Notre Dame on Fire, Thomas Samson/Agence France-Presse
IT was the coldest day on our visit to Jerusalem last month. The breeze was merciless as the sun fought against the clouds for dominion. It was here on the Mount of Olives that Jesus wept over that ancient city. Our pilgrim group entered the chapel there, rising above the Garden of Gethsemane, to say Mass.Continue reading
HUMAN relations—whether marital, familial, or international—have seemingly never been so strained. The rhetoric, anger, and division are moving communities and nations ever closer to violence. Why? One reason, for certain, is the power that lies in judgments. Continue reading
WHILE couples, communities, and even nations become increasingly divided, perhaps there is one thing that we nearly all agree upon: civil discourse is rapidly disappearing.Continue reading
IF you are looking for someone to tell you that everything’s going to be okay, that the world is simply going to go on as it is, that the Church is not in a serious crisis, and that humanity is not facing a day of reckoning—or that Our Lady is simply going to appear out of the blue and rescue us all so that we won’t have to suffer, or that Christians will be “raptured” from the earth… then you have come to the wrong place.Continue reading
“The Glitter Pope”, Getty Images
CHRISTIANS in the Western World are no stranger to mockery. But what happened this week in New York pushed new boundaries even for this generation.Continue reading
Love for the Roman Pontiff must be in us a delightful passion, for in him we see Christ. If we deal with the Lord in prayer, we will go forward with a clear gaze that will permit us to perceive the action of the Holy Spirit, even in the face of events we do not understand or which produce sighs or sorrow.
—St. José Escriva, In Love with the Church, n. 13
AS Catholics, our duty is not to look for perfection in our bishops, but to listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd in theirs.
Obey your leaders and defer to them, for they keep watch over you and will have to give an account, that they may fulfill their task with joy and not with sorrow, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews 13:17)
In 2008, I sensed the Lord begin to speak about “China.” That culminated in this writing from 2011. As I read the headlines today, it seems timely to republish it tonight. It also seems to me that many of the “chess” pieces that I’ve been writing about for years are now moving into place. While the purpose of this apostolate is mainly helping readers to keep their feet on the ground, our Lord also said to “watch and pray.” And so, we continue to prayerfully watch…
The following was first published in 2011.
POPE Benedict warned before Christmas that the “eclipse of reason” in the West was putting “the very future of the world” at stake. He alluded to the collapse of the Roman Empire, drawing a parallel between it and our times (see On the Eve).
All the while, there is another power rising in our time: Communist China. While it does not presently bare the same teeth that the Soviet Union did, there is much to be concerned about the ascent of this soaring superpower.
A Voice Crying Out in the Desert
ST. PAUL taught that we are “surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.” [1]Heb 12:1 As this new year begins, I wish to share with readers the “little cloud” that surrounds this apostolate through the relics of the Saints that I have received over the years—and how they speak to the mission and vision that guides this ministry…Continue reading
Footnotes
| ↑1 | Heb 12:1 |
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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 23rd, 2017
Saturday of the Third Week of Advent
Liturgical texts here
Moscow at dawn…
Now more than ever it is crucial that you be “watchers of the dawn”, the lookouts who announce the light of dawn and the new springtime of the Gospel
of which the buds can already be seen.
—POPE JOHN PAUL II, 18th World Youth Day, April 13th, 2003; vatican.va
FOR a couple of weeks, I have sensed that I should share with my readers a parable of sorts that has been unfolding recently in my family. I do so with my son’s permission. When we both read yesterday’s and today’s Mass readings, we knew it was time to share this story based on the following two passages:Continue reading
WHY, does the world remain in pain? Because we have muzzled God. We have rejected His prophets and ignored His mother. In our pride, we have succumbed to Rationalism, and the Death of Mystery. And thus, today’s first reading cries out to a tone-deaf generation:Continue reading
MANY feel that Pope Francis’ announcement declaring a “Jubilee of Mercy” from Dec. 8th, 2015 to Nov. 20th, 2016 bore greater significance than may first have appeared. The reason being is that it is one of numerous signs converging all at once. That hit home for me also as I reflected on the Jubilee and a prophetic word I received at the end of 2008… [1]cf. The Year of the Unfolding
First published March 24th, 2015.
