The Exorcist is a horror movie staple for thousands of people but according to the Ryerson Catholic Chaplaincy, the film portrays a rare, but very real, act.

“It was one of the most intensely captivating movies, not necessarily for the best of reasons, but it is a very disturbing movie and very well done,” said Father Jim Roth, representative of Ryerson's Catholic chaplaincy.

Jen Gerson/Ryersonian Staff Father Jim Roth discusses The Exorcist on Halloween night

“And as I'm reading on the whole sense of possession and evil influences and all, is not far from the mark as far as what at least the Catholic Church proclaims can be a possibility with exorcisms. You don't hear much about them, but they're out there.”

About a dozen students gathered at the Ryerson Catholic Chaplaincy Centre Monday night for a viewing of the head-spinning, pea soup-spewing movie. Roth said a prayer before the film because the group was “in a religious house watching what, in many ways, is a sacrilegious movie.” The cozy room, decorated with Halloween bats and skulls as well as paintings of the Virgin Mary, also played host to a discussion about exorcism.

Lisa Santos, vice-president of Ryerson's Catholic Students’ League, said it was timely to discuss exorcism not only because it was Halloween but also because of the popularity of The Exorcism of Emily Rose, a film released last month that is based on the story of a German girl who died during an intense exorcism.

“I think there are definitely questions (about exorcism) especially with the popularity of Emily Rose,” she said before the showing. “I think there's a lot of interest in this sort of battle of good and evil as well. I think people are innately afraid of things, so is there something bigger out there?”

Though The Exorcist is known for its graphic sexual references and use of profanity, Roth said those elements need to be a part of the film for it to be real.

“Evil is ugly, so is the language and so are some of the insinuations and some of the actions in there. I'm certainly not showing it to say, 'let's get excited and let's get evil,' but to attack what's there and focus on the opposite with an eye to the fact that this is in life, too. Anything we see in this film we could probably walk down Yonge Street and get a taste of it within an hour,” he said.

Zico Castello, a fourth-year business management student, had seen The Exorcist before but thought it would be an experience to see it with a large group of people. Though he is Catholic he said he believes psychology gives a more probable explanation for supposed symptoms of possession.

“I believe it is a mental state of being but it is more to do with depression and other areas of psychology than just evil spirits,” he said.

Roth acknowledges that the Catholic Church itself feels it is best to go to science first before resorting to extreme measures such as exorcism. In Rome, the Athenaeum Pontificium Regina Apostolorium offers medical training to exorcists so they can distinguish between psychological illnesses and possession by the Devil.

In September, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged a group of visiting exorcists to continue working in the service of the church. According to Roth, people who are possessed have shown symptoms such as speaking in languages they did not previously know, having superhuman strength and levitation.

Santos hopes holding events like the movie night will introduce more people to the chaplaincy and the CSL.