Private Revelation
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In
Christian theology Christian theology is the theology – the systematic study of the divine and religion – of Christianity, Christian belief and practice. It concentrates primarily upon the texts of the Old Testament and of the New Testament, as well as on Ch ...
, a private revelation is an instance of revelation, in a broader sense of the term, of divine reality to a person or persons. It contrasts with revelation intended for humanity at large, which is sometimes termed public revelation. Within Catholicism, an official skeptical predisposition toward accounts of private revelation is maintained. When recognized by the authority of the Catholic churchafter their credibility and religious significance has been judged positively by the local Catholic bishopthese messages are considered helpful to believers "in a certain period of history". Still, faith in them is equated to human faith, as opposed to supernaturally bestowed faith, and such beliefs are not dogmatically taught. Private revelations come in a variety of types, such as
Marian apparition A Marian apparition is a reported supernatural appearance of Mary, the mother of Jesus. While sometimes described as a type of vision, apparitions are generally regarded as external manifestations, whereas visions are more often understood as ...
s and visions. Any such revelation is deemed not to add to or amend the completed revelation, but as a heavenly message that helps its recipients and other faithful live by revelation.


Catholic theology

According to the ''
Catechism of the Catholic Church The ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' (; commonly called the ''Catechism'' or the ''CCC'') is a reference work that summarizes the Catholic Church's doctrine. It was Promulgation (Catholic canon law), promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992 ...
'', public revelation was complete in New Testament times, but depends on interpretation and deepening understanding of this foundational or "definitive" revelation: The ''Catechism'' teaches that divine revelation was fulfilled, completed, and perfected in Christ. In this sense, Catholics believe that Christ is the fullness and mediator, author and interpreter, purpose and center of public revelation. Hence, public revelation is the
deposit of faith The deposit of faith ( or ''fidei depositum'') is the body of revealed truth in the scriptures and sacred tradition proposed by the Roman Catholic Church for the belief of its members. The phrase has a similar use in the U.S. Episcopal Church. C ...
and
rule of faith The rule of faith (, ) is the name given to the ultimate authority in Christian belief or fundamental hermeneutic (interpretive) standard (e.g., for biblical interpretation.). It was used by Early Christian writers such as Tertullian. The phrase is ...
and must be lived by all Catholics.
Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas ( ; ; – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican Order, Dominican friar and Catholic priest, priest, the foremost Scholasticism, Scholastic thinker, as well as one of the most influential philosophers and theologians in the W ...
taught that all public revelation ended with the death of
John the Apostle John the Apostle (; ; ), also known as Saint John the Beloved and, in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Saint John the Theologian, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he ...
. Private revelations are believed to be incapable of surpassing, correcting, improving, fulfilling, completing, or perfecting public revelation. The ''Catechism'' further teaches that divine revelation, since it is contained in the Word of God and in Christ, also includes the living tradition or ''sensus fidelium'', the
magisterium The magisterium of the Catholic Church is the church's authority or office to give authentic interpretation of the word of God, "whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition". According to the 1992 ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' ...
, the sacraments, and Catholic dogma. As the living tradition and the magisterium are a part of divine revelation, they are both believed to have divine authority. Catholicism teaches that because the sacraments are a part of divine revelation, their natures cannot be changed (for example, receiving Holy Communion without mortal sin) but their ways of celebration can be changed (for example, receiving Holy Communion in the hand or on the tongue).''Redemptionis Sacramentum'', 10 Catholic dogma is believed to be a part of divine revelation, and therefore immutable.Note with pastoral recommendations for the Year of Faith: "The Council, according to Pope John XXIII, wanted 'to transmit doctrine, pure and whole, without attenuations or misrepresentations,' in such a way that 'this sure and immutable teaching, which must be respected faithfully, is elaborated and presented in a way which corresponds to the needs of our time.'"Address of Pope John Paul II to the Bishops of Korea: "In union with Christ you will ponder again what God’s word demands of the Church in Korea. With the courage that comes only with holiness you will accept the full authentic exigencies of the Second Vatican Council for your dioceses. In prayer you will review the perennial teachings of the faith and the ever relevant newness of the Church’s immutable dogmas. In vital communion with Christ, the life-giving vine, and in union with the universal Church, you will continue to preach the word of faith which depends on hearing