I am concerned about the emergence of some new cults seemingly
connected to the Church.
I am concerned about some which at first do not look like
cults, but are.
I am going to list a few ways to discern is something is
cultic. If more than four are answered in the negative or if the answers are
vague, beware.
1) Are
the founders treated like gods and not like humans?
2) Are
the founders holy men or holy women?
3) Are
the founders’ lives transparent?
4) Is
there a cult of personality connected with the founders? If so, this is a bad
sign.
5) Are
the rules and regulations of the group open and on line?
6) Can
one ask questions and get answers concerning the group?
7) If
one asks questions, and one does not get a reply, are reasons given?
8) Are
the ministries of the group approved by the Vatican ?
9) Are
the ministries in keeping with long established ministries in the Church?
10) Are the lay
people free to come and go and discuss openly the group?
11) If there
are writings, books, speeches by the members, as these readily available?
12) Does the group
have diocesan approved spiritual directors, and not “roaming” priests?
13) If there
are spiritual directors, are these priests under the authority of a bishop or
bishops?
14) If the
works of the group have nihil obstats or imprimaturs, are these from bishops
who are noted for their integrity?
15) Has there
been any whiff of a scandal regarding the group?
16) Are the
financial backings clear and available?
17) Can people
who belong to the group have friends and companions outside the group?
18) Can people
who belong to the group talk freely about the events and even the organization
of their day with those outside the group?
19) Are the
teachings of the group in line with the Teaching Magisterium of the Church?
20) Does the
group support spurious, unapproved apparitions or visionaries?