Superstitious Observance in General

I. Notion. Superstitious observance occurs when someone does not indeed show divine worship to the demon, but nevertheless "assumes the help of demons for doing or knowing something" (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 95, a. 2). Moreover, the help of demons can be invoked and assumed both explicitly and implicitly.

Explicit invocation, besides by other modes, also has place when someone uses a means or sign concerning which he has come to an agreement with the demon; or has in any way entered into a pact with the demon, so that he may be helped by him. Implicit invocation has place when someone, in order to obtain something, uses a means which neither of itself nor from divine or ecclesiastical institution is apt for producing the effect, so that, if the effect follows, it must be ascribed to the devil (St. Alphonsus, III, 6, 14).

II. Signs for discerning superstitious observance are: 1. "The insufficiency of the cause applied for the effect; namely if it has neither natural power, nor is there legitimate evidence of a supernatural power; 2. the addition of a false or vain circumstance; as, for example, if a scourging must be done at a certain hour, number, hand, or with a silken scourge; if unknown names are used, or foreign characters, false or apocryphal words, for example that Christ had fevers or spasm, etc. Likewise if force is placed in the mode of writing, for example the Gospel of St. John, by a virgin, at sunrise, etc." (St. Alphonsus, III, 16; St. Thomas, II-II, q. 96, a. 2, ad 1); 3. a certain expectation of the effect.

III. Morality. 1. Superstitious observance of itself is a grave sin. For first, Sacred Scripture declares that divination, which is a mode of superstitious observance, is an abomination to God;¹ and this must also be applied to the other modes of superstitious observance, since they do not differ in species, as we shall note soon. Then, an act which involves no other than hostile commerce with a person who has been forever reprobated and condemned by almighty God, such an act, I say, inflicts grave injury on God. But such an act is contained in superstitious observance, as is clear from the notion handed down (St. Alphonsus, III, 5).

I said that superstitious observance of itself is gravely evil; for implicit invocation not at all rarely is not gravely sinful, namely: 1. because of ignorance, since many do not notice that the means are inept; 2. because of the absence, and indeed the manifest absence, of a serious intention, as if someone even externally acts only for the sake of a joke; 3. because of defect of deliberation, as if someone, disturbed by fear of a grave evil, uses an inept means; 4. because of defect of faith given to the event (St. Alphonsus, III, 7, 15).

2. Explicit and implicit invocation of the demon do not seem to differ in species, because the same account belongs to the explicit and the implicit. The same must be said a fortiori of the diverse modes among themselves both of explicit and of implicit invocation. Yet commonly in confession it must be expressed "whether an express or tacit invocation or pact intervened... because express invocation often has other sins joined to it, namely heresy, adoration of the demon, etc." (St. Alphonsus, III, 6).

3. In doubt whether an effect can be ascribed to a natural cause, it is lawful to use the means, at least if a protestation against diabolical intervention is first made. For since the powers of natural causes are wonderful and very often unknown even to the learned, there is no reason for presuming diabolical intervention. This being posited, no irreverence toward God is found in our manner of proceeding (St. Alphonsus, III, 20).²

But in doubt whether the effect must be ascribed to God or to the demon, it is not lawful to use the means, both because in the case the effect "is judged rather to come from the demon than from God" (St. Alphonsus, loc. cit.), who does not work such things except exceptionally; and because commonly there will be, for we suppose that the effect is intended as to be produced by God and not by the demon, a temptation of God, namely an inordinate petition or expectation of a miracle (n. 608).

¹ Deut. 18:10-12.

² Cf. Holy Office, July 26, 1899 (Collectanea de Propaganda Fide, n. 2061).

IV. Penalties. One who has practiced superstition or has perpetrated sacrilege is to be punished by the Ordinary according to the gravity of the fault, without prejudice to the penalties established by law against certain superstitious acts or sacrileges (can. 2325).

The species of superstitious observance are distinguished as divination and vain observance. Yet these differ only by reason of the material object, not by reason of the formal object, or specifically; for under the moral aspect it is the same whether knowledge (divination) or some other thing (vain observance) is acquired by the help of the demon.

