Church Crisis

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A GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND EXPLANATION

We live in a “fast” world, where time is short, patience even shorter and expectations are gargantuan! We want the maximum wage for the minimum effort! We want the best things for the lowest prices! We want to know as much as we can by studying as little as we can! We know very little, but act as if we know it all! We are accustomed to read little and talk a lot! We forget that we cannot give what we have not got! We read a headline and think we’ve read the article! We mistake the whole for a mere particle! We cannot focus on reading for very long, so we need to be given information is short sentences containing easy words. In Elizabethan times (1600s) the average English sentence contained 50 words. By the Victorian era (1800s) it had fallen to 23 words. In our times it has fallen even further to just over 10 words. Research shows that when average sentence length is 14 words or below, then readers understand more than 90% of what they’re reading. When a sentence goes over 43 words, comprehension drops to less than 10%.

People don’t read thoroughly any more. Nowadays, people tend to scan, not read. In fact, most people only read around 25% of what’s on a page. We won’t read everything, but we want to know everything! Just as it says in the expression―“making mountains out of molehills”―we tend to make mountains out of our molehills of knowledge. Our heads are all swollen, but there is nothing inside! So by expressing shock, anger and emotion, our ignorance we try to hide! We judge theologians, scientists, doctors, professors, but can barely remember the answers to our First Holy Communion Catechism questions! We want to go to Heaven, but without paying the price! We want to saved, but without making the effort!

The advent of television, the internet et al, has merely exacerbated the problem―we no longer think deeply and logically, instead we think superficially and emotionally. Thus, “feeling” replaces “thinking”. Pictures replace words. We hide behind the expression: “A picture is worth a thousand words!” simply because our vocabulary is limited. The experts say that we recognize around 40,000 words (that might be debated these days), but only use around 20,000 words (equally debatable!). In that case, with a picture being worth a thousand words, then 20 pictures is all you need! Very few people could explain the various laws of logic, never mind use them, which is why feelings and impressions have replaced logic. We are no longer led by principles, but by slogans. We are no longer led by morals, but by what other people around us do. Instead of seeking to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (which is what Christ commanded), we prefer to be imperfect like everyone else around us―thinking that there is some kind of safety in numbers!

This leads us to the Crisis in the Church. Many profess to know much about the crisis, but have read comparatively little on the crisis. There are few Doctors of Theology, Philosophy, Psychology or History, but millions of Doctors of “Internetology”, “Forumology”, “Rumorology”, and “Gossipology” without any apology! They are happy with “sound-bytes”, or superficial “two-bit-comments”, the “book-in-a-sentence” phrases that sound smart, philosophical and educated, but in reality are shallow, flimsy, vague and misleading. Sadly, the media, politics, and consumerism runs on that kind of material. We will never understand the crisis in the Church on “fast-food” level, where you simply take an article off-the-shelve, add water (your own thoughts and feelings) and microwave it on the “high” setting in your brain for a few seconds.

The crisis in the Church is not and cannot be disconnected from history, nor is it disconnected from a whole variety of contributory causes―religious, political, financial, educative, manipulative, immoral, conspiratorial, selfish, etc. Quite simply, there is no simple explanation―unless you are a simpleton and can only understand simplistically, as with children who are just starting out at school. St. Paul says that we should be way past that level as adults: “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

Despite our wishful thinking and impatient desires, there cannot be a single article―or, for that matter, one single book―that thoroughly covers and explains the many varying significant factors that are behind the present (and, in a sense, ever-present) crisis in the Church. It is only by an on-going, steady study of the many general and particular contributory causes that one can start to arrive at level-headed, non-sensationalist, non-wildly-imaginative overview and estimation of what this crisis is all about. Thus, the series of articles that follow, even though they may have a beginning, it could safely be said that they have no end―much like the life of a person. We are all born knowing nothing, but we never stop (or should not stop) learning more and more about everything until the day we die.

However, even though nobody stops learning, not everyone learns in the same way or to the same depth. There are some who never pass beyond the trivia, the superficial, the surface, and, consequently their knowledge is skin-deep, fragile, infantile and comical. They talk in clichés, fashionable slogans, repeating parrot-fashion what they heard elsewhere and do not really understand, but which they pretend to master! Their arrogance merely hides their ignorance. Yet every learned person starts out by being ignorant―and, as Our Lord says of the efforts to be made to obtain Heaven: “He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved!” (Matthew 10:22), likewise he that perseveres in studying will become learned. The modern method of “microwaving” does not work in study―“He who soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly!” (2 Corinthians 9:6). Study is like prayer―it must go on without ceasing. The words that Holy Scripture applies to prayer, can also be applied to study: “Pray [study] without ceasing!” (2 Thessalonians 5:17) … “We ought always to pray [study], and not to faint!” (Luke 18:1). For when we study things of Faith and religion, we are actually praying―for, as St. Thomas Aquinas points out, prayer is nothing else than a raising of the mind and heart to God and godly things!

Article 1
CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS?

No Crisis? No Brains!
If you cannot recognize that there is and has been a SEVERE and VISIBLE crisis in the Church over the last 50 to 60 years, then you need to have your doctor run a MRI scan on your head to see if the brain is still in there and if it is in working order! Unfortunately―and unbelievably―most Catholics fail to see the full extent and depth of the crisis in the Church today. For most of them, the crisis that they see is only the sexual-abuse crisis. They are so short-sighted that everything beyond that totally escapes them. It is sometimes said that a sexually addicted people will only see sexual things―most other things simply do not appear on their radar. The moral theologians also tell us that one of the chief effects of lust is spiritual blindness―which is certainly the case today. Especially in view of the words of Our Lady of Fatima, who revealed that the type of sin that claims most victims and damns most souls in this modern age, is the sin of impurity―be it in thought, glance, word or action.

The world is so besotted with immodesty, inappropriate innuendos, indecency, impurity and immorality―that God has allowed them to become spiritually blind: “As it is written: ‘God hath given them the spirit of insensibility; eyes that they should not see; and ears that they should not hear’, until this present day” (Romans 11:8). Of such people, blinded by being besotted with banalities, Our Lord says: “Leave them alone! They are blind, and leaders of the blind! And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the pit” (Matthew 15:14). “They have eyes, but they see not!” (Psalm 134:16).

We have selective vision―looking only at things that cater to and give us profit, pleasure, power or pride.
We notice prices, but not the crisis!
We focus on gratification and ignore its potential damnation!
We are always ready for food and drink, but we loathe to spiritually read and think!
In worldly knowledge we constantly grow, but barely a spiritual seed do we sow!
Sentimental things make us cry, while our sins leave our eyes dry!
We will enthusiastically run to the mall, but an extra Mass or two does us appall!
We are ready to play, but not to pray!
We’ll spend hours studying our phone, but to meditate a Rosary makes us groan!
During meals so many worldly things are heard, but of Our Lord and Our Lady there is barely a word!
We are most upset at how much things cost, and never feel upset at the number of souls lost!
To us the crisis is where to go and what to wear, but of the crisis in the Church we do not really care!
Every day matters go from bad to worse, but our minds are focused on food and fun, wallet and purse!

Who To Believe? What to Believe?
There is much talk about the authenticity and authority of Divine Private Revelation. You can read a detailed coverage of this subject by clicking here. However, in brief, there are two general kinds of Divine Revelation (revelations coming from God, whether directly, for example Our Lord Himself, or indirectly, by saints and angels). The first and most authoritative kind of Divine Revelation is called Divine PUBLIC Revelation. The second, lesser authoritative kind of Divine Revelation is called Divine PRIVATE Revelation.

(1) DIVINE PUBLIC REVELATION
This is a universal revelation (meaning that they are meant for everybody), which is contained in the Bible, or in the deposit of teachings coming from Apostolic tradition, and transmitted down through the ages by the Church. Divine Public Revelation ended with the preaching of the Apostles, the last of whom (St. John) died in the early 100’s A.D., and this Divine Public Revelation must be believed by all.

(2) DIVINE PRIVATE REVELATIONS
These are private and particular revelations revelations, which are constantly occurring among Christians. They are contained neither in the Bible, nor in the deposit of Apostolic Tradition. The Church does not oblige us to believe in them, but it is prudent not to reject them lightly when they are affirmed by saints. Nevertheless it is certain that many saints were deceived and that their revelations contradict one another. Revelations and visions are subject to many illusions. Hence the need for prudence and caution, so as not to be caught up in the fatal and dangerous mixture of curiosity and naivety, which can make us plunge, unreservedly and incautiously, into those things that are beyond our natural experience and understanding. We see this caution in the fact that Maximin, at La Salette, threw stones at the apparition of Our Lady, due to his fear and natural suspicion. Likewise with St. Bernadette, at Lourdes, who, after seeing the apparition, brought much holy water with her the next time, and ‘soaked’ Our Lady with it as a result of her natural fear and suspicion. Also, Lucia, at Fatima, who had decided to stop going to the place where the apparitions were taking place―due to her suspicions as to the origins of the apparition, thinking it might be coming from the devil.

What is the Purpose or Goal of Private Revelation?
The function of Divine Private Revelation is merely re-focus our minds on what is contained in Divine Public Revelation. It may make us do something that we should be doing, but are no longer doing; or it may command us to cease doing what we should not be doing, but have started to do through either malice or weakness. Thus at Lourdes and Fatima, Our Lady reminds us by Private Revelation, what is already contained in Public Revelation, namely, the need for prayer and penance: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) … “We ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1) … “Unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Therefore, Our Lady is adding nothing new, but simply reminding us what is commanded by Divine Public Revelation, in this case in the form of Holy Scripture.

The above example is clear and incontestable; for prayer and penance are both clearly mentioned and commanded in the pages of Holy Scripture. However, what are we to think of Private Revelations that command things that are not so clear―such as devotion to the Sacred Heart; devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary; devotion to the Sorrowful Heart of Mary; devotion to the Holy Rosary, etc.? These things are not seen in Scripture, nor are they commanded by Scripture.

True, they are not explicitly mentioned in Scripture, but they are there implicitly. Theology can arrive at conclusions that are certain by combing two or more principles—much as mathematics does. If you know that 1+1=2 and 2+2=4, then you know for certain that there has to be a number in between 2 and 4, which is the result of 1+1+1 or 1+2. That number is 3―you can call it what I want to call it, but it exists—for certain it exists. In this way the Church has arrived at many conclusions that have been embodied into the teaching of the Church. She has even pronounced dogmas on that same principle, such as the Immaculate Conception, which is not found explicitly anywhere in Holy Scripture. Yet when the Church pronounced the dogma in 1854, Our Lady appeared at Lourdes in 1858 and, in that Private Revelation, confirmed what the Church had done, by calling herself the Immaculate Conception. Similarly with the Person of Christ, being one Person with two natures: the divine nature and the human nature. We do not find that definition anywhere in Holy Scripture, but it is theologically reasoned and deduced from those principles and truths that are found in Holy Scripture.

Church Approval of Private Revelation
When the Church approves Private Revelations, she declares only that there is nothing in them contrary Faith or good morals, and that they may be read without danger, or even read with profit. No obligation is thereby imposed on the faithful to believe them. Speaking of such revelations as, for example, those of St. Hildegard (approved in part by Pope Eugenius III), St. Bridget (by Pope Boniface IX), and St. Catherine of Siena (by Pope Gregory XI), Pope Benedict XIV says: “It is not obligatory, nor even possible, to give them the assent of Catholic Faith, but only of human faith, in conformity with the dictates of prudence, which presents them to us as probable and worthy of pious belief.” (De canon., III, liii, xxii, II).

The Dangers of Private Revelations
What are known as private and particular revelations are those contained neither in the Bible, nor in the deposit of Apostolic tradition. The Church does not oblige us to believe in them, but it is prudent not to reject them lightly when they are affirmed by saints. Nevertheless it is certain that many saints were deceived and that their revelations contradict one another. What follows will explain the reason of this.

Revelations and visions are subject to many illusions. Some of them are at first thought surprising. Thus a vision of an historical scene (e.g., of the life or death of Christ) is often only approximately accurate, although the visionary may be unaware of this fact, and he may be misled, if he believes in its absolute historical fidelity. This error is quite natural, being based on the assumption that, if the vision comes from God, all its details (the landscape, dress, words, actions, etc.) should be a faithful reproduction of the historical past. This assumption is not justified, for accuracy in secondary details is not necessary; the main point is that the fact, event, or communication revealed be strictly true. It may be objected that the Bible contains historical books, and that thus God may sometimes wish to reveal certain facts in religious history to us exactly. That doubtless is true, when there is question of facts which are necessary or useful as a basis for religion, in which case the revelation is accompanied by proofs that guarantee its accuracy. A vision need not guarantee its accuracy in every detail.

One should thus beware of concluding, without any examination, that revelations are to be rejected; the prudent course is neither to believe nor to deny them, unless there is sufficient reason for so doing. Much less should one suspect that the saints have been always, or very often deceived in their vision. On the contrary, such deception is rare, and as a rule in unimportant matters only.

The Crisis of the Church Foretold in Divine Public and Divine Private Revelation
Let us begin with the most authoritative of Divine Revelation―that which comes directly from the mouth of God Himself, and which comes under the umbrella of Divine PUBLIC Revelation, meaning that it was made either by God Himself, or through His ministers (ending with death of the last of Apostles, St. John the Evangelist). Our Lord Himself speaks of a terrible crisis that shall come in the End Times or Last Days. This is what Our Lord tells us:

(1) THE CRISIS ACCORDING TO DIVINE PUBLIC REVELATION

► GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW: “The disciples came to Jesus privately, saying: ‘Tell us when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the consummation of the world?’ And Jesus answering, said to them: ‘Take heed that no man seduce you! For many will come in My Name, saying: “I am Christ!” And they will seduce many! And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that ye be not troubled. For these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be pestilences, and famines, and earthquakes in places! Now all these are the beginnings of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall put you to death: and you shall be hated by all nations for My Name’s sake. And then shall many be scandalized and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise and shall seduce many. And, because iniquity hath abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold. But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved. And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world, for a testimony to all nations, and then shall the consummation come.

"When, therefore, you shall see the abomination of desolation―which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet―standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand. Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains! And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take anything out of his house! And he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. And woe to them that are with child, and that give suck in those days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter, or on the Sabbath. For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be. And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved! But for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say to you: “Behold, here is Christ!” or there―do not believe him. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. Behold I have told it to you, beforehand. If therefore they shall say to you: “Behold He is in the desert!”―go ye not out! “Behold he is in the closets!”―believe it not! For as lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth even into the west: so shall the coming of the Son of man be!’” (Matthew 24:3-27).

► GOSPEL OF ST. MARK:  “And as Jesus sat on the Mount of Olivet, over against the Temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him apart: ‘Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall begin to be fulfilled?’ And Jesus answering, began to say to them: ‘Take heed lest any man deceive you! For many shall come in My Name, saying: “I am he!”―and they shall deceive many. And when you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, fear ye not. For such things must needs be, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and famines. These things are the beginning of sorrows! But look to yourselves! For they shall deliver you up to councils, and in the synagogues you shall be beaten, and you shall stand before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony unto them. And unto all nations the Gospel must first be preached. And when they shall lead you and deliver you up, be not thoughtful beforehand what you shall speak; but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye. For it is not you that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

"And the brother shall betray his brother unto death, and the father his son; and children shall rise up against the parents, and shall work their death. And you shall be hated by all men for My Name’s sake. But he that shall endure unto the end, he shall be saved. And when you shall see the abomination of desolation, standing where it ought not―he that readeth let him understand―then let them that are in Judea, flee unto the mountains! And let him that is on the housetop, not go down into the house, nor enter therein to take anything out of the house: And let him that shall be in the field, not turn back to take up his garment! And woe to them that are with child, and that give suck in those days! But pray ye, that these things happen not in winter. For in those days shall be such tribulations, as were not from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, neither shall be! And unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh should be saved―but, for the sake of the elect which he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And then if any man shall say to you: “Behold, here is Christ! Behold, he is here!”―do not believe. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, and they shall show signs and wonders, to seduce (if it were possible) even the elect. Take you heed therefore; behold I have foretold you all things. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light. And the stars of Heaven shall be falling down, and the powers that are in Heaven, shall be moved!’” (Mark 13:3-25).

