Private Revelations: What Does the Catholic Church Say?
A distinction is traditionally made between public revelation, which is “God’s revelatory action, intended for all humanity and expressed in writing in the two parts of the Bible: the Old and New Testaments,” and private revelations, which refer to all visions and revelations that have taken place after the completion of the New Testament. In this article, Hozana explains a bit more about what is meant by private revelations, and what the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith have to say about them. At the end of this article, discoverother articles on the Christian faith.
What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church say about private revelations?
“Throughout the ages, there have been so-called 'private' revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith. It is not their role to improve or complete Christ's definitive Revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history. Guided by the Magisterium of the Church, the sensus fidelium knows how to discern and welcome in these revelations whatever constitutes an authentic call of Christ or his saints to the Church. Christian faith cannot accept 'revelations' that claim to surpass or correct the Revelation of which Christ is the fulfilment, as is the case in certain nonChristian religions and also in certain recent sects which base themselves on such 'revelations'.” (no. 67)
What does the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith say about private revelations?
Norms Regarding the Manner of Proceeding in the Discernment of Presumed Apparitions or Revelations, 1978
In 1978, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published a document entitled “Norms Regarding the Manner of Proceeding in the Discernment of Presumed Apparitions or Revelations.” Notably, the document states that the ecclesiastical authority is responsible for:
"a. first, to judge the fact according to positive and negative criteria (cf. infra, no. I);
b. then, if this examination results in a favorable conclusion, to permit some public manifestation of cult or of devotion, overseeing this with great prudence (equivalent to the formula, “for now, nothing stands in the way”) (pro nunc nihil obstare).
c. finally, in light of time passed and of experience, with special regard to the fecundity of spiritual fruit generated from this new devotion, to express a judgment regarding the authenticity and supernatural character if the case so merits."
Ratzinger’s Theological Commentary on Private Revelations in 2000
In 2000, Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, offered a theological commentary on the message of Fatima.
Regarding this commentary and the subject of private revelations, we may note in particular that:
“The Church’s teaching distinguishes between ‘public revelation’ and ‘private revelations.’ Between these two realities, there is a difference not only of degree but of nature. The term ‘public revelation’ refers to God’s revelatory action, which is intended for all humanity and has found its literary expression in the two parts of the Bible: the Old and New Testaments. It is called ‘revelation’ because, through it, God has progressively made himself known to humankind […], through his incarnate Son, Jesus Christ. […] Since God is one, the history He shares with humanity is unique; it applies to all times and has found its fulfillment in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. […]. The Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes a text from St. John of the Cross to explain that revelation is definitive and complete: “Since He has given us His Son, who is His Word, God has no other word to give us. He has told us everything at once and all at once in this one Word […]; for what He said in parts to the prophets, He has said in its entirety in His Son […]. That is why anyone who would now wish to question Him, or desire a vision or a revelation, would not only be acting foolishly, but would also be insulting God, by failing to fix their gaze solely on Christ, without seeking anything else in any new revelation” (CCC, n. 65: St. John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, 2, 22).”
Ratizinger adds that the concept of “private revelation” “refers to all visions and revelations that take place after the completion of the New Testament ” (e.g., the message of Fatima).”
Finally, we can also note that:
1. “The authority of private revelations is substantially different from that of the one public revelation: the latter demands our faith; […] Faith in God and in His Word is distinct from any other human faith, belief, or opinion. The certainty that God speaks gives me the assurance that I am encountering the truth itself, and thus a certainty that cannot be verified by any human form of knowledge.”
2. “Private revelation is an aid to faith, and it appears credible precisely because it refers back to the one public revelation. […]. The Flemish theologian E. Dhanis asserts that the Church’s approval of a private revelation involves three elements: the message in question contains nothing contrary to the faith or to moral standards; it is lawful to make it public, and the faithful are permitted to accept it prudently. Such a message can be a valuable aid in understanding and living the Gospel more fully today; that is why it should not be neglected. It is an aid that is offered, but its use is by no means obligatory.
“The criterion for the value of a private revelation is its orientation toward Christ himself. When it leads us away from him, when it becomes self-sufficient, or even when it presents itself as a different and better plan of salvation—one more important than the Gospel—it certainly does not come from the Holy Spirit.”
Finally, Ratzinger points out that “In the private revelations recognized by the Church—and thus also in that of Fatima—the point is this: to help us understand the signs of the times and to find the right response to them in faith.”
Together with Hozana, let us first place our faith in Jesus Christ
With Hozana, let us first place our faith in the person of Jesus Christ, who is the mediator and the fullness of all revelation.
To this end, Hozana offers several communities, such as this one for , or .
