Catholic Church faces shortage of exorcists amid rising spiritual interest

Catholic dioceses in the United States are facing a significant shortage of trained exorcists as requests for the service outpace the available supply. While there are currently approximately 150 trained exorcists in the U.S.—an increase from roughly two dozen fifteen years ago—representatives from the International Association of Exorcists have called on the Pope to ensure every diocese has at least one trained priest to address a perceived rise in occultism, esotericism, and Satanism.

This demand coincides with a complex shift in American spiritual views. Research, including the American Worldview Inventory 2026 from Arizona Christian University, suggests a trend toward syncretism, where individuals combine various spiritual practices rather than adhering to traditional biblical positions. While many Americans may view the concept of the devil metaphorically, polling indicates a broad openness to spiritual influences and the supernatural, often expressed through practices like astrology, tarot, and interest in occult content.

Observers suggest that the rise in interest in mystical practices is occurring within a cultural vacuum created by a decline in traditional spiritual authority. This combination of spiritual openness and theological incoherence is noted by researchers as a factor that may leave individuals more vulnerable to various spiritual or psychological challenges.