and which enables the People of God to confess with their lips that Jesus is Lord, to believe in their hearts that God raised him from the dead, and to be saved (Cf. Rom. 10, 9)). This faith - which is nourished in your own hearts and proclaimed with the special episcopal charism that is yours - is the source of all the insights of the faithful, who are called to believe and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to ponder that belief and live it. " But what truths are dogmas has needed to be clarified by church councils, and the much more numerous doctrines have yielded to varied and increased understanding based on solid study of the Biblical roots and of the history of the topic. For this the work of theologians is indispensable, since the charism of the bishops is not to receive revelations but to determine what is Catholic teaching, the more so in doctrines that are more central to the faith and dogmatically taught. The Second Vatican Council of Bishops maintained a careful line between the "two source" (Scripture and the living tradition) and "one source" explanation of revelation, careful to acknowledge the ultimate priority of the original deposit of faith: "For Sacred Scripture is the word of God inasmuch as it is consigned to writing under the inspiration of the divine Spirit, while sacred tradition takes the word of God entrusted by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit to the Apostles, and hands it on to their successors in its full purity, so that led by the light of the Spirit of truth, they may in proclaiming it preserve this word of God faithfully, explain it, and make it more widely known." In the doctrine of the ''Catechism'', the revelations in the Word of Godsuch as the apparition of the three
angels An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...
to
Abraham Abraham (originally Abram) is the common Hebrews, Hebrew Patriarchs (Bible), patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father who began the Covenant (biblical), covenanta ...
and the angel who wrestled
Jacob Jacob, later known as Israel, is a Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions. He first appears in the Torah, where he is described in the Book of Genesis as a son of Isaac and Rebecca. Accordingly, alongside his older fraternal twin brother E ...
; the burning bush; the
theophany Theophany () is an encounter with a deity that manifests in an observable and tangible form.. It is often confused with other types of encounters with a deity, but these interactions are not considered theophanies unless the deity reveals itse ...
on Mount Sinai; the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire; the visions and prophecies of the prophets; Elijah's test at the cave, and his assumption; the revelation to
Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...
("You are the Christ"); the apparitions of the risen Christ to the Apostles, including the exceptional and unique apparition to
Paul Paul may refer to: People * Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people * Paul (surname), a list of people * Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament * Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo ...
; the various miracles recorded in the
Acts of the Apostles The Acts of the Apostles (, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; ) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of The gospel, its message to the Roman Empire. Acts and the Gospel of Luke make u ...
and in the
Epistles An epistle (; ) is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter. The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as part of the scribal-school writing curriculum. The ...
; and the entire
Book of Revelation The Book of Revelation, also known as the Book of the Apocalypse or the Apocalypse of John, is the final book of the New Testament, and therefore the final book of the Bible#Christian Bible, Christian Bible. Written in Greek language, Greek, ...
are not private revelations but are public revelation, though their original meaning and relevance for modern Catholicism are subject to interpretation. The apparition of
Our Lady of the Pillar Our Lady of the Pillar () is the name given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the context of the traditional belief that Mary, while living in Jerusalem, supernaturally appeared to the Apostle James the Greater in AD 40, AD 40 while he was pre ...
to
James the Greater James the Great (Koine Greek, Koinē Greek: Ἰάκωβος, romanized: ''Iákōbos''; Syriac language, Aramaic: ܝܥܩܘܒ, romanized: ''Yaʿqōḇ''; died AD 44) was one of the Apostles in the New Testament, Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Accordi ...
is a private revelation, since it depends on facts not contained in the original deposit of faith. The ''Catechism'' maintains that Christ promised that the
Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit, otherwise known as the Holy Ghost, is a concept within the Abrahamic religions. In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is understood as the divine quality or force of God manifesting in the world, particularly in acts of prophecy, creati ...
would lead the church into every truth, and that therefore God leads the church into a deeper understanding of the original deposit of faith. The magisterium of the Catholic Church, therefore, carefully examines private revelations, to assure that they are in accord with church doctrine. Catholic sources argue that this is necessary because Christ warned that false prophets would come and that the tree will be known by its fruit.


