Divisions in the Christian Church
My final counsel is to exercise great discernment regarding claims of miracles, apparitions, dreams, or visions originating outside the Catholic Church. The devil is exceedingly subtle, and no human being can outwit him by personal judgment alone. There are documented cases in which individuals believed they encountered the Virgin Mary, accompanied by extraordinary signs such as rosaries reportedly turning to gold, only for the Vatican to later determine that these phenomena lacked authenticity.
Catholic theology acknowledges that evil spirits can imitate holy figures, including the Blessed Virgin Mary and even Jesus Christ, and can produce phenomena that appear miraculous, including apparent healings. For this reason, the Church urges caution, humility, and reliance on ecclesial authority rather than private interpretation when evaluating such experiences.
Why does this occur? Historically, when individuals outside the Roman Catholic Church claim to receive private revelations, such experiences can foster spiritual pride and a sense of personal authority. This often leads to separation from the Church, as individuals become convinced that Christ is uniquely guiding them apart from ecclesial oversight. Over time, such movements may develop into new Christian denominations, drawing many souls away from the fullness of the Church’s sacramental life. As a result, fundamental sacraments—such as sacramental confession, valid baptism, and the Eucharist—may be misunderstood, altered, or altogether lost. The power of demons to deceive is better explained by Saint Thomas Aquinas in 1250,
Transformations which cannot be produced by the power of nature, cannot in reality be effected by the operation of the demons; for instance, that the human body be changed into the body of a beast, or that the body of a dead man return to life. And if at times something of this sort seems to be effected by the operation of demons, it is not real but a mere semblance of reality.
A Christian soul without control of its sinful tendencies will probably experience Purgatory after death. It is a constant purging process that may take decades. I recommend working on your shortcomings as soon as possible. In 1500, Saint Catherine of Genoa, described purgatory as it was revealed to her. Her 'Treatise on Purgatory' found in this book,
Book: Life and Doctrine of Saint Catherine of Genoa by St. Catherine of Genoa
Saint Catherine of Ricci suffering in 1550, in lieu of a sinner, gives us a glimpse of purgatory,
The account given by those who witnessed them, was that her body appeared as if it were covered by a number of blisters full of serum, which boiled as though it was over a fire. They also emitted such excessive heat, that the cell seemed on fire, and no one could remain in it many moments without going out to take breath. It was easy to see that her flesh was burning, her tongue was like a red hot iron, and after the effervescence subsided, it had the appearance of having being roasted; but after a short interval the blisters rose again, bringing the same heat with them...she could not recover till she had atoned to the Divine Justice for his sins.
Book: The Lives of St. Catherine of Ricci, St. Agnes of Montepulciano, B. Benvenuta of Bojan and B. Catherine of Raconigi (1852) by Anonymous
The Austrian Maria Simma (1915-2004) received visits from the poorest souls in Purgatory, demanding Masses, rosaries, and charity in their names; as explained in her book,
Book: My Personal Experiences With the Poor Souls by Maria Simma
Book: Purgatory surveyed by W. H. Anderdon
But let the founder of EWTN Catholic Television explain how we avoid Purgatory,
That you see the angel [in purgatory] put out his hands upon the soul and of the fiend that he should not increase the pains means the power of the angel above the power of the fiend [demon] by which he restrains the fiend's malice. For the fiend should have no measure nor order in punishing unless he were restrained by the virtue of God. And therefore God does mercy in Hell; for though there be no redemption, remission nor comfort to them who are damned, yet inasmuch as they are not punished but after their deserts and after justice, therefore in that is shown God's great mercy. Otherwise the fiend should have no temperance nor measure in his malice.[God to S.Bridget,1360]
Accounts of Marian apparitions, such as those reported in Bosnia, often emphasize the call to repentance and sacramental life. In one such account, Mary permitted an ordinary sinner to touch her garment, which was said to darken as a symbolic manifestation of sin. In response, many people reportedly returned to the Roman Catholic Church and sought the sacrament of confession. These narratives underscore a broader theological principle: the worship of Heaven is not arbitrary, but ordered. Sacred liturgy unfolds through specific rites and forms, a truth reflected in God’s meticulous instructions regarding rituals and priestly garments in the books of Moses. For this reason, it is essential to study one’s own denomination carefully, including its historical origins. If a community arose through separation from the Church due to the personal pride, private revelation, dream, or dissatisfaction of a single individual, its foundations warrant serious scrutiny. After extensive study and reflection, I hold this conviction firmly. Two coins may appear identical at first glance, yet only a trained expert can discern whether one is of immense value and the other worth very little.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent, published in 1566, says:
The form is so definite, that any, even a casual, deviation from it renders the Sacrament null.
Revelations made to Venerable Mother Mariana de Jesus(1618-1645) by Our Lady Mary:
He (Jesus) ... would come into the hand of His priests at the simple call of their voices at the most solemn moment of the Consecration.
