The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist

California pastor Father Gary Thomas reluctantly accepted the request of his bishop to attend a course on demonic possession in Rome. He participated in more than 80 exorcisms alongside a senior Italian exorcist. Matt Baglio had full access to Fr. Thomas as he learned the process of exorcism and as he grew and changed in his understanding of the nature of evil and human suffering.

The Rite describes the reality of demonic possession. It also traces the history of exorcism and and treats related topics such as satanic cults and black masses. Since Fr. Thomas was a skeptic and the author is a fact-seeking journalist, this book is more compelling even than the previous best-seller on this topic, The Exorcist.