Types of revelation

Private revelation, in Catholicism, is a heavenly message that helps people live by divine revelation. Various types of private revelations have been reported in the Catholic Church. The ''Catechism'' doctrine is that private revelations can come to anyone for so long as God pleases. Some address the visionary, while others address more people. For instance,
Our Lady of Laus Our Lady of Laus (), or Refuge of Sinners, denotes Marian apparitions that took place between 1664 and 1718 in Saint-Étienne-le-Laus, France, to Benoîte Rencurel, a young shepherdess. On 23 May 1855, Pope Pius IX granted a Canonical Coronat ...
was said to have appeared to a young shepherdess for many years, while
Our Lady of Kibeho Our Lady of Kibeho (, ), also known as Our Lady of Sorrows of Kibeho, is a Catholic title of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, based on the Marian apparitions reported in the 1980s by several adolescents in Kibeho, south-western Rwanda. The young ...
apparently addressed the leaders of the nation of
Rwanda Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...
. The appearances of the
Blessed Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
are usually called
Marian apparitions A Marian apparition is a reported supernatural appearance of Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary, the mother of Jesus. While sometimes described as a type of vision, apparitions are generally regarded as external manifestations, whereas visions are mor ...
. These generally include a vision of the Blessed Virgin, accompanied by brief messages. These are by far the most widely reported form. Well known examples of approved Marian apparitions include
Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe (), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe (), is a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with four Marian apparitions to Juan Diego and one to his uncle, Juan Bernardino reported in December 1531, when t ...
,
Our Lady of Lourdes Our Lady of Lourdes (; ) is one the Marian devotions, devotional names or titles under which the Catholic Church venerates the Mary, mother of Jesus, Virgin Mary. The name commemorates a series of Lourdes apparitions, 18 apparitions reported by ...
and
Our Lady of Fátima Our Lady of Fátima (, ; formally known as Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Fátima) is a Catholic title of Mary, mother of Jesus, based on the Marian apparitions reported in 1917 by three shepherd children at the Cova da Iria in Fátima, Portu ...
. These apparitions are considered private revelations from God through the Virgin Mary. In Catholic belief, Marian visions do not mean Mary appears as a disembodied spirit, since she has been assumed into heaven. However, it is probable that Mary could appear in bodily form by bilocation. A number of apparitions of
Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
following his ascension have been reported. Some of these have received approval, as safe for private belief, from the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
. For instance, the Vatican biography of
Faustina Kowalska Maria Faustyna Kowalska of the Blessed Sacrament, Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, OLM (born Helena Kowalska; 25 August 1905 – 5 October 1938) was a Catholic Church in Poland, Polish Catholic religious sister and Christia ...
quotes some of her conversations with Jesus. The Catholic teaching is that apparitions of Jesus are not the same as the
real presence of Christ in the Eucharist The real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, sometimes shortened Real Presence'','' is the Christian doctrine that Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist, not merely symbolically or metaphorically, but in a true, real and substantial way. T ...
, even if they include Eucharistic adoration, because the sacraments are a part of public revelation. The apparitions are also not the same as the
Second Coming The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is the Christianity, Christian and Islam, Islamic belief that Jesus, Jesus Christ will return to Earth after his Ascension of Jesus, ascension to Heaven (Christianity), Heav ...
, because the church believes Jesus "will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead." There are reports of interior locutions in which inner voices are reported, but no vision of divinity is claimed. The Vatican biographies of both
Teresa of Ávila Teresa of Ávila (born Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada; 28March 15154or 15October 1582), also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, was a Carmelite nun and prominent Spanish mystic and religious reformer. Active during the Counter-Re ...
and
Mother Teresa of Calcutta Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, ; 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997), better known as Mother Teresa or Saint Mother Teresa, was an Albanian-Indian Catholic Church, Roman Catholic nun, founder of the Missionaries of ...
refer to their interior locutions, although Mother Teresa often preferred to remain private about them. Some private revelations produce large amounts of text, while others amount to a few reported sentences. For instance, the priest Stefano Gobbi produced a book of messages attributed to the
Blessed Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
, while Mary of the Divine Heart Droste zu Vischering simply wrote two letters to
Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII (; born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2March 181020July 1903) was head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 until his death in July 1903. He had the fourth-longest reign of any pope, behind those of Peter the Ap ...
with a message attributed to Jesus Christ, prompting the Pope to consecrate the world to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus () is one of the most widely practised and well-known Catholic devotions, wherein the heart of Jesus Christ is viewed as a symbol of "God's boundless and passionate love for mankind". This devotion to Christ is p ...
. The Catholic church does not regard spiritism, automatic writing, astrology, fortune-telling, psychic powers, magic, divination, conjuring the dead, etc. as types of private revelations, instead classing them as
occultism The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mystic ...
. The Catholic Church does not regard private revelations as having authority over the
Pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...
or the
bishops A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
in communion with him, because Catholicism gives the church, the bishop, and public revelation divine authority as a matter of faith, while teaching that private revelations are not a matter of faith but are believed with human faith. Catholic theologians argue that private revelations neither have divine authority nor can they be believed with divine and catholic faith, offering as evidence the teaching that the Magisterium infallibly interprets the inerrant Word of God,Dei Verbum, 11 & 25: "Therefore, since everything asserted by the inspired authors or sacred writers must be held to be asserted by the Holy Spirit, it follows that the books of Scripture must be acknowledged as teaching solidly, faithfully and without error that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings ... It devolves on sacred bishops 'who have the apostolic teaching' to give the faithful entrusted to them suitable instruction in the right use of the divine books, especially the New Testament and above all the Gospels." whereas saints are believed to be capable of making errors about the details of private revelations, since fallen human nature is inclined to sin and error.


