Article V. On Magic and Malefice

518. Notions. Magic, taken in a general sense, is the art of working wonders through occult causes. There is distinguished white or natural magic,⁷⁷⁹ which is the art of working wonders through natural means, and black⁷⁸⁰ or superstitious magic, which is the art of working wonders through the assistance of a demon. Magic which is employed to harm others is called malefice. The ancients distinguished a twofold malefice, namely, amatory malefice, or a philter, which is the excitation of most vehement love or hatred toward some determined person; and poisoning malefice, which through the assistance of a demon inflicts harm upon some person in body or goods. In the old canon law malefice is sometimes called sortilege, because an evil lot befalls those who are affected by malefice. Likewise, male and female practitioners of magic are called sorcerers and sorceresses.⁷⁸¹

⁷⁷⁹ Taschenspielerkünste, prestidigitation [sleight-of-hand tricks, prestidigitation].

⁷⁸⁰ Schwarzkunst, magie noire [black art, black magic].

⁷⁸¹ Cf. the whole of q. 5, C. 26.

519. Moral malice. 1. White magic is of itself lawful.

For it is practiced through natural powers and through the sagacity and dexterity of men. Per accidens, however, even white magic can become unlawful, because spectators and hearers are excessively excited and easily believe that preternatural powers intervene to produce the marvelous effects.

2. Black magic is a grave sin of superstition, which differs only accidentally from divination and vain observance.

The reason is that in each there is at least an implicit invocation of the devil. Therefore the same things said above concerning the malice of divination and vain observance must be applied.

3. Malefice contains a twofold malice: the one against religion, since it is worship of a demon; the other against charity and justice, because it inflicts unjust harm upon one's neighbor.

That a demon can truly harm a man in both amatory and poisoning malefice is evident of itself, because such effects are produced through corporeal actions which do not exceed the power of a demon; nevertheless, a demon cannot remove human liberty, and therefore acts committed by a man under the influence of the devil remain imputable, unless, however, reason was totally disturbed. In practice it is not readily to be believed that black magic or diabolical malefice is present in a particular case. For the sad history of witches demonstrates how many most unjust atrocities were committed because men were excessively credulous in these matters.⁷⁸² The following must be held as a certain rule denied by no one: whenever a reasonable doubt remains whether some effect proceeds from a natural cause or from a demon, it is to be attributed to natural powers. The reason is that a) very many natural powers are still unknown to us. If someone, for example, had suddenly presented in ancient times several modern phenomena of the telephone, phonograph, electricity, etc., he perhaps would have been regarded as a diabolical sorcerer. Almost daily new natural powers are discovered which produce astonishing effects. b) Some men are endowed with the greatest dexterity and sagacity and through natural powers alone produce effects which are altogether inexplicable to the men who behold them. c) The influence of the devil seems now to be greatly constrained by divine omnipotence, and is to be presumed in no case, but must always be clearly proved. These things indeed are to be attended to especially by priests, lest they too quickly attribute some unusual and inexplicable effect to the devil and afterward are deservedly ridiculed by all.

⁷⁸² Hexenwahn [witch delusion].