Fr Becker: Pope Benedict’s papacy shortened the time of the Great Trial

I think you’re right.

The gist of his predictions was accurate but he expected things to happen much sooner.

So what happened?

An extension of mercy?

Or did he simply misunderstand/misread some of the insights he was given?

 

Pope John Paul for years invited him to celebrate mass with him in his private chapel.

Alas these days are long gone...

 

Hmmmm

 

I believe we are in the Tribulation and have been for a while. Although demonic activity in the public square is now blatant, the 20th century is a history of unfettered evil.

I enjoyed the podcast which josephite posted earlier on this thread. In it he refers to Catholic teaching on millenialism - the thousand years of peace mentioned in Rev 20. I have been thinking about this - with prophecy it's a temptation to believe everything is ahead of us. Marshall talks about the devil being on a long chain - he's able to do bad things but there is a limit to his scope. I'm not a theologian and could well be wrong, but how about if we have had a thousand years where Christianity has been a foundation for civilisation. The middle ages were the 'Age of Belief' - of course we are fallen human beings so nothing's perfect. 1000 years is not going to be calendar-specific, so how about, say, 9th to the 19th century? I know the Enlightenment and its rotten fruit was taking off before then but basically it was possible to evangelise in the street and say that sodomy is wrong without getting arrested or physically attacked.

In 2 Thess chapter 2 there is a reference to 'the restrainer'. As I see it, the restrainer has been lifted, finally. Back in the noughties Mark Mallett was talking prophetically about this. I no longer follow him, but at that time he was talking a lot about terrible things to come and in the end I found it repetitive. Lately he seems to have gone awry, but I am prepared to believe he was right in the beginning.

My a-millennial views could be said to conflict/overlap with the vision of Leo XIII about the hundred years loaned to satan. Again, in passing, '100 years' isn't going to be exact - calendar sensitive. And after the 100 years? We return to the rose garden?

I'm thinking it out still, so please be kind. From where I'm sitting, we are coming to the 'end' of the Tribulation which began early in the 20th century (Russian Revolution, WW1, Nazi era, WW2, Maoist era inc Cultural Revolution, Permissive society, collapse of morals in the west, social acceptance of abortion and contraception, sharp decline in Christianity, rise of militant Islam, etc etc. The BLM and antifa movements are demonic and their acceptance by ruling elites who seem ruthless in putting down any dissent, if not opposed, will bring in a new persecution of Christians.

Was Fr Gobbi's prophecy about the papacy of Benedict XVI that it shortened the dark cloud by 8 years, or merely delayed it?

If tribulation can be lessened or shortened then there is hope if we keep faith, pray and do what is right.

When is the man of sin due to appear?

 

"In the end, my Immaculate Heart will Triumph!"

 

I believe that the most difficult time to be a Saint is our Time

 

Clare,

The Man of Lawlessness appears at the end of the age. Finer tuning asks does this mean at the end of time?

For the last 100 years great anticipation has also been given to the promised Era of Peace by Our Lady of Fatima.

Traditionally, Catholic eschatology has pointed to the end of time as the point of the appearance of the Man of Lawlessness. Taylor Marshall is in this camp.

Others have taken the position that the Man of Lawlessness appears before the Era of Peace. They then claim there will be a final rebellion after the Era of Peace when the devil is unrestrained once more. Then the end comes. Mark Mallett is in this camp. Though I lean toward this interpretation, I could fall over dead today; my focus is to strive for holiness.

Your first question is understandable. What Fr. Becker claims is that Fr. Gobbi presented a clarification on the day Benedict was chosen in 2005. The Blue Book which contains reputedly the messages of Mary, do not mention the "8 years". The Great Apostasy (the dark cloud), though the Evil One's influence had been expanding throughout the 20th century, was to commence after John Paul II's death. What Fr. Becker's "reliable source" claims is that Fr. Gobbi stated that the Great Apostasy (which must have a fixed end date) would be shortened by Benedict's Pontificate which happened to last 8 years.

It all makes one's head spin. So I say live the Faith, love God, entrust all to the Two Hearts, pray and fast. Preoccupation with date-setting is a waste of time. Understanding the times in which we live is to serve as a reminder that without the Lord we can do nothing that lasts into eternity.

Lord have mercy on me.