Sources of revelation

According to the Catholic Church, private revelations come from God, while false revelations come either from human or demonic sources. Just as in
exorcism Exorcism () is the religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons, jinns, or other malevolent spiritual entities from a person, or an area, that is believed to be possessed. Depending on the spiritual beliefs of the exorcist, this may be do ...
, the Catholic Church is careful to distinguish between supernatural events, mental illness, drug abuse, deception, and demonic activity. The church gathers a team of scientists, theologians, and other experts to test the spirit of the alleged visionary to see if they are genuine, psychotic or manipulative, influenced by drugs, deceptive or deceived, or possessed by demons. According to the Catholic Church, revelations from God are an extraordinary grace which confirms Catholic doctrine and dogma. One famous example is
Our Lady of Lourdes Our Lady of Lourdes (; ) is one the Marian devotions, devotional names or titles under which the Catholic Church venerates the Mary, mother of Jesus, Virgin Mary. The name commemorates a series of Lourdes apparitions, 18 apparitions reported by ...
, who declared Mary to be the
Immaculate Conception The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...
four years after the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed. Catholicism teaches that revelations are not to be confused with
holiness Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
, and that no one can rightfully desire to receive revelations. The Catholic teaching is that revelations which occur in unexpected ways are intended as reminders of public revelation. For instance, the
stigmata Stigmata (, plural of , 'mark, spot, brand'), in Roman Catholicism, Catholicism, are bodily wounds, scars and pain which appear in locations corresponding to the Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion Five Holy Wounds, wounds of Jesus in Christian ...
are interpreted as a reminder of the
Paschal Mystery The Paschal mystery is central to Catholic faith and theology relating to the Salvation history, history of salvation. According to the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "The Paschal Mystery of Jesus, which comprises his Passion ...
; weeping statues as a reminder of sin and mercy; and the mystical ring of
Catherine of Siena Caterina di Jacopo di Benincasa (25 March 1347 – 29 April 1380), known as Catherine of Siena, was an Italian mystic and pious laywoman who engaged in papal and Italian politics through extensive letter-writing and advocacy. Canonized in 1461, ...
as a reminder of mystical marriage. Eugenia Ravasio reported a series of messages from
God the Father God the Father is a title given to God in Christianity. In mainstream trinitarian Christianity, God the Father is regarded as the first Person of the Trinity, followed by the second person, Jesus Christ the Son, and the third person, God th ...
, which were published as ''"The Father speaks to His children"''. Ravasio's messages were approved by Alexander Caillot, bishop of Grenoble, who ordered an investigation and after ten years issued a letter stating that the messages had a divine nature. In 1988 the messages received also the imprimatur of Petrus Canisius Van Lierde, the Vicar General for the Vatican City State, whose general duties were the administration of daily functions of
Vatican City Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State (; ), is a Landlocked country, landlocked sovereign state and city-state; it is enclaved within Rome, the capital city of Italy and Bishop of Rome, seat of the Catholic Church. It became inde ...
. The
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) is a department of the Roman Curia in charge of the religious discipline of the Catholic Church. The Dicastery is the oldest among the departments of the Roman Curia. Its seat is the Palace of t ...
at the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
, which is the official authority for approving private revelations on behalf of the Catholic Church, did not declare Ravasio's writings heresy.


