Binding Prayers

[Bernadette]

I was listening to a sermon from Romans10Seventeen about binding prayers, and I have a question that wasn't addressed in the content. Does one have to be in authority over someone else in order to use a binding prayer for their benefit? An example that was given of a binding prayer was a father saying it for the good of his child, over whom he obviously had authority, but what about for other family members?

[LausTibiChriste]

Yes, Fr Ripperger is very explicit about this. If it is someone you have authority over, you can say it in a "commanding" way (I bind the demon of X, etc), otherwise you say them as a request, "Lord, please bind the demons..."

There are some instances when this isn't true, according to Fr R. For example, because of the 4th commandment, he says that a child can say it for their parents.

A binding prayer said as a "request" is no less efficacious though, in my experience, so might as well stick with it.