Article Fifth. On Magic and Malefice

163. Notions. a. Magic is generally defined as the art of working wonders through hidden causes. One kind is white or natural magic, which is defined as the art of working wonderful and unusual things through natural means; another is black or superstitious magic, which is defined as the art of working wonders by the help of the demon. Magic also can be done with explicit or implicit invocation of the demon.

b. Magic which is employed for harming others is called malefice (incantation, Behexung), which therefore is defined: the art of harming others by the help of the demon. A twofold malefice is distinguished: amatory (philtrum, from phileo), if by the help of the demon a most vehement affection of love or hatred toward a determinate person is excited in another; and poisoning (veneficium, from poison), if damage is brought upon some person or his goods.²

Magic differs from other species of superstition in this, that it intends to produce wonderful effects. Malefice differs from magic by reason of the end: for the magician intends to show the power of the demon, but the malefactor intends to harm others.

¹ Mart. Delrio, Disquisitiones magicae. Concerning this work Lehmkuhl notes (II, p. 830): "Although it also contains useless and fabulous things, nevertheless it hands down very useful things by which the malice of superstition may be thoroughly known."

² In canon law malefice is called sortilege, because an evil lot befalls him who is affected by malefice; for this reason magicians and witches are called sortiarii and sortiariae.

164. Its malice. 1. White magic is of itself licit: for it is exercised by the powers of nature, and by the sagacity and dexterity of men; but it can become dangerous, because the demon, even when not invoked, easily mingles himself in these matters and induces to superstitious magic.

2. Black magic of itself is a grave sin of superstition, which does not differ in moral species from divination and vain observance. Their common malice consists in association with the demon. Yet ignorance sometimes excuses magic from grave sin, if it is done with an implicit pact.

165. Malefice. a. It must be conceded that malefice can in reality be inflicted: for it cannot be denied that the demon, both by himself and through evil men, can, God permitting, harm the bodies and goods of men in various ways; and that God sometimes permits this by a most wise counsel is likewise certain.¹ Wherefore, although faith must not easily be given to malefices, nevertheless all would be imprudently denied.

b. One infected by amatory malefice ordinarily does not lose freedom, but can resist temptation with the grace of God; wherefore if he yields to it, he commits sin, grave or light according to the measure of deliberation and freedom.

c. Malefice contains a twofold malice, one against religion, the other against charity or justice, because evil is brought upon the neighbor.

Since by experience it is established that malefices are rare today, let the confessor be slow in believing malefices which are narrated by rude penitents; but for driving away the evils which are attributed by them to malefices, let him teach them to employ natural and supernatural means, especially those which consist in prayers, the use of sacramentals, and the reception of the sacraments.²

¹ Job 1:12. Cf. Ex. 22:18.

² Cf. Berardi, Praxis confessariorum, I, n. 458.

166. In what way malefice can be removed. a. Certainly it cannot be removed by another malefice, otherwise it would be licit to do evils that goods may come; therefore it is not licit to ask a magician to loosen a malefice, if he cannot loosen it except through another malefice, even if he is of his own accord prepared to loosen it. b. It can be removed by means both natural and supernatural, such as medicines, prayers, exorcisms, sacramentals, sacraments, and the destruction of signs by which the demon harms. c. It is also licit to consult the magician himself concerning the way of loosening the malefice, and likewise it is licit to ask that he himself loosen the malefice, if he removes it in a licit way, or if at least he can remove it in a licit way, even if it is foreseen that the magician will do this by the help of a new malefice.¹

¹ What a confessor ought to do with those who are guilty of superstition with an explicit pact St. Alphonsus teaches at n. 28.