I. Divination is superstitious observance which seeks knowledge of a future or hidden thing.

"It is called an oracle if it is done through idols; necromancy especially if through an apparent raising of the dead, for necromancy generally also comprehends other species of divination; oneiromancy if it is done through dreams; prestidigitation if through fictitious figures; haruspicy if through signs in the entrails of animals; geomancy if through a figure in the earth; hydromancy through a figure in water; aeromancy in the air; pyromancy in fire; astrology if it is done through the positions and movements of the stars; auspice through signs of birds; augury through signs of animals; omen if it is done through chance, for example through the meeting of a funeral, etc.; sortilege if it is done by lot, for example by opening a book, throwing dice" (St. Alphonsus, III, 6; St. Thomas, II-II, q. 95, a. 3).

Corollary I. The use of lots must be judged as follows:

1. Divisory lots, that is, those instituted for dividing things or composing disputes, are of themselves lawful, because they contain nothing except an aleatory contract (St. Alphonsus, III, 11).

2. Consultory lots, that is, those instituted for consulting God in a doubt about what must be done, "are lawful when the necessity and honesty of the cause demands it, and no more suitable mode of overcoming the doubt appears, provided they are done after prayer has been offered with due reverence, and judgment is expected from God alone; as, for example, if someone stuck at a fork in the road cannot otherwise determine himself concerning the way; or if they are done by divine instinct or command, as happened in the election of Saul" (St. Alphonsus, loc. cit.; cf. 1 Sam. 10:20-21). In the cases set forth, an act of ordered trust in God is found.

3. Divinatory lots are those which, outside the cases comprehended under 2, are instituted for obtaining knowledge of a hidden thing, as if someone were to draw from the casting and arrangement of dice who is going to obtain victory. Such lots, since they are inept for obtaining knowledge of this kind, are superstitious (St. Alphonsus, loc. cit.).

Corollary II. Consultation of soothsayers, that is, of those who manifest hidden or future things from cards or other things, is a grave sin: 1. if it is done seriously, even if only externally; 2. if the soothsayer acts seriously, even if only externally. For in this hypothesis the one consulting formally cooperates in a gravely evil act (St. Alphonsus, III, 10). But more often, for example during Carnival time, these things are not done seriously.

Corollary III. The use of a divining rod or of another instrument for detecting metals or waters is lawful, because the means seems apt for the intended end. The same must be said of telepathy, as it is called, that is, of the art of exploring the thoughts of others or other hidden things;¹ for it is by no means evident that the said art exceeds the powers of human nature (n. 597).

Corollary IV. One who gives some credence to a dream, and conducts himself according to it, is free from superstitious observance: 1. if it is at least permissible to suspect that the dream is from God; 2. if it is not evident that such a thing cannot be explained naturally, for example through telepathy. For the efficacy of natural powers is wonderful. How many effects are now ascribed to those powers which formerly were held certainly to be diabolical. Nevertheless, note in general that dreams themselves rarely come either from God or from the demon, but almost always from nature. "When God sends dreams, at the same time he also makes the man certain or nearly certain that they are sent by himself" (St. Alphonsus, III, 9).

¹ Cf. J. Zeehandelaar, Over de mogelijkheid van Telepathie.

II. Vain observance. By this term is signified superstitious observance which seeks any effects whatever, except knowledge of a hidden or future thing. It is called magic insofar as it seeks wonderful effects; malefice insofar as it seeks effects harmful to another, for example by inspiring a base love in someone, inflicting disease, etc. But it is clear that malefice is opposed not only to religion, but also to justice (St. Alphonsus, III, 23).

Corollary I. Vain observance is: 1. "To wear amulets, bindings, and packets marked with false characters, against wounds or sudden death, so that they cannot be harmed, or so that blood may not flow, or for procuring invisibility, impenetrability, love, fortune, harms, and malefices" (St. Alphonsus, III, 17); 2. "to hold certain days as lucky and others as unlucky, and therefore to omit business" (St. Alphonsus, loc. cit.), etc.

