Burmese folk religion
These exorcists, or "ahletan hsaya", are said to possess powers that can fend away or challenge these evil demons. These exorcists were often seen as very holy, because they had to be to combat troublesome spirits. They attempt exorcisms by giving the nat offerings. As an interesting overlap with Buddhism, exorcisms can be performed by holding the Buddha up to the possessed person, in an effort to have the Nat flee. If the exorcist cannot banish this spirit alone, they often ask for the assistance of the nat-kadaw. Sorcerers, or "weikzas" also harnessed the power of these nats through many complex rituals, to gain their own supernatural powers.
Exorcism of Roland Doe
According to author Thomas B. Allen, Jesuit priest Father Walter H. Halloran was one of the last surviving eyewitnesses of the events and participated in the exorcism. Allen wrote that a diary kept by attending priest Father Raymond Bishop detailed the exorcism performed on the pseudonymously identified "Roland Doe" aka "Robbie". Speaking in 2013, Allen "emphasized that definitive proof that the boy known only as ‘Robbie’ was possessed by malevolent spirits is unattainable. Maybe he instead suffered from mental illness or sexual abuse—or fabricated the entire experience." According to Allen, Halloran also "expressed his skepticism about potential paranormal events before his death." When asked in an interview to make a statement on whether the boy had been possessed, Halloran responded saying "No, I can’t go on record. I never made an absolute statement about the things because I didn’t feel I was qualified."