“I saw also the relationship between the two popes [ … ] I saw how baleful would be the consequences of this false church. I saw it increase in size; heretics of every kind came into the city. The local clergy grew lukewarm, and I saw a great darkness…”
“Then the vision seemed to extend on every side. Whole Catholic communities were being oppressed, harassed, confined, and deprived of their freedom. I saw many churches closed down, great miseries everywhere, wars and bloodshed. A wild and ignorant mob took violent action. But it did not last long…”
“Once more I saw that the Church of Peter was undermined by a plan evolved by the secret sect, while storms were damaging it. But I saw also that help was coming when distress had reached its peak. I saw again the Blessed Virgin ascend on the Church and spread her mantle.”
Blessed Catherine Emmerich, May 13, 1820.
No one can say we were not warned. As I read the account of the visions of Blessed Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824) it seemed to me I was reading today’s newspapers. It was only my impression. Those words were dictated to a priest 200 years ago and we are seeing them fulfilled in our day. Those words are there so we do not despair but calmly see how the power of God rules the world in ways that neither we nor His enemies can possibly fathom.
Remember this and keep it in mind,
recall it to mind, you transgressors,
remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
declaring the end from the beginning
from ancient times, what is still to come,
saying, ‘My purpose shall stand,
and I will accomplish all that I have intended’
Isaiah 46:8-10
I first took to study Catholic doctrine in the 1990’s. Three decades later, I have not even scratched the surface but I have seen enough to detect some prophetic patterns. The vision of Bl. Catherine Emmerich reminded me of the time when Aaron the High Priest and all Israel worshiped the golden calf to whom they attributed their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. (Exodus 32)
The story in Exodus 32 is a prophetic model of the age of the Church we are living today. Moses was absent from the camp while he went up the mountain to receive the Law from God. As the days went by, the people became restless and decided they were not going to wait for God’s Law, they were going to make a new god and a new law for themselves. That is how the golden calf was made, one of the many biblical models of The Great Apostasy that was to come at the end of times.
Because of my work, I am in touch with many Catholics around the world. Many of them have told me how distressed they are to witness the events that followed that dreadful ceremony involving the Pachamama images. Since that day, there has been a flurry of bad news involving modifications to the Catechism, the creation of a multi-religion worship center, and the ever growing number of shameful revelations about sexual abuse of minors and other similar activities all over the Church. Abominations abound these days. I do not blame anyone who thinks we are about to experience some kind of divine correction. In fact, I am expecting it myself.
These awful times should not be cause for despair. Our Lord has not abandoned us, he is with us through the Passion of the Church in the same manner that Our Blessed Mother and St. John were close to Him during His own Passion at Calvary. Those sufferings were a necessary part of the story. Resurrection Sunday came, the Lord took care of teaching his disciples in the following weeks and eventually the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church. That is how the great adventure of two millennia of Christianity started. But none of the disciples could have imagined all the blessings and struggles that were in store for them. The same is true of us today.
This too shall pass. See how Bl. Catherine Emmerich describes the arrival of Our Lord and the liberation and rebuilding of the Church:
“When the Church had been for the most part destroyed, and when only the sanctuary and altar were still standing, I saw the wreckers enter the Church with the Beast. There they met a Woman of noble carriage who seemed to be with child because she walked slowly. At this sight, the enemies were terrorized, and the Beast could not take but another step forward. It projected its neck towards the Woman as if to devour her, but the Woman turned about and bowed down, her head touching the ground. Thereupon, I saw the Beast taking to flight towards the sea again, and the enemies were fleeing in the greatest confusion … Then, I saw in the great distance great legion approaching. In the foreground I saw a man on a white horse. Prisoners were set free and joined them. All enemies were pursued. Then, I saw that the Church was being promptly rebuilt, and she was more magnificent than ever before….”
Blessed Catherine Emmerich, August to October, 1820.
For what I can understand, we are only at the beginning of the campaign to destroy the Church. Things are going to get much worse. Yet, the terrible times will eventually end and Our Lady will come to the rescue. Notice that she appears to be pregnant. The symbolism is inescapable: the Kingdom is about to be born of Mary (see Revelation 12) and she treats the Beast with contempt by turning her back to the devil who can do nothing to her. In a supreme act of trust in God’s protection, she bows down towards the altar. That is when the great army of Our King and Redeemer is seen approaching. All enemies flee from Christ and the great Rebuilding of the Church takes place.
“Fear not, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.” (Luke12:32)
The remarkable visions and prophecies of the saints and prophets of the distant past, are not there to scare us but to give us courage. God has said: ‘My purpose shall stand, and I will accomplish all that I have intended.’ This is what He has intended: to give to His faithful the Kingdom, a glorious Sunday without sunset, when there will be no more pain, sorrow or tears, but only the joy of living fully and forever with the Lord in a world infused with His eternal love. God has declared it from the beginning and it will not fail to happen.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will never pass away. (Matthew 24:35)
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