Corollary II. Vain observance is not: 1. to wear relics, scapulars, pious medals; 2. in honor of some mystery to perform devotions which they call novenas, or to pour forth prayers in a certain number; 3. to observe the moon or times more suitable for gathering herbs and cutting trees (St. Alphonsus, loc. cit.).

Corollary III. Somnambulism, that is, the art by which someone, after magnetic sleep has first been induced, becomes capable of indicating diseases and assigning remedies, as it is ordinarily practiced, is lawful. For somnambulists commonly make a diagnosis of a sick person who is present; or indeed of one who is absent, but after touching either some thing, for example hair, belonging to the sick person, or at least the image of the sick person. But these things very probably do not exceed the powers of nature. I said as it is ordinarily practiced, because things can be added which are spiritistic; in which case apply what we shall say about spiritism.³

Corollary IV. Salvatorism, as it is called, consists in this, that someone, by pouring forth certain prayers or by the sign of the cross, quickly cures diseases or wounds. Moreover, in practice it is lawful, provided the healer does not use an inept means, nor add anything inept, nor cling to determined words as though every power were to be attributed to the words themselves. The reason is that, if the conditions set forth are observed, it can be presumed that the effect can be ascribed to the grace of healings or to a special hearing of prayers; at least it is not sufficiently evident that the effect must be attributed to the demon (St. Alphonsus, III, 18).

Corollary V. To set a table or boards in motion in a circle, with fingers placed upon them, is of itself lawful, because the effect seems to be ascribed to a natural cause. By accident it can be unlawful because of the danger of passing over to the practice of spiritism. It is also unlawful to use a rotating board which writes a response, for acquiring knowledge of a hidden or future thing.

Corollary VI. Religious worship of ancestors, such as is found among many barbarians, so that by their help evils may be averted or goods acquired, this worship, I say, must be reduced to commerce with the devil and therefore is superstitious. For the inhabitants of heaven do not involve themselves in this worship. But the damned, neither of themselves nor commonly from divine providence, can provide for men; and, besides, commerce with the damned is equated with commerce with the demon.

Corollary VII. It is lawful to remove a malefice inflicted on someone, either by destroying the sign by which, once it has been placed, the demon harms; or by placing a contrary sign by which the demon, in view of his pact, is compelled to abstain from inflicting evil. It is also lawful to ask the worker of malefice to remove the malefice, if he can accomplish this by a lawful means. But if it is feared that he will use an unlawful means, for example a new malefice, that may be permitted. If it cannot be removed by a lawful means, recourse can be had to means of a higher order, for example to exorcism (St. Alphonsus, III, 24 sq.); the latter is always preferable, because recourse to the worker of malefice is very dangerous.

¹ Cf. St. Thomas, II-II, qq. 92-96; St. Alphonsus, Theologia Moralis, lib. III, nn. 1-28; Homo Apostolicus, tr. 4, nn. 34-37.

² Cf. F. Walter, Aberglaube und Seelsorge.

³ Cf. Holy Office, August 4, 1856 (Collectanea, n. 1128).

264. • Vain observance is superstition which employs means neither proportioned nor instituted by God for obtaining a certain effect.

It is of three kinds, namely 1º Notorious art, or the art of acquiring science without labor ¹. 2º The art of healings, or the art of healing by various signs or sacred things. 3º Observance of events, by which from consideration of some fortuitous event it is conjectured what will be favorable or unfavorable in the future. - St. Lig. n. 14.

¹ Notorious art differs from divination, because by disproportionate means the latter seeks knowledge and prediction of certain hidden things, but the former directly seeks the infusion of science. But observance of events, although, as St. Thomas says (2. 2. q. 96. art. 3.), in some way it pertains to divination which is made through the stars, according to which favorable and unfavorable days were distinguished; nevertheless there is a difference, because observances of this kind are without reason and art; whence they are more vain and superstitious. Add from the same St. Thomas (In Galat. cap. IV. Lect. IV.), that observance of events looks to disposing one's own acts according to vain indications; but divination intends more the speculative knowledge of hidden things.

