The Catholic Church has issued new guidance on the discernment of alleged supernatural occurrences, aiming to address events that go beyond ordinary experiences. The document, translated into seven languages, provides guidelines for investigating phenomena such as apparitions, visions, messages, and psychophysical events related to religious images.

According to the Vatican document, spiritual experiences accompanied by unexplainable physical and psychological phenomena require careful study and discernment by the Church. The document suggests four considerations that the Church should take into account when evaluating alleged supernatural phenomena.

Firstly, the Church should determine if there are signs indicative of a divine action in the alleged phenomena. Secondly, it should assess whether any conflicts with faith and morals exist in the writings or messages associated with the events. Thirdly, the Church should evaluate the spiritual fruits of the occurrences, considering if purification or warning is necessary. Finally, the document advises the competent ecclesiastical authorities to consider the pastoral value of the events.

The new guidelines reflect a shift in the Church's approach, whereby it will no longer seek authoritative affirmation of the supernatural origin of an event. Instead, the Church will focus on approving or rejecting public devotion and popular piety based on available evidence.

One reason behind this change is the prolonged time required for thorough investigations into alleged supernatural events, which can often take years or even decades. Additionally, the impact of rapid, worldwide mass communication has raised concerns about misinformation and manipulation surrounding such occurrences.

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), explained during a Vatican press conference that these factors have heightened the dangers of fabricated supernatural events driven by personal interests, potentially containing doctrinal errors or spreading a sectarian mentality.

The DDF emphasizes that any alleged miracle or manifestation of divine origin must align with Scripture and Sacred Tradition, stressing that supernatural events cannot contradict established Christian doctrine. Incidents that contradict these foundations are regarded as products of imagination, a desire for novelty, falsehoods, or even lies.

To address the global impact of these phenomena, local bishops are now instructed to thoroughly document their investigations before sending their findings to Rome. The DDF will examine and further investigate these claims before providing rulings on how the clergy and laity should respond. In some cases, the DDF may advise against publicizing alleged supernatural events due to concerns about authenticity or exploitation.

The document replaces previous guidelines established under Pope Paul VI in 1978 and underscores the need for extreme prudence in assigning supernatural origins to explainable occurrences. It further warns of harsh canonical penalties for members of the Catholic Church who knowingly falsify evidence of a miraculous event.

It is worth noting that since 1950, the Vatican has conclusively closed only six cases of alleged supernatural events, highlighting the thoroughness of their investigations and the time required to reach definitive conclusions.

The Catholic Church's updated guidelines seek to ensure that the discernment of alleged supernatural phenomena is conducted with caution, protecting the integrity of the faith and preventing theological confusion within local communities.