Washington Archdiocese Axes Exorcist Over Priest's UFO, Demon Comments

Monsignor Stephen Rossetti, who acted as an exorcist for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., was removed from his posting after he linked UFOs to the presence of demons.

Cardinal Robert McElroy, the Catholic archbishop of the D.C. region, said the archdiocese also cut ties with the Saint Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal.

The D.C.-based center, located at 1317 8th St. NW, is headed by Rossetti. The priest has been an exorcist in the region for nearly 20 years.

McElroy said in a statement that "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."

In the social media video that prompted the archdiocese to part ways with Rossetti, the priest said that it was his "personal belief that probably many, if not most, of these UFO sightings are in fact demons."

"There's a danger here, and I want to raise that as an exorcist," he said. "Demons like to hide. They don't want us to know they're around. They don't want us to know what they're doing because they're more effective when we don't realize it."

The footage was shared to tens of thousands of followers Rossetti has accumulated across his social media platforms. On Instagram, he has nearly 150,000 subscribers.

Reacting to the archdiocese's decision, Rossetti said he was "saddened" by the move.

"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,'" he said. "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."

Rossetti said that his nonprofit "plans to continue its ministry elsewhere."