A prominent Catholic exorcist in the Denver Archdiocese is stepping away from public speaking and media appearances for one year following a meeting with his archbishop. The Rev. Chad Ripperger, whose interviews have accumulated millions of views across social media platforms, agreed to the break at the urging of Denver Archbishop James Golka.
According to an archdiocesan statement released Monday, Ripperger will dedicate his yearlong fast to focusing on the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother, the semi-contemplative religious community he founded, and the people it serves. The archdiocese noted that Ripperger readily accepted the request and that Archbishop Golka expressed gratitude for the priest’s service, exorcism ministry, and generous spirit. Church officials indicated that the arrangement will be reviewed together at the end of the year.
Efforts to reach Ripperger through the archdiocese were unsuccessful, and officials declined to provide additional details regarding what prompted the archbishop’s request. Ripperger’s departure from the public sphere follows high-profile podcast and internet appearances, including a nearly three-hour conversation on the Shawn Ryan Show that garnered approximately 2.8 million views. During that appearance, Ripperger asserted that extraterrestrial beings are demonic manifestations and claimed that inventor Nikola Tesla likely received messages from demons, while also dismissing evolution as problematic across scientific, theological, and philosophical grounds. He has also appeared on other prominent conservative media platforms, such as The Tucker Carlson Show.
The restriction highlights broader tensions within the Catholic Church regarding clergy with massive digital followings. Massimo Faggioli, a theology professor at Villanova University, noted that managing high-profile internet priests presents delicate challenges for bishops, particularly given the absence of clear canonical guidelines. Bishops recognize that online clergy command loyal followings that can be difficult to alienate, creating a legal and administrative vacuum regarding the church’s presence on the internet. Celebrity priests can introduce significant theological complications for local ordinaries, often shifting focus toward individual charisma rather than institutional ministry.
Ripperger’s hiatus comes roughly four months after Monsignor Stephen Rossetti was removed by Cardinal Robert McElroy after serving as the exorcist for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., for 19 years. Rossetti’s removal followed a viral social media video in which he expressed a personal belief that numerous UFO sightings represent demonic activity.
Heightened public interest in exorcisms has also prompted administrative responses elsewhere. In the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, church leaders recently issued a memo instructing local priests on handling parishioner inquiries regarding the Rite of Exorcism. The protocol directs clergy to treat distressed parishioners respectfully, encourage full participation in Catholic worship, and steer them away from occult practices. Priests were instructed to contact the Vicar General’s Office for a formal evaluation if parishioners continued to suffer from perceived demonic influence following prudent spiritual care. The memo cautioned that popular culture has mischaracterized exorcism as fiction rather than recognizing it as a pastoral act of the Church.
