What if... 1. The Antichrist will be the agent responsible for the "final trial" of "the Church," a trial that will "shake the faith of many believers." 2. This faith-shaking trial, perpetrated by the Antichrist, will include a "religious deception," "offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth." 3. This "religious deception" that will promote a "pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh." All of the above is directly from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 675. The Biblical references in section 675 are to Lk 18:8; Mt 24:12; Lk 21:12; Jn 15:19-20; 2 Th 2:4-12; I Th 5:2-3; 2 Jn 7; I Jn 2:1 8, 22. So the CCC is providing the Church's official interpretation of the end time events described in those Bible passages. The above points have the backing of the Church. They are not based on private revelation. Instead, they are based on public revelation and the Ordinary and Universal Magisterium. No private revelation or private interpretation of Scripture, if true, can contradict the teaching of CCC, section 675. Logically, we should be able to conclude the following from those points in section 675: 1. The Antichrist will be a person who most Catholics will not expect to be the Antichrist. He will offer "an apparent solution to their problems." To most Catholics, he will seem like a problem-solver, not a destroyer. 2. The Antichrist will be so trusted by Catholics that he will offer them a "religious deception" that most of them will fall for. 3. This deception will cause Catholics to voluntarily choose to fall away (apostatize) from the truth handed down by the traditional Catholic Church. You must understand that you cannot "fall away" from a truth that you did not previously hold. 4. In place of the traditional Catholic teaching that man is a sinner and needs Jesus to save him, the "religious deception" will push the idea that humanity, if we work together, can save itself in this world. This is the essence of the "secular messianism" referred to in CCC section 676, which is the specific type of "messianism" that will be promoted by the Antichrist. Now, I ask you, who do Catholics look to for guidance on religious teaching? If a new religious teaching were proposed as a requirement for belief for all Catholics, who would be the person who would need to propose such a teaching? Would it be some lay person (a prophet) who writes books for money? Would it be your local pastor? Would it be your local bishop? Would it be Chairman Xi? Would it be Putin? Would it be King Charles III? If any of those people told Catholics that they must start believing a teaching that could contradict a teaching of Jesus, would most Catholics follow along? Who is the one office-holder who could propose such a teaching and successfully "deceive even the elect" (Catholics)? Who is the only office-holder in the world that Catholics will listen to on ultimate decisions about changing a teaching on "faith and morals?" Whoever that person is, by virtue of the office that he apparently holds, he will be the Antichrist. Solution to the riddle: The end times prophecies are about the deception of the Counterfeit Catholic Church, which poses as and passes for (in the eyes of most Catholics) the true Catholic Church. But this Counterfeit Catholic Church is not the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Counterfeit has a different theology and a different liturgy. It is, in the words of Ven. Fulton Sheen, the Ape of the Church. And the head of the Ape of the Church will be the Antichrist.
And here’s Fulton Sheen’s prophetic radio sermon from 1947! Absolutely amazing prophetic insight. Apologies if it’s been posted before.
Should be a 'stickie'. What would represent 'an apparent solution to our problems'? Could it be declarations that actions that once troubled our consciences could now be carried on with impunity, as 'luv'.
Some excellent points here. Hard to argue against. In fact the first part I completely agree with. I don't know enough about the second part tho. Are you alluding to the pope / a pope to come as being antichrist? You could well be right. Tho I think this pope is too far gone to inspire anyone in any particular direction. On the other hand, the 'ape of the church', I believe, is already here. Critics of the church in Ireland used to bang on about it having too much power and influence. Look at the 'ape of the church' we have now. Look at its power and influence.... We aren't allowed to speak of our country being invaded by foreigners; lest we be labelled racist. We aren't allowed to pray outside abortion 'clinics'. When in company; we are ostracised for speaking against homosexually. If I walk into a doctors surgery and ask for my hand to be cut of; I'll quite rightly, run the risk of being admitted to a mental institution. But, if I walk into the same doctors surgery and ask for that part of my body (that makes me male), to be cut off; I'm hailed as a hero. A hero!?! If I speak of God; religious kook! Pro-life; nut job! Defend my country; far right! Speakout against war; sympathiser! Speak against my government; conspiracy theorist! If I speak truth; silenced! For me, the anti-church is here and thriving. And it has more power than the church ever had. We are being catapulted into a planned economic, social, political, humanitarian and worldwide food & energy crisis so that 'the path is made straight' for the anti-christ to appear. I believe he is already here, of age, and soon to take centre stage. With promises of economic and food solutions for a crippled world. People will be so desperate for a solution to the world's woes, that he will be believed by many, even the elect. The way these elites are planning things - so meticulously, the antichrist will not, in my opinion, have to be a pope or even a trusted, high ranking catholic leader. The world is already so easily fooled. Look at those jabs for instance. They never stopped transmission. And God only knows whether they'll have long term implications for those that were fooled into taking them by the media mouthpiece of the elites and their paid-for-celebrities. Either way, antichrist - the antichrist, in my opinion isn't far off showing himself..
I watched the video Fr. Chris Alar did on the crash of the dollar…..in it, he says that the antichrist comes before the era of peace.
Given I'm a betting man, Obama is the front runner for me at the minute... Not far from the surface. Scheming. Planning. Directing.
Well, since Bishop Sheen, his Excellency, spent an hour each day in Eucharistic Adoration, perhaps we should follow his lead, and then we might know for sure.
Your second paragraph precisely describes what it's like to live in Ireland, right now. Your next one is an accurate summation of what seems to be the immediate future. Another stickie.
I agree. There have times when I've been so exhausted from work and home cares and running real low on sleep but when I turned to God and pressed Him on what He asks of me, surprisingly, His reply has been ...to rise earlier, to come before Him and to be still. I thought I was going nuts to hear such a thing but when I did obey, I saw the difference.
Two sides to the coin: pour out one's heart before Him and then rest in His Presence. Thank you Seagrace.
Wow. Very powerful. Need to bookmark and rewatch and rewatch…. Very apropos to todays Gospel. We are not of this world. If the world persecuted us this us a good thing because it persecuted Jesus first. Courage.
Pepe Orsini. If these apocalyptic times are about the Church, then it’s time to look at the true powerful families of Rome. https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153535309251712&type=3&
I find it hard to remain objective concerning this link because it drips of animosity toward the Catholic Church.
