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.