> [[at-sl-31|← B3 Ch. II Art. II]] | [[at-spiritual-life-toc|TOC]] | [[at-sl-33|B3 Ch. IV →]] # Chapter III. Extraordinary Mystical Phenomena 1489\. In describing contemplation, we made no mention of the extraordinary phenomena such as visions, revelations, etc., which frequently accompany it, especially after the soul has reached the stage of ecstatic union. Since the devil apes divine works, diabolical phenomena are known to occur at times among the mystics, true or false. We shall speak first of the divine and then of the diabolical phenomena. ARTICLE I. EXTRAORDINARY DIVINE PHENOMENA[1] There are two kinds of such phenomena : those of the intellectual, and those of the psycho-physiological order. ## § I. Divine Intellectual Phenomena These may be reduced to two main ones : private revelations and the charisms. I. Private Revelations We shall explain: 1° their nature; 2° the rules by which to distinguish the true from the false. I° NATURE OF PRIVATE REVELATIONS 1490\. A) Difference between Public and Private Revelations. Divine revelation in general is a supernatural manifestation by God of a hidden truth. When such a manifestation is made directly, in behalf of the whole Church, it is called public revelation; when it is made to private individuals for their own welfare or that of others, it is called private revelation. Here we speak only of the latter. Private revelations have been made in every age: Holy Scripture and the processes of canonization furnish us with abundant examples. These revelations do not form a part of Catholic faith, which rests solely upon the deposit of truth contained in Scripture and Tradition, and which has been confided to the Church for interpretation. Hence, there is no obligation for the faithful to believe them. Even when the Church approves them she does not make them the object of Catholic faith, but as Benedict XIV states, she simply permits them to be published for the instruction and the edification of the faithful. The assent to be given them is not therefore an act of Catholic faith, but one of human faith, based upon the fact that these revelations are probable and worthy of credence [1]. Private revelations may not be published without ecclesiastical approbation [2]. Still, many theologians are of the opinion that the persons themselves to whom such revelations are made and those for whom they are destined may believe in them with real faith, provided they have had clear proof of their authenticity. 1491\. B) The Manner in which Revelations are made. They are made in three different ways: through visions, supernatural words, and divine touches. a) Visions are supernatural perceptions of some object naturally invisible to man. They are revelations only when they disclose hidden truths. They are of three kinds, sensible, imaginative, or purely intellectual. 1\) Sensible or corporeal visions, also called apparitions, are those in which the senses perceive some real object that is naturally invisible to man. It is not necessary that the object be a real human body; it suffices that it be a sensible or luminous form. The opinion of St. Thomas, which is generally held, is that after His Ascension, Our Lord rarely appeared in Person; He merely appeared in a visible form, but not in His real body. His apparitions in the Eucharist may be explained in two ways, says St. Thomas: either by a miraculous impression made on the sense of sight (which is the case when He manifests Himself to a single person) or by a form that is real and visible, but distinct from His own body; for, the Saint adds, the Body of Our Savior cannot be seen in its own proper form except in the one place which actually contains it. [3] What has been said of Our Lord applies also to the Blessed Virgin. When she appeared at Lourdes for instance, Her body remained in heaven, and at the spot of the apparition there was but a sensible form which represented Her. This explains how she could appear now under one aspect, now under another. 1492\. 2) Imaginative visions are those produced in the imagination by God or by the Angels, either during sleep or while one is awake. Thus an Angel appeared several times to St. Joseph in his sleep, and St. Teresa relates several imaginative visions she had of Our Lord while she was awake.[1] These visions are frequently accompanied by an intellectual vision which explains their meaning. [2] At times, one travels in vision through distant countries: such visions are for the most part imaginative. 1493\. 3) Intellectual visions are those in which the mind perceives a spiritual truth without the aid of sensible impressions : such was St. Teresa’s vision of the Holy Trinity, to which we referred in number 1473. These visions take place either through ideas already acquired, but which are coordinated or modified by God, or through infused ideas which represent divine things even better than do acquired ideas. Sometimes these visions are obscure and manifest only the presence of the object [3]; at other times they are clear, but last only for a moment: they are like intuitions which leave a deep impression.[4] Some visions are at once sensible, imaginative and intellectual. Such was St. Paul’s vision on the road to Damascus. He beheld with his eyes blinding light; he saw with his imagination the personal traits of Ananias; and his mind understood God’s will. 1494\. b) Supernatural Words are manifestations of the divine thought conveyed to the exterior or to the interior senses, or directly to the intelligence. They are called auricular when they come to the ear in the form of soundwaves, miraculously produced; imaginative when such manifestations are directed to the imagination; intellectual when addressed directly to the intellect.[5] 1495\. c) Divine touches are spiritual sentiments full of sweetness, impressed upon the will by a kind of divine contact and accompanied by a vivid intellectual light. We may distinguish two kinds of such touches: ordinary divine touches, and substantial divine touches; the latter, though they affect but the will, make such a deep impression that they seem to take place within the very substance of the soul. Hence the expressions of mystics describing their experiences as a contact of substance with substance. In reality these touches take place in the superior part of the will and the intellect, and according to St. Thomas,[1] it is the faculties, and not the substance, which receive these impressions. 1496\. C) Attitude to be taken towards these Extraordinary Graces. The great mystics are unanimous in teaching that one must neither desire nor ask for these extraordinary favors. These are not necessary means to the divine union; nay, at times they are rather obstacles owing to our evil tendencies. St. John of the Cross in particular points this out. He asserts that the desire for revelations deprives faith of its purity, develops a dangerous curiosity which becomes a source of illusions, fills the mind with vain fancies, and often proves the want of humility and of submission to Our Lord, Who, through His public revelations has given all that is needed for salvation. The Saint forcefully denounces imprudent directors who encourage the desire of visions : “ They suffer their penitents to make much of their visions, which is the reason why they walk not according to the pure and perfect spirit of faith; neither do they build up nor strengthen them in faith, while they attach so much importance to these visions. This kind of direction shows that they themselves consider visions matters of importance; and their penitents, observing this, follow their example, dwelling upon these visions, not building themselves up in faith; neither do they withdraw, nor detach themselves from them... The soul is no longer humble, but thinks itself to be something good, and that God makes much of it... Some directors, when they see that their penitents have visions from God, bid them pray to Him to reveal to them such and such things concerning themselves or others, and the simple souls obey them... when in truth it is not pleasing to Him, and contrary to His will.”[2] Since in this matter there is great danger of illusion, we must have some rules by which to discern the true from the false. 2° RULES FOR THE DISCERNMENT OF REVELATIONS 1497\. In order to know true revelations and learn to recognize the human element that may enter into them, very precise rules must be drawn up concerning the subjects, the object, the effects, of revelations, and the signs which accompany them. A\) Rules Concerning the Subjects of Revelations 1498\. God can no doubt make revelations to whomsoever He pleases, even to sinners; but invariably , He makes them only to persons who are not only fervent, but already raised to the mystic state. Moreover, even for the interpretation of true revelations, it is necessary to know the qualities and the defects of those who think themselves favored with revelations. Hence, we must study their natural and supernatural qualities. a) Natural Qualities: 1) We must ascertain whether they are well-balanced or affected by psycho-neurosis or hysteria; for it is evident that in the latter case, there is ground for suspecting the alleged revelations, such temperaments being subject to hallucinations. 2\) We must examine whether the persons in question are possessed of common sense, of sound judgment, or rather of a vivid imagination together with excessive emotionalism ; whether they have received an education, and if so, from whom; whether their mind has been weakened by disease or long fasts. 3\) We must see whether such persons are thoroughly sincere or whether they have the habit of exaggerating and of drawing on their imagination; whether they are self-possessed or passionate. The mere verification of these particulars will not of itself prove the existence or non-existence of a revelation, but it will aid greatly in judging the value of the testimony profferred by those who claim to have received them. 1499\. b) As to supernatural qualities, we must examine whether the persons concerned : 1) are endowed with solid and tried virtue, or merely with a more or less sensible fervor; 2) whether they are sincerely and deeply humble, or whether on the contrary, they delight in being noticed and in telling everybody about their spiritual favors; true humility is the touchstone of sanctity and the lack of it argues against a revelation; 3) whether they make the revelations known to their spiritual director instead of communicating them to other persons, and whether they readily follow his advice; 4) whether they have already passed through the passive trials and the first stages of contemplation; especially, whether they have practiced the virtues in a heroic degree; for God generally reserves these visions for perfect souls. 1500\. The presence of these qualities does not prove the existence of a revelation, but simply renders more worthy of credence the word of those who claim to have received it; their absence does not disprove the fact of revelation, but makes it quite unlikely. The information thus obtained will enable us to discover more easily the lies or the illusions of the alleged seers. There are some persons who, through pride or through the desire for recognition, voluntarily simulate ecstasies and visions.[1] There are others, more numerous, who, owing to a lively imagination are the victims of illusions, and mistake their own thoughts for visions or for interior words.[2] B\) Rules Concerning the Object of Revelations 1501\. It is particularly to this point that our attention must be directed, for all revelations contrary to faith or morals must be absolutely rejected, according to the unanimous teaching of the Doctors of the Church based on these words of St. Paul: “ But though we , or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema.” [3] God cannot contradict Himself, nor can He reveal things opposed to what He teaches through His Church. From this fact follow a number of rules which we shall now recall. a) We must consider as false every private revelation in opposition to any truth of faith: such are for example the alleged revelations of spiritualists which deny several of our dogmas, particularly eternal punishment. The same holds true if revelations are opposed to the unanimous teaching of the Fathers and Theologians, for this forms part of the ordinary teaching of the Church. Any revelation pretending to solve a problem freely discussed among theologians must be suspected, for example, one claiming to settle the controversy between the Thomists and the Molinists. God is not wont to pronounce on such questions. 1502\. b) We must likewise reject visions opposed to morality or decency, for instance, apparitions of nude human forms, vulgar and immodest language, detailed or meticulous descriptions of shameful vices which cannot but offend against modesty. God, Who makes revelations only for the good of souls, cannot, it is evident, be the author of such visions as lead by their very nature to vice. For the same reason we must suspect such apparitions as lack dignity or proper reserve, above all, such as are ridiculous. This last characteristic is a mark of human or diabolical machination. C) Nor are we, considering the laws of Providence and the miracles wich God is accustomed to work, to admit as coming from God commands impossible of realization, for God does not demand the impossible.[1] C\) Rules concerning the Effects of Revelations 1503\. A tree is judged by its fruits; hence, we can judge revelations by the effects they produce in the soul. a) According to St. Ignatius and St. Teresa, a divine vision causes at first a sense of wonderment and of fear, soon to be followed by a sense of deep and lasting peace, of joy and of security. The contrary is true with regard to diabolical visions; if at the outset they produce joy, they soon cause uneasiness, sadness and discouragement. It is thus that the devil brings about the downfall of souls. 1504\. b) True revelations strengthen the soul in humility, obedience, patience and conformity to the divine will; false ones beget pride, presumption and disobedience. St. Teresa[2] says: “This is a favor of Our Lord, which brings great confusion of oneself and humility; but, were it from the devil, the effect would be quite the opposite. Since, then, it clearly proves itself to be given by God... whoever receives it can in no way whatever imagine that it is a favor of his own, but that it comes from the hand of God... It is attended with immense gain and interior effects, which would not be, were melancholy the cause; much less could the devil effect so much good, nor would the soul enjoy such great peace, or such continual desires of pleasing God, or such contempt for whatever does not conduce to unite us with Him.” 1505\. C) Here the question arises whether one may ask for signs in confirmation of private revelations, a) If the thing revealed is of importance, one may do so, but humbly and conditionally; for God is not bound to perform miracles in order to prove the truth of these visions, b) If signs are asked for, it is well to leave their choice to God. The parish priest of Lourdes requested Our Lady in apparition to make a sweetbrier to bloom in the midst of winter; the sign was not granted, but she did cause a miraculous spring to well forth which was destined to heal both body and soul. C) The careful verification of the requested miracle and its relation to the apparition affords a convincing proof. D\) Rules for Discerning the True from the False in Revelations. 1506\. A revelation may be true in the main and yet contain some incidental errors. God does not multiply miracles without reason, and He does not right the prejudices or errors that they may lodge in the minds of the seers; He has in view their spiritual welfare, not their intellectual formation. We shall understand this better if we analyze the causes of error met with in some private revelations. a) The first cause is the uniting of human activity with supernatural action, especially if the imagination and the mind are very active. 1\) Thus, in private revelations we find the errors of the times in what relates to the physical or historical sciences. St. Frances of Rome asserts that she had beheld a heaven of crystal between the empyreal and the starry heavens and attributed the blueness of the sky to the starry heaven. Mary of Agreda thought she knew through revelation that this crystal heaven was divided into eleven parts at the moment of the Incarnation .[1] 2\) At times we also meet with the prejudices and the systems of the spiritual directors of the seers. Relying upon her directors, St. Colletta thought she had seen in visions that St. Anne had been thrice married and was coming to visit her with her numerous family.[2] Sometimes Dominican and Franciscan Saints speak in their visions according to the systems peculiar to their Orders. 3\) Historical errors also find their way into revelations: God is not wont to reveal the precise details of the life of Our Lord or of our Blessed Lady, when these have but little bearing on piety. Now, many seers, intertwining their own devout meditations with the revelations they receive, give details, numbers, dates, which contradict historical documents or other revelations. Thus, among the various accounts of the Passion, many little details related in visions, are either contradictory (for example, details regarding the number of strokes Christ received in His flagellation) or in opposition to the best historical authorities .[1] 1507\. b) A divine revelation may be wrongly interpreted. For example, St. Joan of Arc having asked of her “voices” whether she would be burnt, received the reply that she should trust in Our Lord, Who would assist her, and that she would be delivered through a great victory. In reality, her deliverance and victory were her martyrdom and her entrance into heaven. St. Norbert affirmed that he knew through revelation and with certainty that the Antichrist would come in his generation (XII Century). Questioned closely by St. Bernard, he said that at least he would not die before seeing a general persecution of the Church.[2] St. Vincent Ferrer announced the Last Judgment as nigh, and seemed to confirm this prediction by miracles.[3] 1508\. c) A revelation may be unwittingly altered by the seer himself when he attemps to explain, or, still oftener, by those to whom he dictates his revelations. St. Brigid realized herself that at times she retouched her revelations, the better to explain them;[4] these added explanations are not always free from errors. It is acknowledged today that the scribes who wrote the revelations of Mary of Agreda, of Catherine Emmerich, and of Marie Lataste modified them to an extent difficult to determine.[5] For all these reasons, we can not be too prudent when examining private revelations. CONCLUSION OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS PRIVATE REVELATIONS 1509\. a) We cannot do better than to imitate the judicious reserve of the Church and of the Saints. The Church accepts no revelations except after long and careful investigation, and even then She does not force them on the faithful. Moreover, when it is question of inaugurating some feast or public undertaking, She waits long years before pronouncing, and decides only after the matter itself and its bearing on Dogma and Liturgy have been carefully considered. Thus, Blessed Julienne of Liège, chosen by God to bring about the institution of the feast of Corpus Christi, did not submit her project to the theologians until twenty-two years after her first visions; fully sixteen years elapsed before the Bishop of Liege instituted the feast for his diocese, and it was six years after the death of Blessed Julienne herself that Pope Urban IV made it a feast of the entire Church. In like manner, the feast of the Sacred Heart was not approved until long after the revelations had been made to St. Margaret Mary, and then for reasons quite apart from these revelations. In all this the Church has given us an example which we should follow. 1510\. b) We must not therefore pronounce with certitude on the existence of a private revelation until we have had convincing proofs which are well summarized by Benedict XIV in his work on Canonizations. Generally, we must not rest satisfied with but one proof, and we should see whether the various proofs agree with and lend support to one another. The more numerous the proofs, the greater assurance we shall have. 1511\. C) When a spiritual director is told by a penitent of his supposed revelations, he should carefully refrain from showing any admiration, for this would lead the seer at once to consider these visions as true, and perhaps to take pride in them. He must rather explain that such things are of far less importance than the practice of virtue, that one can easily be deceived in these matters and that one must therefore suspect, and at the beginning discount, such visions, rather than take stock in them. This is the rule laid down by the Saints. St. Teresa[1] says: “ Sometimes, and often, it may be only fancy, especially if the persons have a weak imagination, or are subject to great melancholy. No attention is, in my opinion, to be paid to these two kinds of persons... Such things are always to be feared until the spirit is understood. I consider it best to resist these “ discourses ” at first, because if they come from God they are a great help to advance us onwards; they also increase when they are thus tried. This is the case; but the soul should not be troubled too much, for truly she cannot do otherwise”. St. John of the Cross is still more emphatic, pointing out the six main drawbacks of a too ready acceptance of such visions, he adds: “ The devil rejoices greatly when a soul seeks after revelations and is ready to accept them; for such conduct furnishes him with many opportunities of insinuating delusions, and derogating from faith as much as he possibly can; for such a soul becomes rough and rude, and falls frequently into many temptations and unseemly habits. ”[2] 1512\. d) However, the spiritual director should treat kindly those who think they have received revelations. He will thus succeed in gaining their confidence and he will obtain more easily the details which will enable him, after mature reflection, to pass judgment. Then, should he find the visions to be illusory, his decision will be more readily accepted. This is the advice of St. John of the Cross, severe as he is with regard to visions: “ But remember, though I say that these communications are to be set aside, and that confessors should be careful not to discuss them with their penitents, it is not right for spiritual directors to show themselves severe in the matter, or to betray any contempt or aversion; lest their penitents should shrink within themselves, and be afraid to reveal their condition, and so fall into many inconveniences, which would be the case if the door were thus shut against them. ” [1] 1513\. e) If it be question of initiating some public enterprise, the director should carefully refrain from encouraging the venture without having previously well examined in the light of supernatural prudence the reasons for and against. This is what the Saints did. St. Teresa, who was favored with so many revelations, did not want her directors to be guided in their decision solely by her visions. When Our Lord bade her to found the reformed monastery of Avila, she humbly submitted her plan to her director, and when the latter hesitated, she consulted St. Peter of Alcantara, St. Francis Borgia and St. Louis Bertrand.[2] As to the seers themselves, they have but one rule to follow, to make their revelations known to some prudent director, and humbly follow his instructions. This is the surest way of not going astray. II\. The Charisms. [3] 1514\. The revelations of which we have just spoken are accorded chiefly for the personal benefit of the recipient; the charisms are bestowed principally for the benefit of others. They are gratuitous gifts of an extraordinary and transitory nature, conferred directly for the good of others, though indirectly they may be made to minister to one’s personal sanctification. St. Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinthians distinguishes nine charisms, all of which proceed from the same Spirit: 1515\. 1) The word of wisdom, which enables us to draw from the truths of faith, as from principles, conclusions rich in dogmatic teaching. 2\) The word of knowledge, which helps us to make use of human knowledge in order to explain the truths of faith. 3\) The gift of faith, not the virtue of faith itself, but a special assurance capable of working wonders. 4\) The grace of healing, or the power over disease. 5\) The working of miracles, which confirms divine revelation. 6\) The gift of prophecy, or the power to teach in God’s name, and, if need be, to confirm this teaching by prophecies. 7\) The dicerning of spirits, or the infused gift of reading the secrets of hearts and discerning the good spirit from the evil one. 8\) Diverse kinds of tongues, which for St. Paul means the power to pray with exalted feeling in strange tongues; according to theologians, it is the gift of speaking divers tongues. 9\) Interpretation of speeches, or the power to interpret the aforesaid strange tongues.[1] St. Paul and St. Thomas rightly remind us that all these charisms are far inferior to charity and to sanctifying grace. ## § II. Psycho-physiological Phenomena 1516\. By this term we mean such phenomena as affect both soul and body, and which are more or less related to ecstasy. The principal phenomena of this kind are: I° levitation; 2° luminous rays; 3° fragrant odors; 4° prolonged fasting; 5° stigmatization. I. Levitation 1517\. Levitation is a phenomenon whereby the body is raised above the ground and sustained in midair without any natural support. Sometimes the body rises to great heights; at other times it seems to glide rapidly over the ground. We read of many facts of levitation in the lives of the Saints, both in the Bollandists and in the Breviary; for instance: St. Paul of the Cross, April 28th; St. Philip Neri, May 26th; St. Stephen of Hungary, September 2nd; St. Joseph Cupertino, September 18th; St. Peter of Alcantara, October 19th; St. Francis Xavier, December 3rd, etc... One of the most celebrated is St. Joseph of Cupertino. One day seeing some workmen at a loss to set a very heavy mission cross in place, he took his aërial flight, seized the cross, and planted it without effort in the place prepared for it. This phenomenon is akin to that of an extraordinary immobility, which prevents one from being moved, even by a powerful force. 1518\. Rationalists have attempted to explain this phenomenon by natural causes, for instance by air drawn deep into the lungs, by an unknown physical force, by the intervention of spirits, etc., which amounts to saying that they have no sufficient explanation to offer. How much wiser Benedict XIV! He requires first of all that the fact be thoroughly verified so as to eliminate any chance of fraud. Then he states: 1) that a well-authenticated levitation cannot be explained on natural grounds; 2) that this phenomenon is not, however, beyond the power of angels or of demons, who can lift the body; 3) that with the Saints it is a sort of anticipation of a prerogative of glorified bodies[1]. II\. Luminous Rays. [2] 1519\. Ecstasy is at times accompanied by luminous phenomena: it may be a halo about the head, or a glow enveloping the whole body. Here again we sum up the teaching of Benedict XIV. [3] The fact must first be thoroughly investigated in all its circumstances in order to ascertain whether the luminous effect can be ascribed to a natural cause. In particular we should inquire: 1) whether the phenomenon takes place in full daylight or during the night, and if the latter be the case whether the light is more brilliant than any other light; 2) whether it is a mere spark, much like that produced by electricity, or whether the luminous phenomenon is prolonged over a considerable period of time, recurring again and again; 3) whether it is produced during the course of some religious act, an ecstasy, a sermon, a prayer; 4) whether there follow upon it effects of grace, lasting conversions, etc..., 5) whether the person, from whom this radiance proceeds is virtuous and holy. It is only after a careful examination into all these details that we can pronunce upon the nature of the facts. If their supernatural character is ascertained, we have another anticipation of a prerogative of glorified bodies. III\. Fragrant Odors 1520\. At times God permits the bodies of the Saints to give forth during their lifetime or after their death a fragrant odor, a symbol, so to speak, of the perfume of the virtues they have practised. Thus, the stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi occasionally emitted a sweet perfume. When St. Teresa died, the water wherewith her body was washed retained a certain fragrance. During nine months a mysterious perfume rose from her grave, and when her body was exhumed, a sweet-smelling oil trickled from her limbs .[4] Many similar facts have been recorded. Pope Benedict XIV has indicated the procedure to be followed in verifying a miracle. One must examine : 1) whether the odor is sweet and persistent; 2) whether anything near the body or in the earth can account for it; 3) whether miracles have been wrought by the use of the water or the oil coming from the body of the Saint .[1] IV\. Prolonged Abstinence 1521\. There have been Saints, especially among those bearing the stigmata, who have lived many years without taking any other food than Holy Communion. Dr. Imbert-Goubeyre[2] mentions some striking instances: “Blessed Angela of Foligno remained twelve years without taking any nourishment; St. Catherine of Siena, about eight years; Blessed Elizabeth of Rente, over fifteen years; St. Ledwina, twenty eight yeays; Blessed Catherine Racconigi, ten years... in our own time, Rosa Andriani, twenty eight years... and Louise Lateau, fourteen years. ” The Church is very exacting in the investigation concerning facts of this kind, and demands a strict surveillance of the person at all times, during a notable period, and by numerous witnesses well able to detect any fraud.[3] The examiners must ascertain whether the abstinence is absolute, extending to drink as well as to food, whether it is unbroken, and whether the person concerned continues to attend to customary occupations. We must mention here another phenomenon of a somewhat similar nature, that of protracted vigils. St. Peter of Alcantara slept but one hour and a half a night for forty years; St. Catherine of Ricci slept but one hour a week. V. Stigmatization 1522\. 1° Nature and Origin. This phenomenon consists in a kind of impression of Our Lord’s Wounds made upon the feet, hands, side and brow. These wounds appear spontaneously, from no exterior hurt, and periodically there is a flow of fresh blood. The first person known to bear the stigmata was St. Francis of Assisi. During a sublime ecstasy on Mount Alvernia on the seventeenth of September, 1222, he saw a Seraph presenting to him the image of Jesus Crucified and imprinting upon him the sacred stigmata. A rich, red blood used to flow from these wounds, which remained with him until his death. He tried to conceal the miracle, but was not wholly successful, and at his death, on the eleventh of October, 1226, the prodigy became known. Since that time such cases have multiplied. Dr. Imbert counts three hundred and twenty, forty of which were those of men, and sixty-two of these persons have been canonized. 1523\. It seems to be a well-established fact that stigmatization occurs only among those favored with ecstasies, and that it is preceded and attended by very keen physical and moral sufferings which thus render the subject conformable to the Suffering Christ. The absence of suffering would be an unfavorable sign, for the stigmata are but the symbol of union with Jesus Crucified and of participation in His martyrdom. The existence of the stigmata has been proved by so many testimonies that unbelievers themselves generally admit the fact, but try to explain it by some natural means. They claim that it is possible to provoke in persons of an extremely sensitive nature bloody sweats resembling the stigmata, by causing in them an over-excitation of the imagination. As a matter of fact however, the few results they have obtained in this wise differ vastly from the phenomena observed in stigmatized Saints. 1524\. 2° Signs by Which to Discern Stigmata. The better to discern stigmatization from the artificial phenomena provoked in some individuals, attention must be paid to all the circumstances which characterize true stigmatization. 1\) The stigmata are localized in the very spots where Our Lord received the five wounds, a fact which is not true of the bloody sweat produced by hypnotism. 2\) Generally, the wounds bleed afresh and the pains recur on the days or during the seasons which recall the Savior’s Passion, such as Fridays or the feast days of Our Lord. 3\) The wounds do not become infected, and the blood which flows from them is pure, whilst the slightest natural lesion in some other part of the body develops pus. The wounds do not yield to the usual medical treatment, and remain at times thirty or forty years. 4\) The wounds bleed freely and produce a veritable hemorrhage. That this should occur at the moment when they first appear is quite conceivable, but that it should take place again and again is inexplicable. The extent of the hemorrhages remains likewise unexplained; the stigmata generally lie on the surface, removed from the great bloodvessels, yet the blood literally streams from them. 5\) Lastly, and above all, the stigmata are not met with except in persons who practise the most heroic virtues and possess a special love for the cross. A study of all these circumstances proves indeed that we are dealing here not with some ordinary, pathological case, but with a free, intelligent cause which exerts its influence in order to make these persons bearing the stigmata more like the Crucified Christ. CONCLUSION: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE SUPERNATURAL PHENOMENA AND MORBID CASES 1525\. The phenomena connected with ecstasy have been so well established that unbelievers cannot deny them; they strive merely to liken them to certain morbid phenomena which are caused by psycho-neurosis, and particularly by hysteria. Some go so far as to maintain that they are simply a form of mental derangement. No doubt, the Saints are subject to illness just as other human beings are, but the question is whether in spite of their ailments they appear to be sane and well-balanced. On this point the differences between mystical and psycho-neurotic phenomena are so essential that no honest observer can fail to note them. [1] These differences are found : I° in the persons themselves; 2° in the diversity of the phenomena; 3° in the results. 1526\. 1° Differences in the persons themselves. If we compare those affected with psycho-neurosis with persons favored with ecstasies, we find that the former are unbalanced physically and mentally, whilst the latter are at least mentally sound. A) The former lack mental and physical soundness. We notice in them a decrease of intellectual and volitional power: consciousness is altered or temporarily suspended, attention is relaxed, intelligence deteriorates, memory disintegrates to such an extent that one is led to believe they have a double personality, and before long their mind is depleted save for a few fixed ideas the final result of which is monomania bordering on insanity. Their will likewise becomes weaker and weaker, their emotions gain control, and they become the playthings of their own whims or of some stronger will. This means a disintegration of personality and a lessening of intellectual and moral power.[2] 1527\. B) It is very different with the mystics. Their mind develops, their will grows stronger, and they become capable of conceiving and realizing the greatest undertakings. We have seen how they acquire a new knowledge of God, of His attributes, of the dogmas of faith, of self. Doubtless, they are unable to express all they see, but they sincerely declare that they learned more during a few moments of contemplation than by long and extensive readings. That they are right in their conviction is proved by the real progress made in the exercise of the most heroic virtues. We see that they become more humble, more charitable, more submissive to the Divine Will even in the midst of very intense suffering, and that they enjoy a sweet calm and peace which nothing can disturb. How utterly different all this from the spasms and the passionate commotions of hysteria! 1528\. 2° Differences in the phenomena. Differences just as marked as the foregoing are likewise discernible in the manner in which the two kinds of phenomena occur. A) Nothing is sadder and more heartrending than to witness the fits of hysteria. 1\) The first stage of hysteria resembles a slight attack of epilepsy. It can be distinguished however from the latter by the sensation of a lump rising in the throat. In reality, there is a swelling of the throat which produces a feeling of suffocation accompanied by a sort of hissing sound perceptible to the ears. 2) The second stage is marked by uncontrolled gestures and contorsions of the entire body. 3) The third stage gives rise to attitudes of fright, of jealousy, of lust, according to the nature of the obsessing idea or image. 4) The fit ends in a paroxysm of tears or laughter. After the crisis has passed, the patient is left weary and exhausted, and suffers from various indispositions. B) Note once more the difference between this and ecstasy. In the latter there are no convulsions, no violent spasms, but only the peace and the rapture of a soul intimately united with its God. So true is this that those who have witnessed a person in ecstasy, those for example who saw Blessed Bernadette during her visions at the Grotto of Lourdes, could not withhold their admiration. As St. Teresa remarks (n. 1456), the body, instead of becoming exhausted, gathers new energies during the time of ecstasy. 1529\. 3° Differences in the effects. Here again hysteria differs widely from ecstasy. A) With hysterical persons the disintegration of the faculties increases in proportion to the frequency of the crises. Dissimulation, lying, stupor, brutality and lewdness follow in the wake of this disease. B) In the case of the mystics, on the contrary, there is a steady mental growth, an increase of the love of God and of devoted service to the neighbor. When they have the opportunity of engaging in some public enterprise, they give evidence of common sense, of an open and strong mind, of a determined will, and success crowns their efforts. St. Teresa, in spite of the frequent opposition she encountered, founded sixteen convents for women and fourteen monasteries for men. St. Colletta established thirteen monasteries and restored discipline in a great number of others. Madame Acarie, who had been favored with ecstasies from her sixteenth year, was happily married for thirty years, reared a family of six children, restored her family’s fortunes, which had been imperilled by her husband’s imprudences, and after the latter’s death, was instrumental in the establishment of the Carmelite Order in France. St. Catherine of Siena, who died at the age of thirty-two and who for a long time did not know how to read or write, played an important part in the stirring events of her times, and particularly in the return of the Popes of Avignon to Rome. A recent historian has called her a statesman, and a great statesman. [1] It is evident then that the differences existing between the phenomena of hysteria and ecstasy are such that to attempt to place them in the same category is to violate all the canons of scientific investigation. 1530\. 4° Objection. A final difficulty remains to be solved. There are those who with Ribot claim that ecstasy brings about a gradual narrowing of the field of consciousness to one affective idea, called by them monomania, since mystics think of nothing else but the intimate union with God. To answer this specious objection, we must distinguish between ideas and ideas. There is the case of an obsessing idea which little by little breaks down personality by unbalancing the judgment. Such is, for instance, the fixed idea of suicide. But there is also the case of a healthy, constructive singleness of purpose, of one main idea dominating all the others and making them bear on this one purpose, without however destroying the mind’s equilibrium. Far from causing any disintegration of personality, such an idea gives strength and unity. It is just because great statesmen have such fixed ideas as these, provided always that the ideas be just ones, ideas on which they center all their plans, that they are able to accomplish great things. This is exactly the case with the mystics. They have a dominant idea, a fixed idea of pursuing above all things their ultimate end, that is, intimate union with God, the Source of all bliss and all perfection, and they make all their other thoughts bear on this one idea, this one great purpose of life. And who can gainsay the justice of their cause? We are dealing here with a force that is in no way destructive; on the contrary, it is a power which coördinates thoughts and actions by directing them towards that one end which alone can give perfection and happiness. This is the reason why, even from a human point of view, the Saints are great doers, men of action imbued with common sense, energy and steadiness of purpose, men who conceive and carry out great enterprises. Even unbelievers themselves have come to recognize this fact, as we pointed out before (n. 43). Let us then be just, and acknowledge that mystics are not only saints, but men of character as well. # Art. II. Diabolical Phenomena [1] 1531\. The devil, jealous of God’s influence on the souls of the Saints, strives to exercise his own dominion, or rather his tyranny, over men. At times he, so to speak, besieges the soul from without by assailing it with horrible temptations; at other times, he takes up his abode in the human body, which he moves at will as if he were its master, in order thus to afflict the soul itself. In the former case we have obsession, in the latter, possession. There are two extreme views concerning the action of the devil. There are those who attribute to him all the evils that befall mankind. This is to forget that man is subject to morbid states which presuppose no diabolical intervention whatsoever, and has inordinate tendencies which proceed from the threefold concupiscence. These causes suffice to explain many a temptation. There are other persons who, forgetting what Holy Writ and Tradition tell us about the devil’s influence, refuse to admit his intervention in any instance. In order to keep to the golden mean, we must follow the rule of accepting as diabolical only such phenomena as point, because of their extraordinary nature or because of the sum-total of circumstances, to the action of the Evil One. We shall treat first of obsession, and then of possession. ## § I. Obsession 1532\. I. Its Nature. Obsession consists in a series of unusually violent and persistent temptations. It is called external when the temptations affect the exterior senses by means of apparitions, and internal when they stir up sensations or emotions. It is rare that obsession is purely external, for the devil acts upon the senses in order the more easily to disturb the soul. However, there have been Saints who, though obsessed from without by all sorts of phantoms, preserved an unruffled peace of soul. 1533\. I° The devil can act upon all the external senses : a) Upon the sense of sight, by appearing sometimes under repulsive forms to frighten persons and turn them away from the practice of virtue, as he did to the Venerable Mother Agnes of Langeac [1] and to many others; at other times under seductive forms in order to lead them into sin, as he frequently did to St. Alphonsus Rodriguez.[2] b) Upon the sense of hearing, by causing blasphemous or obscene words or songs to be heard, as is told in the Life of the Blessed Margaret of Cortona, [3] or by creating frightful noises, such as were experienced at times by St. Madeleine of Pazzi and the sainted Curé of Ars. [4] c) Upon the sense of touch, and this in two ways : by blows and wounds, such as we read of in the Bulls of Canonization of St. Catherine of Siena, of St. Francis Xavier, and in the Life of St. Teresa; [5] or by embraces, the purpose of which is to tempt to sin, as St. Alphonsus Rodriguez relates of himself. [6] Father Schram [7] remarks that there are cases in which these apparitions are pure hallucinations resulting from extreme nervous excitation. However, even in such cases they constitute formidable temptations. 1534\. 2° The devil also acts upon the interior senses, the imagination and the memory, and upon the passions, in order to excite them. Distressing and besetting images flit through the imagination and remain there in spite of every effort to expel them. One appears to have become the prey to fits of anger, to the anguish of despair, to instinctive feelings of antipathy, or on the other hand, to a dangerous sentimentality which nothing seems to justify. No doubt, it is difficult at times to decide whether the case is one of real obsession, but when the temptations are at once sudden, violent, persistent and hard to account for by natural means, one may conclude that it is a special intervention on the part of the devil. In case of doubt, it will always be well to consult a Catholic physician, who can examine whether the phenomena are due to some morbid condition, and if they are, to prescribe the proper medical treatment. 1535\. 11. Attitude of the spiritual Director. He must unite enlightened prudence with paternal kindness. a) Of course, he should not without serious evidence consider the case one of real obsession. Nevertheless, whether there be obsession or not, he must be full of pity towards penitents who are assailed by violent and persistent temptations, and he must help them with judicious advice. He should remind them particularly of what we have said with regard to temptations, the manner of resisting them (n. 902-918), and the special remedies against diabolical temptation (n. 223-224). b) If at the height of the temptation some disorder takes place but without any consent on the part of the will, he must remind them that where there is no consent, there is no sin. In case of doubt and when the person in question habitually avoids sin, he will decide that there has been no fault, at least no grave fault. c) When dealing with fervent souls, the director may well ask himself whether these persistent temptations are not part of the passive trials which we described above (n. 1426), and if so, he must give them the advice suited to their state of soul. 1536\. d) If it is morally certain or highly probable that there is diabolical obsession, the spiritual director may make use, in private, of the exorcisms contained in the Roman Ritual or of some shorter formulas. Should he determine to do so, he should not tell the penitent beforehand if he has reason to fear that it would only worry and excite him; it will suffice to say that he is going to recite over him some prayer approved by the Church. Solemn exorcisms may not be employed without the permission of the Ordinary, and then only with the precautions which we shall indicate when treating of possession. ## § II. Possession [1] We shall explain: 1° its nature; 2° the remedies prescribed by the Roman Ritual. I. Nature of Possession 1537\. 1° Its constituent elements. Two elements constitute possession : the presence of the devil in the body of the possessed, and the dominion exercised by the devil over that body, and through it, over the soul. This latter point needs to be explained. The devil does not unite with the body in the same manner as the soul does, nor does he enter into the soul itself; it is only by acting upon the body in which he dwells that he can affect the soul. He can indeed act directly on the bodily members and cause them to perform all sorts of motions, and indirectly he can move the faculties of the soul in so far as they depend for their operations upon the body. We can distinguish two distinct states in possessed persons: the crisis and the period of calm. The crisis is like a violent attack in which the devil manifests his tyrannical sway by imparting to the body a feverish agitation which finds expression in contortions, outbursts of fury, and impious and blasphemous utterances. There upon the victims seem to lose all sense of what takes place within them, and they retain no memory of what they say or do, or rather, of what the devil does through them. It is only at the beginning of the crisis that they are aware of the invasion of the Evil One, and after that they apparently lose consciousness. 1538\. There are however exceptions to this general rule. Father Surin, who himself became possessed while exorcising the Ursulines of Loudun, was conscious of all that took place within him. He describes how his soul was divided in twain, open on one side to diabolic influences, and on the other abandoned to God’s action, and how he prayed while his body rolled over the ground. He says: “ My state is such that there remain to me very few actions in which I am free. If I want to speak, my tongue rebels; during Holy Mass I am constrained to stop suddenly; at table I am unable to bring the food to my mouth; if I go to confession I forget my sins; I am aware of the devil within me as within his own house, going in and out as he pleases. ” [1] 1539\. During the intervals of quiet and calm there is nothing to disclose the presence of the evil spirit; it is as though he had departed. Sometimes however his presence manifests itself by a sort of chronic infirmity which baffles all the efforts of physicians. Often enough several devils take possession of the same person. This fact would seem to indicate their relative weakness. Generally it is sinners who fall victims to possession, but it is not always so, as may be seen from the case of Father Surin. 1540\. 2° The signs Of possession. Since there are nervous diseases, cases of monomania and of mental aberration, the symptoms of which resemble the manifestations of diabolical possession, it is important to know the signs whereby the latter can be distinguished from all such morbid phenomena. According to the Roman Ritual [2] there are three principal signs by which possession may be recognized: “Speaking an unknown tongue or understanding it when spoken by another; making known distant and hidden things; exhibiting a strength out of all proportion with one’s age and circumstances. These and other like signs, when they concur in great number, are the surest indications of possession.” Just a word to explain these signs. a) The Use of Unknown Tongues. To verify the fact, a thorough examination must be made to see whether the person in question has had in the past any opportunity of learning some words of the language used, whether he is uttering merely a few phrases learned by heart, or whether he really has a knowledge of a language hitherto unknown to him. [1] b) Making Known Hidden Things. Here again a thorough inquiry must be made to see whether or not the knowledge can be explained by some natural means. If it be question, for instance, of things distant, one must make sure that the person had not been made aware of them by letter, telegram or some other purely natural means. If it be question of future events, one must wait for their occurrence and see whether they take place precisely as they were foretold. One must not therefore take account of those vague predictions announcing some great misfortune to be followed by some happy event or notable prosperity ; if this were all that is required, one could rather easily establish a reputation as a prophet. Once the fact has been properly verified, one must ascertain according to the rules for the discernment of spirits whether this preternatural knowledge proceeds from the good or from the evil spirit, and if from the latter, whether from an evil spirit actually present in the possessed person. c) Exhibiting a Strength out of all Proportion with One’s Age and Circumstances. One must not forget that there are instances of overexcitation of the nervous system wherein one’s energies are notably increased. We have already said that the phenomenon of levitation when correctly established is of a preternatural character. There are indeed cases which, all circumstances considered, can not be attributed to God or to His Angels, and must therefore be ascribed to the intervention of the devil. 1541\. One might add here another sign pointing to the fact of possession to be found in the reactions produced by the use of exorcisms or of holy objects, especially if they are employed without the knowledge of the supposedly possessed persons. At times, the mere contact with a pious object or the recitation over them of the liturgical prayers drives them into a fury and provokes horrible blasphemies. However, this is not a sure sign of possession unless the experiment just described is made unknown to the patients, for if they realize what is about to be done, they may purposely work themselves into a state of frenzy, either because they have a horror of all things religious, or because they wish to deceive. It is not easy therefore to recognize a case of real possession, and one cannot be too careful before making a decision. 1542\. 3° Differences between possession and nervous diseases. Experiments made upon persons affected with nervous troubles have shown a certain similarity between these morbid states and the outward manifestations of diabolical possession. We should not be surprised at this. The devil can cause nervous disorders or other external phenomena similar to those of neuropathics. This is one more reason for extreme care before passing judgment on alleged cases of possession. It is worth noting that the similarity between nervous maladies and demoniacal possession does not go beyond the outward appearances, which of themselves are insufficient to prove the fact of possession. No one has met with neuropathics who could speak unknown tongues or foretell the future with precision and certitude. These are, as we stated before, the true signs of possession, and when all of these are absent, we may well consider the case one of simple psycho-neurosis. If exorcists have at times been deceived, it is generally because they have departed from the rules laid down by the Ritual. That such mistakes be avoided, one should have the case examined not only by priests, but also by Catholic physicians. 1543\. Father Debreyne, who had practised medicine before becoming a Trappist, tells of how he had to treat a community of women whose condition offered many points of resemblance to that of the Ursulines of Loudun. He cured them in a short time by prescribing hygienic measures, particularly steady and varied manual labor.[1] One must be especially skeptical when possession seems to become epidemic. A real case of possession can induce in others witnessing it a nervous condition outwardly similar to that of possession. The best way to obviate such contagion is to separate the persons thus stricken and to remove them from the environment in which they contracted their nervous malady. II\. Remedies for Possession In general the remedies consist in anything that can weaken the influence of the devil over man, purify his soul, and strengthen his will against diabolical assaults. The special remedy is found in the exorcisms. 1544\. 1° General remedies. All the remedies pointed out (n. 223-224) for diabolical temptation are to be employed in dealing with possession. A) One of the most efficacious of all is .the purification of the soul by a worthy confession, particularly a general confession, which by humiliating and sanctifying the penitent puts to flight the proud and impure spirit. The Ritual counsels the addition of fasting, prayer and the reception of Holy Communion. [1] The more pure and the more mortified one becomes, the weaker becomes the influence of the devil, and in Holy Communion one receives Him Who conquered Satan. It need hardly be said that Communion should not be given except in moments of calm. B) The Sacramentals and blessed objects are also efficacious remedies because of the prayers said by the Church when blessing them. St. Teresa had great confidence in holy water, and rightly so, since the Church imparts to it the power of putting the devil to flight. [2] But such objects are to be used in a spirit of faith, of humility and of confidence. C) The Crucifix, the Sign of the Cross, and especially genuine relics of the True Cross are terrifying to the devil who was vanquished by the Cross : “ That the one who conquered by a tree should himself be likewise conquered by the Tree. ” [3] For the same reason the Evil Spirit dreads the invocation of the Holy Name of Jesus, which, on the Master’s Own promise, possesses a wondrous power for putting the devil to flight. [4] 1545\. 2° Exorcisms. The Church, having received from Christ the power of expelling devils, early instituted the Order of Exorcists, on whom She conferred the power of imposing hands on possessed persons, whether baptized or only preparing for baptism; and later She composed formulas of prayers to be employed by them in the exercise of their office. Since this office is an extremely difficult one and presupposes much knowledge, virtue and tact, its solemn exercise has been restricted to priests expressly deputed for that purpose by the Ordinary. However, priests may perform private exorcisms, employing some prayers of the Church or other formulas. Even lay-persons may recite such prayers, but not in the name of the Church. [1] 1546\. The Ritual prescribes the proceedure and gives to Exorcists a number of wise counsels. Once the fact of possession has been ascertained and one has been delegated to perform the exorcisms : 1\) One should prepare for this function by a humble and sincere confession, so that the devil may not be able to accuse one of sin. Earnest prayer and fasting should form part of the preparation, for Christ has told us that there are devils who yield only to these means. [2] 2\) The exorcisms should be performed in a church or a chapel, unless for weighty reasons another place is deemed preferable. In no case should the exorcist be alone with the person possessed. He should have serious and devout witnesses who are at the same time strong enough to control the patient during the moments of the crises. If the possessed person be a woman, the exorcist should secure the presence of matrons of tried prudence and virtue. 1547\. 3) After the recitation of the prescribed prayers, the exorcist should proceed with the interrogations. He must do so authoritatively, limiting himself to such questions as are useful and recommended by the Ritual. He should ask about the number of the spirits present and about the time and the motives of their invasion. He should also bid them to declare when they will leave their victim and indicate the signs by which their departure is to be known, threatening to increase their torture in proportion to the resistance they continue to offer. With this end in view he should redouble those imprecations which seem to irritate the evil spirits most, such as invocations of the Holy Name of Jesus and of Mary, signs of the Cross, and aspersions with holy water. He should force the person possessed to genuflect before the Blessed Sacrament or the Crucifix, or to revere some holy relic. He should be careful to avoid useless words, idle questions, and above all, attempts at humor. Should the evil spirit or spirits give sarcastic or ridiculous answers or speak at random, he must with authority and dignity impose silence. 1548\. 4) He must not allow the witnesses, who should be few in number,[3] to ask any questions; they should rather be asked to maintain silence and recollection, and to pray in union with Him Who puts the demons to flight. 5\) The exorcist must not, in spite of the authority he wields, try to consign the devil to any special place; he must be content to expel the evil spirit, leaving his fate and destiny to Divine Justice. He should continue the exorcisms for several hours and even for several days, according to the nature of the case, allowing intervals of rest, until the devil departs, or at least until the evil spirit declares he is ready to leave. 6\) When the deliverance has been thoroughly proved, the exorcist should beg God to forbid the devil ever to reënter the body he has just left; he should thank Him and invite the person thus freed to glorify God and to avoid all sin in the future so as not to fall again under the power of the Evil One. Conclusion 1549\. These extraordinary phenomena, whether divine or diabolical, show on the one hand the mercy and the goodness of God towards His privileged friends, to whom He imparts, along with intense sufferings, such as in the case of stigmatization, the most signal favors as a foretaste of the glory He will one day bestow upon them in heaven; and on the other hand, the jealousy and the hatred of the devil, who seeks to exercise his tyranny over men by tempting them in a most extraordinary way, by persecuting them when they resist and spread the Kingdom of God, and by torturing some of his victims through taking possession of them. Thus, there are in the world the two Cities, so well described by St. Augustine, the two Camps and the two Standards mentioned by St. Ignatius. True Christians can not hesitate; the more completely they give themselves to God, the more surely do they escape the empire of Satan. If God permits them to be tried, it is only for their greater good. Even in the midst of their sufferings they can say in all confidence : “ If God be for us, who is against us? [1]... Who is like unto God? ” [[at-sl-fn-32|Fn: B3 Ch. III]] --- ![[maps/bibliography#^biblio-tan]] > [[at-sl-31|← B3 Ch. II Art. II]] | [[at-spiritual-life-toc|TOC]] | [[at-sl-33|B3 Ch. IV →]]