Why did Cdl. McElroy remove the exorcist?
News broke this week that Washington, D.C.'s cardinal abruptly removed the archdiocesan exorcist over comments he had made about aliens.
Monsignor Stephen Rosetti has been the archdiocesan exorcist for 19 years. On May 29th, in a now-deleted video, Rosetti said it was his opinion that "many, if not most" UFO sightings are demonic. It's an opinion similar to that expressed by other exorcists, including Fr. Carlos Martins and Fr. Chad Ripperger.
“There’s a danger here,” Rosetti said. “As an exorcist I wanted to raise that danger. And that is that demons like to hide...They don’t want us to know what they’re doing because they’re more effective when we don’t realize it.
"They can kind of get into your head, you know, and manipulate things in the world to influence us to do evil," the 74-year-old priest noted. "It's my personal belief that probably many if not most of these UFO sightings are in fact demons."
Rosetti runs the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal, an online resource for exorcists and laity.
Cardinal Robert McElroy objected, the archdiocese writing that "statements made by Monsignor Rossetti linking UFOs to demonic presence and the Center’s recent use of social media gravely undermine the Church’s very precise teaching on the devil, demons and exorcism."
Not only did the cardinal fail to explain how Rosetti's comments "undermine" the Church's "very precise teaching," there is, in fact, NO Church teaching, much less "very precise teaching," on aliens. The Church has no position on this matter, and Catholics are free to hold and express their own opinions. Thus, it remains a mystery what provision of Church teaching the exorcist undermined or violated.
As to Rosetti, he offered a truly humble response:
"I am saddened by the decision of the Archdiocese of Washington to cut its affiliation with St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal (SMC). I ask forgiveness for any ways that I have not been faithful to the teachings of the Church’s Magisterium, particularly in the cited video on 'aliens and the demonic.' I believe it is of the utmost importance to be obedient to the Church and I will continue to endeavor to subject all that I do and the Center to be thus obedient. Also, I will continue to encourage all to do so as well. As I often say: 'Stay in the Boat!' that is, stay in the barque of Peter, it will lead you safely home. I am grateful for 19 years of ministering in the Archdiocese of Washington as its exorcist and I thank the Archdiocese for its support and blessing all these years. We will remember the Cardinal and all in ADW in our prayers for its important ministry. SMC plans to continue its ministry elsewhere."
The diocese of Syracuse, New York released a statement confirming that Rosetti remains a priest in good standing in in its diocese.
The irony here, almost too rich for words, is that McElroy has a long track record of making controversial, some would say even heterodox statements about dogmatic Church teachings on abortion, the Eucharist and LGBT — thus making him a far more likely candidate to be undermining the Church's "very precise teaching" on these matters.
Considering McElroy's lack of discussion of the Devil, demons or spiritual warfare in any of his prior writings or talks, while spilling much ink on topics like synodality, social justice, inclusion for LGBT Catholics, environmentalism and dialogue, a faithful Catholic might wonder whether the cardinal believes in the existence of the Devil at all — and whether removal of the exorcist was just a pretext.
I've done extensive reporting on Cdl. McElroy, including a Special Report aired in 2025 that gives insight into McElroy's roots, stretching back to San Francisco and his mentorship under the liberal Abp. John Quinn, and the controversies and scandals that have followed him since.
Please watch and share.
SPECIAL REPORT: McCarrick's Heir in D.C.
