A popular Catholic exorcist was stripped of his ministry over comments about UFOs and demons, yet his home diocese still calls him a priest “in good standing” — raising fresh questions about who really controls religious authority in an era of viral clips and institutional image management.
Story Snapshot
- A Washington, D.C.–based exorcist was removed after saying many UFO sightings are demonic.
- Cardinal Robert McElroy said the priest’s comments and social media use undermined Church teaching on demons and exorcism.
- The priest’s home Diocese of Syracuse says he remains a priest “in good standing.”
- The clash highlights growing distrust of institutions, from churches to government, in managing uncomfortable ideas.
Why a UFO‑Demon Comment Cost a Priest His Exorcist Role
Cardinal Robert McElroy, the Catholic archbishop of Washington, removed Monsignor Stephen Rossetti from his position as an exorcist for the Archdiocese of Washington after Rossetti publicly stated that “many, if not most” UFO sightings are in fact demons.[1][2] The decision followed a YouTube video posted in late May in which Rossetti framed this as his personal belief based on experience, not official Catholic doctrine.[1][2][4] The archdiocese’s reaction turned a niche theological speculation into a high‑profile institutional clash.
The archdiocesan statement said Rossetti’s comments “linking UFOs to demonic presence,” combined with the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal’s recent use of social media, “gravely undermine the Church’s very precise teaching on the devil, demons and exorcism.”[2][5] The St. Michael Center, a Washington‑based nonprofit Rossetti founded that offers spiritual education and deliverance ministry, simultaneously lost its formal affiliation with the archdiocese.[1][3][5] In practical terms, Church leadership treated the message and the medium—what he said and how widely it spread online—as a single problem.
Rossetti’s Response and His Status in His Home Diocese
Monsignor Rossetti responded with a public statement expressing sadness over the decision and emphasizing his desire to remain obedient to Church authority.[1][2][3] He specifically asked 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.’”[1][3] That language signaled contrition without fully retracting his earlier speculation, a balance familiar to many Americans who feel they must apologize simply for raising uncomfortable questions in public.
Crucially, Rossetti is not a priest of the Washington archdiocese but of the Diocese of Syracuse in New York, where he has long served as a psychologist, educator, and advisor to clergy.[1][4][5] After Washington cut ties, the Diocese of Syracuse clarified that Rossetti “remains a priest in good standing in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse.”[5] That means he has not been suspended, laicized, or formally punished in his home diocese, underscoring a split between local bishops over how threatening his comments really were.[5] For ordinary believers, it looks like another example of leadership sending mixed signals while avoiding deeper debate.
Institutional Image, Social Media, and a Deeper Trust Problem
For decades Rossetti has been a prominent, credentialed figure in Catholic discussions of exorcism and spiritual warfare, with advanced degrees, teaching roles at The Catholic University of America, and a long record working on priest wellness.[3][4][5] His blog and media presence have described real‑world cases of demonic oppression and exorcism, drawing a large audience hungry for clear answers about evil in a confusing world.[3][4] Many citizens—religious or not—see this as the kind of straight talk elites often try to manage or silence.
The real reason why the Archdiocese of Washington's exorcist was removed from his position for saying: "UFO's & Aliens are Demons"
Monsignor Stephen Rossetti, a veteran exorcist with decades of experience, warned that many UFO sightings are demonic: "There's no question in my… pic.twitter.com/8TmmAbsm8a
— Interstellar (@InterstellarUAP) June 4, 2026
The Church has no defined doctrine on the existence of extraterrestrial life, and commentators note that Catholic teaching leaves that question open to responsible speculation.[4] Rossetti explicitly said Catholics are free to believe intelligent life may exist elsewhere while sharing his view that many reported UFO phenomena may be demonic deceptions.[4] The archdiocese’s move therefore appears less about a heresy line being crossed and more about institutional control over messaging in an age when one viral video can embarrass a hierarchy already struggling with credibility.[1][2][4]
Why This Episode Resonates Beyond the Church
Many Americans across the political spectrum suspect that powerful institutions—from Washington bureaucracies to church chancery offices—are quicker to police speech than to confront the deeper crises people face. Here, a veteran priest loses a key ministry not for abuse or corruption, but for speculating aloud that unseen spiritual forces might explain some unexplained aerial phenomena.[1][2] For those already skeptical of “deep state” style gatekeeping, it feels like yet another example of elites protecting their image instead of engaging hard questions honestly.
Sources:
[1] Web – Priest removed by Cdl. McElroy as exorcist remains in good standing …
[2] Web – Archdiocese of Washington Removes Prominent Exorcist Over …
[3] YouTube – The Truth About Exorcism w/ Msgr. Stephen Rossetti
[4] Web – Blog | St. Michael Center For Spiritual Renewal | United States
[5] Web – Priest removed as exorcist after remarks about UFOs and demons