Post by MoMo on Mar 4, 2012 15:01:56 GMT -6
Most of the information regarding "Roland Doe" and the events surrounding his alleged possession and exorcism comes from a diary kept by the attending priest, Fr. Raymond Bishop. At the time of the alleged events (circa mid-1949) several newspaper articles printed anonymous reports. These were later traced back to the family's former clergyman, Reverend Luther Miles Schulze. The pseudonym "Roland Doe" was assigned by the Catholic Church to the boy in question. Roland has no memory of being possessed.
Thomas Allen released his book Possessed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of The Exorcist. The book is based on two sources; Bishop's diary, and the testimony of Rev. Walter H. Halloran. Halloran was one of the last surviving eyewitnesses of the events, and someone who participated in the exorcism. Halloran has noted on many occasions that he, Fr. Bowdern, and Fr. Bishop all believe the case to be an actual case of possession.
Author Mark Opsasnick investigated these events and spoke to people involved in the case — including several people close to Roland and his family, other priests in their parish, a source at the hospital mentioned in the claims, Thomas Allen and Father Halloran. In his article Opsasnick describes the inconsistencies he found in the reports and other testimonies which he claims brings into question the veracity of the claims as reported in Allen's book, especially the more fantastic and supernatural claims, such as the claim that Mannheim spoke languages he couldn't know. According to Opsasnick, Father Halloran admitted that he thought Roland had merely mimicked Latin words he heard the clergymen speak. Opsasnick concludes, "Those involved saw what they were trained to see".
EARLY LIFE
Roland was born into a German Lutheran Christian family. During the 1940s the family lived in Cottage City, Maryland. According to Allen, Roland was an only child and depended upon adults in his household for playmates, primarily his Aunt Harriet. His aunt, who was a spiritualist, introduced Roland to the Ouija board when he expressed interest in it. When Roland was thirteen his aunt died in St. Louis. Several books suppose that Roland tried to contact his deceased aunt via Ouija board.
EXORCISM
According to Allen's book, supernatural activity began soon after Aunt Harriet's death. This includes the sound of squeaky and marching feet as well as other strange noises. Furniture moved on its own accord, and ordinary objects, including a vase, allegedly flew or levitated. A container of holy water placed near him smashed to the ground. Nine priests and thirty-nine other witnesses signed the final ecclesiastical papers documenting Roland's experience.
The frightened family turned to their Lutheran clergyman, Rev. Luther Miles Schulze, for help. According to a report made by Reverend Schulze to The Evening Star, a Washington D.C. newspaper, the boy was examined by both medical and psychiatric doctors, who could offer no explanation for these disturbing events taking place. Reverend Schulze arranged for the boy to spend the night of February 17 in his home in order to observe him. The boy slept near the minister in a twin bed and the minister reported that in the dark he heard vibrating sounds from the bed and scratching sounds on the wall. During the rest of the night he allegedly witnessed some strange events, a heavy armchair in which the boy sat seemingly tilted on its own and tipped over and a pallet of blankets on which the sleeping boy lay inexplicably moved around the room and slapped people in the face. Schulze concluded that there was evil at work in Roland, and a Lutheran rite exorcism would be performed on Roland.
According to the traditional story, the boy then underwent an exorcism under auspices of the Anglican (Episcopal) Church. After this, the case was referred to Rev. Edward Hughes, a Roman Catholic priest, who, after examining the boy at St. James Church, conducted an exorcism on Roland at Georgetown University Hospital, a Jesuit institution.
During the exorcism, the boy inflicted a wound upon the pastor that required stitches. As a result, the exorcism ritual was stopped and the boy went home to be with his family, where strange welts on the boy's body led to desperation. The family then proceeded to take the train to St. Louis. While they were in the city, Roland's cousin contacted one of his professors at St. Louis University, Rev. Raymond J. Bishop, SJ, who in turn, spoke to Rev. William S. Bowdern, an associate of College Church. Together, both vicars visited Roland in his relatives' home, where they noticed his aversion to anything sacred, a shaking bed, flying objects, and Roland speaking in a guttural voice. Rev. Bowdern sought permission from the archbishop to have the plaguing demons cast out from the boy. Permission for Bowdern to perform the exorcism in secret was granted by archbishop, with the requirement that a detailed diary be kept.