Principles. - I. Vain observance is a grave sin, because it attributes divine honor to a creature, while it expects from it what must be expected from God alone; and because it rests upon an implicit pact with the demon ². Yet it can often be venial from imperfection of the act, from simplicity, from some ignorance, or from timidity, as happens especially among the uncultivated in the observance of events. - St. Lig. n. 15.

² Vain observance, as Theologians commonly hold, is made in one way with an express, in another with a tacit invocation of the demon. The former occurs when someone, wishing to procure something through disordered means, expressly invokes or desires the help of the demon, whether this is done with a pact or without a pact. But the latter occurs when someone employs disordered means, which neither of themselves nor from the institution of God have the power of effecting what is sought.

II. Vain observance is recognized especially 1º from the insufficiency of the cause for naturally producing the effect; 2º from the addition of a vain or false circumstance as if necessarily required; 3º from the infallibility which is attributed to means in no way infallible. - St. Lig. n. 16.

III. In doubt whether the effects come from a natural cause or from the demon, they can be attributed to the powers of nature; and consequently it is lawful to procure them, because it is not established that the thing is evil; nevertheless a protestation against any intervention whatever of the demon is advisedly premised. - But in doubt ³ whether the effects are produced by the demon or by God, if it is certainly established that they cannot come from a natural cause, they must be attributed to the demon, unless the sanctity of the one working or other clear indications persuade the contrary, because it is rash to think that miracles are always being done. Whence it is not then lawful to try whether the effect is to follow or not. - St. Lig. n. 20. - St. Thom. 2. 2. qu. 96. art. 1. and others commonly.

³ Understand doubt in the strict sense of the school, when, that is, there is present no probable or prudent reason concerning the insufficiency of natural powers, or the intervention of the demon; which also ought to be established concerning the first part of this principle.

899. 1. General concept. Superstitious observances are called those modes of acting by which a vain and disproportionate means is applied so that some effect may be obtained. Therefore two things manifest a vain observance: the manifest insufficiency of the means for obtaining the effect, and the infallibility which is attributed to these means. For when these two concur, the intended effect can be expected only from a supernatural agent; and thus there is superstition, because such an effect is expected either from God or His angels, against the divinely instituted order, or from the demon, through a pact either explicit or implicit.

¹ Besides the authors already cited, cf. Del Rio, S.J.; Ami du Clerge, Le Spiritisme, t. XXII, 1900, pp. 328, 488, 758; Le Demonisme, t. XXIV, 1902, pp. 289, 625, 849, 897, 977, 1057. Yet it seems to us that there more is attributed to the devil than is necessary, if the facts are critically inspected.

Thus these or similar things savor of superstition: to will to hear Mass before sunrise, or with a certain number and order of candles, celebrated by a priest whose name is John, etc., if there is the persuasion that by these various circumstances special and extraordinary effects of grace are infallibly obtained: for there is no proportion, either of itself or from divine institution, between these ridiculous things and the intended effect. - Generally this kind of superstition does not exceed venial sin, on account of good faith and simplicity; yet it must carefully be reprehended and corrected, because otherwise men who are little strengthened in faith are kept away from true religion.

900. But more often an extraordinary effect is expected from the devil or an evil spirit. Sometimes there is as it were an explicit pact (real or imaginary) with the demon, or at least he is expressly invoked; sometimes there is only tacit invocation, insofar as the agent knows that the cause applied is unfit for obtaining the effect, unless an evil spirit intervenes.

But experiments which are made by experts, for detecting new laws of nature hitherto unknown, differ altogether from these superstitions. For there are many hidden things which can be detected only by patient and long observation; and not a few phenomena which formerly were ascribed to magic are today explained naturally.

901. 2. Specifically concerning divination. Among superstitions is enumerated divination, by which the demon is expressly or tacitly invoked for knowing hidden things by his help.

