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                   Our ninth segment on our treatment of the Apparitions at Garabandal begins treating the specific prophecies given to the visionaries in this mountain village in the Spanish mountains in the early to mid sixties, while the Second Vatican Council was going on in Rome. Two of the prophecies imparted dealt with a follow-up to Fatima in the "Third Secret" and further papal prophecies that are in concert with Lourdes, LaSalette and other apparitions this century. These are the prophecies we cover today. For the sixty-third installment of this on-going mega series, click on THE AGE OF MARIAN APPARITIONS

The Third Secret!

      This brings us to the correlation of Garabandal with the Third Secret of Fatima. Though it has not been publicly revealed, the tableau of Mary’s messages give us a good indication that the third secret deals with the coming apostasy in the Church and the end times and that John Paul II is the last true pope before the era of peace. The reasoning here is based on the following: First of all, Our Lady has told the visionaries that the Warning and the Miracle will occur when the Church is in great turmoil and priests, religious and the truly faithful are greatly persecuted. Mari Loli has said, "It would look like the communists have taken over the world and it would be very hard to practice the religion, for priests to say Mass or for people to open the doors of the churches - Whoever practices [their faith] will have to go into hiding."

      Now consider what Our Lady said to Conchita regarding the popes, that after Pope John XXIII, there would only be three more popes. Since him we have had Paul VI, John Paul I, and now our holy pontiff John Paul II, the last of the good popes. When you compare this prophecy to the prophecies of Saint Malachi it all falls into place, and if there is another pope after our present Holy Father, there is much conjecture and fear that he will be an instrument of satan and a puppet of the antichrist who will rule from the revived Roman Empire as foretold in the Apocalypse.

The Papal Prophecies

      Besides Our Lady’s warning, we also have the caution of some great and prophetic popes over the years. Pope Pius IX, well before Fatima, knew of the bloody revolution that Communism would inflict and the godlessness that would ensue for the infamous books of Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels were published during his pontificate. This moved him to pronounce in 1846 a condemnation of the theory, saying it was "absolutely contrary to the natural law itself," and that this infamous doctrine, if adopted, would "utterly destroy the rights, property, and possessions of all men, and even society itself." It also prompted the Vicar to declare the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. He also prophesied that "a great sign would fill the world with awe." This, as we can now see is the Warning and Miracle of Garabandal. For his beliefs and faith he was greatly persecuted, being treated as most prophets are - despised, ridiculed and slandered.

      Pope Leo XIII warned of this Communistic threat - "the fatal plague which insinuates itself into the very marrow of human society, only to bring about its ruin." This wise pontiff also saw, in a vision, what satan had planned for the coming century. That’s the main reason he composed the Prayer to St. Michael, whose feast we celebrate the end of this month. Pope Saint Pius X prophesied in 1904 the First World War as well as the struggle of the workers. He could envision even more clearly than Pope Pius IX and Leo XIII what was to come, when he foretold: "I believe that we are coming to the time when religion will be all but extinct from the earth."

      To counteract this grave prophecy he re-emphasized the importance of the Holy Eucharist.

      The Apparitions of Fatima occurred during the reign of Pope Benedict XV, but his successor Pope Piux XI faced the greatest challenge of Communism, prompting him to issue the encyclical Divine Redemptoris in 1937 a few years before the outbreak of World War II. This inspired encyclical predicted that Communism was the greatest foe the Church had or would ever encounter.

      It was widely recognized that the Communists and Masons infiltrated the Church during the first part of this century and have risen to great power within the ecclesiastical ranks. This is all in accordance with how the great apostasy and schism will come about and how so much of our faith has been watered down over the past thirty years. Our Lady zeroed in on this in her June 18 message of 1965: "Many cardinals, many bishops and many priests are on the road to perdition and are taking many souls with them."

