MANILA (UCAN): The Archdiocese of Manila has begun construction of the Saint Michael Centre for Spiritual Liberation and Exorcism, Asia’s first-ever exorcism centre to address what it says is a growing number of possessions in the Philippines and to train budding exorcists in the region.
Building work on the centre began on June 6 in the capital’s business district of Makati.
“This religious structure will be the first of its kind in Asia, if not the world. The centre will house the Archdiocese of Manila Commission on Extraordinary Phenomena, the Ministry of Exorcism Office, the Ministry on Visions and Phenomena Office, and will serve as the headquarters of the Philippine Association of Catholic Exorcists [PACE],” the archdiocese said in a Facebook post.
PACE is a group of Catholic exorcist priests that falls under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and is affiliated with the International Association of Exorcists based in Rome.
Father Jose Francisco Syquia, the archdiocese’s chief exorcist, is overseeing the construction of the centre.
“This centre will minister to those in bondage to the devil who are therefore the poorest of the poor and are usually overlooked,” he said.
Father Syquia said that a rising number of demonic possession cases was the impetus for the archdiocese to build the centre.
“We’ve had a sharp increase in cases in the past three to five years,” he wrote in a 2021 article without giving an estimated number.
The centre will include a chapel dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Christ, named as the Our Lady of the Angels.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
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The ground-breaking ceremony for the centre took place on May 17 with Jose Cardinal Advincula of Manila, together with Father Syquia in attendance.
It is hoped the facility will attract priests from across Asia to study and to train how to be exorcists.
“This is a first in Asia. This is not just a centre for those who want to be exorcised but for those who want to experience God’s love and healing,” Father Joem Afable from Sorsogon, said.
