SUMMARY:
-
POPE SADDENED AND CONCERNED AT THE MASSACRE IN HOULA
-
CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH PUBLISHES NORMS REGARDING
DISCERNMENT OF PRESUMED APPARITIONS
-
NORMS REGARDING THE MANNER OF PROCEEDING IN THE DISCERNMENT OF
PRESUMED APPARITIONS OR REVELATIONS
-
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
POPE
SADDENED AND CONCERNED AT THE MASSACRE IN HOULA
Vatican
City, 29 May 2012 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico
Lombardi S.J. today released the following declaration.
"The
recent massacre in the Syrian town of Houla in which around one
hundred people, including numerous children, lost their lives, is a
motive of great sorrow and concern for the Holy Father and the entire
Catholic community, as it is for the international community which
has expressed unanimous condemnation of the incident.
"Renewing
its appeal for an end to all forms of violence, the Holy See exhorts
the parties involved and the entire international community to spare
no efforts to resolve this crisis through dialogue and
reconciliation. Likewise, leaders and believers of the various
religions, through prayer and mutual collaboration, are called to
commit themselves to promoting the peace which is so much sought
after, for the good of the whole population".
CONGREGATION
FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH PUBLISHES NORMS REGARDING DISCERNMENT
OF PRESUMED APPARITIONS
Vatican
City, 29 May 2012 (VIS) - The Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith recently published its "Norms regarding the manner of
proceeding in the discernment of presumed apparitions or
revelations", translated into various languages. The document
was approved by Pope Paul VI and issued by the congregation in 1978
though it was not then officially published as it was principally
intended as a direct aid for the pastors of the Church.
Over the
course of the years the document has appeared in various works
dealing with the subject in question, although without the
authorisation of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which
is the competent authority in such matters. Since the contents of the
Norms are already in the public domain, the congregation believes it
is now opportune to publish them.
The
publication is accompanied by a preface written by Cardinal William
Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith, extracts of which are given below.
"In
the Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God held
in October 2008, the issue of the problems stemming from the
experience of supernatural phenomena was raised as a pastoral concern
by some bishops. Their concern was recognised by the Holy Father
Benedict XVI, who inserted the issue into the larger context of the
economy of salvation in a significant passage of the Post-Synodal
Apostolic Exhortation 'Verbum Domini'. It is important to recall this
teaching of the Pontiff".
"As
the Fathers noted during the Synod, the uniqueness of Christianity is
manifested in the event which is Jesus Christ, the culmination of
revelation. ... He Who ‘has made God known’ is the one,
definitive word given to mankind. ... The Synod pointed to the need
to ‘help the faithful to distinguish the word of God from private
revelations’ whose role ‘is not to complete Christ’s definitive
revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of
history’. The value of private revelations is essentially different
from that of the one public revelation: the latter demands faith; in
it God Himself speaks to us through human words and the mediation of
the living community of the Church.
"The
criterion for judging the truth of a private revelation is its
orientation to Christ Himself. If it leads us away from Him, then it
certainly does not come from the Holy Spirit, Who guides us more
deeply into the Gospel, and not away from it. Private revelation is
an aid to this faith, and it demonstrates its credibility precisely
because it refers back to the one public revelation. Ecclesiastical
approval of a private revelation essentially means that its message
contains nothing contrary to faith and morals; it is licit to make it
public and the faithful are authorised to give it their prudent
adhesion. A private revelation can introduce new emphases, give rise
to new forms of piety, or deepen older ones. It can have a certain
prophetic character and can be a valuable aid for better
understanding and living the Gospel at a certain time; consequently
it should not be treated lightly. It is a help which is proffered,
but its use is not obligatory".
"It
is my firm hope that the official publication of the 'Norms regarding
the manner of proceeding in the discernment of presumed apparitions
or revelations' can aid the pastors of the Catholic Church in their
difficult task of discerning presumed apparitions, revelations,
messages or, more generally, extraordinary phenomena of presumed
supernatural origin".
NORMS
REGARDING THE MANNER OF PROCEEDING IN THE DISCERNMENT OF PRESUMED
APPARITIONS OR REVELATIONS
Vatican
City, 29 May 2012 (VIS) - Given below are extracts from the document
"Norms regarding the manner of proceeding in the discernment of
presumed apparitions or revelations", published recently by the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The document was approved
by Pope Paul VI and issued by the congregation in 1978 though it was
not then officially published as it was principally intended as a
direct aid for the pastors of the Church.
ORIGIN
AND CHARACTER OF THESE NORMS
"1.
Today, more than in the past, news of these apparitions is diffused
rapidly among the faithful thanks to the ... mass media. Moreover,
the ease of going from one place to another fosters frequent
pilgrimages, so that Ecclesiastical Authority should discern quickly
about the merits of such matters.
"2.
On the other hand, modern mentality and the requirements of critical
scientific investigation render it more difficult, if not almost
impossible, to achieve with the required speed the judgements that in
the past concluded the investigation of such matters ('constat de
supernaturalitate, non constat de supernaturalitate')".
