DC archbishop removes chief exorcist over claims that UFOs are demonic

By Jon Brown, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, June 04, 2026

The Roman Catholic archbishop of Washington, D.C., removed an archdiocesan exorcist and severed ties with his nonprofit organization on Wednesday after he went viral earlier this week for expressing his opinion that most UFO encounters are likely demonic.

Monsignor Stephen J. Rossetti, a psychologist and priest of the Diocese of Syracuse, New York, who served as an exorcist in the Washington archdiocese for 19 years, was removed by Cardinal Robert McElroy for "linking UFOs to demonic presence," according to a statement from the archdiocese.

McElroy, who has faced scrutiny and criticism for his own views on Catholic social teachings and handling of clerical sex abuse cases, also said Rossetti's comments and the recent social media use of his organization, the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal, "gravely undermine the Church's very precise teaching on the devil, demons and exorcism."

Rossetti drew attention earlier this week when he joined the growing chorus of Catholics and other Christians claiming that UFOs are often linked to demonic and occult activity, warning his listeners to avoid unhealthy interest in such phenomena by keeping their focus on Jesus Christ.

In a brief video that first appeared last Friday on Rossetti's YouTube channel and has since been made private, the monsignor noted belief in extraterrestrial life is theologically neutral, but warned demons can masquerade as aliens or other strange creatures in an attempt to deceive.

Exorcist Stephen Rossetti: "Most UFO sightings are likely Demons" ????????

A Catholic Priest for the Archdiocese of Washington, he explains that demons hide to manipulate us more effectively. "Demons like to hide. They don't want us to know they're out... they can kind of get into… pic.twitter.com/qrbt7I3WzI

— Interstellar (@InterstellarUAP) May 31, 2026

"But there's a danger here ... as an exorcist, I wanted to raise that danger: and that is that demons like to hide, they don't want us to know they're around," he said. "They don't want us to know what they're doing because they're more effective when we don't realize it. And they can kind of get into your head ... and manipulate things in the world to influence us to do evil."

Rossetti stressed in the video that he was not speaking on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church, but rather expressing his own opinion based on his experience in ministering to those who have suffered demonic affliction.

"There's no question in my mind, personally — again, this is not de fide, but it's my personal belief — that probably many, if not most, of these UFO sightings are, in fact, demons; and they can do things that we can't do, such [as] the speed and all sorts of things that human beings can't do."

After his removal, Rossetti posted a statement on the St. Michael Center website, asking for forgiveness while noting he was saddened by the archdiocese's decision to cut ties with his organization that helps those being demonically oppressed.

"I ask 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,'" he said. "I believe it is of the utmost importance to be obedient to the Church and I will continue to endeavor to subject all that I do and the Center to be thus obedient."

Some Catholics on social media questioned Rossetti's removal in response to an X post of the archdiocese's announcement, which was deleted Thursday following backlash.

Daniel O'Connor, a Catholic author and philosophy professor, described Rossetti's ouster as "outrageous," writing: "Msgr. Rossetti is absolutely correct, and 100% in accordance with Catholic orthodoxy, in his linking UFOs to the demonic. Cardinal McElroy has committed a grave injustice here."

"How does linking UFOs to demonic presence 'gravely undermine' the Church's teachings on the devil and demons?" asked Stephen Leary, a Catholic author. "That statement needs to be backed up and I'm not seeing it here. I was under the impression many Catholic theologians have made the same assertion."

"Agree or disagree with Msgr. Rossetti's statement, it's hard to see how it even slightly, let alone gravely, undermines Church teaching," said Thomas Mirus, editor-in-chief of Catholic Culture.

"Seems like there's some demonic influence within the archdiocese. I'm shocked," said Terry Schilling, a Catholic who serves as president of the American Principles Project.

Rossetti's views about the potentially occult nature of UFOs and aliens have been echoed by other Catholic clergy, including Father Chad Ripperger, who serves as an exorcist in the Archdiocese of Denver and has done multiple high-profile interviews on the topic in recent months.

Some occultists have also historically linked UFO phenomena to ritual sorcery, such as the late British ceremonial magician Kenneth Grant, who was the secretary and protégé of the infamous occultist Aleister Crowley. In some of his books, Grant attributed the wave of UFO sightings beginning in 1947 to a series of rituals conducted the year before by NASA rocket engineer Jack Parsons and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.