Of course I don´t know if what´s happening now in Ukraine and in the South China sea is the beginning of a major move by China and Russia but I do feel they are following Sun Tzu`s script to the letter. And many prophetic insights suggest everything will be sudden and unexpected and most everyone will be caught by surprise. “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.” “Quickness is the essence of the war.” – Sun Tzu “Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.” ― Sun tzu, The Art of War
I’ve replied here to Padraig’s original post wondering if it can be made the start of a new thread? Been looking more and more into this book and the messages, and I’ve found an updated website (2019) that has been built up around the apostolate. I will link it here. Especially interesting is the investigations done over a decade ago by a team of specialists and a priest in the confines of a cloistered monastery here in the US concerning the ability of Olive Dawson to be sustained by the Holy Eucharist alone. Astounding! ~AN https://www.olmomag.org/
Thank you for the link, AN. I bookmarked the site, it looks so interesting I must go back at look at it tonight when I have time.
I've spent much of the morning watching the videos of Olive Dawson and reading everything written on the entire website posted above. Olive herself seems to be a sweet and likable person, but I can't shake the feeling within my spirit that something isn't quite right. Her videos were almost entirely about her, even though she said nothing is about her. She goes even further into all of her alleged mystical experiences on the site, claiming many various visions of Jesus, Mary, and the Holy Spirit. She describes the Holy Spirit as having black hair. She describes Mary as appearing as an old woman dressed in black. I'm particularly concerned with that one, as I'm not aware of Mary having ever appeared as an old woman. Tradition holds that Mary never aged in appearance to that of an old woman, but remained young and beautiful. The website is extremely wordy and poorly written; it says much while saying practically nothing. There are grammatical errors in every other sentence or two, which I wouldn't make a judgment on in and of itself, except for the fact that Mary's messages, which are supposedly given to an anonymous seer which is not Olive, are written in the same style and with the same types of grammatical errors as Olive's writing. Here is an example I copied and pasted from the website. She is talking here about the image of Mary given to the visionary: ---The same picture, the same ‘Image’ that you were invited to place in whatever situation you called home, your also invited to take with you. You are the real home of the Spirit (of God) is in you: – (especially when baptized) “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. (St. John’s Gospel 14:23) Placing a picture of your Mother over your heart is just like having a locket of your natural mother in the same place. The significance is obvious in the order of nature is enhanced with your Mother in the order of the Spirit……you become in faith a child of a Mother whose home is with you in this natural order, She makes Her home with you in your heart. “My child, you are immediately called to preserve in your heart, My peace. Many times you fail. Others need your help, don’t think of only yourself. Wear God’s armour Faith, Hope and Love. My child, follow Me in My footsteps, there you will love just as you are called. I preserve you, My child, from the Evil One. I, your Mother, have found many thoughts you have corporal. Your life depends on how you think. Pledge yourself to your Heavenly Mother and often thus you help others. My child, I am helping you to get to Heaven. For this reason are My words spent on all. Wear a replica of My Image around your neck. The reason is to protect you from evil. My child, just love. I, your Mother, call you in this life to live close to and believe this extraordinary favour of your Immaculate Mother. Pray! I bless you.” Sep 19th (page 312)--- Mary's words here seem strangely disjointed and vague. Most of the messages are like this. I just wanted to share my thoughts and see what others think.
As I mentioned earlier, PF, it may simply be due to a lack of editing, as with what happened with St. Faustina’s original diary. Also, you are reading something from online which usually has this problem, as do self-published books put to print without scrutiny. Akso, she spoke about herself because the gentleman who interviewed her asked her questions pertaining to her personal experiences. But even as she answered him, her words and tone, at least in my own opinion, showed forth a soul guided by a gentle spirit Who I would like to say may, indeed, be the Holy Spirit. And by His Fruits, we shall know Him. (I’ve edited this because my iPhone always has its own opinion of what should be posted!)
I haven't had time to get into the website, but I appreciate your opinion. Mary appearing as an old woman doesn't seem right.
I recall from various sources that Our Lady may have lived on earth until She was about 49 years old and that would have certainly been old for that time.
Yes, I'm very familiar with St. Faustina's diary and the fact that her original writing was actually one long run-on sentence with no punctuation, due to her very simple education. As I said, it's not the poor grammar that's giving me pause. It's the fact that Mary's messages themselves are written in the very same style, even though they were supposedly given to a different person, the anonymous visionary. And the substance of the messages are very shallow and circular. St. Faustina, simple as she was, wrote down Christ's words which were profound and full of meaning, clear and to the point. These messages are not. Also, the prayers supposedly given by Mary for people to pray, and the scapular she gives, are like hollow copies of well-known prayers. They're like watered-down paraphrases. You can take a look for yourself on the website. I recognize almost all of the prayers as copies of various prayers such as the Divine Mercy chaplet, but with less substance. The scapular has no other meaning other than wearing the image of Mary like you would a locket of your mother. It is of course wonderful to honor and love Mary by wearing her image, but you can do so with the brown scapular or various others rich with meaning and promises, or the miraculous medal. I am concerned with the seemingly cheap imitations of traditional approved devotions that might lead to the latter being replaced. Again, these are only my thoughts through careful discernment.
