School Shut Down Because Students Were Possessed by Demons

From today's local news:

At least 20 high school students of the Quiot Integrated School in Sitio Bogo, Barangay Quiot, Cebu City were believed to have been possessed by evil spirits yesterday, prompting teachers to immediately suspend classes. 

The affected students reportedly started shouting inside the classroom, then “their voices changed and they went wild.” 

The possession reportedly started yesterday morning, affecting at least 10 students. This was, however, controlled by the teachers, led by a teacher catechist, who immediately prayed.

Putting aside the whole issue of possession, I wonder what would happen to a teacher in the US who tried to quiet disruptive students by praying.

Quiot Barangay Captain Vicente Ramos Jr. told The FREEMAN that it was around 2:00 pm when the possession started again, this time affecting at least 20 students from first year to third year. 

The teachers again started praying, together with Lupon Tagapamayapa member Victor Lunday, who is a lay minister. 

Ramos said some students regained consciousness while three others were taken to Msgr. Fred Kriekenbeek at the Mary’s Little Children Community in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City. 

Kriekenbeek is the official exorcist of the Archdiocese of Cebu and is also the founder and father moderator of Mary’s Little Children Community.

Luckily the right guy was on the scene. It turns out, though, that there have been multiple outbreaks of possession at the school.

Ramos narrated that issues on possession started last Friday during the three-days and two-nights Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) camping at the school compound. [ ... ]

Ramos said that school officials are now planning to have the school blessed again. It was blessed six years ago during its official opening.

Once again, I dare somebody to get up at their next school board meeting and suggest getting the school blessed.

On another point, I learned from this that blessings expire. I wonder if six years is the normal lifespan of a school-blessing.

The article closes with some helpful advice:

Victims of possession should also abandon demonic items and evil practices so as not to be taken in control again.

Thinking back to my behavior at that age, and that of my classmates, I find it difficult to see how anyone could discern when we were possessed and when we were just being teenaged boys.