November 3, 2020
Michael Biehl
San Francisco
Given the hot, Halloweenish imagery conjured up in the public’s mind by the word “exorcism,” I wonder if the archbishop’s actions might not make him and the church look slightly ridiculous. I’m not gainsaying the appropriateness of the exorcisms in San Rafael and San Francisco, but I’m concerned about the public relations fallout, and public perception is no trivial matter. People might well think the church sees demons behind every door. “What can you expect from something out of the Dark Ages?” I can hear them say. Perhaps there exists a simpler rite of purification of some sort that could serve as an acceptable substitute.
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