(continued) Now lets get to how all this affected the Franciscans. (The story is even more complicated than how the Great Schism came about and what I’ve written is the extreme Cliff's Notes of the Cliff’s Notes version.) The whole story of the multiple divisions and persecutions of the Franciscans, also in the 14th century, is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franciscan. The whole mess does not get completely settled until the Council of Constance, the same council that ended the Schism, which also took up the issue of the factious and persecuted Franciscan orders and their rivals in 1415. It seems very clear to me that the time of confusion, near destruction of the Franciscans and an antipapacy was in the 14th Century, starting a little less than 100 years after Francis made the prophecy warning his brothers not to get discouraged. The story of the Church and the Franciscans in the 14th Century matches exactly the prophecy as it is relayed in the “traditionalist” and possibly heretical site here: http://www.novusordowatch.org/francis.htm , which attempts to persuade us, in grave error, that our Pope Francis is the “antipope” predicted by St. Francis. The whole sordid history, for anyone interested in the facts, and I encourage everyone to research what I have relayed here for themselves, completely refutes the ridiculous and heretical presumption that Pope Francis is an antipope. He is the validly elected pope to anyone who looks at the facts objectively, let alone with faith.
+ Rules of Engagement - Amoir Laetitia Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ, I would like to present to you some "groanings of the Spirit" that seem to be taking shape through prayer.There are no locutions, dreams, apparitions or revelations that have dramatically changed the way I look at things. Prayer, study and many good Catholics (including probably you) have helped to shape this picture, as well as Charlie Johnston (whom I have great respect for). With respect to "Amoir Laetitia", I think it is good and prudent to closely study it, but when that is done, we should take a few steps back to look at how it fits into a "Battle Plan" that I believe has been unfolding before our eyes during the last 40 years. One of the last things an army needs before beginning a great quest is the rules of engagement that are to be used for the upcoming struggle. What do I mean by this? Are we not as part of Christ's Mystical Body (His Catholic Church) always in a battle with the enemy? Yes we are, and we know we will be until Christ returns for the final Judgement. But that does not mean the battle will always be the same or that our Heavenly Father will always allow the enemy as much freedom as He has in the last 100 years. Things are coming to a head for a big showdown and our Holy Fathers' began to ready us for this in earnest in 1960. When Pope St. John XXIII read Sister Lucia's letter describing the 3rd Secret of Fatima, I believe the Holy Spirit gave him a deep insight into an upcoming battle that the Catholic Church was going to have to prepare for in a big way. Preparing to fight the enemy was going to require Christ's Church to be more nimble, humble, prayerful, pure and more like the Church that Christ originally founded. Yes, all the teachings of Sacred Scripure and the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit through the Magisterium would be maintained, but the walls of security which seemed to guard us we're going to have to come down so that we could go out and be among the very people we were suppossed to be showing Christ's face to. With this insight, the Holy Father called Vatican Council II so that through the Holy Spirit, the Church could better conform to the needs of the Body of Christ in the upcoming battle. He passed on this task to the next great General of ours which was Blessed Pope Paul VI. He, in union with the Bishops of the world, remolded our Church (our army) to give us a new battle plan that covered everything from the training of the troops to the new ways that we could use to evangelize God's people. With this done, St. John Paul II took over and helped to fill the ranks of the Church with the needed officers and enlisted to go forth and proclaim the Kingdom of God was at hand (3rd Luminous Mystery). Was this a perfect Church. Of course not. We are the Church Millitant and we will always have our faults (especially as individual members) but when we come together in our Christ, we are all called to form a Mystical Body that strives for perfection (through Christ) until we are all indeed United fully with Him. St. John Paul II handed off this Diamond in the Rough Church to the next (and last) of the "training Generals". Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI polished the Great Ship and Crew under his command and made it ready for the parade deck where he handed it over (in person) to the next General who would be the one to take us into battle. Pope Francis is that General and it is very significant that both He and Benedict are both alive to show a type of passing of the baton from one era to the next. Pope Francis knows of the upcoming battle and knows that the Church that Christ prepared for him is a suffering Church in many ways. Still, it is Christ's Mystical Body on Earth and that is enough. He gave his troops the "lay of the land" with his encyclical "Ladato Si" and now he gives us our "rules of engagement" with the Exhortation "Amoir Laetitia". My Brother and Sister Catholics, this is not so much for the world as it is for us. The Battle is about to enter a new phase where the enemy is to be decimated for a long time. We are blessed to be a part of the army that has been prepared. Will we take up the great battle with a salute to the Holy Father (who is doing the will of Christ), or will we be wanting to stay back in the security of the barracks. The food is better in the barracks, as is the communication with each other. All of our training equipment is easy to maintain at the barracks and the scenarios we train against are much easier to manage here. Only one problem. The will of our Heavenly Father says we must leave the safety of these walls that we have build up and finally accomplish the mission that the Holy Spirit has been getting us ready for. Over 40 years of preparation is coming to a head (many more of course if you consider all of the Marian apparitions that have foretold this). The Church that Pope St. John XXIII foresaw is entering go - time. The rules of engagement are one of the last things before battle. All of you are in my prayers and I pray that all of you keep my family and I in yours as we enter this time that will be complicated. May we always seek to build each other up, in all that we do. In this spirit, I believe that building up each other comes with criticism when necessary to form a good conscience. I would appreciate a hard review of this above writing of mine which are only my prayerful thoughts, with no claim of anything necessary for any one else's spiritual growth. In the Spirit of St. George, "Slay this dragon"! May the Peace of Christ be with all of you in this Easter Season, Your Servant, Ed
Ed, I believe you see the big picture. This moment is not by chance. We are in it, because God willed it to be. Pope Leo XIII clearly seen our day and gave us the battle cry of the St. Michael prayer. Blessed Pope Paul VI gave us the many beautiful writings of VatII and reconfirmed the apostolic succession of the pope and bishops united to him among many other reaffirmations of the faith. So here we are at the crossroads of the battle between good and evil. Which road we chose seems to be the only choice at this time. Yes, Pope Francis inherited a Church torn and broken through the sins of the world. Satan has worked overtime as he knows his time is very short. He is unchained. Though Pope Francis may not be the theologian that our last two popes proved to be, he seems to have another mission. One of charity to the poor. Open doors to God's mercy to name a few. I am convinced the world we know is going to change dramatically very soon. When this day comes we had better understand what our training in the faith will demand from us. Love of neighbor is the first principle and action of our battle plan. Our world will become very small and it must become very holy in Gods sight. There will be no more posting on MOG, there will be no more training camp that we frequent on MOG and we will become the boots on the ground. Are we prepared? We know that we are not given the grace to live tomorrow, until tomorrow comes. We are called to be faithful to God, to prayer, to the sacraments, to the rosary, to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and to the unchanging truths of our faith handed on from the apostles and remember, 'with God all things are possible'.
I agree with Ed, Miker, Fatima and the others. When we invaded Normandy to defeat the Nazis, it did not mean we were in agreement with Stalin, though Stalin also fought the Nazis. Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech, Stalin's reply and the whole Cold War, proved that. The Church is now in a 2 front war with spiritual fascists on the right and spiritual communists on the left. But we are not to join factions, we follow Jesus. Not only that, we are to love Jesus and remain in him, not a faction. I was reading a book last night recommended by Mother Angelica on one of her shows called "Words of Love". It is a collection of the the fruits of prayer by 3 mystics, one being Sister Consolata Bertrone. She felt Jesus tell her this: Remember and keep it well fixed in your mind, you who long so much to gather abundant fruit: in the Gospels I did not declare that you would bring forth much fruit if you undertook extraordinary mortifications, but that you would do so if you remained in Me. Therefore, do not depart from the straight road, but devote your every effort to remaining well united with the Vine. Do not separate yourself from the thought of 'Jesus Only!'--not even by a single thought or an uncalled-for word. I will think of everything! This is exactly what Pope Francis is doing. Every homily, every exhortation, pleads with us to remain in Jesus, to love Jesus, to follow only Jesus. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees like no one else he rebuked except for the money changers defiling the temple. Just because the Pharisees most likely would not get caught changing money in the temple, that did not make them right. Pope Francis has done nothing but exhort us to stay in Jesus every chance he gets and, just like Jesus, he has reached out to sinners to bring them back. Not to turn a cold shoulder to them, but to evangelize them, to bring them also into the Vine, to Jesus.
