Police on Friday arrested a
Catholic priest and an Army officer on sexual assault charges.
Father Salvatore Anello, known in Palermo as an exorcist and
a healer, is accused of fondling two women and three underage
girls when they turned to him for help. Colonel Salvatore
Muratore, 52, is accused of sexually assaulting four women and
one underage girl. The officer co-founded a group called
the Renewal of the Holy Spirit, and went to people's homes along
with the priest to allegedly free them from demonic possession
and conduct "healing prayers". When the victims protested
at the abuse, the colonel reportedly replied, "I'm invoking the
demon of lust in order to liberate you".
Exorcism from the devil is a permitted rite in the Catholic
Church, but it must be authorized by higher-ups. Anello was not
recognized as an exorcist by his diocesis, sources said.
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