Cults (Sects)

A cult or sect is not to be confused with cultus (worship), such as the cult of the Virgin Mary. Cults or sects are "sociological phenomenon", and it is these groups which the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to when it says: ...also in certain recent sects which base themselves on such "revelations".

Mariavites
An example of a cult is the Mariavites or Mystical Priests of Poland. This cult started as a group of priests who followed Maria Francesca, an alleged seer who claimed to be the Virgin Mary and who commanded her followers to spread piety and denounce anyone that doubted her holiness and divine election. Eventually, the Mariavites committed schism.

Legion of Christ
Another example of a cult is the Legion of Christ or Legionaries of Christ. This cult centered around Fr. Marcial Maciel, who founded a congregation (the Legion) to fund his extravagance and to keep his sexual abuse of minors a secret from the Catholic Church. He used Bl. John Paul II and his approval of the Legion to disprove those who called him a false prophet, to win favor in the Church, and to make himself appear like a living saint. At the hour of Maciel's death, when he refused to receive the sacraments, everything about his life was made known to the Church, and a number of priests left the congregation.

Religious Education
The Church teaches that, in the absence of religious education and knowledge of certain parts of the Faith, superstitions, magical tendencies, sects and false prophets can arise.

Superstition and Magic
Some examples of superstitions and magical tendencies include the belief that the Nine First Fridays guarantee salvation and the practice of wearing a scapular to ward off evil.

Sects and False Prophets
Besides the aforementioned sects and false prophets, other examples of sects and false prophets include Jonestown and Marshall Applewhite.