When the Vatican Said We could Talk to the Dead

[Julia Mae]

One of the most competent theologians of the Vatican, Father Gino Concetti, writing in the "Osservatore Romano", the daily paper of the Holy See, says that,

"According to the modern catechism the Church has decided not to forbid anymore to dialogue with the deceased ... this is as a sequel of new discoveries within the domain of the paranormal."
(December 1996)

It hasn't been possible for me to find the full article from L'Osservatore Romano, but I'm thinking of emailing here to see if I can get it, as the Vatican website ( http://www.vatican.net/news_services/or/arch/ar_eng.html ) says the archives are available to the public:

Requests for back-copies or archive material may be sent by post to:
L'Osservatore Romano Archives, 00120 Vatican City
via fax: (+39)06.69883675,
or via e-mail
archivio@ossrom.va

Barring that for the moment, I'm going to collect quotes from the article published by various websites back in the day that are still extant. First we should know that Rev. Gino Concetti was the official Vatican spokesperson in L'Osservatore Romano under John Paul II. When a social issue raised it's head, (like same-sex marriage) he was the one that gave the Vatican's position. Here are some quotes from the article:

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Roman Catholics were given the Church's blessing yesterday to "contact" loved ones beyond the grave. Leading Vatican theologian Father Gino Concetti said it is no longer a sin, as long as mediums, fortune teller and palmists are not involved.

The pronouncement came after Italian magazine claims that contact with the spiritual world had produced miracles. Father Concetti dismissed that, but added: 'We can pray for our loved ones. They will respond in dreams and inspiration. In one example, a grandmother advised a girl about her marriage choice in a dream. The girl did not heed counsel and a grave problem developed. If we pray seriously in a quiet place, with our hearts and our voices, the departed will express themselves and advise us.'

(Printed in the London Daily Mail, 29-Nov-96)

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The Pope explains to us "What actually happens to us at the moment of death?"

This question has occupied mankind for centuries. Jesus promised that a final judgment will come, an all-last day. But what occurs to the souls of those who die before this point in time?

Pope John Paul II explained it in Rome before pilgrims. He said:

'One should not think life begins after death only with the final judgment. Quite special conditions prevail after natural death. It concerns a transitional phase in which the body dissolves and where the life of a mirror-image entity (the soul) begins.'

'This entity is equipped with its own consciousness and its own will, so that humans exist, although they no longer possess a physical body.'

A member of the international papal theological advises: 'At the moment of death humans make an enormous discovery. The soul does not only leave the body, but humans discover the secret of time. Because it becomes timeless, steps into eternity.'

(From the German journal Bild, 1998 October 30 in an article, "The moment of death; what occurs to our soul?')

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Father Concetti, one of the most competent theologians in the Vatican, said in an interview:

'According to the modern catechism, God allows our dear departed persons who live in an ultra - terrestrial dimension, to send messages to guide us in certain difficult moments of our lives. The Church has decided not to forbid anymore the dialogue with the deceased with the condition that these contacts are carried out with a serious religious and scientific purpose.'

(Printed in the Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano, date unspecified)

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This is a snip from a trashmag called "Weekly World News" from March 18, 1997:

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Well, what can I say? The story might be in a junk trader that has a Bigfoot crossword, but it's also not a bad piece, itself, and accurately reflects what was said. I like the reference to Saint Dominic, although it sounds exactly like something Padre Pio said.

The last snip is from at least a regular paper, the Reading Eagle/Reading Times, February 15, 1997:

[Julia Mae]

All of that makes two very important points for all of us and especially for Catholics:

The first is what John Paul II said about life after death:

One should not think life begins after death only with the final judgment. Quite special conditions prevail after natural death. It concerns a transitional phase in which the body dissolves and where the life of a mirror-image entity (the soul) begins.'

'This entity is equipped with its own consciousness and its own will, so that humans exist, although they no longer possess a physical body.

This is exceptionally important, because a lot of Christians and even Catholics believe we are in some sort of limbo-like existence unless we are Saints. No, we are just on the Other Side, a term that encompasses all the states of being that we can be in after we pass.

It's important because the Pope tells us it is a non-physical state, but an individual person - a soul - residing there. The fact of non-physicality explains why they communicate the way they do. As John Edward always says: "They don't have mouths" so sometimes that communication is imprecise or symbolic.

The second important point comes from Fr. Concetti:

According to the modern catechism, God allows our dear departed persons who live in an ultra - terrestrial dimension, to send messages to guide us in certain difficult moments of our lives.

Exactly. We are never alone and they are never far from us. They can talk to us, if we only learn to listen. The goal of developing personal psychism isn't to wow your friends at parties. It is to hear and understand.