In matters of the spiritual life, the Roman Catholic Church serves as my trusted body of expert advisers. Just as one would not entrust a lifetime of savings to a disgruntled former employee who opens a new investment firm on the promise of exceptional returns—operating alone, making unilateral decisions, and potentially misrepresenting risks out of fear as market conditions shift—I would not entrust my soul to any spiritual path founded on human pride. That such a caution even needs to be stated is, in itself, a telling reflection of the condition of the world in which we live.
Blessed Emmerich puts it very eloquently; Jesus' suffering at Gethsemane:
The Lord passed in review all the future suffering of the ...church... he saw heresies and schisms entering her fold, and the sin of Adam repeated by pride and disobedience in all forms of vanity and delusive self-righteousness...the deceptive subtlety of all proud teachers; the sacrilegious crimes of all wicked priests with their frightful consequences... the pretended reformers... each wanted to have a Redeemer other than he who had delivered himself through love...Jesus saw them abandoning his wounded Church like faithless children...pitching their tent far away from the true vine, wandering sheep becoming prey of wolves, straying homeless, driven by changing winds; but they would not see the house of the Church, built upon a rock...promised until the end of time, against which hell shall never prevail...they would not enter through the narrow gate...they built upon the sand perishable huts of all kinds, without altar or sacrifice, to which their doctrine were ever changing..intoxicated with self-esteem...declaring the church of the Word made flesh is invisible.
The pretended reformers, John Calvin (Calvinism), Martin Luther (Protestant), and Joseph Smith (Mormon) to name a few, broke from the Roman Catholic Church because they knew better than the Church, which Jesus promised to build on a rock and hell would not prevail against it. Excommunicated priests by the Roman Catholic Church are many and rebellious; but the Church does its own purging by the Holy Spirit. There is no need for people of weak faith to follow reformers, puffed up with pride. We may think we are following Jesus, but we are following pretenders who don't believe Jesus on His promise:
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
This is the list of Popes from Peter to Francis. It is very clear that hell cannot touch the Roman Catholic Church; other denominations, satan will play with them, like puppets, his intelligence is beyond human; the Holy Spirit is absent and satan has no restraint... welcome to spiritual reality; spiritual warfare without the help of the Holy Spirit is like going to war with a plastic knife. The Blessed Clotilde Micheli (11 September 1849-24 March 1911) apparition confirms the above,
Her Guardian Angel came to her and said: Arise for this is a Protestant church. But I want to make you see the place where Martin Luther was condemned and the pain he suffered as a punishment for his pride"; Micheli saw demons who had forced Luther to his knees and confirmed he was consigned to the fires of Hell.
Rhetorical talks against Pope Francis will get you very much into trouble as he is very much loved by saints: "On Saturday, March 21, 2015, during a visit by Pope Francis to the Cathedral of Naples, the blood of St. Januarius liquefied after the Pope venerated and kissed the relic. The last time the blood of St Januarius liquefied in the presence of a Pope was back in 1848 with Pope Pius IX." Saint Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897) interceded for Pope Francis constantly, sending him white roses throughout his life as a sign of her intercession.
Saint Jerome said in 410,
This, most blessed Pope, is the faith that we have been taught in the Catholic Church. If anything therein has been incorrectly or carelessly expressed, we beg that it may be set aright by you who hold the faith and see of Peter. If however this, our profession, be approved by the judgment of your apostleship, whoever may blame me, will prove that he himself is ignorant, or malicious, or even not a catholic but a heretic.
Saint Thomas Aquinas in 1250 said,
Nothing hinders heretics, if they knowingly corrupt the faith which they have received, from sinning more grievously than idolaters who sin through ignorance.
Most other denominations rely on Saint Paul's statement: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." Here the verb "believe" encompasses a myriad of tones. If you believe in the Cross, His suffering, His Deity, His Gospels, and mandates, then you'll imitate Him on earth. Even Saint Peter wavered in his faith after three years at the side of Jesus. When our actions contradict the Gospel, even while we profess belief in Christ with our lips, we place ourselves in a posture of doubt toward Him and toward His Church. History offers instructive examples in this regard. Saint Francis of Assisi lived during a time when the Church was in need of reform, yet he chose to labor within the Church rather than apart from it—without condemnation, but through imitation of Christ and the power of personal witness. To disregard the witness of the saints is a perilous path, and schismatic communities have repeatedly fallen into the same errors across the centuries, despite the lessons history so clearly provides,
If none can speak truth concerning Christ, but who saw and heard Him (Gospels), (it is then to be concluded) there is no one at this day who speaks truth concerning Him... for they who believe nothing in the Gospel but what they wish to believe, believe themselves rather than the Gospels.
Book: Catena Aurea by Saint Thomas Aquinas
Saint Gregory the Great (540-604) wrote of one of the first schismatic churches,
An Arian church...when it was decided to dedicate it to the Catholic faith... God helped to realize that the unclean spirit had departed from the building... from the terrible noise we can judge under what overwhelming power the Devil was forced to leave the place he had so long occupied.
Book: Dialogues by St Gregory the Great
After reading the healing book below about physical miracles and healings, written by a Catholic author who endorses a Protestant minister's healing technique?