It can be manifold: evocation of spirits, when these appear in a sensible form; necromancy, when the apparition of the dead is sought; oneiromancy, if the manifestation of hidden things is made through a dream; pythonism, if, through men or women, spirits teach hidden things; haruspicy, if secrets are sought from the entrails of animals immolated to the gods; augury or auspice, if the manifestation of hidden things is expected from the cries of animals, the song or flight of birds; chiromancy or physiognomy, when someone tries to detect future things from the lines of the hands or countenance; sortilege, if knowledge of hidden things is sought from arbitrarily chosen signs, for example from the cast of dice, etc.

902. 3. Vain observance. This differs from divination, because it is ordered not so much to detecting hidden things as to producing some effect.

A threefold kind is usually distinguished: (a) the notorious art, or the art of acquiring knowledge without labor, by means altogether unfit, for example by uttering certain words; (b) the art of healings,⁴ or the art of curing diseases by unfit means, for example by amulets hung on the neck, by diverse signs or words which are thought to produce their effect ex opere operato; (c) malefice, by which someone, through similarly unfit means, tries to inflict some evil upon the neighbor; it is called amatory if it tends to excite a most vehement love or hatred, and venomous if it tends to bring harm upon a person, family, or goods.

⁴ This superstition indeed ought altogether to be distinguished from the gift, natural or supernatural, of curing certain diseases, which belongs to certain men. When these do nothing ridiculous, and otherwise are honest, and have not entered into any pact with the devil, they are not to be prohibited from exercising this gift, especially if they protest that they will to reject whatever would be diabolical. Cf. Noldin, n. 161.

903. 4. Concerning the malice of superstitious observances. (A) It must first be noted that many of the phenomena which are called superstitious must be ascribed to fraud or imagination. For since it is very well known that there is in men an innate propensity for detecting hidden things or seeing marvelous things, in all ages and regions clever men have been found, greedy for money, who, in order to favor curiosity, feigned that they had commerce with supernatural agents, and by skillful industry deceived them.⁵ Besides, those who are endowed with a vivid imagination often take phantasms for true phenomena,⁶ especially when a third person suggests it. - Moreover certain other facts which formerly were attributed to the devil, when the matter has been better weighed, can be ascribed to natural forces: for recent discoveries show that there are many forces, formerly unknown, by which marvelous effects are obtained. - Yet, since there truly are evil spirits, who solicit men to evil, as was said in De Deo Creante, n. 91-99, it is not wonderful that, by their help, preternatural and prodigious things are sometimes accomplished, so that the unwary may more easily be deceived and drawn to illicit things. Therefore in individual cases all circumstances ought carefully to be weighed, so that it can be discerned whether the alleged facts are diabolical or not, and whether penitents had a superstitious intention or not.

⁵ Thus the famous Home, who in great cities, and especially in Paris, had exercised the magic art and had obtained responses from rotating tables, when near death declared that he himself had given responses of this kind. Cf. P. Davis, La fin du monde des esprits, le spiritisme devant la raison et la science, Paris, 1887, p. 287; Surbled, Spirites et Mediums, Paris, 1901, p. 93-105.

⁶ Malefactors, who were thought to gather to celebrate a sabbath, used narcotic medicines, and for the most part dreamed that they saw the things which they afterward narrated. Surbled, La morale, t. IV, ch. 19.

904. (B) Whatever may be the case concerning the speculative question, the moral malice of superstitions ought to be judged especially from the intention itself of the agents, from the effects which they foresaw, and from the dangers of sinning to which they expose themselves.

(a) First, if there was an explicit pact with the demon, real or imaginary, or an express invocation of the same, it is certainly a most grave sin; for he inflicts a grave injury upon God who seriously enters, or wishes to enter, into society with the devil, the most bitter enemy of God: "Neither let there be found among you... any one that consulteth soothsayers, or observeth dreams and omens, neither let there be any wizard, nor charmer, nor any one that consulteth pythonic spirits, or fortune tellers, or that seeketh the truth from the dead; for the Lord abhorreth all these things."⁷

⁷ Deut. 18:10-11; cf. Lev. 19:31; 20:27.

