Recognising supernatural phenomena not easy: Prefect

Speaking at a conference in Rome on November 11, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, explained the norms adopted by the Dicastery regarding the discernment of alleged supernatural phenomena.

In ordinary practice, the study of such cases often ends with a nihil obstat, which authorises public devotion without pronouncing on the supernatural origin of the phenomenon.

Over the past 50 years, there have been about 3500 cases of beatifications and canonisations, Cardinal Fernández said. In the same period, however, only three or four declarations of supernatural origin have been issued — demonstrating the difficulty of reaching an official recognition of this kind.

A principal concern, added Cardinal Fernández, is the risk that once a phenomenon is declared of divine origin, its messages may be taken as “revealed Word”.

Such a declaration does not guarantee absolute certainty of authenticity. Even in cases recognised by the Church, they remain “private revelations”, which the faithful are free to believe or not.

The Church’s declaration therefore has a “prudential” nature, and in many cases is not even necessary: numerous manifestations have produced shrines and spiritual fruits without any official recognition.

Discernment, the cardinal said, helps distinguish genuine phenomena from those exploited for profit or control over others — situations that are “very, very concerning” and can lead to serious “abuses”.

The Dicastery’s norms propose possible “prudential conclusions” to be adopted before a phenomenon reaches proportions that make intervention more complex.

Some cases can be resolved locally, while others require direct involvement from the Dicastery when elements of confusion or potential risks emerge that demand careful discernment, Cardinal Fernández said.

FULL STORY

Cardinal Fernández at mysticism conference: ‘Spirit moves in varied ways’ – Vatican News (By Edoardo Giribaldi/Vatican News)

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