Footnotes
| ↑1 | cf. The Year of the Unfolding |
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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for October 17th, 2017
Tuesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Opt. Memorial St. Ignatius of Antioch
Liturgical texts here
AFTER a warm cordial greeting to the Romans, St. Paul turns on a cold shower to awaken his readers:Continue reading
Scene from The 13th Day
THE rain pelted the ground and drenched the crowds. It must have seemed like an exclamation point to the ridicule that filled the secular newspapers for months prior. Three shepherd children near Fatima, Portugal claimed that a miracle would occur in the Cova da Ira fields at high noon that day. It was October 13, 1917. As many as 30, 000 to 100, 000 people had gathered to witness it.
Their ranks included believers and non-believers, pious old ladies and scoffing young men. —Fr. John De Marchi, Italian priest and researcher; The Immaculate Heart, 1952
Mass Shooting, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 1, 2017; David Becker/Getty Images
My older daughter sees many beings good and bad [angels] in battle. She has spoken many times about how its an all out war and its only getting bigger and the different kinds of beings. Our Lady appeared to her in a dream last year as our Lady of Guadalupe. She told her that the demon coming is larger and fiercer than all the others. That she is not to engage this demon nor listen to it. It was going to try to take over the world. This is a demon of fear. It was a fear that my daughter said was going to envelop everyone and everything. Staying close to the Sacraments and Jesus and Mary are of the utmost importance. —A letter from a reader, September, 2013
TERROR in Canada. Terror in France. Terror in the United States. That’s just the headlines of the past few days. Terror is the footprint of Satan, whose chief weapon in these times is fear. For fear keeps us from becoming vulnerable, from trusting, from entering into relationship… whether it is between spouses, family members, friends, neighbours, neighbouring nations, or God. Fear, then, leads us to control or give up control, to restrict, build walls, burn bridges, and repel. St. John wrote that “perfect love drives out all fear.” [1]1 John 4:18 As such, one could also say that perfect fear drives out all love.Continue reading
Footnotes
| ↑1 | 1 John 4:18 |
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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for September 24th, 2017
Sunday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Liturgical texts here
I am on my way back from the “Flame of Love” conference in Philadelphia. It was beautiful. Around 500 people packed a hotel room that was filled with the Holy Spirit from the first minute. All of us are leaving with renewed hope and strength in the Lord. I have some long layovers in airports on my way back to Canada, and so am taking this time to reflect with you on today’s readings….Continue reading
Vandalized Statue of St. Junípero Serra, Courtesy KCAL9.com
SEVERAL years ago when I wrote about a coming Global Revolution, particularly in America, one man scoffed: “There is no revolution in America, and there won’t be!” But as violence, anarchy and hatred are beginning to reach a feverish pitch in the United States and elsewhere in the world, we are seeing the first signs of that violent persecution that has been brewing beneath the surface that Our Lady of Fatima predicted, and which will bring about the “passion” of the Church, but also her “resurrection.”Continue reading
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for August 7th, 2017
Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Opt. Memorial of St. Sixtus II and Companions
Liturgical texts here
Photo taken on October 30th, 2011 in Casa San Pablo, Sto. Dgo. Dominican Republic
I JUST returned from Arcātheos, back to the mortal realm. It was an incredible and powerful week for all of us at this father/son camp situated at the base of the Canadian Rockies. In the days ahead, I will share with you the thoughts and words which came to me there, as well as an incredible encounter all of us had with “Our Lady”.Continue reading
“Mary’s Pope”; photo by Gabriel Bouys/Getty Images
First published May 10th, 2007… It’s interesting to note what is said at the end of this—the sense of a “pause” coming before the “Storm” would begin to swirl in greater and greater chaos as we begin to approach the “Eye.” I believe we are entering that chaos now, which also serves a purpose. More on that tomorrow…
IN our last few concert tours of the United States and Canada, [1]My wife and our children at that time we have noticed that no matter where we go, strong sustained winds have followed us. At home now, these winds have barely taken a break. Others I have spoken to have also noticed an increase of winds.
It is a sign, I believe, of the presence of our Blessed Mother and her Spouse, the Holy Spirit. From the story of Our Lady of Fatima:
Footnotes
| ↑1 | My wife and our children at that time |
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Photo by John Blanding courtesy of The Boston Globe/Getty Images
This wasn’t an election. It was a revolution… Midnight has passed. A new day has come. And everything is about to change.
—Daniel Greenfield from “America Rising”, November 9th, 2016; Israelrisiing.com
OR is it about to change, and for the better?
Many Christians in the United States are celebrating today, celebrating as if the “midnight has passed” and a new day has come. I pray with all my heart that, in America at least, this would be true. That the Christian roots of that nation would have a chance to flourish once again. That all women will be respected, including those in the womb. That religious freedom will be restored, and that peace will fill her borders.
But without Jesus Christ and His Gospel as the source of the country’s liberty, it will be but a false peace and a false security.
