Cardinal Robert McElroy, archbishop of Washington, has removed Monsignor Stephen Rossetti from his role as an exorcist within the archdiocese, citing concerns that Rossetti’s public statements about extraterrestrials and demons undermined Church teachings. The decision was announced on Wednesday and also ended the archdiocese’s affiliation with the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal, which Rossetti leads.
Monsignor Rossetti, an ordained priest and psychologist, served as a high-profile exorcist responsible for investigating claims of demonic possession. He gained attention recently for comments suggesting that many unidentified flying object (U.F.O.) sightings are better understood as manifestations of demonic activity rather than extraterrestrial visitation. “They can do things we can’t do,” Rossetti said during a YouTube interview this week, referring to the rapid movements reported in U.F.O. cases.
The issue of extraterrestrial life has been a topic of renewed public interest following government initiatives to disclose information about U.F.O.s. For some within Christian communities, particularly Catholics and Protestants, the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrials presents theological challenges. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, has echoed similar views, suggesting that these entities may be demonic in nature.
Cardinal McElroy, who assumed the role of archbishop in Washington last year, expressed disagreement with Rossetti’s assertions. In a statement, McElroy said that Rossetti’s linking of U.F.O.s to demonic presence and the use of social media by the St. Michael Center “gravely undermine the Church’s very precise teaching on the devil, demons and exorcism.” The archdiocese did not specify which particular teachings were affected.
Scholars note that the Catholic Church does not have formal doctrine regarding the existence of extraterrestrial life. Christopher Baglow, director of the Science and Religion Initiative at the University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life, said Monsignor Rossetti may have presented personal views as official Church doctrine, which led to the controversy.
In his interview, Rossetti acknowledged differing opinions among exorcists regarding extraterrestrials, noting with a laugh that one exorcist suggested a possessed individual might have been influenced by aliens. “Aliens — if there are aliens — don’t possess people, that’s nonsense,” Rossetti said, emphasizing his belief that such phenomena are demonic in origin and involve deceptive manipulation.
In response to the removal, Monsignor Rossetti issued a statement expressing sadness and asking for forgiveness if he had failed to remain faithful to the Church’s Magisterium, the authority responsible for Catholic doctrine.
The case highlights ongoing tensions within the Church over how to interpret unusual phenomena in light of faith and doctrine, especially amid increasing public interest in U.F.O.s and extraterrestrial life.