Before the exorcism ritual began, Rev. Walter Halloran was called to the psychiatric wing of the hospital, where he was asked to assist Rev. Bowdern. Rev. William Van Roo, a third Jesuit priest, was also there to assist. Rev. Halloran stated that during this scene words such as "evil" and "hell", along with other various marks, appeared on the teenager's body. Moreover, Roland broke Rev. Halloran's nose during the process. The exorcism ritual was performed thirty times over several weeks. When the final exorcism was complete witnesses reported loud noise going off throughout the hospital.
After the exorcism was over, the family was no longer troubled, and moved back to their home. The boy went on to become a successful, happily married man, a father and grandfather.
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
Certain aspects of this story have come under dispute. Mark Opsasnick claims that he found no evidence that Father Hughes ever attempted to exorcise the boy, nor that he received a slash or injury at that time. In addition, Father Halloran himself allegedly told Opsasnick that he did not hear the boy's voice change and that he didn't check the boy's fingernails and see if he made the marks himself. In addition, a friend of Roland allegedly told Opsasnick that the "supernatural" events were exaggerated and that the spitting and bed shaking could be explained logically.[33] Joe Nickell, another investigative journalist/contributor from Strange Magazine, claims that the reliably reported events were not beyond the abilities of a normal teenaged boy.
Over the decades, psychiatric explanations for the boy's experiences have been proposed, including dissociative identity disorder, Tourette's syndrome, schizophrenia, sexual abuse, and group hysteria. Terry D. Cooper, Ph.D., a psychologist, as well as Cindy K. Epperson, a doctoral fellow at the University of Missouri, analyzed the case and came to the conclusion that normal psychological explanations cannot account for the claimed events. Together they wrote a book on the subject called Evil: Satan, Sin, and Psychology.
Gilles de la Tourette's Syndrome, one of the proposed causes of the boy's symptoms, is a neurochemical muscular movement/tic disease, causing involuntary symptoms of vocalizations and movements ("tics") such as twitching, leaping, screaming, making various noises and/or involuntary use of foul language. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, another explanation for the boy's troubles, involves repetition of tasks, extremely impulsive behavior and obsession with ideas. The doctors who examined Roland allegedly found no evidence of any illness or demonstration of any classical symptoms.
Mark Opsasnick concluded (after alleged interviews with close friends of the boy) that the boy was simply a spoiled, disturbed bully who threw deliberate tantrums to get attention and to get out of school.
Thomas Allen released his book Possessed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of The Exorcist. The book is based on two sources; Bishop's diary, and the testimony of Rev. Walter H. Halloran. Halloran was one of the last surviving eyewitnesses of the events, and someone who participated in the exorcism. Halloran has noted on many occasions that he, Fr. Bowdern, and Fr. Bishop all believe the case to be an actual case of possession.
Author Mark Opsasnick investigated these events and spoke to people involved in the case — including several people close to Roland and his family, other priests in their parish, a source at the hospital mentioned in the claims, Thomas Allen and Father Halloran. In his article Opsasnick describes the inconsistencies he found in the reports and other testimonies which he claims brings into question the veracity of the claims as reported in Allen's book, especially the more fantastic and supernatural claims, such as the claim that Mannheim spoke languages he couldn't know. According to Opsasnick, Father Halloran admitted that he thought Roland had merely mimicked Latin words he heard the clergymen speak. Opsasnick concludes, "Those involved saw what they were trained to see".
EARLY LIFE
Roland was born into a German Lutheran Christian family. During the 1940s the family lived in Cottage City, Maryland. According to Allen, Roland was an only child and depended upon adults in his household for playmates, primarily his Aunt Harriet. His aunt, who was a spiritualist, introduced Roland to the Ouija board when he expressed interest in it. When Roland was thirteen his aunt died in St. Louis. Several books suppose that Roland tried to contact his deceased aunt via Ouija board.
EXORCISM
According to Allen's book, supernatural activity began soon after Aunt Harriet's death. This includes the sound of squeaky and marching feet as well as other strange noises. Furniture moved on its own accord, and ordinary objects, including a vase, allegedly flew or levitated. A container of holy water placed near him smashed to the ground. Nine priests and thirty-nine other witnesses signed the final ecclesiastical papers documenting Roland's experience.