► GOSPEL OF ST. LUKE:  “The Son of man, when He cometh, shall He find, think you, Faith on Earth?" (Luke 18:8)  “And they asked Jesus, saying: ‘Master, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when they shall begin to come to pass?’ Who said: ‘Take heed you be not seduced; for many will come in My Name, saying: “I am He and the time is at hand!”― go ye not therefore after them. And when you shall hear of wars and seditions, be not terrified: these things must first come to pass; but the end is not yet presently!’ Then He said to them: ‘Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there shall be great earthquakes in divers places, and pestilences, and famines, and terrors from Heaven; and there shall be great signs. But before all these things, they will lay their hands upon you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and into prisons, dragging you before kings and governors, for My Name’s sake. And it shall happen unto you for a testimony. Lay it up therefore into your hearts, not to meditate before how you shall answer―for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to resist and gainsay. And you shall be betrayed by your parents and brethren, and kinsmen and friends; and some of you they will put to death. And you shall be hated by all men for My Name’s sake. But a hair of your head shall not perish. In your patience you shall possess your souls.

"And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed about with an army; then know that the desolation thereof is at hand. Then let those who are in Judea, flee to the mountains; and those who are in the midst thereof, depart out: and those who are in the countries, not enter into it! For these are the days of vengeance, that all things may be fulfilled, that are written. But woe to them that are with child, and give suck in those days; for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword; and shall be led away captives into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles; till the times of the nations be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the Earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves! Men withering away for fear, and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world. For the powers of heaven shall be moved! And then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with great power and majesty. But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand.

"And He spoke to them in a similitude. See the fig tree, and all the trees―when they now shoot forth their fruit, you know that summer is nigh! So you also, when you shall see these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is at hand. Amen, I say to you, this generation shall not pass away, till all things be fulfilled! Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away! And take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly! For as a snare shall it come upon all that sit upon the face of the whole Earth. Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the Son of man!”

► THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLES:  “Know also this, that, in the last days, shall come dangerous times. Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked, without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness, traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasures more than of God―having an appearance indeed of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid!” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

“Knowing this first, that in the last days there shall come deceitful scoffers, walking after their own lusts, saying: ‘Where is His promise or His coming? For since the time that the fathers slept, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation!’ For this they are willfully ignorant of, that the heavens were before, and the Earth out of water, and through water, consisting by the word of God. Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens and the Earth which are now, by the same word of God, are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the Day of Judgment and perdition of the ungodly men. But of this one thing be not ignorant, my beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord delayeth not His promise, as some imagine, but dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance. But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief, in which the heavens shall pass away with great violence, and the elements shall be melted with heat, and the Earth, and the works which are in it, shall be burnt up. Seeing then that all these things are to be dissolved, what manner of people ought you to be in holy conversation and godliness? Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of the Lord, by which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with the burning heat!” (2 Peter 3:3-12).

“Be mindful of the words which have been spoken before by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, who told you, that in the last times there should come mockers, walking according to their own desires in ungodlinesses. These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men, having not the Spirit!” (Jude 1:17-19).

(2) THE CRISIS ACCORDING TO DIVINE PRIVATE REVELATION

As stated above, Divine PRIVATE Revelation cannot dogmatically add anything new to what is explicitly or implicitly contained in Divine PUBLIC Revelation―but its purpose is to either better and further explain Divine PUBLIC Revelation, or to focus our minds on those things that we have neglected, forgotten or ignored. The fact that Heaven repeatedly, throughout all the centuries, puts before our eyes the terrible times to be experienced in the “Last Days” or “End Times”, speaks volumes in itself. It means that Heaven wants us to ever keep before our eyes those frightening facts so as make us live, work and pray in a manner as to either offset them, mitigate them or even totally avoid them. Therefore, let us not scorn and reject Heaven’s messages―even though they may not be dogmatically binding―but in all fear and humility let us take heed of those merciful warnings by reading them, reflecting upon them and then doing something about them.

► ST. HIPPOLYTUS (3rd century): “And the churches too will wail with a mighty lamentation, because neither oblation nor incense is attended to, nor a service acceptable to God; but the sanctuaries of the churches will become like a garden-watcher’s hut, and the Holy Body and Blood of Christ will not be shown in those days. The public service of God shall be extinguished.”

► ST. ANTHONY OF THE DESERT (4th century)  “Men will surrender to the spirit of the age. They will say that if they had lived in our day, Faith would be simple and easy. But in their day, they will say, things are complex; the Church must be brought up to date and made meaningful to the day’s problems. When the Church and the World are one, then those days are at hand. Because our Divine Master placed a barrier between His things and the things of the world.”

► ST. NILUS (5th century): “After the year 1900, toward the middle of the 20th century, the people of that time will become unrecognizable. When the time for the advent of the Antichrist approaches, people’s minds will grow cloudy from carnal passions, and dishonor and lawlessness will grow stronger. Then the world will become unrecognizable. People’s appearances will change, and it will be impossible to distinguish men from women due to their shamelessness in dress and style of hair. There will be no respect for parents and elders, love will disappear, and Christian pastors, bishops and priests will become vain men, completely failing to distinguish the right-hand way from the left. At that time, the morals and traditions of Christians and of the Church will change. People will abandon modesty, and dissipation will reign. Falsehood and greed will attain great proportions, and woe to those who pile up treasures. Lust, adultery, homosexuality, secret deeds and murder will rule in society. At that future time, due to the power of such great crimes and licentiousness, people will be deprived of the grace of the Holy Spirit, which they received in Holy Baptism and equally deprived of remorse for their sins. The Churches of God will be deprived of God-fearing and pious pastors, and woe to the Christians remaining in the world at that time―they will completely lose their Faith because they will lack the opportunity of seeing the light of knowledge from anyone at all. The Antichrist will also give depraved wisdom to an unhappy man, so that he will discover a way by which one man can carry on a conversation with another from one end of the earth to the other. At that time men will also fly through the air like birds and descend to the bottom of the sea like fish. And when they have achieved all this, these unhappy people will spend their lives in comfort without knowing, poor souls, that it is deceit of the Antichrist.”

► ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI (1182-1226): A short time before the death of St. Francis, he called together his religious and warned them of the coming troubles saying: “The time is fast approaching in which there will be great trials and afflictions; perplexities and dissensions, both spiritual and temporal, will abound; the charity of many will grow cold, and the malice of the wicked will increase … At the time of this tribulation a man, not canonically elected, will be raised to the Papacy, who, by his cunning, will endeavor to draw many into error and death. Then scandals will be multiplied. Our Order will be divided and others entirely destroyed, because they will consent to error instead of opposing it. There will be great diversity of opinions and schisms among the people, the religious and the clergy. Those who preserve their fervor and adhere to virtue with love and zeal for the truth, will suffer injuries and persecutions as rebels and schismatics; for their persecutors, urged on by the evil spirits, will say they are doing a great service to God by destroying such pestilent men from the face of the Earth. By their death they will purchase for themselves eternal life; choosing to obey God rather than man. Some preachers will keep silence about the truth and others will trample it underfoot, and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision, even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days, Our Lord Jesus Christ will send them not a true Pastor but a destroyer.” (Works of the Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi, translated by a Religious of the Franciscan Order).

► BROTHER JOHN OF THE CLEFT ROCK (14th century): “Towards the end of the world, tyrants and hostile mobs will rob the Church and the clergy of all their possessions and will afflict and martyr them. Those who heap the most abuse upon them will be held in high esteem. The clergy cannot escape these persecutions, but, because of them, all the servants of the Church will be forced to lead an apostolic life. At that time, the Pope with his cardinals will have to flee Rome in tragic circumstances to a place where they will be unknown. The Pope will die a cruel death in his exile. The sufferings of the Church will be much greater than at any previous time in her history.”

► ST. NICHOLAS VON FLUE (15th century): “The Church will be punished because the majority of Her members, high and low, will become so perverted. The Church will sink deeper and deeper until She will at last seem to be extinguished, and the succession of Peter and the other Apostles to have expired. But, after this, She will be victoriously exalted in the sight of all doubters.”

► BLESSED ANNE CATHERINE EMMERICH (1774-1824) had many visions granted to her concerning the future state of the Church. She saw a period in time when there were TWO popes. She comments:

“I saw also the relationship between the two popes… I saw how baleful (evil; harmful) would be the consequences of this false church. I saw it increase in size; heretics of every kind came into the city (of Rome) … Once more I saw the Church of Peter was undermined by a plan evolved by the secret sect (Masonry), while storms were damaging it.”

“I saw a secret sect relentlessly undermining the great Church… When the Church had been for the most part destroyed (by the secret sect), and when only the sanctuary and the altar were still standing, I saw the wreckers (of the secret sect) enter the Church with the Beast.”

“I saw an apparition of the Mother of God, and she said that the tribulation would be very great. She added that these people must pray fervently with outstretched arms … They must pray above all for the church of darkness to leave Rome.”

“The Church is in great danger… I see that in this place (Rome) the (Catholic) Church is being so cleverly undermined, that there will hardly remain a hundred or so priests who have not been deceived. They all work for destruction, even the clergy. The great devastation is now at hand.”

“When I saw the Church of St. Peter in ruins, and the manner in which so many of the clergy were themselves busy at this work of destruction – none of them wishing to do it openly in front of others – I was in such distress that I cried out to Jesus with all my might, imploring His mercy. Then, I saw before me the Heavenly Spouse… He said, among other things, that this translation of the Church from one place to another meant that She would seem to be in complete decline. But She would rise again; even if there remained but one Catholic, the Church would conquer again because She does not rest on human counsels and intelligence. It was also shown to me that there were almost no Christians left in the old acceptation of the word.”

“The Church is completely isolated and as if completely deserted. It seems that everyone is running away.”

“Among the strangest things that I saw, were long processions of bishops. Their thoughts and utterances were made known to me through images issuing from their mouths. Their faults towards religion were shown by external deformities. A few had only a body, with a dark cloud of fog instead of a head. Others had only a head, their bodies and hearts were like thick vapors. Some were lame; others were paralytics; others were asleep or staggering.”

“I saw what I believe to be nearly all the bishops of the world, but only a small number were perfectly sound…”

“Then I saw that everything that pertained to Protestantism was gradually gaining the upper hand, and the Catholic religion fell into complete decadence…”

“In those days, Faith will fall very low, and it will be preserved in some places only, in a few cottages and in a few families which God has protected from disasters and wars.”

“I saw that many pastors allowed themselves to be taken up with ideas that were dangerous to the Church. They were building a great, strange, and extravagant Church. Everyone was to be admitted in it in order to be united and have equal rights: Evangelicals, Catholics, sects of every description. Such was to be the new Church…”

“…a false church, and wicked men scheming against the Catholic Church and doing much harm–both in her own time and in the future. And actually saw in a vision this, the enemies of the Church tearing it down and trying to build a new one on strictly human plans–but none of the saints would lend a hand. Later, this church of men is destroyed and the saints of God join in to rebuild the true Church of God, which becomes more glorious than ever before.”

(3) THE CRISIS ACCORDING TO THE MAGISTERIUM, POPES, CARDINALS, BISHOPS & THEOLOGIANS

Honest Members of the Church Admit there is a Major Crisis in the Church

► CARDINAL JOHN HENRY NEWMAN (1801-1890): “I thank God that I live in a day when the enemy is outside the Church, and I know where he is, and what he is up to. But, I foresee a day when the enemy will be both outside and inside the Church ... and, I pray for the poor faithful who will be caught in the crossfire.”

► CARDINAL HENRY EDWARD MANNING (1808-1892) was an English Cardinal and the second Archbishop of Westminster from 1865 until his death in 1892. He wrote predicting a future terrible crisis in the Church: “The apostasy of the city of Rome from the vicar of Christ and its destruction by Antichrist may be thoughts very new to many Catholics, that I think it well to recite the text of theologians of greatest repute. First Malvenda, who writes expressly on the subject, states as the opinion of Ribera, Gaspar Melus, Biegas, Suarez, Bellarmine and Bosius that Rome shall apostatize from the Faith, drive away the Vicar of Christ and return to its ancient paganism. ...Then the Church shall be scattered, driven into the wilderness, and shall be for a time, as it was in the beginning, invisible; hidden in catacombs, in dens, in mountains, in lurking places; for a time it shall be swept, as it were from the face of the Earth. Such is the universal testimony of the Fathers of the early Church.” (Cardinal Henry Edward Manning, The Present Crisis of the Holy See, 1861, London: Burns and Lambert, pp. 88-90). For Cardinal Manning to speak about apostasy in his day, would seem to be scandalous — yet Manning was alive at the time of Our Lady’s warnings at La Salette. He heard; he understood and he believed.

► ST. JOHN BOSCO (1815-1888): “There will be an Ecumenical Council in the next century, after which there will be chaos in the Church.” This prediction was made in 1862. The next Ecumenical Council turned out to be Vatican II, which began exactly 100 years after St. John Bosco’s prophecy—from 1962 to 1965. It was convened and organized by Pope John XXIII, who gave notice of his intention to convene the Council on January 25th, 1959, less than three months after his election. The future Pope Paul VI, then Cardinal Montini, was alarmed when he learned, in January 1959, that Pope John XXIII had announced the upcoming Vatican Council, to which he responded: “This holy old boy doesn’t realize what a hornet’s nest he’s stirring up!”

► MÉLANIE CALVAT (1831-1904), one of two seers of Our Lady of La Salette (in 1846): Our Lady of La Salette declared to Mélanie: “The Church will be in eclipse.” The word “eclipse” means hidden; covered up; seeming to disappear. Mélanie understood that Peter would be hidden along with the Church, and that his “eclipse” would be a prelude to the disappearance of the Mass. For, in commenting on this part of the secret, Melanie said to the French priest, Fr. Combe, “The Church will be eclipsed. At first, we will not know which is the true pope. Then secondly, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will cease to be offered in churches and houses; it will be such that, for a time, there will not be public services any more. But I see that the Holy Sacrifice has not really ceased: it will be offered in barns, in alcoves, in caves, and underground” (Fr. Combe, The Secret of Melanie and the Actual Crisis, p.137).

► POPE ST. PIUS X (1835-1914): This Pope had a number of prophetic visions. In 1909, in the midst of an audience with members of the Franciscan order, he seemed to fall into a trance. Moments passed, then his eyes sprung open and he jumped to his feet. “What I have seen is terrifying!” he cried out. “Will I be the one, or will it be a successor? What is certain is that the Pope will leave Rome and, in leaving the Vatican, he will have to pass over the dead bodies of his priests!” It’s uncertain what this vision alluded to, but it is similar in many respects to the reported third prophecy of Fatima. Later, shortly before his death, another vision came to him: “I have seen one of my successors, of the same name, who was fleeing over the bodies of his brethren. He will take refuge in some hiding place; but after a brief respite, he will die a cruel death. Respect for God has disappeared from human hearts. They wish to efface even God’s memory. This perversity is nothing less than the beginning of the last days of the world.”

► DR. BELLA VISONO DODD (1904 –1969): born in Italy but emigrated to the USA, became one of the most powerful figures of the American Communist Party at the height of its power during the late 1930s and 1940s. She did her Master’s Degree studies at Columbia University, working toward a doctorate in philosophy, then switched to the legal division. Later, she graduated from the School of Law at New York University, where she received a Degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence. A schoolteacher and lawyer by profession, Dodd was an organizer for the CPUSA (Communist Party of the United States of America) from 1932 to1948, and, from 1944 to 1948, sat on the CPUSA’s National Council. She also served as head of the New York State Teachers Union. After her defection from the Communist Party in 1949, she testified that one of her jobs, as a Communist agent, was to encourage young radicals to enter Roman Catholic seminaries. She returned to the Faith in 1952, thanks to Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

Bella Dodd later explained what she did while working as a Communist. Dr. Dodd served as legal counsel (attorney) for the Communists. Her book, School of Darkness (1954), reveals that Communism was perpetrated by financiers “to control the common man” and to advance world tyranny. In front of the US House Un-American Activities Committee, speaking as a former high-ranking official of the American Communist Party, Dr. Bella Dodd testified about the plans of a Communist infiltration of Catholic Church: “In the 1930’s we put eleven hundred (1,100) men into the priesthood, in order to destroy the Church from within. The idea was for these men to be ordained, and then climb the ladder of influence and authority as Monsignors and Bishops.”

