Father Damien Karras There's not a day in my life that I don't feel like a fraud. Other priests, doctors, lawyers - I talk to them all. I don't know anyone who hasn't felt that.
Played by Jason Miller 
The Exorcist (1973) · 43 quotes
The Exorcist (1973) · 43 quotes
3rd most-quoted character in The Exorcist (1973): in 14 of its 43 quotes
Most scenes with: Regan MacNeil (3), Chris MacNeil (3), Father Merrin (3)
Take me. Come into me. God-damn you. Take me. Take me.
More lines from Father Damien Karras
2 quotes Father Damien Karras Father Damien Karras [to the demon, after Merrin's death]
You son of a bitch! Take me! Come into me! Goddamn you, TAKE ME! TAKE ME! [becomes possessed, tries to strangle Regan] NO!!! [throws himself out the window]
Scenes with Father Damien Karras
11 scenes Karras Mama, I could take you somewhere where you'd be safe. You wouldn't be alone. There would be people around. You know, you wouldn't be sitting here listening to a radio.
Mother
[speaks in Greek]
...You understand me? This is my house and I'm not going no place. Dimmy, you're worried for something?
Karras No, Mama.
Mother
You're not happy. Tell me, what is the matter?
Karras Mama, I'm all right, I'm fine, really I am.
Karras It's my mother, Tom. She's alone. I never should have left her. At least in New York, I'd be near, I'd be closer.
Tom
Could see about a transfer, Damien.
Karras I need re-assignment, Tom. I want out of this job. It's wrong. It's no good.
Tom
You're the best we've got.
Karras Yeah, not really. It's more than psychiatry, and you know that Tom. Some of their problems come down to faith, their vocation and meaning of their lives, and I can't cut it anymore. I need out. I'm unfit. I think I've lost my faith, Tom.
Kinderman Well, this desecration in the church. Do you think this has anything to do with witchcraft?
Karras Maybe. Some rituals use the Black Mass. Maybe.
Kinderman And now, Dennings, you read how he died?
Karras In a fall.
Kinderman Let me tell ya how, and please Father, confidential. Burke Dennings, good Father, was found at the bottom of those steps leading to M Street with his head turned completely around - facing backwards.
Karras It didn't happen in the fall?
Kinderman It's possible. Possible, however -
Karras ...unlikely.
Kinderman Exactly. So on the one hand, we've got a witchcraft kind of murder, and on the other hand a Black Mass type desecration in the church.
Karras You think the killer and the desecrator are the same?
Kinderman Maybe somebody crazy. Somebody with a spite against the church. Some unconscious rebellion.
Karras A sick priest - is that it?
Kinderman Look, Father, this is hard for you. Please, I understand, but for priests on the campus here, you're the psychiatrist. You know who was sick at the time, who wasn't. I mean, this kind of sickness. You'd know that.
Karras I don't know anyone who fits that description.
Kinderman Ah! Doctor's ethics! If you knew, you wouldn't tell, huh?
Karras No, I probably wouldn't.
Kinderman Not to bother you with trivia, but a psychiatrist, in sunny California no less, was put in jail for not telling the police what he knew about a patient.
Karras Is that a threat?
Kinderman No, I mention it only in passing.
Karras Incidentally, I mention it only in passing. I could always tell the judge it was a matter of confession.
How do you go about getting an exorcism?
Karras I beg your pardon? Well, the first thing - I'd have to get into a time machine and get back to the 16th century...Well, it just doesn't happen any more, Mrs. MacNeil...since we learned about mental illness, paranoia, schizophrenia...Since the day I joined the Jesuits, I've never met one priest who has performed an exorcism. Not one.
Someone very close to me is probably possessed and needs an exorcism. Father Karras, it's my little girl.
Karras The Catholic Church insists on proof that the devil is really in a person. Then that's all the more reason to forget about exorcism...To begin with, it could make things worse. Secondly, the church before it approves an exorcism conducts an investigation to see if it's warranted. That takes time...I need church approval and that's rarely given. I will see her as a psychiatrist.
Oh, not a psychiatrist. She needs a priest. She's already seen every **** psychiatrist in the world and they sent me to you. Now you're gonna send me back to them? Jesus Christ! Won't somebody help me?...Can't you help her, just help her?
Karras Hello, Regan. I'm a friend of your mothers. I'd like to help you.
Why not loosen the straps then?
Karras I'm afraid you might hurt yourself, Regan.
I'm not Regan.
Karras I see. Well then, let's introduce ourselves. I'm Damien Karras.
I'm the devil. Now kindly undo these straps!
Karras If you're the devil, why not make the straps disappear?
That's much too vulgar a display of power, Karras.
Karras Where's Regan?
In here - with us.
Karras Show me Regan and I'll loosen one of the straps.
Can you help an old altar boy, Father?... Your mother's in here with us, Karras. Would you like to leave a message? I'll see that she gets it.
Karras If that's true, then you must know my mother's maiden name. What is it? What is it?
[Regan vomits onto Karras]
Karras Look, I'm only against the possibility of doing your daughter more harm than good...I can't do it. I need evidence that the church would accept as signs of possession...like her speaking in a language she's never known or studied...Look, your daughter doesn't say she's a demon. She says she's the devil himself. Now if you've seen as many psychotics as I have, you realize that's the same thing as saying you're Napoleon Bonaparte. You asked me what I think is best for your daughter. Six months, under observation, in the best hospital you can find.
I'm telling you that that thing upstairs isn't my daughter. Now I want you to tell me that you know for a fact that there's nothing wrong with my daughter except in her mind. YOU TELL ME YOU KNOW FOR A FACT THAT AN EXORCISM WOULDN'T DO ANY GOOD! YOU TELL ME THAT!
What an excellent day for an exorcism.
Karras You'd like that?
Intensely.
Karras But wouldn't that drive you out of Regan?
It would bring us together.
Karras You and Regan.
You and us.
Karras I think it might be helpful if I gave you some background on the different personalities Regan has manifested. So far, I'd say there seem to be three. She's convinced...
There is only one.
Karras Why her? Why this girl?
I think the point is to make us despair. To see ourselves as... animal and ugly. To make us reject the possibility that God could love us.
Karras You're not my mother!
Don't listen...Get out!