False revelations

Catholicism distinguishes between what it believes to be true revelations, and various sources of revelations it does not recognize. One source of false revelations, according to Catholicism, is
pareidolia Pareidolia (; ) is the tendency for perception to impose a meaningful interpretation on a nebulous stimulus (physiology), stimulus, usually visual, so that one detects an object, pattern, or meaning where there is none. Pareidolia is a specific bu ...
, where people see visions or hear voices where there are none. It is church doctrine that apparitions and visions cannot be photographed and messages and locutions cannot be recorded. Catholicism teaches that false revelations may also result from misattribution, where people put words into saints' and other persons' mouths, such as the "three days of darkness" prophecy attributed to Pio of Pietrelcina, the "end-times" prophecy attributed to
Our Lady of Laus Our Lady of Laus (), or Refuge of Sinners, denotes Marian apparitions that took place between 1664 and 1718 in Saint-Étienne-le-Laus, France, to Benoîte Rencurel, a young shepherdess. On 23 May 1855, Pope Pius IX granted a Canonical Coronat ...
, and the Medjugorje sayings attributed to
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
. According to the Catholic church, false revelations may also result from
demonic possession Spirit Possession is an altered state of consciousness and associated behaviors which are purportedly caused by the control of a human body and its functions by Supernatural#Spirit, spirits, ghosts, demons, angels, or Deity, gods. The concept ...
, and Satan can appear like an angel of light and rebuke people for their sins, and mimic the miracles and revelations of God. The most famous case is Magdalena de la Cruz, through whom Satan is supposed to have uttered false prophecies and fabricated miracles, including uncreated light,
stigmata Stigmata (, plural of , 'mark, spot, brand'), in Roman Catholicism, Catholicism, are bodily wounds, scars and pain which appear in locations corresponding to the Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion Five Holy Wounds, wounds of Jesus in Christian ...
,
levitation Levitation, Levitate, or Levitating may refer to: Concepts *Levitation (illusion), an illusion where a magician appears to levitate a person or object *Levitation (paranormal), the claimed paranormal phenomenon of levitation, occurring without an ...
, ecstasy, and extraordinary fasting (she allegedly survived solely on the
Eucharist The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an Ordinance (Christianity), ordinance in ...
). The ''
Catholic Encyclopedia ''The'' ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'', also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedi ...
'' argues that it is a misconception that the Catholic church is quick to accept mental illness or drug abuse, such as
schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...
or
hallucinogens Hallucinogens, also known as psychedelics, entheogens, or historically as psychotomimetics, are a large and diverse class of psychoactive drugs that can produce altered states of consciousness characterized by major alterations in thought, mo ...
, for private revelation and demonic activity. Catholic sources argue that the Catholic church is skeptical, and only accepts private revelation after discernment, because it is "the pillar and bulwark of the truth" and because it has a long history of dealing with fraudulent visionaries.