One of the central functions of this writing apostolate is to show how Our Lady and the Church are truly mirrors of one another—that is, how authentic so-called “private revelation” mirrors the prophetic voice of the Church, most especially that of the popes. In fact, it has been a great eye-opener for me to see how the pontiffs, for over a century, have been paralleling the Blessed Mother’s message such that her more personalized warnings are essentially the “other side of the coin” of the institutional warnings of the Church. This is most evident in my writing Why Aren’t the Popes Shouting?
Photo by Mike Christy/Arizona, Daily Star, AP
IF “the restrainer” is being lifted at this time, such that lawlessness is spreading throughout society, governments, and the courts, it is no surprise, then, to see what amounts to a collapse in civil discourse. For what is under attack at this hour is the very dignity of the human person, made in the image of God.
WE are witnessing one of the greatest collapses of logic in human history—in real time. Having watched for and warned about this coming Spiritual Tsunami for several years now, seeing it arrive on humanity’s shores does not diminish the stunning nature of this “eclipse of reason”, as Pope Benedict called it. [1]Address to the Roman Curia, December 20th, 2010; cf. On the Eve In The Death of Logic – Part I, I examined some of the mind-bending actions of governments and courts that break away from logic and reason. The wave of delusion continues…
Footnotes
| ↑1 | Address to the Roman Curia, December 20th, 2010; cf. On the Eve |
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“Two Deaths”, by Michael D. O’Brien
IN a response to my article Fear, Fire, and a “Rescue”?, Charlie Johnston wrote At Sea with his perspective on future events, thereby sharing with readers more of the private dialogues we’ve had in the past. This provides, I think, a crucial opportunity to underscore some of the most important aspects of my own mission and calling that newer readers may not be aware of.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for May 6th, 2016
Liturgical texts here
Wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alberta (photo CBC)
SEVERAL of you have written asking if our family is okay, given the huge wildfire in northern Canada in and around Fort McMurray, Alberta. The fire is about 800km away… but the smoke darkening our skies here and turning the sun into a reddish burning ember, is a reminder that our world is much smaller than we think it is. It’s also a reminder of a what a man from there said to us several years ago…
So I leave you this weekend with a few random thoughts on the fire, Charlie Johnston, and fear, closing with a reflection on today’s powerful Mass readings.
by Shawn Van Deale
THERE is no other word to describe what is happening in our world today: madness. Sheer madness. Let us call a spade a spade, or as St. Paul says,
Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them… (Eph 5:11)
…or as St. John Paul II bluntly stated:
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 11th, 2015
Friday of the Second Week of Advent
Liturgical texts here
THE real danger at this hour in the world is not that there is so much confusion, but that we would get caught up in it ourselves. In fact, panic, fear, and compulsive reactions are part of the Great Deception. It removes the soul from its center, which is Christ. Peace leaves, and with it, wisdom and the ability to see clearly. This is the real danger.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for November 23rd-28th, 2015
Liturgical texts here
THE Mass readings this week that address the signs of the “end times” will no doubt evoke the familiar, if not easy dismissal that “everyone thinks their times are the end times.” Right? We’ve all heard that repeated again and again. That was certainly true of the early Church, until Sts. Peter and Paul began to temper expectations:
A poster image cut from a magazine published after the French Revolution
SIGNS of this Global Revolution underway are everywhere, spreading like a black canopy over the entire globe. Taking all things into consideration, from the unprecedented apparitions of Mary throughout the world to the prophetic statements of the popes in the past century (see Why Aren’t the Popes Shouting?), it appears to be the beginning of the final labor pains of this era, of what Pope Pius XI called “one convulsion following upon another” throughout the centuries.
This writing was first published March 24th, 2009.
“the smoke of Satan is seeping into the Church of God through the cracks in the walls.” —POPE PAUL VI, first quote: Homily during the Mass for Sts. Peter & Paul, June 29, 1972
THERE is an elephant in the living room. But few want to talk about it. Most choose to ignore it. The problem is that the elephant is trampling all of the furniture and soiling the carpet. And the elephant is this: the Church is polluted with apostasy—the falling away from the faith—and it has a name: “Wormwood”.
