This is a long video but is very interesting (even if you disagree with the main thesis, you will acquire some useful information by watching).
Incredibly sobering video - I think Sister Lucia spoke prophetically of a diabolical disorientation both within and outside of the Church and this has to be part of the 3rd secret yet to be released (looks like one important part has not been released as only one envelope was opened). When one is disorientated one cannot perceive what is really going on because one is disorientated. Here are some of Sr Lucia's letters on this disorientation: http://www.fatimacrusader.com/aworldview/worldview9.asp St Paul taught that the Church is the 'pillar and ground of the truth' so there should be no disorientation as far as the Catholic Church is concerned. Yet there is a real disorientation within the Church especially in the last 50 years. This can be seen in the way that the Pope's words are manipulated by pressure groups within and without of the Church for their own purposes. And Padraig has correctly pointed out there appears to be a disconnect between what the Pope teaches publicly and how he works privately in the pastoral arena. This is not a criticism of the Pope per se but of his style of leadership. There is a lack of clear direction - confusion seems to reign. In fact, the Church established by Christ is clearly hemorrhaging from within, which has come from the disruption of the liturgy and also through rejection of dogma by some even in the hierarchy of the Church. Things do indeed look very grim. But, the Church is the body of Christ and indestructible because the gates of hell will not prevail. Christ's death looked like defeat but it was a mighty victory. There are many, many saints still within the Church, I believe, hand picked by our Lady. And there is always hope where there is sanctity.
Yes, there will be a 'remnant'. The remnant will not be a Church that denies, in its practice, the truth as handed down to us. It won't be a billion souls, it may be merely millions, hundreds of thousands, thousands or maybe a few hundred and they will probably all face martyrdom.
Strangely, my comment above about 'the remnant' is echoed in the latest Voris video in which he recommends reclaiming the Church back by admitting that most 'catholics' aren't Catholic and reducing it to that part which holds to the truth as handed down (i.e. a few priests and parishes that are faithful to the truth) http://www.churchmilitant.tv/daily/?today=2014-04-29
The great apostasy is the last of the signs of the times that has to occur before the return of Christ. Seems the apostasy is here, but it will take something coming out of Rome to put the stamp on its final phase and bring about the appearance of a total collapse of the Church. But before the end, Jesus will resurrect the Church from the ashes and it will shine like never before with the Great Catholic Monarch and the Angelic Shepherd to lead the way. Surely, we are seeing the signs of all this manifesting its self as we speak.
Pope Pius XII's prophecy at the 15:45 mark of the youtube clip above is very profound "a day will come when the civilized world will deny its God, when the Church will doubt as Peter doubted, she will be tempted to believe that man has become God ". I fear these prophetic words are live and well and will come to its summit soon. I do however, disagree with the voices on this video when they speak of Vatican II and the 'new liturgy' as being a wreck for the Church. Once again, I believe Verne Dagenais' messages from God http://www.scribd.com/doc/22505473/God-Speaks-Will-You-Listen bring light to this issue. 6/27/07 "Please read the next comments carefully. In my present church, there is much confusion regarding Vatican II. This is from Satan, not from me. Answer me a question:if the Holy Father calls an ecumenical council with all the bishops of the world and theHoly Spirit is guiding the church, how can that council be of Satan? It was not. My people do not understand the working of my Holy Spirit. Remember, I told you to beware of false prophets who come to you in the clothing of sheep. Satan has caused schism in my church, by allowing false interpretations to abound concerning Vatican II. My words do not change. I am going to give you a clue to share with my people. Satan hates the doctrine of the mass and the doctrines concerning my Blessed Mother. These are the two areas he has been trying to destroy. The Vatican II Council reaffirmed both of thesedoctrines. This council was not convened by hell, but by my Holy Spirit. A council or a Pope who destroys and denies my mass and my Blessed Mother’s privileges is from hell.This is how you can recognize the abomination of desolation. A false prophet or anti pope will proclaim the protestant doctrine of the mass to be correct. This is the one teaching that will change. The rest of my churches teachings can stay the same. Satan knows how to deprive my children of everlasting life, deprive my children of my presence. This is how the man of sin, the son of perdition