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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Miracles and Providence	Ryan	Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Question: How is one to understand miracles and seemingly providential experiences which happen outside the Catholic Church? Some of these situations may even be connected to the active propagation of doctrine at odds with Catholic teaching, for just one example a dream experienced by a Protestant married couple of two robed men working on a printing press and an unexpected discovery something like a week later of two Eastern Orthodox monks living in the wilderness printing what they called the "Orthodox Word of God", shocking the woman of the couple with the seemingly "providential" coordination of the two events. Similarly, there are myrrh-streaming icons, messages given to recipients, and healings experienced at the tombs of non-Catholic canonized individuals. For a person intimately in search of truth, sometimes these situations can be misleading - because after all the purpose of miracles such as Lanciano is to strengthen faith in the truth, but when such occurrences seem to vindicate multiple sources (some of which directly contradict each other and the Catholic Church), how is one to understand and sift out works of the devil from works of God? In short, what may be considered a list of things that only God can do, and what may be considered the range that the devil is capable of utilizing in terms of procuring deceptions in the "form" of miracles? What may be considered a useful "handbook" to determine this?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Ryan: Thank you for this interesting question. The short answer is that anything that violates the Truth as taught by the Catholic Church is not legitimate. God gave the Pope, and the Magisterium in union with him, the authority and duty to define, preach, protect, and defend the Truth of God. Therefore, whether or not anyone likes it, it is the Catholic Church that is the repository of all spiritual Truth, and all Truth concerning Faith and Morals. The example of the dream you mentioned does not challenge the Catholic Church in any way. It is a dream, not a private revelation. The fact that the dream seems to be consistent with the existence of two Eastern Orthodox monks living in the wilderness might be explained in several ways. First, it is possible that the couple read about these monks in the newspaper but did not register it in their minds. Thus, the information would be in their subconscious that later came out as a dream. A second possibility is just sheer coincidence. A third possibility is that their dream was inspired or implanted by a demon. There is no possibility that this dream came from God since God does not inspire dreams for no reason. The devil, however, has a great reason to implant this dream. His hope would be that the couple be seduced into New Age or occult activities and philosophies. Such a dream can impress the dreamer in such a way that they wish to continue to explore or even to encourage more dreams of this type. The bottom line is that God does not give people dreams of this sort. If He gives someone a dream it's going to be for a very specific reason either to benefit the person, benefit someone else (such as warning someone not to get on an airplane that's going to crash), or to benefit the Church. But, God does not play parlor tricks. God does not do things for no reason. God does not do things merely to get someone curious about the phenomena. Thus, this example you have given has nothing to do with God, and thus does not challenge the Catholic Church in any way. Your second example is not specific at all and thus there's not a whole lot I can say about it. You do mention phenomena taking place at the tombs of "non-Catholic canonized individuals." There is no such thing. While it is theoretically possible for the Pope to canonize a saint who is not Catholic, it has never happened so far. Thus, I do not know what you're referring to. In any event any phenomena must be consistent with the teachings and discernments of the Holy See or its source is not God. To your question, "how is one to understand and sift out works of the devil from works of God," the answer is rather simple in this context. Anything, any phenomena, any philosophy, any teaching, any private revelation, any mystical experience, any miracle, that contradicts anything that the Catholic Church teaches indicates that the event is not from God. It is God Himself who gave the Church the authority and charism to define and protect His Truth. It is God Himself who has deposited the Truth in the repository of the Catholic Church. Thus, the official teachings and official declarations of the Catholic Church are the measuring stick for all else. Most things can be easily discerned by knowing your faith. More subtle issues may have to be deferred to the Church for a decision. The "handbook" you're asking for is called the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Canon Law, Liturgical Law, and other Church documents. The place to start, however, is with the measuring stick of the Catechism. You are correct that the devil is capable of deception and even of creating apparent "miracles." Thus, we must always be cautious and even skeptical of claims of private revelations and miracles. St. Paul tells us, (2 Corinthians_11:14) "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." Thus, when it comes to private revelations and claims of miracles we are not to discern those things ourselves. We must wait until the Church investigates such claims, if she decides to investigate a specific claim, and makes a decision about whether or not the claim is supernatural, that is, a phenomenon coming from heaven. Deferring these issues to the Church is required because it is only the Holy See who has the charism from the Holy Spirit to discern and make such decisions. You are also correct in saying that mystical and miraculous phenomena, if it is coming from God, is to strengthen our Faith in the Truth that is defined by the Catholic Church. All else is error and not coming from God. I hope this helps. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Miracles and Providence

Ryan

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Question:

How is one to understand miracles and seemingly providential experiences which happen outside the Catholic Church?

