The Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has recently published a revised set of guidelines to assess reported private revelations, apparitions, or supernatural phenomena. The document, called “Norms Regarding the Manner of Proceeding in the Discernment of Presumed Apparitions or Revelations,” seeks to give local bishops the tools to discern the authenticity of reported supernatural phenomena.
The document covers everything from the initial evaluation of the credibility of the claims, to the role of the local bishop in the discernment process, to the official recognition of an apparition. It calls for bishops to create a team of experts, including theologians, canonists, psychologists and doctors, to help evaluate the claims.
These guidelines emphasize skepticism, with the church stressing that bishops should initially “defer judgement” and avoid “any form of haste.” The document also highlights the importance of considering the mental and psychological health of the person who is reporting the supernatural event.
The steps for discerning alleged apparitions or revelations begin with listening to the person, making a serious assessment of the facts, checking if there is any potential profit or publicity, and examining if it’s promoting or harming the faith. It also includes judging the person’s sincerity, honesty, mental balance, obedience to Church authority, and the person’s life of faith and prayer.
The goal of this guidance is to create a more uniform approach to such phenomena within the Catholic Church and to help prevent the faithful from being misled by false claims. It is the Vatican
Vatican releases new guidance for alleged supernatural phenomena
The Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has recently published a revised set of guidelines to assess reported private revelations, apparitions, or supernatural phenomena. The document, called “Norms Regarding the Manner of Proceeding in the Discernment of Presumed Apparitions or Revelations,” seeks to give local bishops the tools to discern the authenticity of reported supernatural phenomena.
The document covers everything from the initial evaluation of the credibility of the claims, to the role of the local bishop in the discernment process, to the official recognition of an apparition. It calls for bishops to create a team of experts, including theologians, canonists, psychologists and doctors, to help evaluate the claims.
These guidelines emphasize skepticism, with the church stressing that bishops should initially “defer judgement” and avoid “any form of haste.” The document also highlights the importance of considering the mental and psychological health of the person who is reporting the supernatural event.
The steps for discerning alleged apparitions or revelations begin with listening to the person, making a serious assessment of the facts, checking if there is any potential profit or publicity, and examining if it’s promoting or harming the faith. It also includes judging the person’s sincerity, honesty, mental balance, obedience to Church authority, and the person’s life of faith and prayer.
The goal of this guidance is to create a more uniform approach to such phenomena within the Catholic Church and to help prevent the faithful from being misled by false claims. It is the Vatican
