Page 11, 28th September 2007

28th September 2007

Page 11

Page 11, 28th September 2007 — Rome is right to rule on dubious private revelations
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Rome is right to rule on dubious private revelations

Imagination is fundamental to Catholicism. Without the ability to envisage something beyond the rational, it would be very difficult to sustain belief. Mysticism, in the Christian sense, is not very popular among modern thinkers, but it is nevertheless a vital part of the Catholic intellectual identity. Yet, as Pope Benedict XVI argued so masterfully at Regensburg last year, true faith is not a triumph of fantasy; it is the zenith of reason, or the ideal synthesis of inspiration and intelligence.
So far, Benedict’s pontificate has been characterised by its emphasis on the basics: unity, reason, love and worship. Too much has been made of the Pope’s German temperament; however, the Ratzinger papacy does have a distinctly Teutonic atmosphere. This mood informs Rome’s increasingly sceptical approach towards the proliferation of visionaries and cultish groups on the fringes of Catholicism.
This week we report on the Vatican’s dismissal of the claims of Patricia De Menezes, who believes she was directly contacted by Jesus, the Virgin Mary and St Joseph. Earlier this month the Church excommunicated members of the Army of Mary, a sect that follows Marie-Paule Giguère, who claimed she was the reincarnation of the Mother of God.
There have been several other recent, high-profile examples of the Church distancing itself from groups whose mysticism – no matter how earnest – invites suspicion.
This process can be painful. Mrs De Menezes, who believes God told her that the Church must recognise all aborted babies as martyrs, has a passionate and admirable drive to save the unborn. The 3,000 members of her group, the Community of the Divine Innocence, should be encouraged to continue their fight against abortion. But we do not need to treat aborted children as martyrs to recognise that abortion is evil. Indeed, such thinking weakens the pro-life argument. A martyr must choose to lay down his or her life in defence of the faith. The aborted infant is never given the opportunity of choice – that is the greatest horror.
Some modern forms of religiosity are increasingly dependent on charismatic leadership and a withdrawal from reality. This has meant a huge growth in cults, as well as a fracturing of well-established faiths. Islam has suffered terrible divisions and there is a marked tendency towards tribalism among Catholics. Against the backdrop of secular culture, it is understandable that Catholics are tempted to fall under the spell of sects which offer a direct, mystical relationship with the divine. But such groups are often in conflict with the Church hierarchy. After all, who needs a teaching authority when you have Jesus appearing in your garden?
Dubious mystical seers and visionaries represent a clear threat to the unity of the Church. The Vatican is wise to clamp down on them.




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