Dr. Bella Dodd made a public affidavit, which was witnessed by a number of people, including Paul and Johnine Leininger. In her public affidavit, among other things, Dr. Bella V. Dodd stated: “In the late 1920’s and 1930’s, directives were sent from Moscow to all Communist Party organizations. In order to destroy the Roman Catholic Church from within, party members were to be planted in seminaries and within diocesan organizations... I, myself, put some 1,100 men in Roman Catholic seminaries”. Mrs. Johnine Leininger confirmed that other people could also verify that Dr. Bella V. Dodd had made these statements regarding the infiltration of Communists into Roman Catholic seminaries. Mrs. Leininger has also said that she herself knows some Roman Catholic priests who were “sleepers” ― an espionage term for individuals or groups who refrain from any subversive, espionage, and/or infiltrator functions, until they become “active”. Mrs. Johnine Leininger stated that she knows of several priests who faithfully taught the Catholic religion, until they became bishops, or were promoted to other influential posts, and then, upon becoming “active”, immediately exhibited hostility to that same Faith, which they had previously professed. Around ten years before the Second Vatican Council Dr. Bella Dodd stated that: “Right now they are in the highest places in the Church” — where they were working to bring about change in order to weaken the Church’s effectiveness against Communism. She also said that these changes would be so drastic that one day “you will not recognize the Catholic Church.”

Dr. Bella Dodd also told her friend, Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, the theologian, that: “When she was an active party member, she had dealt with no fewer than four cardinals within the Vatican who were working for us, [i.e. the Communist Party]” (Christian Order magazine, “The Church in Crisis”). Dr. Alice von Hildebrand confirmed that Dr. Bella Dodd had publicly stated the same things, to which she attested in her public affidavit.

In a lecture at Fordham University, Dodd revealed back in the 1950s what we can clearly witness today. The lecture was attended by a Catholic religious monk, whose account of the talk was published in the magazine, Christian Order:

“I listened to that woman for four hours and she had my hair standing on end. Everything she said has been fulfilled to the letter. You would think she was the world’s greatest prophet, but she was no prophet. She was merely exposing the step-by-step battle plan of Communist subversion of the Catholic Church. She explained that of all the world’s religions, the Catholic Church was the only one feared by the Communists, for it was its only effective opponent. The whole idea was to destroy, not the institution of the Church, but rather the Faith of the people, and even use the institution of the Church, if possible, to destroy the Faith through the promotion of a pseudo-religion: something that resembled Catholicism but was not the real thing. Once the Faith was destroyed, she explained that there would be a guilt complex introduced into the Church…. to label the ‘Church of the past’ as being oppressive, authoritarian, full of prejudices, arrogant in claiming to be the sole possessor of truth, and responsible for the divisions of religious bodies throughout the centuries. This would be necessary in order to shame Church leaders into an ‘openness to the world,’ and to a more flexible attitude toward all religions and philosophies. The Communists would then exploit this openness in order to undermine the Church.”

► ARCHBISHOP FULTON SHEEN (1895-1979), who converted Dr. Bella Dodd and brought her back into the Catholic Church in the 1950’s had also earlier (in 1945) warned of something similar: “He [Satan] 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 ... 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 (Catholic) church. Christ’s (true 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 and will be the mystical body of the Antichrist. The mystical body on Earth today will have its Judas Iscariot and he will be the false prophet. Satan will recruit him from among our bishops … But the twentieth century will join the counter-church, because it claims to be infallible when its visible head speaks ex cathedra” (Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Communism and the Conscience of the West, pp. 24-25, 1945 edition).

► SISTER LUCIA OF FATIMA IN 1957 (1907-2005, though some say she was murdered before 1960): In a letter to Fr. Umberto Pasquale, who was very devoted to the cause of Fatima, Sister Lucia wrote: “The decadence which exists in the world is without any doubt the consequence of the lack of the spirit of prayer. Foreseeing this disorientation, the Blessed Virgin recommended recitation of the Rosary with such insistence. And since the Rosary is, after the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the prayer most apt for preserving Faith in souls, the devil has unchained his struggles against it. Unfortunately, we see the disasters he has caused.”

► POPE PIUS XII (1876-1958): “I am worried by the Blessed Virgin’s messages to Lucia of Fatima. This persistence of Mary about the dangers which menace the Church is a divine warning against the suicide of altering the Faith, in Her liturgy, Her theology and Her soul …. A day will come when the civilized world will deny its God, when the Church will doubt as Peter doubted. She will be tempted to believe that man has become God.” Cardinal Pacelli said this in 1931. He became Pope Pius XII in 1939. Here Pope Pius XII speaks of a future humanism that we are currently witnessing; and one that is increasing. “The Rights of Man” … “Human Dignity” … “the Human Person” are all phrases and ideas that have flooded the Church like never before. We are so focused on man, that we are forgetting God. Look at all the socials and activities organized by churches everywhere and compare those attendances to the attendances in visiting and adoring the Blessed Sacrament, where God Himself resides in our midst!

The Holy Eucharist is the most important Sacrament of the Church, but never has it been as important as in these days of impending apostasy. Notice the Eucharistic adoration that took place at Fatima, before Our Lady even appeared. Notice how Divine Providence reserved the prodigious scientific discoveries about the Holy Eucharist from the Miracle of Lanziano Italy, to be uncovered in 1969/1970 at a time when God knew that belief in the Eucharistic would dwindle in the world. The Holy Eucharist is there, among other things, to feed and strengthen our Faith; yet by neglecting to frequently visit, adore and eat this Bread of Heaven, we indirectly weaken our Faith and lose the necessary strength that is required in fighting the apostasy of our times.

► EWTN:  In 2002, Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), an American television network, which presents around-the-clock Catholic-themed programming, was presented with the question of whether it was true or not that Pope John XXIII begged for the Vatican II Ecumenical Council to be stopped. EWTN responded, in the person of Dr. Richard Geraghty, that “I have heard that report and it is probably true.”  The report was as follows: “According to Anne Muggeridge, the daughter-in-law of the famous British Catholic convert and journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, in The Desolate City, Cardinal John Heenan of Westminster reported that when, during the rebellious first session of the Council, the pope realized that the papacy had lost control of the process, he attempted to organize a group of bishops to try to force it to an end. Malcolm Muggeridge, who reported from Rome on the Second Vatican Council for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), considered Pope John “politically naive and unduly influenced by the handful of ‘Liberal’ clerics, with whom he is in close contact.”

In a 1985 interview, Muggeridge gave his assessment of the Pope John XXIII thus: “Really Pope John — who was built up as a saintly and perfect pope, the good man of our time — whether consciously or unconsciously, did more damage to the Church than possibly any other individual man had ever done in the whole of its history.... It seemed almost as though Pope John was operating on behalf of the devil without being in any way conscious of it. Whatever Pope John’s disposition was, however, before the second session of the Council could open, he died. His last words on his deathbed, as reported by Jean Guitton, the only Catholic layman to serve as a peritus (an expert) at the Council, were: “Stop the Council! Stop the Council!” (EWTN article, November 11th, 2002).

► POPE PAUL VI (1897-1978): While Pope John XXIII was begging on his deathbed: “Stop the Council! Stop the Council!” during Vatican II, Pope Paul VI afterwards commented on the disastrous results that Vatican II was producing in the Church. On December 7th, 1968, Pope Paul VI lamented that “the Church finds herself in a time of uncertainty, of self-criticism, and even self-destruction. It is like an internal upheaval... as if the Church were striking blows to herself.” Then on June 29th, 1972, in a sermon for the 9th anniversary of his Coronation as Pope, he said that, “through some crack the smoke of Satan has entered the temple of God.” He would repeat the same idea five years later: “The tail of the devil is functioning in the disintegration of the Catholic world. The darkness of Satan has entered and spread throughout the Catholic Church even to its summit. Apostasy, the loss of the Faith, is spreading throughout the world and into the highest levels within the Church.” (Pope Paul VI, Address on the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Fatima Apparitions, October 13th, 1977). Here too, Pope Paul VI speaks of the “Crisis of the Shepherds” by saying that the “darkness of Satan has entered and spread throughout the Catholic Church, even to its summit... Apostasy, the loss of the Faith, is spreading into the highest levels within the Church!” This explains, according to some authors on the “Third Secret of Fatima” the reluctance of the Church to speak on these matters, because of embarrassment that would arise from what would be tantamount to self-indictment.

► CARDINAL ALFREDO OTTAVIANI (1890-1979), one of the chief posts in the Holy Office, later renamed Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, held similar sentiments. During the Second Vatican Council he was shocked to see the direction in which it was headed, which provoked the following comment in June of 1962, following a speech given by Cardinal Montini, the future Pope Paul VI, on the need for changes in the Church: “I pray to God that I may die before the end of the council, in that way I can die a Catholic.”

► CARDINAL LEO JOSEPH SUENENS (1904-1996), was a very Liberal Cardinal, who much opposed Cardinal Ottaviani during Vatican II and Seunens declared that “Vatican II is the French Revolution in the Church!” (New Jersey Catholic News, Fall, 1987, p.1).

► CARDINAL MARIO LUIGI CIAPPI (1909-1996), who was the personal theologian to five popes from 1955 to 1989, was Pope John Paul II’s Personal Theologian: “In the Third Secret, it is foretold, among other things, that the great apostasy in the Church will begin at the top” (Cardinal Ciappi, the Papal Theologian of Pope John Paul II).

► FREEMASONRY: After the Second Vatican Council, the Grand Orient Lodge of Freemasons in France reported Vatican II as being a “gigantic revolution in the Church” calling it “a prelude to victory” (Bishop Graber, St. Athanasius, p. 71).

► POPE BENEDICT XVI (1927-still living): In five little known radio speeches made in 1969 and published again a while ago by Ignatius Press in the volume “Faith and the Future”, Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, gave his vision of the future of man and the Church. His last teaching, which he read out on “Hessian Rundfunk” radio on Christmas Day, had a distinctly prophetic tone.

Ratzinger said he was convinced the Church was going through an era similar to the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. “We are at a huge turning point in the evolution of mankind. This moment makes the move from Medieval to modern times seem insignificant.” Ratzinger compared the current era to that of Pope Pius VI who was abducted by troops of the French Republic and died in prison in 1799. The Church was fighting against a force which intended to annihilate it definitively, confiscating its property and dissolving religious orders.

Today’s Church could be faced with a similar situation, undermined, according to Ratzinger, by the temptation to reduce priests to “social workers” and it and all its work reduced to a mere political presence. “From today’s crisis, will emerge a Church that has lost a great deal,. It will become small and will have to start pretty much all over again. It will no longer have use of the structures it built in its years of prosperity. The reduction in the number of faithful will lead to it losing an important part of its social privileges.” It will start off with small groups and movements and a minority that will make Faith central to experience again. “It will be a more spiritual Church, and will not claim a political mandate flirting with the Right one minute and the Left the next. It will be poor and will become the Church of the destitute.”

The process outlined by Ratzinger was a “long” one “but when all the suffering is past, a great power will emerge from a more spiritual and simple Church,” at which point humans will realize that they live in a world of “indescribable solitude” and having lost sight of God “they will perceive the horror of their poverty.” Then and only then, Ratzinger concluded, will they see “that small flock of faithful as something completely new: they will see it as a source of hope for themselves, the answer they had always secretly been searching for.”

► CARDINAL WILLIAM EIJK (born 1953), THE ARCHBISHOP OF UTRECHT, NETHERLANDS, gave a forceful and critical commentary on May 5th, 2018, concerning Pope Francis’ decision to NOT give the German bishops clear guidance on whether Protestants married to Catholics may receive Holy Communion at Mass in certain cases. Cardinal Eijk indignantly stated this was “completely incomprehensible” and reminded the Pope of the Church’s teaching about its “ultimate trial” in the End TImes and “the price of apostasy from the truth.” A large majority of German bishops voted to allow the Protestant spouses of Catholics to receive Holy Communion at a Catholic Mass, under certain circumstances. Seven of the German bishops rejected that proposal because it violated the fundamental and long-held teaching of the Church on intercommunion. Due to the disagreement among the German bishops, they appealed to Pope Francis for guidance. Instead of giving them a clear answer, Pope Francis told the bishops to sort it out themselves and come up with some form of a unanimous decision.

Cardinal Eijk protested vigourously, saying that such a thing is “completely incomprehensible! The Church's doctrine and practice regarding the administration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist to Protestants is perfectly clear … The Holy Father should have given the delegation of the German episcopal conference clear directives, based on the clear doctrine and practice of the Church, as the Successor of Saint Peter, the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity of both the bishops and of the faithful. By failing to create clarity, great confusion is created among the faithful and the unity of the Church is endangered. This is also the case with cardinals who publicly propose to bless homosexual relationships, something which is diametrically opposed to the doctrine of the Church, founded on Sacred Scripture, that marriage, according to the order of creation, exists only between a man and a woman. Observing that the bishops and, above all, the Successor of Peter fail to maintain and transmit faithfully and in unity the deposit of faith contained in Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, I cannot help but think of Article 675 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which says, concerning the Church’s ultimate trial. ‘Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the “mystery of iniquity” in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.’”

Article 2
HOW DID WE GET INTO THIS CRISIS OR MESS?

A Blinkered, Tunnel-Vision of the Crisis in the Church
Worldwide there is mainly an, lack of interest, lack of knowledge, lack of concern and lack of involvement in the current crisis of in the Church. To most of these indifferent and ignorant Catholics, the “crisis” is all about the cases of sexual abuse that have emerged over the last few decades―but they care little or nothing for the more serious crisis of the Faith that is taking place. Both sexual abuse and lack of Faith will send you to Hell―make no mistake about it. Yet of all the sins against the Ten Commandments, sins of Faith are worse than sins of the flesh. Serious or grave sins against God are worse than serious or grave sins against fellow men―even though both will send you to Hell. Our Lord clearly points that out: “Jesus said to him: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like to this: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).

Sin is Measured by the Object Sinned Against
St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that one the methods of measuring the gravity of sin is to look at the object that is sinned against―whether it be an inanimate thing, an animal, a person, the rank or honor of the person, and ultimately God Himself:

“A sin which is about the very substance of man, e.g. murder, is graver than a sin which is about external things, e.g. theft; and even graver still is a sin committed directly against God, e.g. unbelief, blasphemy, etc.―and in each of these grades of sin, one sin will be graver than another according as it is about a higher or lower principle. And forasmuch as sins take their species from their objects, the difference of gravity which is is first and foremost derived from the objects sinned againt … The most grievous sin is opposed to the greatest virtue … Now Charity is a greater virtue than Faith or Hope (1 Corinthians 13:13) … Charity is not any kind of love, but the love of God: hence the hatred of God is the most grievous of all sins … Spiritual sins are of greater guilt than carnal sins: yet this does not mean that each spiritual sin is of greater guilt than each carnal sin; but that, considering the sole difference between spiritual and carnal, spiritual sins are more grievous than carnal sins, other things being equal … Carnal sins are of less guilt, but of more shame than spiritual sins … The devil is said to rejoice chiefly in the sin of lust, because it is of the greatest adhesion, and man can only with difficulty be withdrawn from it” (Summa Theologica, Ia-IIae, question 73, articles 3, 4 & 5). It is because we have become so sex-orientated or “sex-mad” that we look upon sexual sins as being far worse than spiritual sins, or sins against Faith, Hope or Charity.