Book: Healing: Bringing the Gift of God's Mercy to the World by Mary Healy
The book forces me to think about Blessed Emmerich's guardian angel, who was very upset when Emmerich was not defending the Catholic religion against Protestantism; or Padre Pio's description of protestant religious in trouble in the afterlife; or Jesus in Gethsemane in Emmerich's visions. I doubt the Holy Spirit in the Trinity would support a Protestant minister by bestowing the gift of healing on him after rebuking His chosen saints.There is no double standard in religion, as souls are at stake. If a religious person feels at peace, it may be because satan has commanded demons not to bother that person; they are already in his possession. All past saints account for being in constant spiritual warfare in one way or another, but joyful in the combat. Being peaceful in religious life for a long period of time is a sign that something is wrong. Saint Thomas Aquinas in 1250 said:
Hence Jerome commenting on Mat. 7:22, says: "Sometimes prophesying, the working of miracles, and the casting out of demons are accorded not to the merit of those who do these things, but either to the invoking the name of Christ, or to the condemnation of those who invoke, and for the good of those who see and hear."
A Catholic exorcist reminds us that it is positive when Protestant denominations use the name of Christ to cast out demons for the benefit of the victim,
It is obvious that not only Catholics but everyone who believes in Christ has the power to expel demons in his name. We must not be jealous of anyone else, but should look to the Gospel for guidance. When John told Jesus, "We saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him because he was not following us", the Lord rebuked the apostles (Mk 9:38).
Book: An Exorcist Tells His Story by Fr. Gabriele Amorth
Thus, it is to be concluded that in the name of Jesus Christ, healing and exorcism are granted to all denominations. But to gain the salvation of our souls, we must adhere to Matthew 7:21,
Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' 23 Then I (Jesus) will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
People performing miracles in the name of Christ outside of His True Catholic Church are still considered evildoers and are condemned because they turn Christian people away from His True Church and Her sacraments, agreeing with Saint Thomas Aquinas' statement above. Jesus predicted that false Christian prophets would come as wolves in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15). They may use all the right "God-talk" and even make impressive displays of power, but they will not belong to the Lord.
For the benefit of those that see and hear, that however they despise the men who work the wonders, they may give honour to God. So Saul and Balaam and Caiaphas prophesied; the sons of Scaeva in the Acts of the Apostles were seen to cast out daemons; and Judas with the soul of a traitor is related to have wrought many signs among the other Apostles.
Book: Catena Aurea by Saint Thomas Aquinas
But let an exorcised demon further clarify healing miracles. Advice from a series of compiled exorcisms from 1975 to 1978,
Many of the miracles that take place in certain sects and with the false privileged souls come from down below (he points downward). It is claimed that they are worked in the name of the Holy Spirit, but they are really worked in our name (again he points down), in the name of Hell...It is possible to cure the sick in our name, when that results to our advantage. It is a lot easier for corrupt people to perform extra ordinary things through Hell, and in its name, than it is for authentic privileged souls to obtain from Heaven extraordinary things and true miracles. For the latter, many prayers and much virtue are necessary; that is why in the case of authentic privileged souls, there are often far fewer visible miracles.
Book: Warnings from the Hereafter to the Contemporary Church: Confessions of Hell, literal text of revelations made by demons during exorcisms by Jean Marty at link1, link2 or link3.
Saint Anthony of Padua had to fast and suffer days of penance before any miracle, such as animals bowing to the Eucharist or hearing his preaching, in contrast nowadays with any "gifted" gender calling to the Holy Spirit and performing healing miracles. For example, Randy Clark (protestant Methodist), and again Mary Healy (Catholic) wrote "The Spiritual Gifts Handbook". There are many healing testimonies on his site as well. But we must first understand what Saint Augustine said, in 420 AD:
Those who engage in those polluted rites of purification, with their blasphemous ceremonies have some marvelously beautiful visions, whether of angels or of gods, after the supposed purification. ...the devil longs to ensnare men's wretched souls in the fraudulent ceremonies of all those false gods and to seduce them from the true worship of the true God, by whom alone they are purified and healed.
So, we now know that satan can heal and cure human bodies (source: exorcism, Aquinas), and that he can give people beautiful visions of angels and heaven (source: Augustine). Satan can impersonate Jesus (source: saints) and also command demons not to tempt proud people lost in self-delusion. Then, how do we know what is real? We listen for advice; but we listen to someone inside the Roman Catholic Holy Orders, guided by the One True God. Let stigmatized Fr. Zlatko Sudac clarify how to heal the body (at 14 min 30 sec in the following video):
So, if health is failing, visit the blessed sacrament often, consecrate yourself to the Heart of Jesus, and ask your priest for the "Anointing of the Sick" sacrament. And do not forget Mary's rosary:
Christ appeared to his bride [S.Bridget] in His human form and said: ”This boy's infirmity has not been caused by constellations of stars - as the foolish say - nor by his sins. He has become infirm because of his physical condition and so that his crown will be greater."
Because Jesus's Roman Catholic Church will be the only Church remaining at the end of time, as a bride waiting for her bridegroom, everything else will come to nothing.