(b) Even when there is no explicit pact, if, from superstition, a means is knowingly applied which is unfit for the intended effect, a grave sin is committed of itself, because diabolical intervention is implicitly desired. Yet, in this case, many are excused from mortal sin on account of simplicity or ignorance, or because they act from mere curiosity, especially if there is not a certain expectation of the event, but only a certain hope. Nevertheless penitents are to be turned away from superstitions of this kind, which gradually divert the mind from true religion.

(c) If someone uses malefice, he sins besides against charity and justice; and if harm is truly inflicted upon the neighbor, there is an obligation of repairing it.

(d) In doubt whether phenomena are natural or diabolical, the principles concerning cooperation are to be applied (above, n. 185): therefore it is licit to posit an action which of itself is not evidently evil, provided there is a proportionately grave reason for acting, and the good effect is intended, not however the evil one, or diabolical cooperation.

905. (C) There are certain extraordinary phenomena which today are quite commonly held, or at least can be held, as natural, and therefore are licit from what has already been said: (a) Thus the use of the divining rod for detecting waters or certain metals cannot be condemned: for the movement of this rod is rather easily explained from a certain influence of water or metals; in truth pious Christians and priests use it without any fear of diabolical intervention.⁸

⁸ Revue du monde invisible, Oct. 15, 1898; July 15, 1899; Surbled, Le secret des Sourciers, in Science Catholique, Sept. 1902.

(b) Sometimes certain hidden things are manifested to those dreaming, and sometimes to those awake, either by God,⁹ or in a natural way through a certain, as they say, telepathy;¹⁰ on the other hand, it is commonly admitted that the demon can excite some phantasms in the mind of those sleeping.¹¹ Therefore from the circumstances it must be discerned whether these dreams or presentiments are sent by God, or are diabolical, or natural. If they proceed from God, the thing manifested bears nothing ridiculous before it, impels to good, leaves the soul tranquil and also more cheerful for performing works of piety. - But it would be rash to direct one's actions from those things which appeared in sleep, since hallucination frequently occurs in this matter. - Sometimes, however, to posit or omit some indifferent action on account of a dream is not prohibited, since warnings received in sleep are sometimes true.

⁹ Num. 12:6; Acts 2:17.

¹⁰ Facts of telepathy, which occur not only through sleep but also in the state of wakefulness, you will find set forth in the work Phantasms of the Living, by Gurney, Myers, and Podmore, rendered in French by L. Marillier under this title Hallucinations telepathiques, Paris, Alcan; Surbled, Morale, t. IV, ch. 14; C. Flammarion, L'Inconnu et les Problemes psychiques, Paris, 1900; J. Maxwell, Les Phenomenes psychiques, 2nd ed., 1904, Paris, Alcan, p. 183-191; Civilta cattolica, Serie XVII, vol. VII, p. 144, 411, 673, etc.

¹¹ This is also inferred from Deut. 18:10.

516. The moral and specific malice of vain observance is the same as that of divination.

The reason is that in each the virtue of religion is injured in the same formal manner, since an effect is sought through an explicit or implicit invocation of the devil. No moral difference is introduced by whether knowledge of an occult thing or some other external effect is sought. Hence the things said above concerning the moral malice of divination also apply to vain observance. In practice great patience and prudence are needed to deter the faithful from vain observances, since many faithful, and pious ones at that, perceive nothing evil in actions of this kind. Therefore they are prudently to be instructed concerning the vanity of such actions, without, however, its being said at once that they are gravely sinful in themselves.

517. The criteria for recognizing vain observance are chiefly three:

1. The insufficiency of the cause employed to produce the effect. Hence it is manifest superstition if someone thinks that by reciting a brief formula he will recover health from it.

2. The addition of a vain or false circumstance as though necessarily required for obtaining the effect, for example, to cut seven hairs from the neck in order to obtain health.

3. An infallible expectation of the effect from those vain means.

In a doubt whether some effect proceeded from a natural cause or not, it is ordinarily to be attributed to natural powers, because nothing preternatural is to be asserted unless it is established. Moreover, the efficacy of natural causes is very often unknown to us. But if it is established that the effect was not produced by a natural cause, and a doubt arises whether it is from God or from the devil, a miracle is not to be presumed, but rather a diabolical intervention.