Thus sins against God are the greatest of all sins―and this includes sins against Faith, Hope and Charity―bearing in mind that charity is first and foremost about loving God, for we only love our neighbor because of God, since God made our neighbor, loves our neighbor like He loves us, and wishes the salvation of our neighbor just as much as He wishes our salvation. Furthermore, God is directly associated with Charity, for Holy Scripture says: “God is charity” (1 John 4:16) and “He that loveth not, knoweth not God―for God is charity” (1 John 4:8).

Out of Sight―Out of Mind
Because God is invisible and out of sight―He is consequently out of our mind most of the time, even though it should not be so! Our Lord explicitly tells us, in the above commandment, to love God with our whole mind, heart, soul and strength―which logically and obviously means loving God all the time and seeing everything through God, with God and in God―which is why we say, just before the “Our Father” in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the words: “Through Him, with Him, in Him … etc”

Since we cannot see God, but we can see the world and all the world contains, it is inevitable that we will be tempted to give the world the attention that we should be giving God―and that is precisely what most people do―God is a mere afterthought, an item at the bottom of the “To Do List” that they will get around to at some later date, but, for now, the world takes precedence. A loss of Faith is felt less keenly than the loss of a credit card, a wallet, a smartphone, a job, a valued possession or object, etc.

For the Few Faithful
Few there are who put their Faith and its obligations and demands above everything else! For the few who do, they inevitably notice with great sadness, bewilderment, confusion, consternation, indignation or discouragement that the Faith of Catholics is being undermined, weakened, diluted, deformed and destroyed. Many souls, who are truly faithful, feel helpless, speechless, weaponless, powerless, defenseless, homeless, hopeless, rudderless, anchorless and leaderless. They are overwhelmed by the gravity of things that they see and can see no imminent solution to the crisis. They love their Faith, the wish to keep their Faith, yet they find their Faith threatened, attacked, mocked and undermined not only in the world at large, but also increasingly so in their Catholic parishes, schools and even among their own family members and relatives. They have an uncomfortable feeling that their Faith is melted like an iceberg drifting into the warm waters of worldliness.

Nothing New Under the Sun
The Church, in Her history, has seen everything and been through everything―heresies, schisms, apostasy, corruption, persecution, tyranny, suppression, isolation, banishment, manipulation, infiltration, betrayals, martyrdom, etc. Yet like a centuries old tree, it has remains stalwart and standing despite the ravages of savage storms, the blazing heat, the drought, the blight, the bugs, the pests, the insects and even earthquakes. Many branches have been broken, withered, or rotted and thus lost, many leaves have fallen dead and have been consigned to the fire―yet the tree stands and will stand, even though it may have to be severely pruned and cut-back.

The Crisis Family Tree
Talking of trees, many people like to research their family tree. Following your family “tree” to its “roots” invariably means starting in the present and working backwards―who were your grandparents, then find out who you great-grandparents were, then move on to you great-great-grandparents, etc., etc. Ultimately, every family tree has to find its way to Adam and Eve. Likewise, the crisis family tree can be traced back to Adam, Eve and her encounter with the devil in the form of the serpent.

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the Earth which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman: ‘Why hath God commanded you that you should not eat of every tree of paradise?’ And the woman answered him, saying: ‘Of the fruit of the trees that are in paradise we do eat, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of paradise, God hath commanded us that we should not eat; and that we should not touch it, lest perhaps we die!’ And the serpent said to the woman: ‘No, you shall not die the death! For God doth know that in what day soever you shall eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened: and you shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil!’

“And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat, and fair to the eyes, and delightful to behold: and she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave to her husband who did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened … And when they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in paradise at the afternoon air, Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face of the Lord God, amidst the trees of paradise [=crisis]. And the Lord God called Adam, and said to him: ‘Where art thou?’ And he said: ‘I heard thy voice in paradise and I was afraid, because I was naked and so I hid myself!’

“And the Lord said to him: ‘And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, unless thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?’ And Adam said: ‘The woman, whom Thou gavest me to be my companion, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat!’ And the Lord God said to the woman: ‘Why hast thou done this?’ And she answered: ‘The serpent deceived me and I did eat!’

“And the Lord God said to the serpent: ‘Because thou hast done this thing, thou art cursed among all cattle, and beasts of the earth: upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel!’

To the woman also He said: I will multiply thy sorrows, and thy conceptions: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband's power, and he shall have dominion over thee!’ And to Adam He said: ‘Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work; with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herbs of the earth. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the earth, out of which thou wast taken: for dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return!’

“And Adam called the name of his wife Eve: because she was the mother of all the living. And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife, garments of skins, and clothed them. And He said: ‘Behold Adam is become as one of Us, knowing good and evil! Now, therefore, lest perhaps he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever!’ And the Lord God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure, to till the earth from which he was taken. And He cast out Adam; and placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubims, and a flaming sword, turning every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:1-24).

Thus, by sin―Original Sin―Adam and Eve brought about a terrible crisis. The crisis was their banishment from Paradise, as well as being sentenced to death.

The Church Crisis is a Crisis of Sin
Today’s crisis in the Church is basically a crisis of sin. There would be no crisis if sin was not being committed. Hence, sin is the root of the crisis and, Holy Scripture says: “By one man [Adam] sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned ... Death reigned from Adam unto Moses, even over them also who have not sinned after the transgression of Adam … By one man’s offence, death reigned … Therefore, as by the offence of one man [Adam], all men are condemned; so also by the justice of one man [Jesus Christ], all men have a chance of justification to [eternal] life. For, as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners; so also by the obedience of one [Jesus Christ], many shall be made just. And where sin abounded, grace did more abound. That as sin hath reigned unto death; so also grace might reign by justice unto life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:12-21).

In other words, where there is sin, there too you will find a crisis. When sin is removed and stopped by grace, then the crisis is removed and stopped also. Many such proofs are found in Holy Scripture, of which one of the most striking is that which is found in the Book of Leviticus:

► (1) NO SIN―NO CRISIS: “I am the Lord your God! You shall not make to yourselves any idol or graven thing, neither shall you erect pillars, nor set up a remarkable stone in your land, to adore it—for I am the Lord your God! Keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary—I am the Lord! If you walk in My precepts, and keep My commandments, and do them, I will give you rain in due seasons. And the ground shall bring forth its increase, and the trees shall be filled with fruit. The threshing of your harvest shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land without fear. I will give peace in your coasts: you shall sleep, and there shall be none to make you afraid. I will take away evil beasts: and the sword shall not pass through your quarters. You shall pursue your enemies, and they shall fall before you. Five of yours shall pursue a hundred others, and a hundred of you ten thousand: your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. I will look on you, and make you increase: you shall be multiplied, and I will establish My covenant with you. You shall eat the oldest of the old store, and, new coming on, you shall cast away the old. I will set My tabernacle in the midst of you, and My soul shall not cast you off. I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of the Egyptians, that you should not serve them, and who have broken the chains of your necks, that you might go upright. But if you will not hear Me, nor do all My commandments, then …” (Leviticus 26:1-14).

► (2) CRISIS COMES WITH SIN: “But if you will not hear Me, nor do all My commandments, if you despise My laws, and contemn My judgments, so as not to do those things which are appointed by Me, and to make void My covenant, then I also will do these things to you― I will quickly visit you with poverty, and burning heat, which shall waste your eyes, and consume your lives. You shall sow your seed in vain, which shall be devoured by your enemies. I will set My face against you, and you shall fall down before your enemies, and shall be made subject to them that hate you, you shall flee when no man pursueth you.

“But if you will not yet for all this obey Me―then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins, and I will break the pride of your stubbornness, and I will make to you the Heaven above as iron, and the Earth as brass! Your labor shall be spent in vain, the ground shall not bring forth her increase, nor the trees yield their fruit.

“If you walk contrary to Me, and will not hearken to Me, then I will bring seven times more plagues upon you for your sins! And I will send in upon you the beasts of the held, to destroy you and your cattle, and make you few in number, and that your highways may be desolate.

“And if even so you will not amend, but will walk contrary to Me―then I also will walk contrary to you, and will strike you seven times for your sins. And I will bring in upon you the sword that shall avenge My covenant. And when you shall flee into the cities, I will send the pestilence in the midst of you, and you shall be delivered into the hands of your enemies! After I shall have broken the staff of your bread―so that ten women shall bake your bread in one oven and give it out by weight―you shall eat and shall not be filled.

“But if you will not for all this hearken to Me, but will walk against Me―then I will also go against you with opposite fury, and I will chastise you with seven plagues for your sins, so that you shall eat the flesh of your sons and of your daughters. I will destroy your high places, and break your idols. You shall fall among the ruins of your idols, and My soul shall abhor you. Insomuch that I will bring your cities to be a wilderness, and I will make your sanctuaries desolate, and will receive no more your sweet odors. And I will destroy your land, and your enemies shall be astonished at it, when they shall be the inhabitants thereof. And I will scatter you among the Gentiles, and I will draw out the sword after you, and your land shall be desert, and your cities destroyed. Then shall the land enjoy her Sabbaths all the days of her desolation: when you shall be in the enemy’s land, she shall keep a Sabbath, and rest in the Sabbaths of her desolation, because she did not rest in your Sabbaths when you dwelt therein.

“And as to them that shall remain of you I will send fear in their hearts in the countries of their enemies, the sound of a flying leaf shall terrify them, and they shall flee as it were from the sword: they shall fall, when no man pursueth them, and they shall every one fall upon their brethren as fleeing from wars, none of you shall dare to resist your enemies. You shall perish among the Gentiles, and an enemy’s land shall consume you.

“And if of them also some remain, they shall pine away in their iniquities, in the land of their enemies, and they shall be afflicted for the sins of their fathers, and their own―until they confess their iniquities and the iniquities of their ancestors, whereby they have transgressed Me, and walked contrary unto Me. Therefore I also will walk them, and bring them into their enemies’ land until their uncircumcised mind be ashamed: then shall they pray for their sins.

“But I will remember My covenant, that I made with Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham. I will remember also the land, which, when she shall be left by them, shall enjoy her Sabbaths, being desolate for them. And they shall pray for their sins, because they rejected My judgments, and despised My laws. And yet for all that when they were in the land of their enemies, I did not cast them off altogether, neither did I so despise them that they should be quite consumed, and I should make void My covenant with them. For I am the Lord their God. And I will remember My former covenant, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, in the sight of the Gentiles, to be their God. I am the Lord. These are the judgments, and precepts, and laws, which the Lord gave between Him and the children of Israel in Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses” (Leviticus 26:14-45).

The Church Crisis is Largely a Sin of Neglect
Why do people usually get sick? They become sick mainly because of neglect. They neglect to learn about their body and what makes it healthy and keeps it healthy―instead, they do what they want with a presumptuous notion that everything will be alright. They get sick because they ignore warnings about things that could be harmful to their health. They get sick because they over-indulge in things that give them pleasure and practice no moderation. They get sick because they abuse and break the laws of nature made by God for the welfare of mankind. If we would act according to right-reason, then there would be very few problems. Sickness is man-made, not God-made. The greatest ‘sickness’ of all is death―and death was caused by sin, and that sin was made by man. “By one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). “The wages of sin is death!” (Romans 6:23). Had Adam not sinned, he would not have been punished by death―not one of Adam’s descendants would have been punished by death unless they committed a personal sin.

In a sense, there is no greater crisis for any man or woman, than death. Death of the body is the greatest ‘sickness’ and greatest ‘crisis’ we have to face. God does not wish the death of a sinner, but He wants the conversion of the sinner: “Is it My will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live? … Be converted and do penance for all your iniquities―and iniquity shall not be your ruin! Cast away from you all your transgressions, by which you have transgressed, and make to yourselves a new heart, and a new spirit! And why will you die, O house of Israel? For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, return ye and live!” (Ezechiel 18:23, 18:30-32).

The current crisis in the Church is a macrocosm of the microcosm referred to, just above, by Holy Scripture. The Catholic Church has neglected God―neglected to pray to Him; neglected to worship Him; neglected to learn about Him and know Him; neglected to love Him with all the mind, heart, soul and strength; neglected to serve Him; neglected to keep His Commandments, neglected to listen to His teachings, neglected to heed His warnings, neglected to separate from the world, etc.

The Price of Neglect
Even though Christ has promised that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against His Church―this does not mean that most of the members of the Church will be saved. If there are only a handful of faithful Catholics left in the world, that means that the Church has survived the onslaughts of Hell, even if the vast majority of souls is lost and damned. This is what Our Lord even predicted―while saying that the gates of Hell would not prevail against the Church, he predicted that, at the end times, most souls within the Church will have lost the Faith: “The Son of man, when He cometh, shall He find, think you, Faith on Earth?” (Luke 18:8). You don’t lose the Faith without neglect―but you must use it or lose it. The Parable of the Talents reminds us of that:

“A man going into a far country, called his servants, and delivered to them his goods; [15] And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to everyone according to his proper ability: and immediately he took his journey. He that had received the five talents, went his way and traded with the same, and gained other five. And in like manner he that had received the two, gained other two. But he that had received the one, going his way dug into the earth and hid his lord’s money [NEGLECT]. After a long time the lord of those servants came and reckoned with them. And he that had received the five talents brought another five talents and his lord said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’ … He also that had received the two talents came and said: ‘Lord, thou deliveredst two talents to me―behold I have gained other two!’ His lord said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’ … But he that had received the one talent, came and said: ‘Lord, … I hid thy talent in the earth: behold here thou hast that which is thine!’ And his lord answering, said to him: ‘Wicked and slothful servant! … Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him that hath ten talents! … And the unprofitable servant cast ye out into the exterior darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’” (Matthew 25:14-30).

All of which reminds us some other stern words of Our Lord: “Not everyone that saith to Me: ‘Lord! Lord!’ shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: but he that doth the will of My Father Who is in Heaven, he shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day: ‘Lord! Lord! Have not we prophesied in Thy Name, and cast out devils in Thy Name, and done many miracles in Thy Name?’ And then will I profess unto them: ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me!’” (Matthew 7:21-23). “And why call you Me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Self-Induced Crisis
The cost of neglect is terrible. God wants to do good things for us―but if we neglect to keep His counsels, His words and His Commandments, then He will allow very painful things to happen to us―as clearly shown by this following passage from Holy Scripture, which puts to the two options and two consequences before us: (1) Obey God and there will be no crisis, (2) Disobey God and there will be a terrible crisis:

“I am the Lord your God! You shall not make to yourselves any idol or graven thing, neither shall you erect pillars, nor set up a remarkable stone in your land, to adore it—for I am the Lord your God! Keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary—I am the Lord! If you walk in My precepts, and keep My commandments, and do them, I will give you rain in due seasons. And the ground shall bring forth its increase, and the trees shall be filled with fruit. The threshing of your harvest shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land without fear. I will give peace in your coasts: you shall sleep, and there shall be none to make you afraid. I will take away evil beasts: and the sword shall not pass through your quarters. You shall pursue your enemies, and they shall fall before you. Five of yours shall pursue a hundred others, and a hundred of you ten thousand: your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. I will look on you, and make you increase: you shall be multiplied, and I will establish My covenant with you. You shall eat the oldest of the old store, and, new coming on, you shall cast away the old. I will set My tabernacle in the midst of you, and My soul shall not cast you off. I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of the Egyptians, that you should not serve them, and who have broken the chains of your necks, that you might go upright. But if you will not hear Me, nor do all My commandments, then …” (Leviticus 26:1-14).

“But if you will not hear Me, nor do all My commandments, if you despise My laws, and contemn My judgments, so as not to do those things which are appointed by Me, and to make void My covenant, then I also will do these things to you― I will quickly visit you with poverty, and burning heat, which shall waste your eyes, and consume your lives. You shall sow your seed in vain, which shall be devoured by your enemies. I will set My face against you, and you shall fall down before your enemies, and shall be made subject to them that hate you, you shall flee when no man pursueth you.