Yes, she would have been considered old for those times. It is strange for us to think of Our Lady as an older woman since she has always been described as young, and very beautiful.
Yes, and according to tradition, she never appeared to have aged past her 30s. She never had the appearance of an old woman.
Another thing that struck me and gave me pause was during Olive's long telling of how she came to live on nothing but the Eucharist, she described how she's not hungry for food, but she IS hungry for the Eucharist. And not spiritually hungry, but physically. She described how she'd be practically tripping over others trying to receive Jesus faster because she was so terribly hungry, and then after receiving, back in her pew, she loudly burped, because, as she explained, she was so physically full. Nowhere in her descriptions did she touch upon a spiritual longing and hunger for Christ. She even mentioned how it's hard for her when only the Body of Christ is given and not the Blood, because she's so physically hungry. This doesn't make sense at all, spiritually, since both the Body and Blood of Christ are present under both species.
I just found this, which gives a lot more background info to Olive Dawson and the "anonymous" visionary, her brother. He supposedly received these messages from Mary; not directly from her, but from an angel he calls "R2." http://catholicplanet.com/apparitions/false185.htm Regardless, this message alone, from "Mary's" blue book, should give us all great pause. What about the Bible?: Oct. 24, 1997 "You must concentrate only on the book I have given to you…. Never before in the history of the Church have I blessed such a book as I have the one I have given you."
I think this possible war between Russia and the West could further deepen the split between us and the Orthodox Church
They teach Sun Tzu pretty well everywhere. It reminds me of a book they used to teach at West Point (I don't know if they still do):
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...ssian-embassy-staff-strict-covid-restrictions Dire situation in North Korea drives 'collective exit' of diplomats Russian embassy staff cite medicine shortages and unbearable conditions arising from strict Covid restrictions Russian diplomats fleeing North Korea have described acute shortages of medicines and other basic goods in the country, indicating a crisis fuelled by one of the world’s strictest quarantine regimes amid the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter posted online on Thursday, employees of the Russian embassy in Pyongyang described a “collective exit” of foreign diplomatic staff that they predicted would “unfortunately not be the last” due to unbearable conditions in the North Korean capital. Sicily health chief quits over 'faked data' – as it happened Read more “It is possible to understand those leaving the [North] Korean capital. Hardly everyone can stand the unprecedented total restrictions [on individuals], the sharp deficit of essential goods, including medicines, the lack of any possibility to resolve health problems,” members of staff at the Russian embassy wrote. Russia has one of the largest foreign diplomatic footprints in North Korea, but staff have begun leaving due to shortages and problems obtaining key medicines. There were “hardly any diplomats left” in Pyongyang, the embassy letter said, tallying the total international presence in North Korea at 290 people. All but three foreign aid workers had evacuated the country as of last December, according to reports, and last week the United Nations said it had no international staff members left in the country. In February, Russian diplomats and their family members were forced to ride a hand-pushed rail trolley across the border after spending more than 30 hours onboard a train from Pyongyang to the frontier. North Korea’s borders have in effect been closed since last January in what is probably the world’s most severe Covid-19 quarantine. Analysts say the measures have allowed the government to increase its control over daily life to levels similar to the famine years of the 1990s. While little information has leaked out of the country, there have been hints of food shortages and a deepening crisis. Six North Korean border guards defected to China last week after describing “hunger and fatigue”. While defections occur regularly, it is unusual for such a large group to cross the border at once.
In a report last month, a senior researcher on North Korea for Human Rights Watch said she had been told last year of shortages of food, soap, toothpaste and batteries. North Korean trade with China has fallen by about 80%, with imports of food and medicine falling close to zero last year as the government claimed that the trade, along with “yellow dust” blowing over the border from China, could lead to the spread of coronavirus. Severe floods have also undermined agricultural production, exacerbating food shortages in the country, Lina Yoon, the researcher, wrote. She compared the new “extreme measures” to “ultra-strict controls in past decades, when the government controlled all information and the distribution of food and materials, while prohibiting ‘free market’ activities. These conditions led to mass famine in the 1990s after the Soviet Union collapsed, and food supplies failed.” Officially, North Korea has reported no cases of coronavirus in the country, crediting strict travel restrictions and quarantine facilities. But analysts believe there may have been outbreaks in the army and in border cities later quarantined by the government. North Korea will receive 1.7m million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as part of the World Health Organization’s Covax programme, which delivers vaccines to middle- and low-income countries. Yoon had called on the Biden administration and other foreign governments to give priority to aid efforts to North Korea, rather than focusing mainly on negotiations over its nuclear weapons programme. Last month the country resumed testing of cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles. “It is vitally important for the world to remember the people of North Korea, not just its nuclear weapons,” she wrote.
