posted December 18, 2014
In 1950, Archbishop Fulton Sheen foretold the events which seem to be happening now, as the Chastisement of Fatima continues to unfold, with the present occupant of the See of Peter.
In his book, Communism and the Conscience of the West, here is what (then) Father Sheen said:
We are living in the days of the Apocalypse, the last days of our era. The two great forces-the Mystical Body of Christ and the Mystical Body of the anti-Christ are beginning to draw battle lines for the catastrophic contest.
The False prophet will have a religion without a cross. A religion without a world to come. A religion to destroy religions. There will be a counterfeit Church.
Christ’s Church the Catholic Church will be one; and the false Prophet will create the other.
The False Church will be worldly, ecumenical, and global. It will be a loose federation of churches and religions, forming some type of global association.
A world parliament of Churches. It will be emptied of all Divine content, it will be the mystical body of the anti-christ. The Mystical Body on earth today will have its Judas Iscariot, and he will be the false prophet. Satan will recruit him from our Bishops.
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 Himself 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 counter-church 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 counter-church 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.)
Now Archbishop Sheen was both very familiar with the message of Fatima about the Chastisement to come, and the threat posed by the “errors of Russia”. Hence the portion of his prophecy above that references the anti-church taking orders from Moscow, which may not seem applicable today. But there is a pretty good case to be made that on this point, as well, Archbishop Sheen was correct. That will be the subject of a further post or two.
It is becoming increasingly clear, even to the Novus Ordo “conservative” Catholics, that Pope Francis is preaching a “religion of man”, emptied of all concept of sin, and even of Jesus Christ crucified. Thus, he is not preaching salvation but damnation.
We should thank God and our Blessed Mother for mercifully making the truth of the current time glaringly clear for all to see. As Sister Lucia repeated so often, “Penance, penance, penance!”
Advent is such a beautiful time for us to strengthen and renew our resolve to consecrate our entire lives, all that we are, to the Immaculata in order to hasten the triumph of her reign.
Above all, Pray the Rosary and Confound the Devil and those who serve him.
† Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of our hearts, Mother of the Church, do thou offer to the Eternal Father the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for the conversion of poor sinners, especially our Pontiff.
† Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come! Viva Cristo Rey!
† Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.
† St. Joseph, protect us, protect our families, protect our priests.
† St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Pray for the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary!
~ by evensong for love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, King.
Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O Sacred Virgin! Give me strength against thine enemies!