V. The observance of future events is the prediction of good or bad fortune from signs altogether unsuited to foreknowing such things: as if someone observed days, seasons, chance encounters with people, and other similar things, by which he was moved to do, or to omit, something as though it were ill-omened. It is worth transcribing a few things here from St. Augustine, who, in Book II On Christian Doctrine, gives a full account of many examples of this superstition. I will pass over for now what pertains to the other species of superstition, and briefly present some of what pertains to vain observance. Augustine writes as follows (ch. 20 and following): "To this class belong also all amulets and remedies, which the discipline of physicians also condemns — whether in incantations, or in certain marks which they call characters, or in certain things to be hung up and bound on, or even in a kind of dancing not for the tempering of the body, but for certain significations, either occult or even manifest, which they call, by a gentler name, 'physics' — as though these things were not superstitiously entangling, but seemed to be of benefit by nature; such as earrings at the top of each ear, or rings of ostrich bones on the fingers, or telling you, when you hiccup, to hold your left thumb with your right hand. To these are joined a thousand vain observances: if some limb twitches; if, while walking together, a stone, or a dog, or a boy comes between two friends. And that stepping on the stone, as though it were a divider of friendship, is less troublesome than that they strike the innocent boy with a blow, if he happens to run between them while walking together. But it is a fine thing that boys are sometimes avenged by dogs — for many are so superstitious that they even dare to strike the dog that came between them, not without being bitten in turn. For a vain remedy will sometimes quickly send the striker to a real doctor. Hence come also these: stepping on the threshold when one passes in front of one's own house; returning to bed if one sneezes while putting on one's shoes; returning home if one, having set out, stumbles; fearing a future ill omen more than one grieves over a present loss, if one's garment is gnawed by mice. Whence that remark of Cato is elegantly said: when consulted by someone who told him that his boots had been gnawed by mice, he replied that this was no portent — but it would indeed have been a portent if the mice had been gnawed by the boots." Very much else that Augustine pursues in this place I pass over, since from the reasons already given it can be understood by anyone what is to be condemned as superstitious, and to be purged from this vice.

XXI. Question IX. What, and of how many kinds, is vain observance? Answer. Vain observance is a superstition which uses vain and inept instruments to produce some exterior effect. This is threefold: 1. notorial; 2. observance of health; 3. observance of future events. The notorial is both illicit and vain, because it uses inept means for acquiring knowledge, as St. Thomas teaches, II-II, q. 96; and so it needs the help of the demon, and an implicit pact intervenes with the demon. The healing art, or observance of health, similarly applies disparate means — namely ceremonies, astronomical images, arbitrary prayers for curing diseases, no hope being had in God; and therefore it is full of superstition. For if sacred images and the relics of Saints are applied to the sick, and prayers are recited to implore divine aid, any vain observance being excluded, then the matter is not only licit, but even commendable.

XXIII. Observance of future events is the prediction of prosperous or adverse fortune from signs altogether vain for foreknowing such things — as if someone should observe days, times, chance meetings with men, and things of that kind, and be moved by these to do or omit something as ill-omened. St. Augustine, book 2 On Christian Doctrine, recounts several species of this kind of superstition.

S U P E R S T I T I O N of vain observance differs from divinations, because divination is ordered to obtaining an undue knowledge of hidden things; but superstitious observance to obtaining certain advantages, or to harming others. It is done by an explicit or implicit invocation of the Demon.

And indeed, if the pretended effect surpasses natural power, it is superstition, because honor due to God alone is shown to the devil; but if it does not surpass it, it seems a sin against charity toward oneself, as Valencia says quaest. 13. tertio puncto.

