that the Christian life is not a victorious path devoid of pain or problems, but rather a journey following the Lord. He noted that when there is total trust in God, difficulties are seen as opportunities for greater good.

New Pastoral Ministry Addresses Spiritual Suffering

The Mexican bishops established DEPAC during their November 2025 general assembly, recognizing the “growing need to address situations of spiritual, moral, and physical suffering that may have a malevolent origin.” The ministry supports exorcists and provides comprehensive pastoral care, focusing on consolation rather than solely on extraordinary demonic action.

Zapata stressed that all priests must listen to their faithful and receive proper formation in theology, spirituality, and morality to discern between divine, human, and diabolical influences.

The Devil’s Ordinary Action

The bishop clarified that while demonic possession is rare — occurring in about one in a million cases — the devil’s ordinary action through temptation is far more common and destructive. “The devil can’t do what God doesn’t permit Him to do, and what we don’t permit Him to do,” Zapata said, urging Catholics to assume personal responsibility.

DEPAC has already organized spiritual exercises and training for priests, with further sessions scheduled for July 2025, involving lay experts such as physicians and psychologists.

Qualities of an Exorcist Priest

Zapata emphasized that an exorcist priest must be grounded in doctrine, upright, transparent, and honest. “This is not a matter of having a charism; it’s a matter of a mandate issued by the bishop to a priest whom he sees has the qualities for this,” he said. Key attributes include being Eucharistic, Marian, and dedicated to caring for the sick.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa and adapted by EWTN News.