“But if you will not yet for all this obey Me―then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins, and I will break the pride of your stubbornness, and I will make to you the Heaven above as iron, and the Earth as brass! Your labor shall be spent in vain, the ground shall not bring forth her increase, nor the trees yield their fruit.

“If you walk contrary to Me, and will not hearken to Me, then I will bring seven times more plagues upon you for your sins! And I will send in upon you the beasts of the held, to destroy you and your cattle, and make you few in number, and that your highways may be desolate.

“And if even so you will not amend, but will walk contrary to Me―then I also will walk contrary to you, and will strike you seven times for your sins. And I will bring in upon you the sword that shall avenge My covenant. And when you shall flee into the cities, I will send the pestilence in the midst of you, and you shall be delivered into the hands of your enemies! After I shall have broken the staff of your bread―so that ten women shall bake your bread in one oven and give it out by weight―you shall eat and shall not be filled.

“But if you will not for all this hearken to Me, but will walk against Me―then I will also go against you with opposite fury, and I will chastise you with seven plagues for your sins, so that you shall eat the flesh of your sons and of your daughters. I will destroy your high places, and break your idols. You shall fall among the ruins of your idols, and My soul shall abhor you. Insomuch that I will bring your cities to be a wilderness, and I will make your sanctuaries desolate, and will receive no more your sweet odors. And I will destroy your land, and your enemies shall be astonished at it, when they shall be the inhabitants thereof. And I will scatter you among the Gentiles, and I will draw out the sword after you, and your land shall be desert, and your cities destroyed. Then shall the land enjoy her Sabbaths all the days of her desolation: when you shall be in the enemy’s land, she shall keep a Sabbath, and rest in the Sabbaths of her desolation, because she did not rest in your Sabbaths when you dwelt therein.

“And as to them that shall remain of you I will send fear in their hearts in the countries of their enemies, the sound of a flying leaf shall terrify them, and they shall flee as it were from the sword: they shall fall, when no man pursueth them, and they shall every one fall upon their brethren as fleeing from wars, none of you shall dare to resist your enemies. You shall perish among the Gentiles, and an enemy’s land shall consume you.

“And if of them also some remain, they shall pine away in their iniquities, in the land of their enemies, and they shall be afflicted for the sins of their fathers, and their own―until they confess their iniquities and the iniquities of their ancestors, whereby they have transgressed Me, and walked contrary unto Me. Therefore I also will walk them, and bring them into their enemies’ land until their uncircumcised mind be ashamed: then shall they pray for their sins.

“But I will remember My covenant, that I made with Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham. I will remember also the land, which, when she shall be left by them, shall enjoy her Sabbaths, being desolate for them. And they shall pray for their sins, because they rejected My judgments, and despised My laws. And yet for all that when they were in the land of their enemies, I did not cast them off altogether, neither did I so despise them that they should be quite consumed, and I should make void My covenant with them. For I am the Lord their God. And I will remember My former covenant, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, in the sight of the Gentiles, to be their God. I am the Lord. These are the judgments, and precepts, and laws, which the Lord gave between Him and the children of Israel in Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses” (Leviticus 26:14-45).

We Sleep in Peace While Neglecting the Warnings!
If all of the above is not definable as “a crisis”, then nothing is! Yet that is what is increasingly happening to us today, as God “turns the screws” of worldwide punishment for worldwide sin. Do not pretend that the world is not exceedingly sinful! Our Lady has persistently warned us about the unacceptable escalation of sin, yet we sleep comfortably and imperturbably in the midst of it. How can one sleep in peace after hearing Our Lady―at Quito, Fatima and Akita―say the following:

The spirit of impurity that will permeate the atmosphere during these times. Like a filthy ocean, it will run through the streets, squares and public places with an astonishing liberty. There will be almost no virgin souls in the world … Moreover, in these unhappy times, there will be unbridled luxury which, acting thus to snare the rest into sin, will conquer innumerable frivolous souls who will be lost. Innocence will almost no longer be found in children, nor modesty in women, and in this supreme moment of need of the Church, those who should speak will fall silent ... The Christian spirit will rapidly decay, extinguishing the precious light of Faith, until it reaches the point that there will be an almost total and general corruption of morals … Nature is asking for vengeance because of man, and she trembles, with dread, at what must happen to the Earth stained with crime. Tremble, Earth, and you who proclaim yourselves as serving Jesus Christ and who, on the inside, only adore yourselves! Tremble, for God will hand you over to His enemy, because the holy places are in a state of corruption. Many convents are no longer houses of God, but the grazing-grounds of Asmodeas [the devil of impurity] and his like.

“Many men in this world afflict the Lord … Do not offend the Lord our God anymore, because He is already so much offended … If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them … In order that the world might know His anger, the Heavenly Father is preparing to inflict a great chastisement on all mankind … As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one never seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead … The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness … Woe to the inhabitants of the Earth! God will strike in an unprecedented way. God will exhaust His wrath upon them, and no one will be able to escape so many afflictions together. The chiefs, the leaders of the people of God, have neglected prayer and penance … Several religious institutions will lose all Faith and will lose many souls. Evil books will be abundant on Earth and the spirits of darkness will spread everywhere a universal slackening of all that concerns the service of God ... as true Faith fades and false light will brighten the people … The true Faith to the Lord having been forgotten … disorder and the love of carnal pleasures will be spread all over the Earth. People will think of nothing but amusement. The wicked will give themselves over to all kinds of sin.”

“Pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you … Say the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and the end of the war … The only weapons which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by my Son. Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and priests … Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary! … Sacrifice yourselves for sinners … Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to Hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and pray for them! … Pray very much for the Pope, Bishops, and Priests! … I desire souls to console and to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish, with my Son, for souls who will repair―by their suffering and their poverty―for the sinners and the ungrateful … If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved!”

To Blessed Sister Elena Aiello (1895-1961)―mystic, stigmatic, victim soul, prophetess and foundress of the Minim Tertiaries of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ―Our Lady, in an apparition on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th, 1956, said: “People are offending God too much! Were I to show you all the sins committed on a single day, you would surely die of grief. These are grave times. The world is in total turmoil because it is in a worse condition than at the time of the deluge. Materialism marches on ever fomenting bloody strifes and fratricidal struggles. Clear signs portend that peace is in danger. That scourge, like the shadow of a dark cloud, is now moving across mankind: only my power, as Mother of God, is preventing the outbreak of the storm. All is hanging on a slender thread. When that thread shall snap, Divine Justice shall pounce upon the world and execute its dreadful, purging designs. All the nations shall be punished because sins, like a muddy river, are now covering all the Earth.”

Let Us Not Pretend!
Let us not indulge in arrogance and self-deception by pretending that we are not neglectful of God and His will. The current crisis in the Church is largely self-induced by gross neglect―all across the board. This negligence is found on the part of the clergy and the laity. There are no exceptions―only differing degrees of guilt in that neglect. We have been told countless times what we need to do―yet we do not do it! We tend to want to “pass-the-buck”, point the finger at others, blame others―just as Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. We neglect our responsibility towards other souls and protest, like Cain, after killing Abel, protested to God when questioned as to where Abel was: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9). To which God answered words that could well be applied to us today, due our neglect to try and correct and save our neighbor: “What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth to Me from the earth! Now, therefore, cursed shalt thou be upon the Earth!” (Genesis 4:10-11).

We Are At War! ― Yet We Live in Peace!
“Hear, O foolish people and without understanding―who have eyes and see not; and ears and hear not!” (Jeremias 5:21). We are blind and deaf to Heaven’s warnings! Sister Lucia of Fatima expressed this to Fr. Fuentes in 1957, saying: “Father, the Blessed Virgin is very sad, because no one heeds her message; neither the good nor the bad. The good continue on the road of goodness with their life of virtue and apostolate without paying mind to this Message―they do not unite their lives to the message of Fatima. Sinners, the bad, because of their sins, do not see God’s chastisement about to fall upon them presently, also keep following the road of evil through sin, ignoring the Message, because they do not see the terrible chastisement about to befall them. But, Father, you must believe me that God is going to punish the world and chastise it in a tremendous way!” (Sr. Lucia of Fatima to Fr. Fuentes, December 26th, 1957).

We―who think ourselves to be good―shall not be spared, for Our Lady of Akita says: “As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one never seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful!” Why the “good” and the “faithful” and “priests”? Because they are not doing what they should be doing! Going back to what Sr. Lucia said: “No one heeds her message; neither the good nor the bad. The good continue on the road of goodness with their life of virtue and apostolate without paying mind to this Message―they do not unite their lives to the message of Fatima!”

The world is going to Hell like snowflakes in a blizzard―as several were shown in visions―yet we basically “don’t give a damn” about it! The Father and Doctor of the Church, St. John Chrysostom, has said that, on Judgment Day, we shall be judged upon our charity and charity alone―which is also what St. Paul indicates when he writes: “If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not Charity―then I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all Faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not Charity―then I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not Charity―then it profiteth me nothing!” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). He then goes on to describe, in part and in concrete terms, what Charity is or does: “Charity is patient, is kind; Charity envieth not; dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up; is not ambitious; seeketh not her own; is not provoked to anger; thinketh no evil; [6] rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things; believeth all things; hopeth all things; endureth all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

A Grave Neglect of Charity!
Canon Law tells us that the supreme law of the Church is the salvation of souls! What kind of an offence do you think it must be to break or neglect the supreme law of the Church? It is our lack of charity that is fueling the crisis in the Church and damning souls. St. John Chrysostom adds that, at our Final Judgment, we shall be judged upon what happened in the world during our lifetime, that we shall be judged upon the sins of the world and what we tried to do to prevent them. Of course, nobody can go around the world and try and speak to and convert every single sinner―but we have a spiritual influence that can reach the whole world, and that is through our prayers and sacrifices. That is precisely what Our Lady has been asking for―and we have been neglectful in giving. “Pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you … Say the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and the end of the war … The only weapons which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by my Son. Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and priests … Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary! … Sacrifice yourselves for sinners … Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to Hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and pray for them! … Pray very much for the Pope, Bishops, and Priests! … I desire souls to console and to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish, with my Son, for souls who will repair―by their suffering and their poverty―for the sinners and the ungrateful … If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved!” (Our Lady at Fatima and Akita).

How can we say we are truly caring and charitable when most of mankind is being damned and we “don’t give a damn”? “We have known the charity of God, because He hath laid down His life for us―and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. He that hath the substance of this world and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from him―how doth the charity of God abide in him? Let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but by deed and in truth! If we love one another, God abideth in us, and His charity is perfected in us … If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother―he is a liar! For he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how can he love God, Whom he seeth not? And this commandment we have from God, that he, who loveth God, love also his brother” (1 John 3:17; 4:12, 20-21). If we pray and work for the conversion of others, we manifest our love for Christ― “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost!” (Luke 19:10), Who also says: “Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to Me! … Amen I say to you, as long as you did it NOT to one of these least, neither did you do it to Me!” (Matthew 25:40, 45).

We might perhaps toss an occasional Hail Mary, or, if we are really ‘pious’, an occasional Rosary at Heaven’s feet for the conversion of sinners―thinking we have done our part, or paid the price, in saving those millions and billions of souls within each generation that fall into Hell. Do we really think that our distracted, rushed, non-meditated, mechanically said Rosary is worth that much? When only 2% of American Catholics pray the Rosary daily―do we think that can pay the price of converting the 90% to 99% (if we are to believe the saints) that fall into Hell? Somehow, it seems that we are inflating our Rosaries with the hot air of our arrogance!

Besides, for our prayers to effective on the behalf of others, we need to be in a state of sanctifying grace! How many Catholics are living in a state of sanctifying grace? Just think of the impure thoughts watching non-pornographic TV where people are immodestly or alluringly dressed! All impure thoughts, words and actions are ALWAYS mortal sins, there is no venial impure thought, word or action. Or the mortal sins committed by the tongue―calumny (lies―by exaggeration, or total invention, or imagination); detraction (revealing of the unknown mortal sins of others, or revealing their unknown venial sins, but in a manner that causes serious loss of reputation); mortal sins of neglect (neglecting to go to Sunday Mass; neglect in correctly confessing our mortal sins; neglect in teaching our children the Faith sufficiently well in view of the threats present today; neglect in daily prayer; neglect in avoiding the serious occasions of mortal sin; etc.).

We are in this mess because of our neglect of the spiritual! Our spiritual immune system―and the spiritual immune system of the Church―cannot possibly be strong and resistant to the devil, the world and the passions and inclinations of our own flesh, unless it is nourished by grace that ordinarily comes through the Sacraments, prayer, sacrifices, mortifications and penances. Once these are reduced, the power of the spiritual immune system is reduced and we inevitably, like a hot-air balloon, lose altitude―or like a ship, taking on the waters of the world, we sink deeper and deeper into the sea of the world. Ultimately, we are where we are because of our spiritual neglect.

Article 3
HOW DO WE GET OUT OF THIS CRISIS OR MESS?

Common Sense Cures
Some problems need no “rocket science” to bring about a cure―pure, simple common-sense is enough. If, through neglect in being attentive, you have mistakenly taken the wrong direction on the interstate and have started driving to the east when you should have gone west, then common-sense tells you to simply turn around at the next available opportunity and start going in the opposite direction―start driving west. As a punishment, you will have lost time and lost money in wasting gas by traveling in the wrong direction―that is something you have to accept. It could have been worse if you had not noticed early enough and thus, perhaps, driven tens or hundreds of miles in the wrong direction.

If you accidentally place your hand on a red-hot gridiron on the stove-top, common-sense tells you to remove it immediately and place your hand under cold running water for a few minutes and then apply other treatments afterwards. As a punishment for your neglect in noticing what you were doing, you will be in great pain for a number of days―that is something you have to accept. Yet it would have been worse if you had continued to hold the red-hot gridiron, or placed in your other hand, or handed it to anyone else.

If, through neglect of attention, you scrape your car along the side of the car alongside you, while reversing out of your parking space, then you stop immediately when you hear that scraping noise, otherwise you will make matters worse. As a punishment for your neglect in paying attention, you will have to pay for the damage, which could have been worse if you had not stopped once you heard the scraping noise.

If through neglect, you avoid going to see the doctor when you notice some worrying symptoms, you could promote and aid the advance of a disease to a point of no return, or at least to a point where expensive and debilitating surgery might be required. As they say: “A stitch in time, saves nine!” or even more so: “An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure!”

Common-Sense of God
Could God put it any more clearly than this? “The soul that sinneth, the same shall die! … But if the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all My commandments, and do judgment and justice, then living he shall live, and shall not die! I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done―and in his justice, which he hath wrought, he shall live! Is it My will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live? But if the just man turn himself away from his justice, and do iniquity according to all the abominations which the wicked man useth to work―shall he live? All his justices, which he hath done, shall not be remembered! In the prevarication by which he hath prevaricated, and in his sin, which he hath committed, in them he shall die!” (Ezechiel 18). [prevarication = to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead; deceitfulness; falsity; pretense]

Thus―in this present crisis of the Church―we have to stop doing or stop neglecting what has brought about the crisis and start doing and paying attention to and practicing the opposite. Plants and vegetation start to wilt and die during a drought―due to a lack of water. Similarly, the Church and its members being to wilt and die spiritually during a drought of grace (grace is often symbolized by water and thus we use water to baptize, which symbolizes grace washing us clean from the stain of sin and grace being poured, like water, into our soul).

Lack of Sincerity and Effort―Catholic in Name, but not Catholic by Nature
What is true for the business world, education and marriage, is also true of the Faith. In the business world, very few people put in “a fair day’s work” to get their “fair day’s pay”―most people “pretend to give a “fair day’s work” but in all honesty and in reality they fall far short of the mark! The same is true in education―most students do not put in the effort they should be putting into their studies, their homework and their projects. They are, for the most part―just as in the business world―minimalists, who seek to do the minimal that they can get away with doing. The same holds true for marriage―most marriages go downhill soon after wedding day. It may a year or two, or more―but eventually they, like workers and students―fall into the rut of doing the minimum that they can get away with.