Moreover the means are known to be superstitious because they are inept, such as Astronomical images, Amulets, characters on tablets, inept words mixed with sacred things, which little women frequently mutter ought to be drunk down. Such are the cures of Ensalmators by certain words. So Fagundez in primum praeceptum Decal. lib. 1. cap. 36. et in secundo Ecclesiae, lib. 8. cap. 4. num. 16. for although by a gift freely given some may have the power of healing from some infirmity, nevertheless the force does not reside in the words, but in the persons. So the Kings of France by divinely favored contact of the right hand cure swollen swellings in the Throat, as Less. notes lib. 2. cap. 43. d. 10. Tanner. d. 5. quaest. 7. d. 2. n. 40.

Ensalmators indeed would be tolerable if they added permitted prayers to natural remedies, for prayers add nothing evil. So Suarez Tom. 1. de Relig. lib. 2. de superstit. cap. 15. Sanchez. lib. 1. Decal. lib. 2. cap. 50. num. 39. Fagundez in primum Decal. lib. 1. cap 36. and others cited by them.

Tannerus adds d. 5. quaest. 7. dub. 2. num. 37. that these Salvators, or Ensalmators, seem to some to have a grace freely given; this however is uncertain, since otherwise these men are reprobate.

But concerning the Psylli of Africa, and the Marsi of Italy, who drew out poisons by drinking them, Delrius ascribes it to diabolical magic lib. 1. disquis. mag. cap. 3. quaest. 4.

Tannerus however warns that not all ceremonies are to be condemned outright, for instance leading beasts of burden around near the temple of some Saint, e.g. St. Pancras; or applying to the sick bread or fat pressed to the Crucifix on Good Friday, on which Greiferus de cruce, lib. 2. cap. 62. See other things in Tannerus and Fagundez.

Indications are commonly brought forward here when things are superstitious; but I have reported these above.

One thing however is wont to be noted as especially important, that one not easily believe apparitions: for the Demon is wont to transform himself into an Angel of light, and to feign himself to be the soul of someone believed saved, so that he may defame it; or another soul, thought to be damned, that he may expose it to veneration, as D. Thom. notes p. p. quaest. 113. art. 4. and others:

Note also that Demons cannot at will bring it about that souls come forth either from Purgatory or from Hell: for they are in the prison of God. Whence that Rich Man in Luke 16. could not come forth from the nether world, as D. Bonavent. notes there, and with him Fagundez n. 9. But that they sometimes go forth from their receptacles with God willing, I shall show in the Third part, Tom. 1. d. 39. with D. Bonavent. in 4. d. 45.

One must nevertheless beware of fallacies. There will be two principal signs for knowing them. First, if they fear the sign of the Cross, or the name of Jesus, of the Virgin Mary, and of the Saints, or flee, or shrink from the relics of Saints, or blessed wax, or holy water. Second, if importunately they seek once and again, mixing in inept things. So Thyraeus lib. de spirituum apparitionibus, cap. 16. Delrius lib. 2. disquis. quaest. 26. sect. 3. Fagundez num. 12.

Against this, that souls appear by the aid of the Demon, they object that Samuel appeared to Saul at the command of the Witch 1. Reg. 28. as I shall say with D. August. 3. part. loc. cit. and many Fathers teach: Iustinus in Dialogo cum Tryph. ad calcem, Lyra, and Caietanus ad primum Reg. 28. Tostatus quaest. 18. D. Thom. 2. 2. quaest. 174. art. 5. et p. p. quaest. 89. art. 6. and many expositors cited by Fagundez num. 18. Suarez Tom. 1. de Relig. lib. 2. de superstit. cap. 16. Pererius in cap. 7. Exodi, 18. Cornelius a lapide in Eccles. p. 3. cap. 46. who favor this opinion. Nor was it done at the command of the Pythoness, but before her incantations, at the command of God.

Fagundez cap. 37. further warns that there are other superstitions in sacred things, as in the Masses of St. Amator; and the Masses of the Counts, where superstitious things are mixed in. From money first offered to the Crucifix on Good Friday they make a ring for health, which however is not entirely condemned: They gather herbs on the day of St. John the Baptist; which is no hindrance, if they attend to a natural cause. Images of some saint are tied and submerged in a river, until it rains. See him.