The frightened family turned to their Lutheran clergyman, Rev. Luther Miles Schulze, for help. According to a report made by Reverend Schulze to The Evening Star, a Washington D.C. newspaper, the boy was examined by both medical and psychiatric doctors, who could offer no explanation for these disturbing events taking place. Reverend Schulze arranged for the boy to spend the night of February 17 in his home in order to observe him. The boy slept near the minister in a twin bed and the minister reported that in the dark he heard vibrating sounds from the bed and scratching sounds on the wall. During the rest of the night he allegedly witnessed some strange events, a heavy armchair in which the boy sat seemingly tilted on its own and tipped over and a pallet of blankets on which the sleeping boy lay inexplicably moved around the room and slapped people in the face. Schulze concluded that there was evil at work in Roland, and a Lutheran rite exorcism would be performed on Roland.
According to the traditional story, the boy then underwent an exorcism under auspices of the Anglican (Episcopal) Church. After this, the case was referred to Rev. Edward Hughes, a Roman Catholic priest, who, after examining the boy at St. James Church, conducted an exorcism on Roland at Georgetown University Hospital, a Jesuit institution.
During the exorcism, the boy inflicted a wound upon the pastor that required stitches. As a result, the exorcism ritual was stopped and the boy went home to be with his family, where strange welts on the boy's body led to desperation. The family then proceeded to take the train to St. Louis. While they were in the city, Roland's cousin contacted one of his professors at St. Louis University, Rev. Raymond J. Bishop, SJ, who in turn, spoke to Rev. William S. Bowdern, an associate of College Church. Together, both vicars visited Roland in his relatives' home, where they noticed his aversion to anything sacred, a shaking bed, flying objects, and Roland speaking in a guttural voice. Rev. Bowdern sought permission from the archbishop to have the plaguing demons cast out from the boy. Permission for Bowdern to perform the exorcism in secret was granted by archbishop, with the requirement that a detailed diary be kept.
Before the exorcism ritual began, Rev. Walter Halloran was called to the psychiatric wing of the hospital, where he was asked to assist Rev. Bowdern. Rev. William Van Roo, a third Jesuit priest, was also there to assist. Rev. Halloran stated that during this scene words such as "evil" and "hell", along with other various marks, appeared on the teenager's body. Moreover, Roland broke Rev. Halloran's nose during the process. The exorcism ritual was performed thirty times over several weeks. When the final exorcism was complete witnesses reported loud noise going off throughout the hospital.
After the exorcism was over, the family was no longer troubled, and moved back to their home. The boy went on to become a successful, happily married man, a father and grandfather.
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
Certain aspects of this story have come under dispute. Mark Opsasnick claims that he found no evidence that Father Hughes ever attempted to exorcise the boy, nor that he received a slash or injury at that time. In addition, Father Halloran himself allegedly told Opsasnick that he did not hear the boy's voice change and that he didn't check the boy's fingernails and see if he made the marks himself. In addition, a friend of Roland allegedly told Opsasnick that the "supernatural" events were exaggerated and that the spitting and bed shaking could be explained logically.[33] Joe Nickell, another investigative journalist/contributor from Strange Magazine, claims that the reliably reported events were not beyond the abilities of a normal teenaged boy.
Over the decades, psychiatric explanations for the boy's experiences have been proposed, including dissociative identity disorder, Tourette's syndrome, schizophrenia, sexual abuse, and group hysteria. Terry D. Cooper, Ph.D., a psychologist, as well as Cindy K. Epperson, a doctoral fellow at the University of Missouri, analyzed the case and came to the conclusion that normal psychological explanations cannot account for the claimed events. Together they wrote a book on the subject called Evil: Satan, Sin, and Psychology.
Gilles de la Tourette's Syndrome, one of the proposed causes of the boy's symptoms, is a neurochemical muscular movement/tic disease, causing involuntary symptoms of vocalizations and movements ("tics") such as twitching, leaping, screaming, making various noises and/or involuntary use of foul language. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, another explanation for the boy's troubles, involves repetition of tasks, extremely impulsive behavior and obsession with ideas. The doctors who examined Roland allegedly found no evidence of any illness or demonstration of any classical symptoms.
Mark Opsasnick concluded (after alleged interviews with close friends of the boy) that the boy was simply a spoiled, disturbed bully who threw deliberate tantrums to get attention and to get out of school.