Discernment of revelation

Catholicism teaches that all
charism In Christianity, a spiritual gift or charism (plural: charisms or charismata; in Greek language, Greek singular: wikt:χάρισμα, χάρισμα ''charisma'', plural: χαρίσματα ''charismata'') is an extraordinary power given by the ...
s, including the charisms of
prophecy In religion, mythology, and fiction, a prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person (typically called a ''prophet'') by a supernatural entity. Prophecies are a feature of many cultures and belief systems and usually contain di ...
,
speaking in tongues Speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, is an activity or practice in which people utter words or speech-like sounds, often thought by believers to be languages unknown to the speaker. One definition used by linguists is the fluid voc ...
, and miracles, are subject to discernment. It uses the 1978 '' Normae Congregationis'' to discern and judge private revelations. After an alleged private revelation has been judged by the local Catholic bishop to be worthy of belief, the private revelation is said to contain nothing contrary to Catholic faith or morals, the faithful are authorized to prudently believe in the private revelation (without obligation), and it is legal to publish the private revelation. Firstly, the local Catholic bishop judges the alleged revelation according to its "fruits", or outcomes: *Good Fruits: **The alleged revelation likely happened/is happening, and is not attributable to postdiction and
hoaxes A hoax (plural: hoaxes) is a widely publicised falsehood created to deceive its audience with false and often astonishing information, with the either malicious or humorous intent of causing shock and interest in as many people as possible. S ...
. **The alleged visionary is mentally healthy, honest, humble, and lives a normal life. **Conformity to public revelation and immunity from error in faith or morals. **Healthy devotion to the alleged revelation (adherence to Dogma, submission to the Bishop, obedience of faith, etc.) **Abundant spiritual fruits that spring from said healthy devotion (prayer, conversion, charity, etc.) **Example according to the Church: the revelations to the Polish mystic
Faustina Kowalska Maria Faustyna Kowalska of the Blessed Sacrament, Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, OLM (born Helena Kowalska; 25 August 1905 – 5 October 1938) was a Catholic Church in Poland, Polish Catholic religious sister and Christia ...
were promoted by Pope John Paul II from before his papacy, and received his approval as safe in practice. *Bad Fruits: **The alleged revelation did not actually happen (someone mistaking sun dogs for a miracle, etc.) **Doctrinal errors attributed to God or a Saint, although this does not include redaction. **Using the alleged revelation for fame, fortune, sex, or other gains. **Occultism or other grave sins (drug abuse, etc.) in connection with the alleged revelation. **Mental illness, psychotic tendencies, and demonic activity. **Example according to the Church: the Mariavite revelations contained heresy and attacked critics, despite promoting popular piety and frequency of the sacraments. When judgment is favorable, the bishop permits a local devotion without judging the revelation to be worthy of belief, which can include being favorable toward miracles in connection with the revelation without approving of the revelation itself. This step is commonly called "approved for faith expression." Then, after the bishop sees a healthy devotion to the revelation and abundant spiritual fruits spring from said devotion, he judges the revelation to be worthy of belief: the private revelation contains nothing contrary to Catholic faith or morals, the faithful are authorized to prudently believe in the private revelation (without obligation), and it is legal to publish the private revelation. In addition, the bishop approves of the titles – such as " Our Lady" – given to a Marian apparition (Our Lady of Lourdes, for example). Judgment on private revelations falls under a bishop's ordinary
magisterium The magisterium of the Catholic Church is the church's authority or office to give authentic interpretation of the word of God, "whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition". According to the 1992 ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' ...
, which is authoritative but noninfallible and requires religious submission of intellect and will. A bishop or his successor could overturn a prior judgment, such as happened in the case of the apparitions of
The Lady of All Nations The Lady of All Nations is a Catholic Church, Catholic Titles of Mary, Marian title sometimes associated with Marian apparition, apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Ida Peerdeman of Amsterdam, Netherlands. Peerdeman claimed to have received ...
. A bishop can judge an alleged private revelation to be either worthy of belief (''constat de supernaturalitate'') or not worthy of belief (''constat de non supernaturalitate''). A private revelation that is worthy of belief can receive full approval if it is approved by the Pope, such as happened with the revelations to
Margaret Mary Alacoque Margaret Mary Alacoque (; 22 July 1647 – 17 October 1690) was a French Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, Visitation nun and mysticism, mystic who promoted Catholic devotions, devotion to the Sacred Heart, Sacred Heart of Jesus in its moder ...
. Papal approval does not include popes visiting sites of alleged revelations, granting special privileges to shrines, offering gifts to alleged visionaries, or speaking favorably of alleged revelations or visionaries. A private revelation that is not worthy of belief can either be more fully investigated or, if bad fruits are found, condemned. A condemned revelation may not be followed, believed, or published by the faithful. A bishop can judge an alleged private revelation before it ends, such as was the case with the prophecies of Montanus (condemned) and the prophecies of Elizabeth Barton (approved). Fraudulent visionaries sometimes counter the negative judgments of their bishops, and skeptics of authentic revelations sometimes counter positive judgments, by saying the bishops did not do a thorough investigation, such as interviewing the visionaries. Not all reports of private revelation are approved, even if they have good fruits. For instance, reports of ''Our Lady of
Surbiton Surbiton is a suburban neighbourhood in South West London, within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (RBK). It is next to the River Thames, southwest of Charing Cross. Surbiton was in the Historic counties of England, historic county of ...
'' appearing every day under a pine tree in
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
were flatly rejected by the
Vatican Vatican may refer to: Geography * Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy * Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City * Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome * Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...
as a fraud. It is permissible, with the bishop's permission, to make a
shrine A shrine ( "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred space">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ...: ''escri ...
in honor of an approved revelation. However, no one is obligated to believe in a private revelation, since it is not public revelation; just as no one is obligated to practice popular piety, since it is not the
liturgy Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and participation in the sacred through activities reflecting praise, thanksgiving, remembra ...
. Only public revelation and the liturgy are obligatory, for they are necessary for salvation. Despite this, some Catholics, such as the Fatima Crusaders, believe the
rosary The Rosary (; , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), formally known as the Psalter of Jesus and Mary (Latin: Psalterium Jesu et Mariae), also known as the Dominican Rosary (as distinct from other forms of rosary such as the ...
is necessary for world peace because Our Lady of Fatima said "Pray the Rosary every day, in order to obtain peace for the world, and the end of the war."


