The Vatican released updated documents on Friday regarding the reporting of supernatural occurrences. According to the new guidelines, the pope and local bishops will no longer be responsible for making declarations about the supernatural nature of these incidents.
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has announced a new approach, stating that bishops and the pope will now focus on authorizing and promoting devotion and pilgrimages. Instead of officially defining the supernatural nature of a phenomenon, church authority will take a step back from such pronouncements.
Related posts
According to Cardinal Manuel Fernandez, the investigation and study of an event can often be a lengthy process, requiring considerable time and effort. The document also mentions that numerous interventions in the past have been kept confidential.
The Vatican has traditionally approached alleged supernatural phenomena with skepticism and caution. The new guidelines present six possible conclusions that can be drawn from an investigation into such phenomena.
The Vatican has faced increasing pressure to address the surge of events, often proven to be scams or hoaxes, that have gained popularity through social media. While the church acknowledges the spiritual significance and positive impact of well-known events like Our Lady of Guadalupe or Our Lady of Lourdes, it also recognizes the harm caused by unfounded claims.
According to the National Catholic Reporter, Fernandez mentioned that he is specifically referring to the exploitation of such phenomena for personal gain, influence, popularity, social status, or other self-centered motives. This could even include engaging in morally wrong actions or using these phenomena as a way to manipulate and mistreat others.