THE past few weeks, two crucifixes and a statue of Mary in our home have had their hands broken off—at least two of them inexplicably. In fact, just about every statue in our home has a missing hand. It reminded me of a writing I did on this on February 13th, 2007. I think it is no coincidence, especially in light of the continuing controversies surrounded the extraordinary Synod on the Family currently taking place in Rome. For it seems that we are watching—in real time—at least the first beginnings of part of the Storm that many of us have been warning for years would come: an emerging schism…
WELL, I should be used to this by now. Whenever the Lord lays strong words on my heart, I am in for a battle—spiritually and materially. For days now, whenever I want to write, it is as though my radar is jammed, and forming a single sentence is nearly impossible. Sometimes it’s because the “word” is not ready to speak yet; other times—and I think this is one of them—it seems as though there is an all out war on my time.
Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, Thomas Cole, c.1827-1828.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, USA
First published March 4th, 2009…
SINCE mankind was barred from the Garden of Eden, he has longed for both communion with God and harmony with nature—whether man knows it or not. Through His Son, God has promised both. But through a lie, so has the ancient serpent.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Friday, June 5th, 2015
Memorial of St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr
Liturgical texts here
St. Raphael, “Medicine of God”
IT was late dusk, and a blood moon was rising. I was entranced by its deep color as I wandered through the horses. I had just layed out their hay and they were quietly munching. The full moon, the fresh snow, the peaceful murmur of satisfied animals … it was a tranquil moment.
Until what felt like a bolt of lightning shot through my knee.
I thought the traffic in Rome was wild. But I think Paris is crazier. We arrived in the center of the French capital with two full cars for a dinner with a member of the American Embassy. Parking spaces that night were as rare as snow in October, so myself and the other driver dropped off our human cargo, and began to drive around the block hoping for a space to open up. That’s when it happened. I lost site of the other car, took a wrong turn, and all of a sudden I was lost. Like an astronaut untethered in space, I began to be sucked away into the orbit of constant, unending, chaotic streams of Parisian traffic.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Monday of the Second Week of Lent, March 2nd, 2015
Liturgical texts here
THERE is a line from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings that, among others, jumped out at me when the character Frodo wishes for the death of his adversary, Gollum. The wise wizard Gandalf responds:
Milan Cathedral in Lombardy, Milan, Italy; photo by Prak Vanny
SOLEMNITY OF MARY, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
SINCE the last week of Advent, I have been in a perpetual state of contemplation of the incomparable beauty of the Catholic Church. On this solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God, I find my voice joining in with hers:
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior… (Luke 1:46-47)
Earlier this week, I wrote about the stark contrast between the Christian martyrs and those extremists who are destroying families, towns, and lives in the name of “religion.” [1]cf. The Christian-Martyr Witness Once again, Christianity’s beauty is often most evident when the darkness increases, when the shadows of the day’s evil reveal the beauty of light. The lamentation that rose up in me during Lent in 2013 has been ringing in my ears at the same time (read Weep, O Children of Men). It is the dirge of a sun setting upon a world bewitched into believing that beauty lies solely within technology and science, reason and logic, rather than the life of faith that comes from believing in and following Jesus Christ.
Footnotes
| ↑1 | cf. The Christian-Martyr Witness |
|---|
WHEN I wrote this last week, I decided to sit on it and pray some more because of the very serious nature of this writing. But nearly every day since, I have been getting clear confirmations that this is a word of warning to all of us.
There are many new readers coming aboard each day. Let me briefly recap then… When this writing apostolate began some eight years ago, I felt the Lord asking me to “watch and pray”. [1]At WYD in Toronto in 2003, Pope John Paul II likewise asked us youth to become “the watchmen of the morning who announce the coming of the sun who is the Risen Christ!” —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Message of the Holy Father to the Youth of the World, XVII World Youth Day, n. 3; (cf. Is 21:11-12). Following the headlines, it seemed that there was an escalation of world events by the month. Then it began to be by the week. And now, it is daily. It is exactly as I felt the Lord was showing me it would happen (oh, how I wish in some ways I was wrong about this!)
Footnotes
| ↑1 | At WYD in Toronto in 2003, Pope John Paul II likewise asked us youth to become “the watchmen of the morning who announce the coming of the sun who is the Risen Christ!” —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Message of the Holy Father to the Youth of the World, XVII World Youth Day, n. 3; (cf. Is 21:11-12). |
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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for July 7th – July 12th, 2014
Ordinary Time
Liturgical texts here
I have had a lot time to pray, think, and listen this week while haying on my tractor. Most especially about the people that I have met through this mysterious writing apostolate. I am referring to those faithful servants and messengers of the Lord who, like me, have been charged with watching, praying, and then speaking about the times we are living in. Remarkably, we have all come from different directions, wandering through the dark, dense, and oft times dangerous forests of prophecy, only to arrive at the same point: in the Clearing of a united message.