As a parent it important that my children are obedient , even if I'm wrong! The practice of obedience is the point, because one time it may be a life or death situation , and if he questions wether to obey or not ,may end fatally. I don't know the last 2, but if you are referring to Luisia Picarretta , I have read some of her work. "The 24 hrs of the Passion of Christ" was amazing! It was the MOST INTIMATE I have ever fealt with Jesus. I read 1 hr per day, and couldn't wait to get to the next. Another piece is Living in the Divine Will" where your experience is through the Blessed Virgin Mary rather than through Jesus! If you haven't had an opportunity to read them , I would highly recommend you do. I am not familiar with Vassula or Daniel O Conner, but I will look them up. Thanks!
Yes, this is not my battle, it is Gods. I don't know how He is planning and working through Pope Francis, I'm sure he has a few tricks up His sleeve. He hasn't asked more of me than faith at this time, if He does I will act accordingly. eses
I agree and am equally shocked as some "holy" and "theologically learned " are bashing the Pope! We have SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS,OBEDIENCE! That includes not "sassying back" as a disobedient child. We DONT KNOW THE PLAN OR STRATEGY!
Oh well. Pope Francis has now decided and judged who are the trouble makers... They are REBELS AND IDOLATERS. http://remnantnewspaper.com/web/ind...obstinate-christians-are-rebels-and-idolaters
The salvation of ALL SOULS is the most important thing! And God is offering His DIVINE MERCY like He HAS NEVER OFFERED BEFORE!!!! He wants ALL AND WILL ACCEPT ALL REGARDLESS OF THE SIN!!!! GOD CAN LOOK BEYOND A SIN IF HE WANTS TO!!!!
Perhpas the Holy Father is right and I am a Rebel and Idolater? Sigh. If I were I would be the very last person in the world to know as sinful pride would blind me. The Good Lord knows I am a big enough sinner to be classed as such. But tonight I was praying to Padre Pio and St Michael that if I am right or wrong in this to come and tell me so. I can only say I have always believed in following the Truth no matter how painful. ..and these things are very, very painful. Certainly there are imtes when being quiet and humble. But there are times too when it is actually sinful to keep quiet and not speak truth to error. Anyhow I am praying Padre Pio will help me out in this. A telling of f from Padre Pio would be a huge blessing if I have erred in this.
Dawn2, I love that book. To me, it is so authentically the voice of Jesus that I looked into each mystic. I love them all but was especially drawn to Sr. Josefa Menendez. The wisdom, love, kindness, and truth imparted to each of the three sisters is so encouraging. And you are right-Pope Francis is living out those words of love.
I love the book too. I still remember Mother Angelica holding it up and saying "this is a beautiful book" or something to that effect. The whole title, if anyone is interested, is Words of Love: Revelations of Our Lord to three Victim Souls in the 20th Century.
Something is quite odd in being a 'watchmen' at this moment. Unless I am just a bad evangelizer, then I am not alone in saying NO ONE IS LISTENING! Well maybe a few, very few, but I am thinking that for the time being, I feel that prayer and allot of it is the surest course of action now. At least up to the Warning. Maybe others are finding ears that are listening and its just me.