      Pope Pius XII also realized the great era to come and the fulfillment of what Our Lady said at Fatima: "In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph." Many can see, with the recent plethora of apparitions throughout the world and the seriousness of the messages that Our Lady is forming her own special army to fight through prayer in winning over Communists, atheists, non-believers and a vast number of Moslems who have a special allegiance for the daughter of Mohammed - Fatima. This was prophesied not only by popes but great saints like Saint Louis Marie de Montfort and Saint John Bosco who prophesied that the twentieth century would see "the greatest triumph of Mary, greater even than that of Lepanto." Other saints such as Saint Frances of Rome foresaw the Three Days of Darkness and candidate-for-canonization Blessed Marie Taigi confirmed this. Blessed Faustina Kowalska affirmed that only by trusting in Jesus’ Divine Mercy, and by giving His Own Mother to intercede for us, and giving us Himself in the Holy Eucharist will we be able to sustain what lies ahead.

      Our own present Holy Father is probably the greatest prophet of recent pontiffs. He has sadly conveyed continuously that "the sense of sin is becoming weaker and weaker in modern man, which makes real repentance very unlikely." A few years ago he issued a most profound, eschatological prophecy concerning the World Population Congress in Cairo: "If the inclusion of abortion as well a means of population control passes, civilization will end as we know it." Prayerfully, his influence stopped Cairo, but will it be enough with the inroads the culture of death has been making over the last decade? Only prayer and time will tell.

NEXT INSTALLMENT: Part Ten - Garabandal: For whom the Bells Toll! The Eucharist, the Sanctity of Marriage, and the Fruits continue to multiply

     In his column today, Father John Hampsch, C.M.F. points out that it is through our cooperation with the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit which helps fulfill the prophecies of both Public and Private Revelation. He emphasizes that only by focusing on Christ, turning upward to Heaven first, that we can turn horizontally to our fellow man in helping others focus on God. Fr. John explains this in his thirty-third installment of his series "Faith: Key to the Heart of God." Click on KEYS TO LIVING GOD'S WILL

Thirty-Third Installment: Vertical Growth: Our Cooperation part two

     A second way to build faith is by allowing God to make His presence felt through the charismatic gifts, especially prophecy. How many persons really open themselves to hear the gift of prophecy operating? In I Corinthians 14:22, Paul says prophecy (not necessarily futuristic events) is what Christians need. Unbelievers aren’t'’ ready for it; their faith isn’t'’ deep enough. He says an unsaved person or one without the charismatic gifts upon hearing tongues is likely to think the tongues-speaker is crazy (I Corinthians 14:23). But on the other hand, he says, if you exercise prophecy (a gift higher than the gift of tongues) and that same unspiritual person comes into the prayer assembly, the prophecies (messages from God) will convince him of the fact that he is a sinner and his conscience will be pricked." "As he listens, his secret thoughts will be laid bare and he will fall down on his knees and worship God and declare that God is really there among you." This, then, is another way that God projects His presence to stimulate faith - through the charismatic gift of prophecy, authentically used.

      As God speaks to us through Scripture as a form of public revelation, He speaks to us also through prophecy as a form of private revelation (and, of course, the gift of discernment is to be used to determine the authenticity of each prophecy). Our faith is thus stimulated by public (scriptural) revelation and well-discerned private (prophetic) revelation.

      I remember hearing a very "high-octane" prophecy from a person who was clearly a genuine prophet—not just a person with a gift of prophecy, but with a well-developed ministry of prophecy. With over a thousand people present at this charismatic Mass, this fellow stood and spoke a couple of simple sentences of prophecy of God, and spoke a couple of simple sentences of prophecy of God, referring to His love for us. It was incredibly powerful and left a perceptible impact on everyone there—probably more effective than a hundred sermons in its power of conviction. I’m sure everyone there was given a surge of faith that had long-lasting effects. Today, years later, people still speak about that short prophecy. Faith, especially faith in God’s love for us (I John 4:16 and Romans 5:5) can be enormously expanded through prophecy (I Corinthians 14:24 and 25).