Publication of revelation

On 23 October 1995, the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) is a department of the Roman Curia in charge of the religious discipline of the Catholic Church. The Dicastery is the oldest among the departments of the Roman Curia. Its seat is the Palace of t ...
issued a press release regarding Vassula Rydén's private revelations: It is a misconception that the faithful do not need permission to publish alleged private revelations since the abolition of Canon 1399 and 2318 of the former Canonical Code by
Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...
in AAS 58 (1966) on 14 October 1966. The truth is that Pope Paul VI only abolished the
Index Librorum Prohibitorum The (English: ''Index of Forbidden Books'') was a changing list of publications deemed heretical or contrary to morality by the Sacred Congregation of the Index (a former dicastery of the Roman Curia); Catholics were forbidden to print or re ...
, and that Canon 823 and 824 of the current
1983 Code of Canon Law The 1983 ''Code of Canon Law'' (abbreviated 1983 CIC from its Latin title ''Codex Iuris Canonici''), also called the Johanno-Pauline Code, is the "fundamental body of Ecclesiastical Law, ecclesiastical laws for the Latin Church". It is the sec ...
define the right and duty of the bishop to censor all material concerning faith or morals. The
canonization Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christianity, Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon ca ...
of a mystic or an
imprimatur An imprimatur (sometimes abbreviated as ''impr.'', from Latin, "let it be printed") is a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement. The imprimatur rule in the Catho ...
given to a book of revelations do not mean a private revelation is authentic, because the church does not pronounce on alleged revelations when it pronounces on the holiness of an individual and because the Imprimatur only guarantees that a book is free from all doctrinal and moral errors.


Controversy

Certain private revelations have been the subject of
conspiracy theories A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy (generally by powerful sinister groups, often political in motivation), when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * ...
. The theories include church coverups, church officials siding with the local government to destroy apparitions, visionaries' doubles, and church corruption.