First snow in Cairo, Egypt in 100 years, AFP-Getty Images
SNOW in Cairo? Ice in Israel? Sleet in Syria?
For several years now, the world has watched as natural earth events ravage various regions from place to place. But is there a link to what is also happening in society en masse: the ravaging of the natural and moral law?
WHEN I awoke this morning, an unexpected and bizarre cloud hung over my soul. I sensed a strong spirit of violence and death in the air all around me. As I drove into town, I took my Rosary out, and invoking the name of Jesus, prayed for God’s protection. It took me about three hours and four cups of coffee to finally figure out what I was experiencing, and why: it’s Halloween today.
No, I’m not going to delve into the the history of this strange American “holiday” or wade into the debate on whether to participate in it or not. A quick search of these topics on the Internet will provide ample reading in between ghouls arriving at your door, threatening tricks in lieu of treats.
Rather, I want to look at what Halloween has become, and how it is a harbinger, another “sign of the times.”
Victims of genocide
PERHAPS the most short-sighted aspect of our modern culture is the notion that we are on a linear path of advancement. That we are leaving behind, in the wake of human achievement, the barbarism and narrow-minded thinking of past generations and cultures. That we are loosening the shackles of prejudice and intolerance and marching toward a more democratic, free, and civilized world.
This assumption is not only false, but dangerous.
YESTERDAY in prayer, I heard the words in my heart:
The winds of change are blowing and will not cease now until I have purified and cleansed the world.
And with that, a storm of storms came upon us! We woke up this morning to snow banks up to 15 feet in our yard! Most of it was the result, not of snowfall, but strong, unrelenting winds. I went outside and—in between sliding down the white mountains with my sons—snapped a few shots around the farm on a cellphone to share with my readers. I have never seen a wind storm produce results like this!
Admittedly, it’s not quite what I envisioned for the first day of Spring. (I see I’m booked to speak in California next week. Thank God….)
AS I read Pope Francis’ installation homily, I couldn’t help but think of my little encounter with the Blessed Mother’s alleged words six days ago while praying before the Blessed Sacrmament.
Sitting in front of me was a copy of Fr. Stefano Gobbi’s book To the Priests, Our Lady’s Beloved Sons, messages that have received the Imprimatur and other theological endorsements. [1]Fr. Gobbi’s messages predicted the culmination of the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart by the year 2000. Obviously, this prediction was either wrong or delayed. Nonetheless, these meditations still provide timely and relevant inspirations. As St. Paul says regarding prophecy, “Retain what is good.” I sat back in my chair and asked the Blessed Mother, who allegedly gave these messages to the late Fr. Gobbi, if she has anything to say about our new pope. The number “567” popped into my head, and so I turned to it. It was a message given to Fr. Stefano in Argentina on March 19th, the Feast of St. Joseph, exactly 17 years ago to this day that Pope Francis officially takes the seat of Peter. At the time I wrote Two Pillars and the New Helmsman, I did not have a copy of the book in front of me. But I want to quote here now a portion of what the Blessed Mother says that day, followed by excerpts from Pope Francis’ homily given today. I can’t help but feel that the Holy Family is wrapping their arms around all of us at this decisive moment in time…
Footnotes
| ↑1 | Fr. Gobbi’s messages predicted the culmination of the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart by the year 2000. Obviously, this prediction was either wrong or delayed. Nonetheless, these meditations still provide timely and relevant inspirations. As St. Paul says regarding prophecy, “Retain what is good.” |
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Photo by Gregorio Borgia, AP
I say to you, you are Peter, and
upon
this
rock
I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld
shall not prevail against it.
(Matt 16:18)
WE were driving over the frozen ice road on Lake Winnipeg yesterday when I glanced at my cellphone. The last message I received before our signal faded was “Habemus Papam!”
This morning, I have been able to find a local here on this remote Indian reserve who has a satellite connection—and with that, our first images of The New Helmsman. A faithful, humble, solid Argentinian.
A rock.
A few days ago, I was inspired to reflect on the dream of St. John Bosco in Living the Dream? sensing the anticipation that Heaven would grant the Church a helmsman who would continue to steer the Barque of Peter between the Two Pillars of Bosco’s dream.
The new Pope, putting the enemy to rout and overcoming every obstacle, guides the ship right up to the two columns and comes to rest between them; he makes it fast with a light chain that hangs from the bow to an anchor of the column on which stands the Host; and with another light chain which hangs from the stern, he fastens it at the opposite end to another anchor hanging from the column on which stands the Immaculate Virgin.—https://www.markmallett.com/blog/2009/01/pope-benedict-and-the-two-columns/