Vatican Tightens Rules on Probing Miracles

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Facts

  • The Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith released stricter rules on determining whether alleged supernatural or miraculous things actually occurred. This comes as such claims have reportedly skyrocketed in the age of social media.1
  • The new declaration, released on Friday, states that 'the Church needs clear procedures,' adding that the new rules 'are not intended to control or (even less) stifle the Spirit.' It also noted that it is not intended to deny all claims of alleged supernatural apparitions.2
  • The Church will no longer define the supernatural nature of something, but it will have the power to approve the local Bishop's final decision and intervene at any time. The Church will monitor whether 'the writings or messages of those involved' 'conflicts with faith and morals.'3
  • The Church warned its members to be cautious of alleged supernatural occurrences for several reasons, including when the people involved misuse or seek to exploit it; where some merit is found but it could also lead to 'very serious' risks; and when an event requires further investigation or results in confusion.4
  • The Church has granted miracle status to events across the centuries, such as the alleged appearance of the Virgin Mary at Fatima in Portugal and Lourdes in France. Other cases, such as a woman said she saw Jesus and Mary in Italy in 2016, have been rejected.1
  • The new doctrine, quoting Pope Benedict XVI, said that even when alleged supernatural phenomena are approved by the Church, they're meant to be 'a help which is proffered, but its use is not obligatory.'4

Sources: 1BBC News, 2New York Times, 3Vatican and 4National Catholic Reporter.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by La croix international. The Church is correct in its cautious but still respectful attitude toward miracles. The most important thing for Catholics to believe in, which is a miracle in and of itself, is Jesus Christ. The rest, which are rare for a reason, are only periodic reminders of his existence. Catholics don't need lots of miracles to have a strong faith, but they are certainly helpful reinforcements.
  • Narrative B, as provided by News and Events. While belief in miracles is an innocent tradition for many Catholics, it doesn't mean you must or should take them seriously. Even regarding Jesus' miracles, theologians have claimed that they were more symbolic than factual. Whatever your belief, you don't need to believe in, let alone live by the idea that miracles are real.

Predictions