Latter Day Saint theology

In the
Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by ...
, continuing revelation is the principle that God or his divine agents still continue to communicate to humankind. The founder of the movement Joseph Smith, Jr. used the example of the Lord's revelations to Moses in Deuteronomy to explain the importance and necessity of continuous revelation to guide "those who seek diligently to know od'sprecepts": Both
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...
(LDS Church) and the
Community of Christ Community of Christ, known legally and from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), is an American-based international church, and is the second-largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement ...
, the two largest denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement have a tradition of continuing revelation and have added modern public revelations to their canon of scriptures. In the LDS Church, in addition to teaching the importance of studying the words of both ancient and modern prophets, the church also emphasize the necessity of private or personal
revelation Revelation, or divine revelation, is the disclosing of some form of Religious views on truth, truth or Knowledge#Religion, knowledge through communication with a deity (god) or other supernatural entity or entities in the view of religion and t ...
from God by the power of the
Holy Ghost Most Christian denominations believe the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, to be the third divine Person of the Trinity, a triune god manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each being God. Nontrinitarian Christians, who ...
as the only pathway to true knowledge of Jesus Christ: Boyd K. Packer, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, explained the source and process of personal revelation: In another sermon, Packer warned Latter-day Saints against the dangers of over reliance on a rational or
theological Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of an ...
approach to knowledge of gospel principles: LDS Church President Spencer W. Kimball also emphasized the importance of personal revelation versus the analytical approach in understanding the message of Jesus Christ: Although Latter-day Saints believe that personal revelation is an essential part of the plan of salvation, leaders of the church emphasize that true personal revelation should never contradict official revelation from the leadership of the church. Hartman Rector Jr. taught some basic criteria during a speech at BYU entitled "How to Know if Revelation Is from the Lord" that can help members of the church know whether the revelation that someone receives is actually coming from God. The following excerpt is the conclusion of this speech: James E. Faust explained the difference between apostolic and personal revelation: "The prophets, seers, and revelators have had and still have the responsibility and privilege of receiving and declaring the word of God for the world. Individual members, parents, and leaders have the right to receive revelation for their own responsibility but have no duty nor right to declare the word of God beyond the limits of their own responsibility."James E. Faust
"Continuous Revelation,"
''
Ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...
'', November 1989, p. 8.


See also

* Beatific vision *
Christian contemplation Christian mysticism is the tradition of mysticism, mystical practices and mystical theology within Christianity which "concerns the preparation f the personfor, the consciousness of, and the effect of ..a direct and transformative pr ...
*
Marian apparition A Marian apparition is a reported supernatural appearance of Mary, the mother of Jesus. While sometimes described as a type of vision, apparitions are generally regarded as external manifestations, whereas visions are more often understood as ...
*
Mysticism Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute (philosophy), Absolute, but may refer to any kind of Religious ecstasy, ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or Spirituality, spiritual meani ...
* Neo-revelationism *
Psychology of religion Psychology of religion consists of the application of psychological methods and interpretive frameworks to the diverse contents of religious traditions as well as to both religious and irreligious individuals. The various methods and frameworks ...
*
Religious experience A religious experience (sometimes known as a spiritual experience, sacred experience, mystical experience) is a subjectivity, subjective experience which is interpreted within a religious framework. The concept originated in the 19th century, a ...
* Revelation (Latter Day Saints) *
Somnium Scipionis The ''Dream of Scipio'' (Latin: ''Somnium Scipionis''), written by Cicero, is the sixth book of ''De re publica'', and describes a (postulated fictional or real) dream vision of the Roman general Scipio Aemilianus, set two years before he over ...
*
Theosis (Eastern Christian theology) ''Theosis'' (), or deification (deification may also refer to '' apotheosis'', lit. "making divine"), is a transformative process whose aim is likeness to or union with God, as taught by the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Eastern Orthodox ...
*
Vision (spirituality) A vision is something seen in a dream, trance, or religious ecstasy, especially a supernatural appearance that usually conveys a revelation. Visions generally have more clarity than dreams, but traditionally fewer psychological connotations. Vis ...
* Visions of Jesus and Mary


References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Private revelation Catholic theology and doctrine Christian terminology Revelation Hallucinations