Next Installment: Vertical Growth:Our Cooperation - part three

      "Father, into Thy Hands I commend My Spirit." (Luke 23: 46) Jesus, help me, that I might be obedient until the final moment, entrusting my soul to Your care with perfect confidence and love.

     Dear children! Also today I call you to fasting and renunciation. Little children, renounce that which hinders you from being closer to Jesus. In a special way I call you: Pray, because only through prayer will you be able to overcome your will and discover the will of God even in the smallest things. By your daily life, little children, you will become an example and witness that you live for Jesus or against Him and His will. Little children, I desire that you become apostles of love. By loving, little children, it will be recognized that you are mine. Thank you for having responded to my call.
For more on Medjugorje, click on MEDJUGORJE

Events today in Church History

      For events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history, click on ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME

Historical Events in Church Annals for April 8:

1364 A.D.


Death of John II, the King of France in England. He was known as "the Good."

1378 A.D.


The first conclave at the Vatican since 1303, due to the Avignon exile, the College of Cardinals elect the Archbishop of Bari, Cardinal Bartolomeo Prignano as Pope Urban VI, the two hundred second successor of Peter.

1455 A.D.


Spanish born Cardinal Alfonso de Borgia is elected the two hundred-ninth in the line of supreme pontiffs and takes the name Pope Callixtus III. It was Callixtus who instituted the Feast of the Transfiguration.

1546 A.D.


Pope Paul III decrees the Apocrypha or body of writings on religious matters outside the canon of Scriputre which are accepted by Holy Mother Church as the basis for many of the documents at the Council of Trent.

1605 A.D.


Birth of Philip IV, the future King of Spain, to the acting head of Spain King Philip III during the earliest days of Pope Leo XI's papacy.

HEADLINES:

Clinton staff goes on offensive, questions Cardinal O'Connor

      There is an axiom that goes "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread" and Bill Clinton and his staff are playing the proverbial fool by attacking angels in the action of questioning the doctrinal knowledge of Cardinal John O'Connor - a true American giant in the eyes of the Church, but an enemy to those who persist in violating the Cardinal Virtues. The Cardinal evidently evoked their anger and revenge tactics when O'Connor declared in no uncertain terms that what the Clintons did in receiving Holy Communion on March 29th was totally wrong. For the rest of the story, click on Clinton

     WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - A spokesman for President Bill Clinton said on Monday that the president has no regrets about receiving Communion at a Catholic church in South Africa last week, despite violating Catholic doctrines.

      Spokesman Mike McCurry said the White House was assured by the pastor of Regina Mundi Church in Soweto that baptized Christians could receive the Eucharist. Father Mohlomi Makobane, has said he gave Communion to Clinton because he did not want to risk embarrassing him by declining to do so. The White House insisted that a program distributed at the Mass said: "Father Makobane has stated that due to recent rulings from the South African Conference of Bishops, non-Catholics may take Catholic Communion. He has invited all non-Catholics present that wish to receive Communion may do so."

      South Africa's bishops said Father Makobane ignored guidelines for non-Catholics receiving Communion, and should have at least asked his local bishop for guidance. "The local bishop had not been asked, as required by Church practice, whether in his opinion it would have been appropriate under the circumstances, to administer Holy Communion to the presidential couple," the bishops said in a statement this week.

      Cardinal John O'Connor of New York responded to numerous inquiries from the faithful of his archdiocese in his homily on Sunday that it was wrong for President Clinton, a Southern Baptist, and his wife Hillary, a Methodist, to receive Communion. The White House said the cardinal's comments appear to be a matter of misapplication of doctrine. "Cardinal O'Connor may not be familiar with the doctrinal attitude towards the Holy Eucharist that the conference of bishops in South Africa brings to that question," McCurry said.

