True liberation is spiritual event

On behalf of CU's Communion and Liberation group, I write to reflect on a recent campus lecture.

On Oct. 26, St. John's Catholic Newman Center invited authorized Catholic exorcist Father Vince Lampert to speak at Foellinger Auditorium. Approximately 1,600 people filled the seats to hear him speak of his experiences.

The talk raised two important issues.

First, some came to find greater evidence that the supernatural exists. However, as Lampert explained, "full possession is very rare" and so, whether its reality is convincing or not, it's not observable to the typical person.

This raises the most important question that Christians face: How do Christians verify with reason and experience the beliefs that they hold? Verification comes not from flying objects in a room, but the new or magnified humanity we experience when we follow Christ as well as recognizing his presence daily. This point cannot be emphasized enough, for without verifying this new humanity and his presence there is no reason to believe in Christ.

Secondly, exorcism seeks bodily liberation from a fallen angel. The possibility of something taking control of our body is, indeed, scary and the possibility of a remedy is consoling. But is that the limit to our want for liberation?

A more pressing issue is finding a solution to the infinite needs and desires we have in our hearts. Who cares about being possessed if you can't find ultimate satisfaction of the heart? Our hope for those who heard Lampert is that they ask: What will give me true liberation?

Father ANTHONY CO

St. John's Newman Center

Champaign