Vatican’s New Norms: A Call for Personal Discernment in Supernatural Phenomena
With the Vatican’s recent guidelines on discerning alleged supernatural phenomena, I’ve reflected on how quietly I’ve advocated for the need to discern truth not just in the external world, but within ourselves.
I’m not so quiet any longer.
Since 2015, the reported number of requests for exorcisms has seen a dramatic increase worldwide. In the United States, the number of exorcists has grown from around 12 in the early 2000s to over 100 by 2021, reflecting the rising demand. In Italy, requests for exorcisms tripled between 2015 and 2018, with an estimated 500,000 requests annually.
Around the same time that exorcism requests were tripling, the misperception of my perfect life began unraveling. This caused an awakening that made me feel as if I was going crazy. But crazy people don’t question if they’re crazy, right?
According to recent Vatican News, as a general rule, neither the local bishop nor the Holy See will officially declare reported phenomena as supernatural. Instead, they will only authorize and promote devotion and pilgrimages associated with these events.
Reflecting on the Vatican’s New Guidelines: A Cautious Approach to Supernatural Claims
