Washington Archdiocese Removes Exorcist Over UFO Demon Claim

A prominent Catholic priest has been removed from his role as an exorcist for the Archdiocese of Washington after publicly stating his belief that many UFO sightings are demonic in nature. Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, announced the decision this week, also severing all affiliation between the archdiocese and the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal, a Washington-based nonprofit founded and led by the priest, Monsignor Stephen Rossetti.

In a statement, Cardinal McElroy said Rossetti’s comments linking UFOs to demonic presence, along with the center’s recent use of social media, gravely undermine the Church’s very precise teaching on the devil, demons, and exorcism. Rossetti, a priest of the Diocese of Syracuse, New York, had served as an exorcist in Washington for 19 years.

The action follows a video Rossetti posted on May 29, in which he discussed UFO sightings and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. In the footage, he stated it was his personal belief that probably many, if not most, of these UFO sightings are in fact demons. He explained that demons can accomplish feats beyond human capability, such as the extreme speeds and maneuvers often...