will sit in the temple of God. Reference II Thessalonians 2:4-10. He will attempt to lead my people to deny my presence in the eucharist and to teach the mass is only a symbol. This is antichrist. This will bring the wrath of God on the children of disobedience. This will cause the unleashing of the bowls of divine justice. My sacrifice of the mass daily holds back my Father’s justice. Luke 18:8. But yet the Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth? Will I find any of my children, who I recognize with my life in them? Will there be faith left in my holy sacrifice? These are the questions which need to be pondered. My son, a false Christian church will be forced on the people. A gospel of prosperity and a make you feel good gospel will be preached. My churches can be filled with people, but the churches will be dead because I am not there. Without my presence in the churches, God does not dwell in the churches. Then, these sheep who hear my voice will be forced to worship in underground churches where I will be present. This truly is the abomination of desolation and antichrist. Then I will come with the brightness of my coming, destroy this false church, and restore my church according to my will. Then you will see an era of peace. A Eucharistic era of peace where I will reign in thehearts and mind of my people in the holy Eucharist. You must believe all these words I am teaching you and the teachings of my church or you will not enter my era of peace. Ponder these words or I may say to: I NEVER KNEW YOU. The words of the Lord. I bless you Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN".
In Vassula's messages Jesus explains that we are the TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT and that this ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION is happening right now within us...in our hearts and minds and as WE ARE THE CHURCH as a body, we are denying HIS presence in the Eucharist. WE BECOME the false church, the disobedient, the DEAD....with the apostasy happening right in front of our eyes...its not something to come...IT IS HERE! Its only going to get worse--thats all. Until the miracle, the illumination etc. THEN WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE--
The video that STEVE D. posted earlier on this thread speaks exactly of these things that 'have happened, are happening, and will happen." Its all unfolding. Until the consecration is DONE CORRECTLY, it will continue to get worse!
Pope Saint John XIII failed to release the secret in 1960 as requested. And the failure to consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary exactly as requested by our Lady. Fatima is the key to our times. I think we are living through the visible disintegration of the Church as an organic working structure with breakdown in transmission of faith from top to bottom. The apostasy was prophesied and we are living through it and it will only get worse.
This is what many who were 'In the know' have told us ,yes. ... Cardinal Ciappi “In the Third Secret, it is foretold, among other things, that the great apostasy in the Church will begin at the top.”[3]
Fulton Sheen.... The Antichrist will not be so called; otherwise he would have no followers. He will not wear red tights, nor vomit sulphur, nor carry a trident nor wave an arrowed tail as Mephistopheles in Faust. This masquerade has helped the Devil convince men that he does not exist. When no man recognizes, the more power he exercises. God has defined Himsel as "I am Who am," and the Devil as "I am who am not." Nowhere in Sacred Scripture do we find warrant for the popular myth of the Devil as a buffoon who is dressed like the first "red." Rather is he described as an angel fallen from heaven, as "the Prince of this world," whose business it is to tell us that there is no other world. His logic is simple: if there is no heaven there is no hell; if there is no hell, then there is no sin; if there is no sin, then there is no judge, and if there is no judgment then evil is good and good is evil. But above all these descriptions, Our Lord tells us that he will be so much like Himself that he would deceive even the elect--and certainly no devil ever seen in picture books could deceive even the elect. How will he come in this new age to win followers to his religion? The pre-Communist Russian belief is that he will come disguised as the Great Humanitarian; he will talk peace, prosperity and plenty not as means to lead us to God, but as ends in themselves. . . . . . . The third temptation in which Satan asked Christ to adore him and all the kingdoms of the world would be His, will become the temptation to have a new religion without a Cross, a liturgy without a world to come, a religion to destroy a religion, or a politics which is a religion--one that renders unto Caesar even the things that are God's. In the midst of all his seeming love for humanity and his glib talk of freedom and equality, he will have one great secret which he will tell to no one: he will not believe in God. Because his religion will be brotherhood without the fatherhood of God, he will deceive even the elect. He will set up a counterchurch which will be the ape of the Church, because he, the Devil, is the ape of God. It will have all the notes and characteristics of the Church, but in reverse and emptied of its divine content. It will be a mystical body of the Antichrist that will in all externals resemble the mystical body of Christ. . . . . . . But the twentieth century will join the counterchurch because it claims to be infallible when its visible head speaks ex cathedra from Moscow on the subject of economics and politics, and as chief shepherd of world communism. (Fulton J. Sheen, Communism and the Conscience of the West [Bobbs-Merril Company, Indianapolis, 1948], pp. 24-25)