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Pius XII's personal confessor verifies the Pope's intentions toward the Nazis

      In yet another strong defense of the beleagered pontiff of World War II, Cardinal Paolo Dezza, who served as Pius' personal confessor and is now one of the oldest Princes of the Church at ninety-six, confirmed yesterday what others have corroborated about Pius' true feelings for the Jews and against the Nazis and his great fears of retaliation by the Third Reich if he spoke out too strongly. This tormented the Holy Father greatly Dezza asserted. For the rest of the story, click on Pius XII to read more.

POPE PIUS XII KNEW OF NAZI ATROCITIES, CONFESSOR SAYS

     ROME (CWNews.com) - The personal confessor of Pope Pius XII told an Italian Catholic magazine that the wartime pope knew of the Nazi atrocities against Jews and other groups, but refrained from speaking out for fear of retribution against the groups.

      Cardinal Paolo Dezza, 96, said in Monday's edition that the Holy Father had decided to denounce the Nazis, but was discouraged from doing so by German clergy and Vatican officials. "Pius XII was ready to publicly condemn Hitler's aggression. But he showed me letters he received from German cardinals and priests that warned him that the Third Reich would meet his protests with harsh reprisals against Catholics as well as Jews," he said.

      The cardinal said the decision tormented the Pontiff who felt powerless even as the spiritual leader of hundreds of millions of Catholics. The interview was released three weeks after a Vatican document on the Holocaust met with a cool reception from some Jewish leaders who wanted a condemnation of Pope Pius' decision not to speak out against the Nazis.

French Bishops call on Government to help the poor and aliens

      Urging mercy towards those who cannot afford to return to their own country, the French Bishops have issued a letter "I Have Seen Poverty Among My People" in an effort to persuade the French Government to be merciful towards illegal aliens and not dispel them without just cause for it is the Church's duty to shelter them as Christ has asked. Though the French regime is a socialist structure, they have promised to consider the bishops' request. For the rest of the story, click on France to read more.

     PARIS (CWNews.com) - France's Catholic bishops on Tuesday called on the government to allow undocumented, illegal immigrants currently living in France to live there legally, and then defended the Church's right to provide refuge to illegal aliens who are afraid they will be deported.

      The bishops' letter, entitled "I Have Seen Poverty Among My People," urged the government to grant permission to may more illegal immigrants, especially single people who are less likely to receive permission than families. The letter did not ask for blanket amnesty, but called for a case-by-case look at application to determine the neediest.

      The document also defended the right of churches to shelter illegal immigrants and called on followers to think about ways to help undocumented immigrants. In recent years, Paris churches have been repeatedly occupied by illegal immigrants demanding residency, often with the permission of the pastor, and were subsequently evicted by police. The Socialist government has ruled out a "papers for all" policy, but has offered to reconsider immigrants on an individual basis.

Could it be Hans Kung wants to return to the fold?

      That is the buzz from the Vatican when they revealed yesterday that the famous liberal German theologian Hans Kung, long a dissident and outspoken critic of John Paul II has made overtures to the Holy See that, now in his autumn years at the age of seventy, wishes to meet with the Holy Father in a possible reconciliation with the Pope and Holy Mother Church. He wouldn't however go so far as to say he would totally repent, only that he hoped for a meeting to discuss their differences. For the rest of this story, click on Hans Kung to read more.

     VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- Hans Kung, the famed dissident theologian, has indicated that he would no longer defend some of his past criticisms of Pope John Paul II, and that he is hoping for a "conciliation" with the Holy Father.

      Speaking to a German radio audience, Kung expressed pleasure that on his 70th birthday (March 19), he had received greetings from Archbishop Karl Lehmann, the head of the German bishops' conference, and from the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

      The theologian said that some of his criticisms of the Pope "may have seemed harsh," although he added that he did not think they were "unjust" or even "incorrect." He insisted that he only wanted to convey his message accurately. Kung said that he would like to meet with the Pope and said that he had learned from the Holy Father's teachings on peace, ethics, and world religions.

For all other standard features, articles and columns, click on Archives

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Apri1 8, 1998 volume 9, no. 70         DAILY CATHOLIC