This―naturally, inevitably and unavoidably―carries over into the spiritual life and our relationship with God and our service of God―we do the minimal we can get away with! Rather than progressively praying more and better―we pray less and more badly. Rather than going to more and more Masses―we do the very minimum (Sunday) or perhaps not even that! Rather than meditate more and partake in more spiritual reading―our meditation and reading is worldly, earthly and materialistic. We prefer to examine our bank account rather than examine our consciences. We prefer to car maintenance and house maintenance to the spiritual maintenance of our soul. We can spend hours daily on the TV, internet, smartphone or tablet―but a half-hour reading the Bible seems like Hell on Earth! In fact, we can’t even recall the last time we spent half-an-hour reading the Bible! We think we are heroes if we say the Rosary daily (or perhaps a few times a week)―but we never (or very rarely) really mediate the mysteries and make and take resolutions after meditating them! We know an incredible amount of things when it comes to the world―business, science, news, skills, stats, etc. ― but we cannot remember some of the answers to our First Holy Communion or Confirmation Catechism questions! We know the members of some favorite sports team, or ingredients for a recipe―but we cannot even name the Twelve Apostles! Some have trouble remembering all the Ten Commandments, and most cannot name the six chief Commandments of the Church, or the required conditions for making a good Confession or Holy Communion!

Cardinal Newman on False Catholics
It was not in vain that Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman wrote in 1839: “Ananias and Simon were not open opposers of the Apostles, but false brethren!” Cardinal Newman refers to the passage from the Acts of Apostles, which reads as follows: “But a certain man named Ananias, with Saphira his wife, sold a piece of land and, by fraud, kept back part of the price of the land, his wife being privy thereunto―and, bringing a certain part of it, laid it at the feet of the Apostles [It was common for the early Christians to share everything they had with other Christians]. But Peter said: ‘Ananias! Why hath Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Ghost, and by fraud keep part of the price of the land? Whilst it remained, did it not remain to thee? And after it was sold, was it not in thy power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God!’ And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down, and gave up the ghost. And there came great fear upon all that heard it. And the young men rising up, removed him, and carrying him out, buried him” (Acts 5:1-6).

Simon the Magician, having converted from his old ways, likewise, was not a sincere believer: “Now there was a certain man named Simon, who before had been a magician in that city, seducing the people of Samaria, giving out that he was some great one―to whom they all gave ear, from the least to the greatest, saying: This man is the power of God, which is called great. And they were attentive to him, because, for a long time, he had bewitched them with his magical practices. But when they had believed Philip preaching of the kingdom of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also; and, being baptized, he adhered to Philip. And being astonished, wondered to see the signs and exceeding great miracles which were done. Now when the Apostles, who were in Jerusalem, had heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John. Who, when they were come, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost … And when Simon saw, that by the imposition of the hands of the Apostles, the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying: ‘Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I shall lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost!’ But Peter said to him: ‘Keep thy money to thyself, to perish with thee! Because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money! … Thy heart is not right in the sight of God! Do penance therefore for this thy wickedness; and pray to God, that perhaps this thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee!’ … Then Simon answering, said: ‘Pray you for me to the Lord, that none of these things which you have spoken may come upon me!’” (Acts 8:9-24).

Any of us, he said, can affect a certain kind of religiosity without sincerity, any of us can be tempted to put on the trappings of faith without the interior disposition. Any of us can be tempted to give the appearance of love when, in truth, we do not love. Real faith grows when we have the humility and the honesty to profess what we really believe, to speak what we really know, and to stand before God and one another as we really are. Sadly, today, most Catholics are seriously lacking in some or more aspects of their Catholicism―they call themselves Catholics, yet they are some way from being acceptable Catholics. Our Lord refers to this, when He says: “Not everyone that saith to Me: ‘Lord! Lord!’ shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: but he that doth the will of My Father Who is in Heaven, he shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day: ‘Lord! Lord! Have not we prophesied in Thy Name, and cast out devils in Thy Name, and done many miracles in Thy Name?’ And then will I profess unto them: ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me!’” (Matthew 7:21-23). “And why call you Me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Poisoned Medicine―Poisoned Faith
Medicine, that has been greatly diluted, will not bring about a cure. Likewise, Catholicism that has been greatly diluted with worldliness, will not bring an end to the present crisis―nor is it likely to save souls. This is because it is mixing of medicine with poison―the Faith being medicine and worldliness being the poison. As Our Lord says: ““Lay not up to yourselves treasures on Earth … But lay up to yourselves treasures in Heaven … For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also ... No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon!” (Matthew 6:19-24). Today, almost every Catholic is diluted and poisoned, serving both God and mammon―trying to love both God and the world: “Know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world, becometh an enemy of God” (James 4:4). “Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, is the concupiscence of the flesh, and the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15-16).

Catholics are meant to the sheep in Christ’s flock. What has happened to Catholics―both the clergy and the laity―is that they have changed from being sheep, to being goats in sheep’s clothing, or even wolves in sheep’s clothing! They call themselves “sheep”, but act more like “goats” or even “wolves”―and this has become so common place, that nobody worries over it anymore and nobody really notices anymore.

Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, in speaking of the visions that God granted her, speaks of such a phenomenon when she says: “Among the strangest things that I saw, was a long processions of bishops. Their thoughts and utterances were made known to me through images issuing from their mouths. Their faults towards religion were shown by external deformities ... I saw what I believe to be nearly all the bishops of the world, but only a small number were perfectly sound ... had a vision of two churches and two Popes and a variety of things, ancient and modern ... I saw also the relationship between two popes ... I saw how harmful would be the consequences of this false church. I saw it increase in size; heretics of every kind came into the city of Rome. The local clergy grew lukewarm, and I saw a great darkness ... I had another vision of the great tribulation. It seems to me that a concession was demanded from the clergy which could not be granted. I saw many older priests, especially one, who wept bitterly. A few younger ones were also weeping. But others, and the lukewarm among them, readily did what was demanded … I saw that many pastors allowed themselves to be taken up with ideas that were dangerous to the Church ... Most priests were lured by the glittering but false knowledge and they all contributed to the work of destruction ... Priests allowed everything and said Mass with much irreverence. I saw that few of them were still godly … I saw no altar in this new church, but only benches, and in the middle of it something like a pulpit. They had preaching and singing, but nothing else, and only very few attended it … In those days, Faith will fall very low, and it will be preserved in some places only, in a few cottages and in a few families which God has protected … It was as if people were splitting into two camps. They were building a great, strange, and extravagant Church. Everyone was to be admitted in it in order to be united and have equal rights: Evangelicals, Catholics, sects of every description. Such was to be the new ‘Church’!”

The Visions and Prophecies Come True
What Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824) saw to be in the future, we can now see around us today. We are living what she foretold. Her visions are our actualities. If you cannot see and understand that―then it is even less likely that you will see and understand the way out of this crisis. Many do not see the crisis of Faith―all they see is a sexual abuse crisis―that is largely due to the fact that the world is overwhelmingly preoccupied with sexual things in one form or another, which you can easily see in the fashions of the world, the musical lyrics, the TV shows, the movies, the internet, billboards and advertisements, etc. Step back 60 or 70 years―never even mind the earlier centuries―and you will see nowhere near the sexual overtones and undercurrents that you can see today. Our Lady already revealed to the children at Fatima that the kind of sin that was causing the damnation of most people was the sin of impurity in all of its various forms―thoughts, words, actions and images―and that was WAY BACK IN 1917!! What would she say today?

Article 4
TURN TO MARY BEFORE IT GETS SCARY!

Don't Be Like the Foolish Virgins! Turn to Mary Before Hell Breaks Loose!
“Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. And five of them were foolish, and five wise. But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps. And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made: ‘Behold the bridegroom cometh! Go ye forth to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise: ‘Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out!’ The wise answered, saying: ‘Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves!’ Now whilst they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. But at last come also the other virgins, saying: ‘Lord! Lord! Open to us! But He answering said: ‘Amen I say to you, I know you not!’” (Matthew 25:1-12).

Forgetful Frogs in the Pan of Increasing Tribulations
We all know the proverbial “frog-in-the-pan-of-heated-water” metaphor. The “boiling frog” metaphor is a describing a frog being slowly boiled alive. The supposition is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in lukewarm water, which is then brought to a boil very slowly, it will not perceive the danger until it is too late and will be cooked to death. The frog's survival instincts are geared towards detecting sudden changes.

As part of advancing science, several experiments observing the reaction of frogs to slowly heated water took place in the 19th century. In 1869, while doing experiments searching for the location of the soul, German physiologist Friedrich Goltz demonstrated that a frog that has had its brain removed, will remain in slowly heated water, but an intact frog attempted to escape the water when it reached 25°F or 25°C. An 1872 experiment by Heinzmann was said to show that a normal frog would not attempt to escape if the water was heated slowly enough, which was corroborated in 1875 by Fratscher. In 1888, Sedgwick said the apparent contradiction between the results of these experiments was a consequence of different heating rates used in the experiments: “The truth appears to be that if the heating be sufficiently gradual, no reflex movements will be produced even in the normal frog; if it be more rapid, yet take place at such a rate as to be fairly called 'gradual', it will not secure the response of the normal frog under any circumstances.” Goltz had raised the temperature of the water from 63°F to 133°F (17.5°C to 56°C) in about ten minutes, or 7°F (3.8°C) per minute, in his experiment, whereas Heinzmann heated the frogs over the course of 90 minutes from about 70°F to 100°F (21°C to 37.5°C), a rate of less than 0.36°F (0.2°C) per minute or 1°F every 3 minutes. In the article entitled “On the Variation of Reflex Excitability in the Frog induced by changes of Temperature” (1882), William Thompson Sedgwick writes: “in one experiment the temperature was raised at a rate of 0.002°C per second (= 0.36°F or 0.2°C per minute, = 1°F every 3 minutes), and the frog was found dead at the end of 2½ hours without having moved.”

The story of “frog-in-the-pan-of-heated-water” is often used as a metaphor for the inability, or unwillingness, of people to react to, or be aware of, sinister threats that arise gradually, rather than suddenly. It is often used to illustrate how humans have to be careful to watch slowly changing trends in the environment, not just the sudden changes. It is a warning that encourages us to keep paying attention, not just to obvious threats, but to more slowly developing ones. The “frog-in-the-pan” technique relies on the hope that every little incremental change will be so little as make people think they are “splitting-hairs” or being “over-sensitive” or “over-reactive” if they were to complain about or oppose each or every little incremental change. Thus, as the saying goes: “Little by little one goes far!” In the case of the Faith, little by little one goes further and further away from the true Faith. As Scripture warns: “There shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears! And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables. But be thou vigilant!” (2 Timothy 4:3-5). That “time”, that Scripture speaks of, is without doubt our time or era.

In philosophy the boiling frog story has been used as a way of explaining the “sorites paradox.” It describes a hypothetical heap of sand from which individual grains are removed one at a time, and asks if there is a specific point when it can no longer be defined as a heap. You could apply that to the Faith and take away one belief after another and ask if, at a specific point, the person can no longer be described as Catholic. Or in making repeated gradual changes to traditional Catholic teaching, where is there a specific point when the teaching becomes no longer Catholic?

Catholics Now Live in “Fogland” and “Frogland”
The Faith of most Catholics is very “foggy” ― they know very little and they care very little about knowing little! Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich reveals that in a vision God showed her, on June 1st, 1821, the bishops of the Church would be in a theological fog: “Among the strangest things that I saw, were long processions of bishops. Their thoughts and utterances were made known to me through images issuing from their mouths. Their faults towards religion were shown by external deformities. A few had only a body, with a dark cloud of fog instead of a head. Others had only a head, their bodies and hearts were like thick vapors. Some were lame; others were paralytics; others were asleep or staggering. I saw what I believe to be nearly all the bishops of the world, but only a small number were perfectly sound.”

The symbolism of the above could be interpreted in a number of ways: “Heads like fog” may mean errors of thinking. “Heads only, no bodies and no hearts” may mean high intellect, but divorced from reality and with no charity. “Lame” may mean performance of duty in a half-hearted way. “Paralytics” may mean powerlessness to do anything although the knowledge of what should be done is not impaired. “Asleep” may denote an unawareness of the vital problems which are facing the Church. “Staggering” may mean that the burden of responsibility is too heavy.

Warnings Given to Blessed Sr. Elena Aiello in the 1950s and 1960s
Blessed Elena Aiello (1895–1961) was an Italian professed religious sister and the founder of the Minim Sisters of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Elena Aiello joined the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, but was forced to leave due to grave health, that soon kept her confined to her home where she began experiencing visions of both Jesus Christ and the Madonna as well as saints such as Saint Francesco di Paola. Sister Elena Aiello began experiencing the stigmata each Good Friday from 1923 and this ended not long before her death in 1961.

GOOD FRIDAY (APRIL 7) 1950
Our Blessed Mother revealed to Blessed Sister Elena Aiello: “The Church will be in labor, but the forces of Hell cannot prevail! You must suffer for the Pope and Christ, and thus Christ will be safe on Earth; and the Pope, with his redemptive word, will, in part, save the world. Satan reigns and triumphs on Earth! See how the souls are falling into Hell. See how high the flames are, and the souls who fall into them like flakes of snow, looking like transparent embers! How many sparks! How many cries of hate, and of despair! How much pain! See how many priestly souls are lost! Look at the sign of their consecration in their transparent hands! (In the palms of their hands the sign of the cross, in more vivid fire, could clearly be seen!) What torture, my daughter, in my maternal Heart! Great is my sorrow to see that men do not change! The justice of the Father requires reparation — otherwise many will be lost! See how Russia will burn! Sister Elena says: “Before my eyes there extended an immense field covered with flames and smoke, in which souls were submerged as if in a sea of fire.” Our Lady continued: “And all this fire is not that which will fall from the hands of men, but will be hurled directly from the Angels at the time of the great chastisement and purification that will come upon the Earth. Therefore I ask prayers, penance and sacrifice, so I may act as Mediatrix for my Son in order to save souls.”

JESUS’ MESSAGE OF GOOD FRIDAY (APRIL 16) 1954
Our Lord said: “Behold My child, see to what ends the sins of man have reduced Me. The world has lowered itself in overflowing corruption. The governments of the people have risen like demons incarnated, and, while they speak of peace they prepare for war with the most devastating implements to destroy peoples and nations. Men have become ungrateful to My Sacred Heart, and abusing My Mercy, have transformed the Earth into a scene of crime. Numerous scandals are bringing souls to ruin particularly through the corruption of youth. Stirred up, and unrestrained in the enjoyment of the pleasures of the world, they have degraded their spirit in corruption and sin. The bad example of parents trains the family in scandal and infidelity, instead of virtue and prayer, which is almost dead on the lips of many. Stained and withered is the fountain of Faith and sanctity the home. The wills of men do not change. They live in their obstinacy of sin. More severe are the scourges and plagues to recall them to the way of God; but men still become furious, like wounded beasts and harden their hearts against the grace of God. The world is no longer worthy of pardon, but only of fire, destruction and death! There must be more prayers and penances from the souls faithful to Me, in order to appease the just wrath of God, and to temperate the just sentence of punishment, suspended over Earth by the intercession of My Beloved Mother, who is also the Mother of all men.

‘Oh! how sad is My Heart to see that men do not convert or respond to so many calls of love and grief, manifested by My Beloved Mother to errant men. Roaming in darkness, they continue to live in sin, and further away from God! But the scourge of fire is near, to purify the Earth of the iniquities of the wicked. The justice of God requires reparation for the many offenses and misdeeds that cover the Earth, and which can no longer be compromised. Men are obstinate in their guilt, and do not return to God. The Church is opposed, and the priests are despised because of the bad ones who give scandal. Make it known to all men that, repentant, they must return to God, and, in doing so, may hope for pardon, and be saved from the just vengeance of a scorned God!”