Some of these situations may even be connected to the active propagation of doctrine at odds with Catholic teaching, for just one example a dream experienced by a Protestant married couple of two robed men working on a printing press and an unexpected discovery something like a week later of two Eastern Orthodox monks living in the wilderness printing what they called the "Orthodox Word of God", shocking the woman of the couple with the seemingly "providential" coordination of the two events.

Similarly, there are myrrh-streaming icons, messages given to recipients, and healings experienced at the tombs of non-Catholic canonized individuals.

For a person intimately in search of truth, sometimes these situations can be misleading - because after all the purpose of miracles such as Lanciano is to strengthen faith in the truth, but when such occurrences seem to vindicate multiple sources (some of which directly contradict each other and the Catholic Church), how is one to understand and sift out works of the devil from works of God?

In short, what may be considered a list of things that only God can do, and what may be considered the range that the devil is capable of utilizing in terms of procuring deceptions in the "form" of miracles? What may be considered a useful "handbook" to determine this?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Ryan:

Thank you for this interesting question.

The short answer is that anything that violates the Truth as taught by the Catholic Church is not legitimate. God gave the Pope, and the Magisterium in union with him, the authority and duty to define, preach, protect, and defend the Truth of God. Therefore, whether or not anyone likes it, it is the Catholic Church that is the repository of all spiritual Truth, and all Truth concerning Faith and Morals.

The example of the dream you mentioned does not challenge the Catholic Church in any way. It is a dream, not a private revelation. The fact that the dream seems to be consistent with the existence of two Eastern Orthodox monks living in the wilderness might be explained in several ways. First, it is possible that the couple read about these monks in the newspaper but did not register it in their minds. Thus, the information would be in their subconscious that later came out as a dream. A second possibility is just sheer coincidence. A third possibility is that their dream was inspired or implanted by a demon. There is no possibility that this dream came from God since God does not inspire dreams for no reason.

The devil, however, has a great reason to implant this dream. His hope would be that the couple be seduced into New Age or occult activities and philosophies. Such a dream can impress the dreamer in such a way that they wish to continue to explore or even to encourage more dreams of this type.

The bottom line is that God does not give people dreams of this sort. If He gives someone a dream it's going to be for a very specific reason either to benefit the person, benefit someone else (such as warning someone not to get on an airplane that's going to crash), or to benefit the Church. But, God does not play parlor tricks. God does not do things for no reason. God does not do things merely to get someone curious about the phenomena. Thus, this example you have given has nothing to do with God, and thus does not challenge the Catholic Church in any way.

Your second example is not specific at all and thus there's not a whole lot I can say about it. You do mention phenomena taking place at the tombs of "non-Catholic canonized individuals." There is no such thing. While it is theoretically possible for the Pope to canonize a saint who is not Catholic, it has never happened so far. Thus, I do not know what you're referring to. In any event any phenomena must be consistent with the teachings and discernments of the Holy See or its source is not God.

To your question, "how is one to understand and sift out works of the devil from works of God," the answer is rather simple in this context. Anything, any phenomena, any philosophy, any teaching, any private revelation, any mystical experience, any miracle, that contradicts anything that the Catholic Church teaches indicates that the event is not from God. It is God Himself who gave the Church the authority and charism to define and protect His Truth. It is God Himself who has deposited the Truth in the repository of the Catholic Church. Thus, the official teachings and official declarations of the Catholic Church are the measuring stick for all else.

Most things can be easily discerned by knowing your faith. More subtle issues may have to be deferred to the Church for a decision. The "handbook" you're asking for is called the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Canon Law, Liturgical Law, and other Church documents. The place to start, however, is with the measuring stick of the Catechism.

You are correct that the devil is capable of deception and even of creating apparent "miracles." Thus, we must always be cautious and even skeptical of claims of private revelations and miracles. St. Paul tells us, (2 Corinthians_11:14) "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."

Thus, when it comes to private revelations and claims of miracles we are not to discern those things ourselves. We must wait until the Church investigates such claims, if she decides to investigate a specific claim, and makes a decision about whether or not the claim is supernatural, that is, a phenomenon coming from heaven. Deferring these issues to the Church is required because it is only the Holy See who has the charism from the Holy Spirit to discern and make such decisions.

You are also correct in saying that mystical and miraculous phenomena, if it is coming from God, is to strengthen our Faith in the Truth that is defined by the Catholic Church. All else is error and not coming from God.

I hope this helps.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum