New Vatican Document , Urges Caution Over , Supernatural Events.<br />Reuters reports that the Vatican has issued new <br />guidelines regarding supernatural events, including <br />weeping Madonnas and crucifixes dripping blood. .<br />The new guidelines replace rules <br />first put in place back in 1978. .<br />According to the Vatican's doctrinal office (DFF), <br />supernatural incidents should be assessed cautiously, <br />as they could be fraudulent or exploited for financial gain.<br />According to the Vatican's doctrinal office (DFF), <br />supernatural incidents should be assessed cautiously, <br />as they could be fraudulent or exploited for financial gain.<br />The discernment may also deal <br />with problems, such as delicts <br />(wrongdoing), manipulation, <br />damage to the unity of the Church, <br />undue financial gain, and serious <br />doctrinal errors that could cause <br />scandals and undermine <br />the credibility of the Church, Vatican DDF document, via Reuters.<br />Supernatural incidents have often <br />become the basis for Catholic <br />shrines and pilgrimages. .<br />These incidents include "stigmata," which are crucifixion wounds appearing on the hands and feet of Jesus appearing on saintly people or statues.<br />Reuters reports that the DDF document <br />suggests that in such cases bishops <br />should issue a "nihil obstat.".<br />Nihil obstat essentially allows for worship, <br />while leaving the issue open for the Vatican <br />to determine if it is "supernatural" in nature. .<br />The document stresses that the purported supernatural <br />events at the heart of many places of pilgrimage <br />have not been authenticated by the Vatican.<br />An example of this would be the Bosnian shrine <br />of Medjugorje, where multiple apparitions of <br />the Virgin Mary have been reported since 1981. .<br />An example of this would be the Bosnian shrine <br />of Medjugorje, where multiple apparitions of <br />the Virgin Mary have been reported since 1981.
