Where Can Man Find Satan?

Man does not need to find Satan.  Satan finds man.

Satan is everywhere except in Heaven and in the hearts and minds of those who continuously reject all of its temptations.  It would be foolish to assume that Satan is not in the Vatican, in Catholic churches around the world and everywhere else, and that it has no power to influence one's thoughts and actions including those of clerics.  Those who do not believe in Satan and who believe that it has no power over them are already owned by Satan.  It takes a conscious effort to recognize Satan and an unflinching determination to say no to Satan consistently.

Satan is deceitful, and is therefore not readily recognizable but that does not mean it cannot be recognized.  It is powerful but its power is no match against man's Free Will because Free Will comes from God.  When it is used successfully against Satan, Satan can only accept defeat but only for a moment at that moment.  Satan does not and will not give up.  It will come back with a better plan at a more opportune time when man is more vulnerable, when he is weaker.  This Satan will do over and over.  The war against Satan does not end until man has breathed his last breath.  Satan wants to be present at death, to collect and escort the soul to Hell.  It is difficult to imagine how terrifying it would be for the soul to have no choice to but accept its eternity without God and without love.

One is usually, but not always, at the weakest point at death.  Satan knows this and wants to take advantage of it.  Therefore, the words in the second part of the Hail Mary prayer are important (in English): Holy Mary, Mother of God, prayer for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death; (in Latin): Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae [Emphasis  added]. [1]  At this critical period in one's life, one needs the Mother of God to be at one's side.  One may not have time or the consciousness to say the the Hail Mary prayer when death is about to arrive, but all the prayers that were said before become an invitation for one's Mother given to everyone by Christ on the cross to be present.  She would accept this invitation.  When She is present protecting Her child, the Devil will not dare approach and one can be at peace, not just at the hour of death but anytime during life.

The second part of the Hail Mary prayer is not separable from the first.  The first part of the prayer establishes the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God.  She is always filled with God's grace and is blessed among all women.  She is the only Woman blessed to carry God's only Son in Her womb.  Her unique relationship with God allows one to pray to Her and to ask Her to show after one's exile "the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus" [in English], "Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui" [in Latin]. [2]  It is because of Her close connection to God that Satan would not dare touch the Blessed Virgin Mary despite the hate it has toward Her.

Even though the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God, there are Christians who do not pay Her much attention and pray to Her.  Like Her Son, the Blessed Mother respects Free Will and does not demand one's respect or love.  For those who know but reject Her, She would not be able to come to their assistance as much as it pains Her not to.  This does not mean they would not enter Heaven.  They would just have to fend off Satan by themselves at the hour of death.

Even in the absence of Satan, it is good to have the Blessed Mother by one's side.  With Her around, things tend to work out well.  Without Her, things may not go smoothly.  The wedding guests at Cana might have to drink water after the wine was finished.  How embarrassing it would be for the newlyweds to have to admit and find excuses for their gross miscalculation.  That was just a wedding, but at the pivotal moment when eternity is at stake, one would want the Mother of God to intercede on one's behalf before Her Son as Judge.  A miscalculation here that is not fixed could mean that one will never have to wonder where Satan is since one could end up in Hell and be in Satan's continuous company.


[1] http://www.ewtn.com/library/prayer/latrosar.htm
[2] https://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/maryd6d.htm