Cautionary Notes on Mystical
Phenomena
Also see:
Marian Apparitions
Ad. Tanquerey, Mystical Theology
Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani,
"Signs and Wonders - A Warning" 14 February 1951
(From Free Republic)
To: PetroniusMaximus
Good analysis, Petronius. Trusting any visions or
visionaries, let alone those of Modernists can be a danger to one's faith.
Could this be another Medjugorie in Florida? To quote a few sources:
Deuteronomy: "Thou shalt not hear the words of that
prophet or dreamer. For the Lord your God trieth you, that it may appear
whether you love him with all your heart, and with all your soul, or not....
And that prophet or forger of dreams shall be slain: because he spoke to draw
you away from the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 13:3,5/DRV).
St. John of the Cross (1542-1591): "The desire for
private revelations deprives faith of its purity, develops a dangerous
curiosity that becomes a source of illusions, fills the mind with vain
fancies, and often proves the want of humility, and of submission to Our Lord,
Who, through His public revelation, has given all that is needed for
salvation. We must suspect those apparitions that lack dignity or proper
reserve, and above all, those that are ridiculous. This last characteristic is
a mark of human or diabolical machination. STAY AWAY FROM VISIONS,
APPARITIONS, AND MIRACLES AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. BE CAREFUL OF VISIONS, EVEN WHEN
THEY ARE AUTHENTIC.
St. Vincent Ferrer: "The first remedy against
spiritual temptations which the devil plants in the hearts of many persons in
these unhappy times, is to have no desire to procure by prayer, meditation, or
any other good work, what are called (private) revelations, or spiritual
experiences, beyond what happens in the ordinary course of things; such a
desire of things which surpass the common order can have no other root or
foundation but pride, presumption, a vain curiosity in what regards the things
of God, and in short, an exceedingly weak faith. It is to punish this evil
desire that God abandons the soul, and permits it to fall into the illusions
and temptations of the devil, who seduces it, and represents to it false
visions and delusive revelations. Here we have the source of most of the
spiritual temptations that prevail at the present time; temptations which the
spirit of evil roots in the souls of those who may be called the precursors of
Antichrist."
Pope St. Pius X 1913: "When anyone tells me about the
extraordinary, I am the most incredulous man in the world..., but when
holiness results from the practice of virtue..., I believe in it. Just this
morning ... I was saying that long ago the devil manifested himself openly in
the possessed whom he caused to suffer, and from whom he could be driven out
only by exorcism. Now he has changed his method; he takes the appearance of
sanctity and makes people believe in visions. He even gives to certain persons
the knowledge of hidden things, so that they may appear to prophesy; sometimes
he even simulates stigmata! But as for holiness expressed in the simple
practice of virtue..., I believe in that. That is indeed holiness.... The way
to sanctity is not difficult. It is a thorny road, but easy."
Source: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1163924/posts?page=27
posted on 07/02/2004 10:46:58 AM PDT
by corpus <http://www.freerepublic.com/~corpus/>