The video has good material but its problem (in my view) is that the group who produced it believe that Vatican II was a big mistake. So its a classic mix of truth and falsity! Our Lady told the Garabandal children that the Council would be a success and so it has been, although the devil has succeeded in using it for his own ends. But I increasingly feel that a schism in the Church may well be at the heart of the missing part of the third Fatima secret. And the upcoming synod may well result in a schism judging by the strongly held views of influential people. The crucial task of all of us is to make sure we end up on the right side! When a schism occurs, everyone on both sides convince themselves they are on the side of truth but only one side actually follows the Truth. My advice, whatever happens is - follow the Pope!
St. John Bosco reiterated his prediction in 1862: "There will be an Ecumenical Council in the next century, after which there will be chaos in the Church. Tranquility will not return until the Pope succeeds in anchoring the boat of Peter between the twin pillars of Eucharistic Devotion and Devotion to Our Lady. This will come about one year before the end of the century."
My advice, whatever happens is - follow the Pope![/quote] This makes no sense David. Follow Church teaching YES[in light of tradition] But follow the pope? NO MATTER WHAT? Why would you suggest this course? What approved prophecy backs this? When you read something like this...“In the Third Secret, it is foretold, among other things, that the great apostasy in the Church will begin at the top.” What does this mean to you David? Follow the pope? Any Pope? No matter what?...
Yes, Mac, I am saying follow the Pope no matter what. It is the teaching of the Catholic Church. I copy again, below, 3 little paragraphs from the Catechism. In the turmoil that may lie ahead, Jesus has given us the Church led by Peter. If a prophecy suggests apostasy beginning 'at the top', this (in my view) is referring to the Vatican, not the Pope. Here are the Catechism quotes: 100 The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him. 882 The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter's successor, "is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful." "For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered." 892 Divine assistance is also given to the successors of the apostles, teaching in communion with the successor of Peter, and, in a particular way, to the bishop of Rome, pastor of the whole Church, when, without arriving at an infallible definition and without pronouncing in a "definitive manner," they propose in the exercise of the ordinary Magisterium a teaching that leads to better understanding of Revelation in matters of faith and morals. To this ordinary teaching the faithful "are to adhere to it with religious assent" which, though distinct from the assent of faith, is nonetheless an extension of it.
So since you approve of this David...100 The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.[which I agree] How can you reconcile this...One must neither pray nor sing psalms with heretics, and whosoever shall communicate with those who are cut off from the communion of the Church, whether clergy or layman, let him be excommunicated.” (Council of Carthage)
Mac, I know I am not going to respond in any way that you will accept but rather than not responding at all, I will just say that the Church's understanding of the Faith has undoubtedly developed since the Council of Carthage (some 1700 years ago!!!). The Faith of the Church has not been frozen. The Holy Spirit is constantly with the Church, guiding it, with the Pope at its head.
Thing is Mac, we just witnessed the canonization of two popes, one whom began the VaticanII council and another who practiced the new mass. Could this have been possible if the new mass was invalid or flawed? The chaos was not the result of the new mass, it was the result of many other liberation principles at work during the time. And yes, many cardinals, bishops and priests were instigators in the dismantling of the church beauty both interior and exterior. VatII was not the problem, but it is the scape goat for some who feel we would not have had any problems in the church and the world if only we had kept the Latin mass exclusively.