Our Lady then appeared and said: ‘Listen attentively, and reveal to all! My Heart is sad for so many sufferings in an impending world in ruin. The justice of our Father is most offended. Men live in their obstinacy of sin. The wrath of God is near. Soon the world will be afflicted with great calamities, bloody revolutions, frightful hurricanes, and the overflowing of streams and the seas. Cry out until the priests of God lend their ears to my voice, to advise men that the time is near at hand, and if men do not return to God with prayers and penances, the world will be overturned in a new and more terrible war. Arms most deadly will destroy peoples and nations! The dictators of the Earth, specimens infernal, will demolish the churches and desecrate the Holy Eucharist, and will destroy things most dear. In this impious war, much will be destroyed of that which has been built by the hands of man. Clouds with lightning flashes of fire in the sky and a tempest of fire shall fall upon the world. This terrible scourge, never before seen in the history of humanity, will last seventy hours. Godless persons will be crushed and wiped out. Many will be lost because they remain in their obstinacy of sin. Then shall be seen the power of light over the power of darkness. Be not silent, my daughter, because the hours of darkness, of abandonment, are near. I am bending over the world, holding in suspension the justice of God. Otherwise these things would already have now come to pass. Prayers and penances are necessary because men must return to God and to my Immaculate Heart—the Mediatrix of men to God, and thus the world will be at least in part saved. Cry out these things to all, like the very echo of my voice. Let this be known to all, because it will help save many souls, and prevent much destruction in the Church and in the world.”

MESSAGE OF GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 8TH, 1955
Our Lady states: “Listen attentively, and make known all that I tell thee, because men, in spite of repeated warnings, are not returning to God. They refuse grace, and are not listening to my voice. You must have no doubt about what I am making known to you, because my words are very clear, and you must transmit them to all. Dark and frightful days are approaching! Mankind is obscured by a thick fog, as a result of the many grievous sins, which are well nigh covering the whole Earth. Today, more than ever, men are, resisting the calls from Heaven, and are blaspheming God, while wallowing in the mire of sin. So many souls going to Hell, and because the Church is wounded ― inwardly and outwardly.

“The whole world will soon be at war, and all mankind will he plunged into sorrow, because the justice of God will not be delayed in fulfilling its course, and these events are near. Tremendous will be the upheaval of the whole world, because men — as at the time of the Deluge — have lost God’s way, and are ruled by the spirit of Satan. Priests must unite by prayers and penance. They must hasten to spread the devotion to the Two Hearts. The hour of my triumph is close at hand. The victory will be accomplished through the love and mercy of the Heart of My Son, and of My Immaculate Heart, the Mediatrix between men and God. By accepting this invitation, and by uniting their tears to those of My Sorrowful Heart, priests and religious will obtain great graces for the salvation of poor sinners. Launch forth into the world a message to make known to all that the scourge is near at hand.

“The justice of God is weighing upon the world. Mankind, defiled in the mire, soon will be washed in its own blood, by disease; by famine; by earthquakes; by cloudbursts, tornadoes, floods, and terrible storms; and by war. But men ignore all these warnings, and are unwilling to be convinced that tragic events are hanging over the world, and that the hours of great trials are at hand. ‘If men do not amend their ways, a terrifying scourge of fire will come down from Heaven upon all the nations of the world, and men will be punished according to the debts contracted with Divine justice. There will be frightful moments for all, because Heaven will be joined with the Earth, and all the un-Godly people will be destroyed, some nations will be purified, while others will disappear entirely. You are to transmit these warnings to all, in order that the new generation will know that men had been warned in time, to turn to God by doing penance, and thus could have avoided these punishments. The time is not far off. When men least expect it, the course of Divine Justice will be accomplished.

“My Heart is so big for poor sinners, and I make use of every possible means that they may be saved. Look at this mantle, how big it is. If I were not bent over the Earth to cover all with my maternal love, the tempest of fire would have already broken upon the nations of the world! This is the mantle of mercy for all those who, having repented, come back to My Immaculate Heart. The right hand holds the mantle to cover and to save poor sinners, while with the left hand I hold back the Divine Justice, so that the time of Mercy may still be prolonged.”

MESSAGE ON THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, DECEMBER 8TH, 1956
Our Blessed Mother speaks: “The world today (on the feast of the Immaculate Conception) is honoring me, but my Motherly Heart is bleeding, because the enemy is at our doors! Men are offending God too much! If I were to show you the number of sins committed in a single day, you would die of horror and sorrow! The sins that distress God the most, are those of the souls who should perfume the air with the fragrance of their virtues. Instead, they contaminate (by their sinful lives) those who come near them. The times are grievous. The whole world is in turmoil, because it has become worse than at the time of the deluge! Everything is in suspense, like a thread; when this thread breaks, the justice of God will fall like a thunderbolt and will complete its terrible course of purification. The punishment of the impious will not be delayed. That day will be most fearful in the world! The Earth will tremble, all humanity will be shaken! The wicked and the obstinate will perish in the tremendous severity of the justice of the Lord! Launch at once a message into the world, to advise men to return to God by prayers and penances, and to come with confidence to my Immaculate Heart. My intercession must be shown, because I am the Mother of God, of the just, and of sinners. Through prayer and penance, my mercy will be able to hold back the hand of God’s justice.”

MESSAGES JESUS AND MARY IN 1959
Jesus, dripping with blood and with painful and suffering look, said: “Do you wish to unite with Me in My agony? See how much I suffer! The sins of men have reduced Me to this! What bitterness is poured into this Heart, pierced by many souls, who instead of loving Me with sacrifices by flight from sinful vanities of the corrupt world, commit much iniquity. Help me to suffer and make reparation for the many sins. If you knew the pain that My Heart suffers from the loss of so many souls! Satan travels victorious over all the sinful Earth. I need generous souls to appease the outraged justice of the Father, because the world is headed for imminent ruin. The hours of darkness are near!”

Then Our Lady appeared and said: “This great mantle which you see, is the expression of my mercy for covering sinners and for saving them. Men, instead, cover themselves with even more filth, and do not want to confess their real faults. Therefore, the justice of God will pass over the sinful world to purify humanity for so many sins, openly committed and hidden, especially those which corrupt youth. In order to save souls, I wish that there be propagated in the world the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mediatrix of men, devoted to the Mercy of God, and to the Queen of the Universe.

No longer do men speak according to the true spirit of the Gospel. The immorality of the times has reached a peak. But men do not listen to my motherly warnings, so the world must soon be purified. If men do not return to God, purifying fire will fall from the Heavens, like snowstorms, on all peoples, and a great part of humanity will be destroyed! The world will be once more afflicted with great calamity; with bloody revolutions; with great earthquakes; with famines; with epidemics; with fearful hurricanes; and with floods from rivers and seas. Russia will march upon all the nations of Europe, particularly Italy, and will raise her flag over the dome of St. Peter’s. Italy will be severely tried by a great revolution, and Rome will be purified in blood for its many sins, especially those of impurity! The flock is about to be dispersed and the Pope must suffer greatly. The only valid means for placating Divine Justice is to pray and do penance, returning to God with sincere sorrow for the faults committed, and then the chastisement of Divine Justice will be mitigated by mercy. Humanity will never find peace, if it does not return to my Immaculate Heart as Mother of Mercy, and Mediatrix of men; and to the Heart of my Son Jesus!”

GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH, 1960
Our Lady laments: “How youth lives in perdition! How many innocent souls find themselves enwrapped in a chain of scandals. The world has become as a flooded valley, overflowing with filth and mud. Some of the most difficult trials of Divine Justice are yet to come, before the deluge of fire. I, for a long time, have advised men in many ways, but they do not listen to my maternal appeals, and they continue to walk the paths of perdition. But soon terrifying manifestations will be seen, which will make even the most obdurate sinners tremble! Great calamities will come upon the world, which will bring confusion, tears, struggles and pain. Great earthquakes will swallow up entire cities and countries, and will bring epidemics, famine, and terrible destruction especially where the sons of darkness are (pagan or anti-God nations). In these tragic hours, the world has need of prayers and penance, because the Pope, the priests, and the Church are in danger. If you do not pray, Russia will march upon all of Europe, and particularly upon Italy, bringing much more ruin and havoc! Hence the priests must be in the front line of defense of the Church, by example and sanctity in life, for materialism is breaking forth in all nations and evil prevails over good. The rulers of the people do not understand this, because they do not have the Christian spirit; in their blindness, do not see the truth. In Italy, some leaders like rapacious wolves in sheep’s’ clothing, while calling themselves Christians — open the door to materialism, and, fostering dishonest actions, will bring Italy to ruin; but many of them, too, will fall in confusion.

“Propagate the devotions to my Immaculate Heart, of Mother of Mercy, Mediatrix of men, who believe in the mercy of God, and of the Queen of the Universe. I will manifest my partiality for Italy, which will be preserved from the fire, but the skies will be covered with dense darkness, and the Earth will be shaken by fearful earthquakes which will open deep abysses. Provinces and cities will be destroyed, and all will cry out that the end of the world has come! Even Rome will be punished, according to justice, for its many and serious sins, because here sin has reached its peak. Pray, and lose no time, lest it be too late; since dense darkness surrounds the Earth and the enemy is at the doors!”

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE HEART, AUGUST 22ND, 1960
The Madonna speaks: “The hour of the justice of God is close, and will be terrible! Tremendous scourges are impending over the world, and various nations are struck by epidemics, famines, great earthquakes, terrific hurricanes, with overflowing rivers and seas, which bring ruin and death. If the people do not recognize in these scourges (of nature) the warnings of Divine Mercy, and do not return to God with truly Christian living, another terrible war will come from the East to the West. Russia, with her secret armies, will battle America; will overrun Europe. The River Rhine will be overflowing with corpses and blood. Italy, also, will be harassed by a great revolution, and the Pope will suffer terribly. Spread the devotion to my Immaculate Heart, in order that many souls maybe conquered by my love and that many sinners may return to my Maternal Heart. Do not fear, for I will accompany with my maternal protection my faithful ones, and all those who accept my urgent warnings, and they — especially by the recitations of my Rosary — will be saved. Satan goes furiously through this disordered world, and soon will show all his might. But, because of my Immaculate Heart, the triumph of Light will not delay in its triumph over the power of darkness, and the world, finally, will have tranquility and peace.”

MESSAGE OF GOOD FRIDAY, MARCH 23RD, 1961
Our Lady reveals that “the scourge is near. Much is spoken of peace, but all the world will soon be at war, and the streets will be stained with blood! No gleam of light is seen in the world, because men live in the darkness of error, and the enormous weight of sin angers the justice of God. All nations will be punished, because sin has spread all over the world! Tremendous will be the punishments, because man has arrived at an insupportable contest with his God and Father, and has exasperated His infinite Goodness! Many iniquitous and wicked leaders of the people, who live and drag along with them their people outside the laws of God, showing themselves in sheep’s’ clothing, while being rapacious wolves, have ruined society, stirring it up against God and His Church. How can the world be saved, from the disaster that is about to crash down upon the misleading nations, if man does not repent of his errors and failings? The only salvation is a complete repentance and return to God, and a true devotion to my Immaculate Heart, particularly in the daily recitation of my Rosary. Once there was the chastisement by water, but if there is not a returning to God, there will come the chastisement by fire, which will cover the streets of the world with blood.

“My daughter, cry out loudly, and let it be known to all! My heart of Mother, and Mediatrix of men, close to the mercy of God, invites, with many manifestations and many signs, the people to penance and to pardon. But they respond with a storm of hate, blasphemies and sacrilegious profanations, as if blinded by an infernal rage. I wish prayers and penance, in order that I may again obtain mercy and salvation for many souls — otherwise they will be lost. People pay no attention to my motherly warnings, and thus the world is falling headlong evermore into an abyss of iniquity. Nations shall be convulsed by terrible disasters, causing destruction and death. Russia, spurred on by Satan, will seek to dominate the whole world and, by bloody revolutions, will propagate her false teachings throughout all the nations, especially in Italy. The Church will be persecuted and the Pope and the priests shall suffer much.”

On June 20th, 1961, after being stigmatized with wounds of Christ for almost 40 years, Sister Helena Aiello died, at the age of 66, in Cosenza, 100 kilometers southwest of Taranto in southern Italy. She has now been beatified and carries the title "Blessed" Sister Elena Aiello.

Neglect of Mary Leads to Things Scary!
We neglect Our Lady at our own peril. She has been nominated as the solution for our current crisis. It is God’s will that by practicing a devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and her Rosary, we will bring about the end of the current crisis and bring about the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Sadly to say, this is not happening. As Father Faber says, “devotion to her is low, and thin, and poor”―and consequently our Faith has reached new lows, is being thinned-out and is very poor in both knowledge and practice. We would do well to seriously ponder Fr. Faber’s words―as found in the Preface of his own personal translation of the original French version of St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary :

“All those who are likely to read this book [True Devotion to Mary], love God, and lament that they do not love Him more; all desire something for His glory—the spread of some good work, the success of some devotion, the coming of some good time. One man has been striving for years to overcome a particular fault, and has not succeeded. Another mourns, and almost wonders while he mourns, that so few of his relations and friends have been converted to the Faith. One grieves that he has not devotion enough; another that he has a cross to carry which is a peculiarly impossible cross to him; while a third has domestic troubles and family unhappinesses which feel almost incompatible with his salvation; and for all these things prayer appears to bring so little remedy.

“But what is the remedy that is wanted? What is the remedy indicated by God Himself? If we may rely on the disclosures of the saints, it is an immense increase of devotion to our Blessed Lady; but, remember, nothing short of an immense one! Here in England, Mary is not half enough preached! Devotion to her is low and thin and poor! It is frightened out of its wits by the sneers of heresy! It is always invoking human respect and carnal prudence, wishing to make Mary so little of a Mary that Protestants may feel at ease about her! Its ignorance of theology makes it unsubstantial and unworthy! It is not the prominent characteristic of our religion which it ought to be! It has no faith in itself! Hence it is that Jesus is not loved, that heretics are not converted, that the Church is not exalted; that souls which might be saints wither and dwindle; that the Sacraments are not rightly frequented, or souls enthusiastically evangelized!

“Jesus is obscured because Mary is kept in the background! Thousands of souls perish because Mary is withheld from them! It is the miserable, unworthy shadow which we call our devotion to the Blessed Virgin that is the cause of all these wants and blights, these evils and omissions and declines! Yet, if we are to believe the revelations of the saints, God is pressing for a greater, a wider, a stronger, quite another devotion to His Blessed Mother! I cannot think of a higher work or a broader vocation for anyone than the simple spreading of this peculiar devotion of the Venerable Grignion de Montfort! Let a man but try it for himself, and his surprise at the graces it brings with it, and the transformations it causes in his soul, will soon convince him of its otherwise almost incredible efficacy as a means for the salvation of men, and for the coming of the kingdom of Christ! Oh, if Mary were but known, there would be no coldness to Jesus then! Oh, if Mary were but known, how much more wonderful would be our Faith, and how different would our Communions be! Oh, if Mary were but known, how much happier, how much holier, how much less worldly should we be, and how much more should we be living images of our sole Lord and Savior, her dearest and most blessed Son!” (Fr. Faber’s Preface from his translation of St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary).

Article 5
THE MULTIPLE COMPROMISES AND COLLAPSES IN THE CHURCH!

The Children of this World are Wiser than the Children of Light
Sometimes we can learn from those beneath us. Our Lord even acknowledged this, when He said: “The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light!” (Luke 16:8). This is patently obvious when we look at zeal, energy and time that worldly people put into their worldly activities, compared to the lukewarm, listless and little time that Catholics put into their spiritual life and their Faith. The Faith and the spiritual live (which is living the Faith) are infinitely more important that the worldly or material or physical life―yet we turn the values upside down by relegating the spiritual and promoting the material.

The fact that you have been given, by God’s kind providence, the Faith and access to things that nourish that Faith, means that you will be judged fare more severely than those who have not been given the Faith by God’s providence― “That servant who knew the will of his lord―but prepared not himself and did not according to his will―shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not―and did things worthy of stripes―shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required! And to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more!” (Luke 12:47-48).