"When
Ecclesiastical Authority is informed of a presumed apparition or
revelation, it will be its responsibility:
"a)
first, to judge the fact according to positive and negative criteria;
"b)
then, if this examination results in a favourable conclusion, to
permit some public manifestation of cult or of devotion, overseeing
this with great prudence (equivalent to the formula, 'for now,
nothing stands in the way') ('pro nunc nihil obstare').
"c)
finally, in light of time passed and of experience, with special
regard to the fecundity of spiritual fruit generated from this new
devotion, to express a judgement regarding the authenticity and
supernatural character if the case so merits"
I.
CRITERIA FOR JUDGING, AT LEAST WITH PROBABILITY, THE CHARACTER OF THE
PRESUMED APPARITIONS OR REVELATIONS
"A)
Positive Criteria:
"a)
Moral certitude, or at least great probability of the existence of
the fact, acquired by means of a serious investigation;
"b)
Particular circumstances relative to the existence and to the nature
of the fact, that is to say:
"1.
Personal qualities of the subject or of the subjects (in particular,
psychological equilibrium, honesty and rectitude of moral life,
sincerity and habitual docility towards Ecclesiastical Authority, the
capacity to return to a normal regimen of a life of faith, etc.);
"2.
As regards revelation: true theological and spiritual doctrine and
immune from error;
"3.
Healthy devotion and abundant and constant spiritual fruit (for
example, spirit of prayer, conversion, testimonies of charity, etc.).
"B)
Negative Criteria:
"a)
Manifest error concerning the fact.
"b)
Doctrinal errors attributed to God Himself, or to the Blessed Virgin
Mary, or to some saint in their manifestations, taking into account
however the possibility that the subject might have added, even
unconsciously, purely human elements or some error of the natural
order to an authentic supernatural revelation.
"c)
Evidence of a search for profit or gain strictly connected to the
fact.
"d)
Gravely immoral acts committed by the subject or his or her followers
when the fact occurred or in connection with it.
"e)
Psychological disorder or psychopathic tendencies in the subject,
that with certainty influenced on the presumed supernatural fact, or
psychosis, collective hysteria or other things of this kind.
"It
is to be noted that these criteria, be they positive or negative, are
not peremptory but rather indicative, and they should be applied
cumulatively or with some mutual convergence".
II.
INTERVENTION OF THE COMPETENT ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITY
"1.
If, on the occasion of a presumed supernatural fact, there arises in
a spontaneous way among the faithful a certain cult or some devotion,
the competent Ecclesiastical Authority has the serious duty of
looking into it without delay and of diligently watching over it.
"2.
If the faithful request it legitimately (that is, in communion with
the pastors, and not prompted by a sectarian spirit), the competent
Ecclesiastical Authority can intervene to permit or promote some form
of cult or devotion, if, after the application of the above criteria,
nothing stands in the way. They must be careful that the faithful do
not interpret this practice as approval of the supernatural nature of
the fact on the part of the Church.
"3.
By reason of its doctrinal and pastoral task, the competent Authority
can intervene 'motu proprio' and indeed must do so in grave
circumstances, for example in order to correct or prevent abuses in
the exercise of cult and devotion, to condemn erroneous doctrine, to
avoid the dangers of a false or unseemly mysticism, etc.
"4.
In doubtful cases that clearly do not put the good of the Church at
risk, the competent Ecclesiastical Authority is to refrain from any
judgement and from any direct action (because it can also happen
that, after a certain period of time, the presumed supernatural fact
falls into oblivion); it must not however cease from being vigilant
by intervening if necessary, with promptness and prudence".
III.
AUTHORITIES COMPETENT TO INTERVENE
"1.
Above all, the duty of vigilance and intervention falls to the
Ordinary of the place.
"2.
The regional or national Conference of Bishops can intervene" in
certain cases.
"3.
The Apostolic See can intervene if asked either by the Ordinary
himself, by a qualified group of the faithful, or even directly by
reason of the universal jurisdiction of the Supreme Pontiff".
IV. ON
THE INTERVENTION OF THE SACRED CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE
FAITH
"1.
a) The intervention of the Sacred Congregation can be requested
either by the Ordinary, after he has done his part, or by a qualified
group of the faithful. In this second case, care must be taken that
recourse to the Sacred Congregation not be motivated by suspect
reasons (for example, in order to compel the Ordinary to modify his
own legitimate decisions, to support some sectarian group, etc.).
b) It is
up to the Sacred Congregation to intervene 'motu proprio' in more
grave cases, especially if the matter affects the larger part of the
Church".
"2.
It is up to the Sacred Congregation to judge and approve the
Ordinary’s way of proceeding or, in so far as it be possible and
fitting, to initiate a new examination of the matter".
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 29 May 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
-
Appointed Bishop Richard J. Malone of Portland, U.S.A., as bishop of
Buffalo (area 16,511, population 1,621,000, Catholics 716,000,
priests 425, permanent deacons 127, religious 1,075), U.S.A. He
succeeds Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, whose resignation from the pastoral
care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having
reached the age limit.
-
Appointed Bishop Samuel J. Aquila of Fargo, U.S.A., as archbishop of
Denver (area 101.279, population 3,328,000, Catholics 549,325,
priests 306, permanent deacons 184, religious 203), U.S.A.
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