Norms for discernment of alleged apparitions and revelations
May 29, 2012: The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) has published
new translations of the Norms regarding the manner of proceeding in the discernment
of presumed apparitions or revelations into various languages from their original
Latin.
The idea behind the move, according to CDF Prefect Cardinal William
Levada, is to help bishops worldwide determine the credibility of “extraordinary phenomena
of presumed supernatural origin” in the light of faith. The Norms, which were first
drawn up by the Servant of God Pope Paul VI in 1978, are now available on the congregation's
website www.doctrinafidei.va in six languages including English.
Over the
years this document has been published in various works, in more than one language,
without obtaining the prior permission of this Dicastery. Today, it must be recognized
that the contents of these important norms are already in the public domain. Therefore,
the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith believes it is now opportune to publish
these Norms, providing translations in the principle languages.
It
is my firm hope, said Cardinal Levada, 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. At the same time he hoped that this text might be useful
to theologians and experts in this field of the lived experience of the Church, whose
delicacy requires an ever-more thorough consideration.