What’s Your Business?
Our “work” is synonymous with our “business.” If you work as a medical doctor, your business is health care. If you work as a lawyer, you are in the legal business. If you work as a teacher, your business is education. Work is synonymous with business. Our Lord even spoke of being about His Father’s business: “My Father worketh until now; and I work” (John 5:17). “Jesus answered, and said to them: ‘This is the work of God―that you believe in Him Whom He hath sent!” (John 6:29). “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49)―by which He referring to the salvation of souls, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost!” (Luke 19:10). Even though Our Lord’s material work was that of carpentry, His spiritual work was placed above that material, physical work: “Jesus saith to them: ‘My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, that I may perfect His work!” (John 4:34). “For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). Thus, Holy Scripture speaks of the “work” and business of salvation: “With fear and trembling work out your salvation!” (Philippians 2:12), “For many are called, but few are chosen!” (Matthew 22:14).

No Business Compromising
In some cases, compromise can be prudent―but in most cases compromise is fatal. Holy Scripture mentions both cases. Our Lord recommends compromise in the following kinds of situations: “What king, about to go to make war against another king, doth not first sit down, and think whether he be able, with ten thousand, to meet him that, with twenty thousand, cometh against him? Or else, whilst the other is yet afar off, sending an embassy, he desireth conditions of peace” (Luke 14:31-32).

Yet God, Himself, does not change: “The Father of lights, with Whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration!” (James 1:17). “For I am the Lord, and I change not!” (Malachias 3:6). “They shall be changed: but Thou art the selfsame” (Hebrews 1:12).

Nor do God’s teachings change! Our Lord warns that not one iota, or stitch, or fraction of God’s teaching will change: “For amen I say unto you, till Heaven and Earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18). “It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fall” (Luke 16:17). Our Lord says that He has not come to change any teachings or laws, but to fulfill them: “Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17)―and Our Lord commands that these teachings be passed-on in their entirety and not just partially: “All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth. Going, therefore, teach ye all nations … Teaching them to observe ALL things whatsoever I have commanded you!” (Matthew 28:18-20). Which is why St. Paul writes: “Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle” (2 Thessalonians 2:14) and “though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach a Gospel to you, besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema” (Galatians 1:8).

Learn From the Children of this World Not to Compromise
Since Our Lord said “the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light!” (Luke 16:8), let us go to the business world on a lesson on avoiding compromise. Here is what a businessman writes on the subject:

“It's in this kind of compromise that some of the greatest companies [Churches?] fall off a cliff and enter the realm of mediocrity. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying don't listen to others' ideas, or don't listen to reason. You should surround yourself with a team that is constantly challenging you and making your company [Church?] and your approach better. I am saying that you should never sway from your stance if you know you are right. It's your company [Church?], it's your vision [Faith?], you carry the burden if something fails [Last Judgment?]. You also reap the greatest reward [Heaven?]. In my research, I have found that the bigger your company [Church?] grows, the more likely it is for compromises to start creeping in. Many leaders, especially entrepreneurial leaders, are ready to get on with it, move forward. The danger lies in this impatience. It is up to you as the leader to set the tone. Once others see that you're willing to compromise for no good reason, they'll start to do the same. Compromise then grows like a cancer and turns your great company [Church?] into something average to far worse. That's why it's important, when you do back down from a decision, or decide to move in another direction, that you explain why you have made this new choice. Providing the reason not only shows your willingness to listen, it also provides important insight into how you make decisions for the company, so staffers learn to do the same. When I thought about how I would explain the change in that marketing campaign's wording, I realized I was about to compromise--that I didn't agree with my team member and he hadn't provided me with a good case for why we should change direction. I knew if I allowed the campaign to be changed, and if I was asked, that my only answer could be: ‘Because I was tired of talking about it!’ Check yourself when you start to give in to a suggestion or recommendation as you grow your company. If you feel you can justify it, and the change is backed by good evidence, then you're making a good decision. If the answer is anything less, then reconsider, because you're probably about to compromise.”

The Danger of Compromise
Compromise is not the end of things―it is merely the beginning of things! Some people think― “Just compromise and it will be all over! You will be at peace!” Sadly, that is not true―just as one sin leads to another, so too does one compromise lead to another compromise, until finally, there is a collapse―first of all a collapse of conviction, which then leads to further collapses, either a collapse of authority, or credibility, respect, power, influence, etc. Compromise is thought to be a “win-win” situation, but, in reality, it is “lose-lose” situation, or even a “sin-sin” situation.

Have you heard of the man who could not decide what side he wanted to fight for during the American Civil War? As a result of his indecision, he decided to wear the jacket of the North and the trousers of the South, and guess what? He got shot at from both sides! This is what happens to the compromiser, the person who tries to live in two worlds. It's one miserable place to be. It’s a “no-win” and “sure-sin” situation―especially in matters of Faith and Morals.

Sadly, there are many in the Church today that live a compromised life. They want the Faith without its accompanying obligations. They want to go to Heaven without fighting the fight. They want to be at peace with God and at the peace with the world―forgetting (or deliberately ignoring) the fact that the two are opposing enemies. It has been said that the Church Persecuted is a Church Holy―but the Church Patronized is a Church Unholy.

In the Book of the Apocalypse (chapter 2) we read of the Church of Pergamos, located in Pergamum, the capital of Asia Minor. It was known for its rampant idolatry. Pergamum housed the altar of Zeus and was the center of Caesar worship. Idolatry, wickedness, and sexual immorality were commonplace. The sin of Pergamum was its toleration of evil, a sort of have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too philosophy.

The Compromise of Sin
Sin is the most common compromise on Earth. Sadly, this is how most people want it today. They want to be Christians, but they also want more than a bit of the world on the side. They want to go to Heaven, but they still want to enjoy the things of this world and, if necessary, live in sin. They want to party and sin and commit immorality, lie when necessary, cheat if they have to, steal if it suits them, and hate and get revenge when someone crosses them.

It is a very common notion that you can pretty much sin to your heart's content, telling yourself God will understand and that you can always go to confession. If you think you can sin to your heart's content without repercussions, and if you think you can go out and break the Commandments of God over and over because you are an exception to the rule, then you are deceiving yourself. Confession is not an infinite spiritual car-wash, where you automatically get washed and pop in a few Hail Marys as a payment for the service!

It is not for nothing that Our Lord tells the woman caught in adultery―after He refuses to condemn her and forgives her: “Go, and now sin no more!” (John 8:11). Similarly, to the paralytic that Jesus heals by the Pool of Bethsaida, Our Lord says: “Behold thou art made whole! Sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee!” (John 5:14).

Now, let us not pretend that we will be sinless all life long! Holy Scripture says: “For all have sinned, and do need the glory [grace] of God” (Romans 3:23). “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us!” (1 John 1:8-10). But there is a big difference between the confession of a person who sins through frailty while fighting against temptation, is then sorry for it, and does not want to keep doing it, takes concrete measures to avoid it in the future, and even does extra penances to ensure a repeat lapse into that sin does not occur―and, on the other hand, the confession of the person who continually, willfully, habitually sins over and over again, without any real firm purpose of amendment, without avoiding the occasions of sin, without really fighting temptations, and merely says, “It is okay! I’ll confess it! God will forgive me!” The confession of such a person will almost certainly be invalid and sacrilegious. The words of Our Lord are most applicable in this case: “Well did Isaias prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me!’” (Mark 7:6). In other words: “These hypocrites! These people confess to Me with their lips, but not with their heart―which is far from Me!”

Egypt and Pharao a Symbol of Sin and Satan
There are many ways in which we may be tempted to compromise with this enemy of Christ and of our souls. When Moses demanded of Pharao the liberation of the children of Israel, they were longing for freedom from slavery. Pharao’s offers of compromise were typical of the way Satan seeks today to keep Christians in bondage to the world and worldliness. To Israel, Pharao said, “Go, and sacrifice to your God in this land!” (Exodus 8:25). How similar is the advice we are given today: “Don’t be a fanatic! Be in the world and a part of the world, for “that is where the action is!—Don’t try to be different; you must stay close to people to be of any real help to them!”

It is also suggested that by staying “in the land,” that is to say “in the world”, we shall find it much easier to be Christians. But this is a falsehood. The Apostle Paul knew the danger of compromise with the world, and exhorted us: “Be not conformed to this world; but be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, and the acceptable, and the perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). By saying “be not conformed to this world” St. Paul is saying: “Do not compromise with the world!”

Pharao’s second offer of compromise has its counterpart today also. We read a little further: “And Pharao said: ‘I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness: but go no farther!’” (Exodus 8:28). While God was insisting upon a clean break from Egypt, Pharao wanted the people to stay close. If he could keep them near, he could still exercise authority over them and force them to return. More serious injury has been done to the cause of Christ by persons who once seemed to have given up the world, and then returned to it, than if they had never become Christians in the first place. For it easier for their fellow Catholics to resist an attack from the outside, than it is to resist an attack from the inside, from one of their fellow Catholics. This compromising attitude with the world, by Catholics, demonstrates that they “have tasted the heavenly gift, and made partakers of the Holy Ghost, having tasted the good word of God” but afterwards they have no appetite for it and soon have “fallen away … crucifying again to themselves the Son of God, and making him a mockery” (Hebrews 6:4-6).

It is also striking how Egypt typified, for Israel, that which we see in today’s world order. There the people were slaves, even as the non-believers and worldly Catholics are slaves of the world today. How subtle the urge to compromise with Satan! And how disastrous! All around us are men and women who are lost because they have already made the wrong choice; they will not believe. “But if our Gospel be also hid, it is hid to them that are lost, In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God, should not shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The spirit of compromise is working havoc among Catholics. Let us bear in mind, that when we yield to compromise, it is not just ourselves that we discredit; we are dishonoring the One whose Name we bear, Who gave up everything that He might have us for Himself.

Compromise is Perversion
Compromise is a perversion―a perversion of the truth and also a perversion of morals. Perversion originally from the Latin verb “pervertere” meaning “to overthrow, overturn,” and figuratively meaning “to corrupt, subvert, abuse,” literally meaning “to turn the wrong way, turn about,” since it is a combination of the Latin word “per” meaning “through, during, by means of, on account of, as in” and the Latin verb “vertere” meaning “to turn, turn back, be turned; convert, transform, translate; be changed.”

The French and the English drew on this Latin root and incorporated it into their own languages. Hence we see arise the 12th century Old French verb “pervertir” meaning to “pervert, undo, destroy”; and the 13th century English verb “to pervert” which means “to turn someone aside from a right religious belief to a false or erroneous one,” and the late 14th century English word “perversion” defined as “an action of turning aside from truth, corruption, distortion” (originally of religious beliefs). Hence the “pervert”, which is first seen in print the 1660s, is defined as “one who has forsaken a doctrine or system that is regarded as being true, an apostate.” The psychological sense of the word “perversion” is of later origins, from 1892, and means a “disorder of sexual behavior in which satisfaction is sought through channels other than those of normal heterosexual intercourse.” This led, from 1897, to the word “pervert” as being defined by psychology as “one who has a perversion of the sexual instinct” is attested from 1897 (Havelock Ellis), originally and especially applying to homosexuals. Today, in our sex-obsessed society, it is almost exclusively the psychological definition of the words “pervert” and “perversion” that most people recognize and are obliviously ignorant of the original earlier and much broader meaning of the words as shown above.

Today, in the Catholic Church (but not only in the Catholic Church, but all churches and in all States and governments) we see a perversion of truth and perversion of morals. “And from your own selves shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:30). This perversion of the truth must be resisted― it is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to stand alone with the truth, than to be wrong with a multitude.

The Compromised Church of Today
As Our Lady of Akita warned: “The Church will be full of those who accept compromises!” Notice that ominous word― “full”―there will not just be a few persons making compromises, but the Church will be FULL of those who accept compromises. Folks! She is speaking of our day and our times and our current situation! Never before in the history of the Church have we seen so many compromises made! Not just by clergy, but also by the vast majority of the laity. You could not complain about the strong language if it was said that “The Church has prostituted Herself with all and sundry!” A bride is supposed to be faithful to the husband―yet Christ, the Bridegroom, when speaking of His Bride, the Church, in the “End Times”, laments that “the Son of man, when He cometh, shall He find, think you, Faith on Earth?” (Luke 18:8). No! He will only find an unfaithful Bride, “because she hath done a wicked thing in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house” (Deuteronomy 22:21). “Thou hast broken My yoke, thou hast burst My bands, and thou saidst: ‘I will not serve!’ For on every high-hill, and under every green tree thou didst prostitute thyself!” (Jeremias 2:20).

Article 6
LEARN THE LESSON OF FATAL COMPROMISES FROM THE BIBLE!

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The Lesson of Numerous Tragic Biblical Compromises
You could arguably claim that the Original Sin of Adam was a sin of compromise―with Eve compromising with the serpent (devil) and Adam compromising with Eve―both of them compromising their Faith and obedience to God. Compromise is to make concessions or accommodations for someone who does not agree with a set of standards or roles. It therefore means to turn aside from the true path and follow an alternative path, a compromised path.

After the Fall of Adam and Eve, in no time at all, mankind increasingly fell away from God by compromising their duties to God to an ever-growing love of the world and wickedness: “And God―seeing that the wickedness of men was great on the Earth, and that all the thought of their heart was bent upon evil at all times―it repented Him that He had made man on the Earth. And being touched inwardly with sorrow of heart, He said: ‘I will destroy man, whom I have created, from the face of the Earth, from man even to beasts, from the creeping thing, even to the fowls of the air, for it repenteth Me that I have made them. But Noe found grace before the Lord” (Genesis 6:5-8). That compromise with the world and wickedness led to the death and destruction of almost of all of creation.

You would think that the lesson of the Great Flood would have deterred people from forgetting about God and becoming too engrossed with the world and its pleasures―but no! After Noe and his family had repopulated the world “the Earth was of one tongue, and of the same speech. And when they removed from the east, they found a plain in the land of Sennaar, and dwelt in it. And each one said to his neighbor: ‘Come, let us make brick and bake them with fire!’ And they had brick instead of stones, and slime instead of mortar. And they said: ‘Come, let us make a city and a tower, the top whereof may reach to Heaven! And let us make our name famous before we be scattered abroad into all lands!’ And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of Adam were building. And He said: ‘Behold, it is one people, and all have one tongue: and they have begun to do this, neither will they leave off from their designs, till they accomplish them in deed!’ Come ye, therefore, let us go down, and there confound their tongue, that they may not understand one another’s speech!’ And so the Lord scattered them from that place into all lands, and they ceased to build the city. And therefore the name thereof was called Babel, because there the language of the whole Earth was confounded: and from thence the Lord scattered them abroad upon the face of all countries” (Genesis 11:1-9).

The we see Abraham compromise the truth and his trust in God, when he fears being killed by the Egyptians on account of the beauty of his wife Sarai―and so tells her to lie and pass herself off as Abraham’s sister and not as his wife. Yet God had promised Abraham a great seed―a child―through Sarai. That should have been a guarantee to Abraham that God would keep him alive―at least until the promised child was conceived and born. Abraham lost trust in God and compromised. “And the Lord said to Abram: ‘Go forth out of thy country and from thy kindred, and out of thy father’s house, and come into the land which I shall show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed. I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and in thee shall all the kindred of the Earth be blessed!’ So Abram went out as the Lord had commanded him, and Lot went with him: Abram was seventy-five years old when he went forth from Haran. And he took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all the substance which they had gathered, and the souls which they had gotten in Haran: and they went out to go into the land of Chanaan. And when they were come into it, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him: ‘To thy seed will I give this land!’ And Abram proceeding on to the south went down into Egypt … and when he was near to enter into Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife: ‘I know that thou art a beautiful woman! And that when the Egyptians shall see thee, they will say: “She is his wife!” and they will kill me, and keep thee! Say, therefore, I pray thee, that thou art my sister: that I may be well used for thee, and that my soul may live for thy sake!’” (Genesis 12:1-13).