Raymond J. Bishop
Encyclopedia
Father Raymond J. Bishop (January 15, 1906 – February 1978) was a Roman Catholic priest
. He became one of the several priests involved in the case of exorcizing a boy from St. Louis, Missouri
, who was allegedly possessed after using a Ouija board
. The case would inspire author William Peter Blatty
to write a novel about exorcism, titled The Exorcist
.
In 1949, Father Bishop taught at St. Louis University, where one of his female students asked for help concerning her thirteen year old cousin (for reasons of anonymity referred to by the pseudonym Robbie Mannheim), who had been experiencing supernatural attacks after playing with a Ouija board
and had already gone through one unsuccessful exorcism. Father Bishop contacted close friend, Father William S. Bowdern
, and they eventually successfully exorcized the boy.
In the 1950s, Father Bishop was sent to Creighton University
in Omaha
, Nebraska
, where he taught for more than twenty years. He died in February, 1978 in Nebraska.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
. He became one of the several priests involved in the case of exorcizing a boy from St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, who was allegedly possessed after using a Ouija board
Ouija Board
Ouija Board is a Thoroughbred mare racehorse owned by Edward Stanley, 19th Earl of Derby and trained by Ed Dunlop. In a career spanning four seasons, she won 10 of her 22 races, 7 of them Group 1s, including the Epsom Oaks in 2004 and the Hong Kong Vase in 2005...
. The case would inspire author William Peter Blatty
William Peter Blatty
William Peter Blatty is an American writer and filmmaker. The novel The Exorcist, written in 1971, is his magnum opus; he also penned the subsequent screenplay version of the film, for which he won an Academy Award....
to write a novel about exorcism, titled The Exorcist
The Exorcist
The Exorcist is a novel of supernatural suspense by William Peter Blatty, published by Harper & Row in 1971. It was inspired by a 1949 case of demonic possession and exorcism that Blatty heard about while he was a student in the class of 1950 at Georgetown University, a Jesuit school...
.
In 1949, Father Bishop taught at St. Louis University, where one of his female students asked for help concerning her thirteen year old cousin (for reasons of anonymity referred to by the pseudonym Robbie Mannheim), who had been experiencing supernatural attacks after playing with a Ouija board
Ouija
The Ouija board also known as a spirit/fire key board or talking board, is a flat board marked with the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0-9, the words "yes", "no", "hello" and "goodbye", and other symbols and words are sometimes also added to help personalize the board...
and had already gone through one unsuccessful exorcism. Father Bishop contacted close friend, Father William S. Bowdern
William S. Bowdern
Father William S. Bowdern, S.J. was a Jesuit Roman Catholic priest in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. He was the author of The Problems of Courtship and Marriage printed by Our Sunday Visitor in 1939. He was a graduate of and taught at St. Louis University High School; he also taught at St....
, and they eventually successfully exorcized the boy.
In the 1950s, Father Bishop was sent to Creighton University
Creighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
in Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, where he taught for more than twenty years. He died in February, 1978 in Nebraska.