Predictions

2009: In the year 2009, there will be a small war among the Arab/Muslim nations of the Middle East. Extremists will fight against moderates, and the extremists will win. There will be uprisings, coups, and outright war. Arabs will fight against Arabs, Muslims will fight against Muslims. This will begin and end in the year 2009, over the course of only a few weeks or months. At the end, the extremists will have won in each of the Arab/Muslim nations of the Middle East. If they cannot win through uprisings and coups, then the other extremist nations will attack in open warfare. They will not permit any Arab/Muslim nations in the Middle East to be moderate or democratic or friendly to the West.

2009/2010: These Arab/Muslim extremists will consolidate their power within each of these nations. The leader of Iran and the leader of Iraq, at that time, will have the most power, control, and influence over the other Arab/Muslim nations in the Middle East. They will form one group of nations, led by Iran and Iraq. Then they will begin to threaten the West.

2010: In the year 2010 A.D., New York City will be struck by a nuclear bomb explosion.

The explosion occurs sometime between June 1st and December 31st of 2010, inclusive. This bomb will be an actual nuclear bomb, not merely 'dirty bomb.' It will not be sent by a missile. The city will not be totally destroyed, but the effects of the explosion will be devastating. The radioactive fall-out will devastate the surrounding area, particularly New Jersey. The bomb will be sent by the group of Arab/Muslim nations formed during the year 2009, led by Iran and Iraq. This nuclear attack marks the beginning of World War 3.

2011: The Arab nations led by Iran and Iraq threaten, attack, and begin to invade Europe.

2012: They capture the Pope (Peter the Roman) in 2012, blind him, and imprison him in Iraq, where he will die. Subsequently, the Arab forces capture Rome and Vatican City. They burn many of the churches of Rome. They burn or otherwise destroy some of the buildings of Vatican City.

2012/2013: The Allies recapture Rome. It will be hailed as a great victory and will be called a turning point in the war. But the victory will soon turn into utter defeat and the turning point is to the favor of the Arab forces.

July of 2013: The Arab forces, because they could not hold or recapture Rome, attack the city with a nuclear bomb, causing great destruction in Rome and destroying Vatican City.

July of 2013 to 2018/2019: The Arab forces are unstoppable. They have nuclear weapons and the will to use them. The Allies have nuclear weapons, but not the will to use them. Some nations capitulate without a fight. The Arabs conquer all of Europe, parts of other areas (Eastern Europe and Scandinavia), and the northern part of Africa. They can be stopped at or above the Equator in Africa. But they cannot be stopped in Europe or elsewhere. The Arab forces will win World War 3, and they will conquer and occupy a vast territory.

Many Other Predictions

I have many other predictions for the time period of the 2010's and the subsequent decades and centuries. (See my web site CatholicPlanet.com for more information.) Be assured that the world will not end anytime soon. Also, the Antichrist is not in the world today, nor will he arrive any time soon. Do not listen to anyone who claims that the Antichrist is in the world today. The Antichrist's reign will be from 2430 to 2437 A.D. And Jesus Christ will not return until the year 2437 A.D. When Jesus returns, Mary will return with him. Do not believe anyone who claims that Jesus is returning before the year 2437 A.D.

The Media

Do not trust or believe what the news and entertainment media claim about myself and my predictions, nor about the teachings of the Catholic Church in general. At best, they present distorted and inaccurate reports on Catholicism. At worst, they do much harm to the Faith, and they mislead very many persons. The media will surely reject and ridicule all of these predictions of future events. They will also distort and sensationalize. If you are listening to me on the topic of the future and the faith, do not listen to the media on the same topic.

The Tribulation

The sufferings described in the book of Revelation are often called 'the Tribulation.' But what most people do not understand is that the Tribulation is divided into two parts. The first part is from 2009/2010 to 2039/2040 A.D. Then there is a respite from the sufferings and a time of relative holiness and peace. Gradually the world slips back into greater and greater sinfulness. The second part of the tribulation occurs in the early 25th century, during and subsequent to the reign of the Antichrist (2430/2431 to 2437 A.D.). After the reign of the Antichrist ends, Jesus the true Christ returns. And yet even that time is still not the end of the world.

Islam

Let me be clear that the Muslims who participate in the atrocities of World War III (and of the small war that precedes it in 2009) are not representative of all Muslims. Their extremist leaders are not devout practicing Muslims, but they only use Islam as an excuse for their crimes and as a way to influence large numbers of people. Christians and Jews should not persecute Muslims for following Islam. (Remember that there have been extremists within the Christian and Jewish faiths as well.) Any human person who devoutly follows Christianity, or Judaism, or Islam, with the true and sincere intention of pleasing God, certainly does please Almighty God. We should allow devout Muslims to practice their faith without interference, even during times when some who claim to be Muslim are persecuting Christians and Jews severely. In this way, we will show the truth and sincerity of our devotion to God.

Sources

I myself have never received any private revelation of any kind. My predictions are based only on my interpretation of the Bible and a few other sources. There are a number of sources that indicate New York City will be struck with a nuclear bomb.

1. Private Revelation

Maria Esperanza of Betania used to plead with people to 'pray for the people of New York and Rome.' I believe that she singled out these two cities to pray for because she knew that each would be struck with a nuclear bomb during World War 3.

Also, at La Salette, the Virgin Mary described three great cities being destroyed by fire falling from the heavens. Her words described an event during the second part of the tribulation (in the 25th century A.D.). But the first part of the tribulation is, to a some extent, a mirror image of the second part, so these words also apply to the destruction of New York (in 2010), and Rome with Vatican City (in 2013).

In this rare instance, I have made limited use of a few of the predictions of Nostradamus. “The sky will burn at five and forty degrees. Fire approaches the New City. Immediately a huge scattered flame leaps up, when they want to have proof of the Normans.” (Century VI, Quatrain XCVII). The State of New York is between 40 and 45 degrees latitude and New York City is its most prominent city. The fire that burns the sky is a nuclear explosion.

“The garden of the World near the New City, in the road of the hollow mountains. It will be seized and plunged in the tank, forced to drink water poisoned with sulphur.” (Century X, Quatrain XLIX). The fall-out from the nuclear explosion will fall on New Jersey, the Garden State. The phrase “poisoned with sulfur” refers to nuclear fallout. The road of the hollow mountains refers to tunnels from New York City to New Jersey. The hollow mountains are the skyscrapers of New York City. [Erika Cheetham, The Final Prophecies of Nostradamus, p. 297, 424.]

2. Scripture

In the book of the prophet Daniel, the ram with two horns, signifying the leaders of Media (Iraq) and Persia (Iran), attacks first to the West (the U.S.), then to the North (Europe), and finally to the South (Africa). It is clear from my understanding of the timeline of these events that this attack on New York City will occur in 2010, sometime between June 1 and December 31, inclusive.

It is clear from the Book of Revelation that, during the first part of the tribulation (2009/2010 to 2039/2040), nuclear weapons will be used. For example, the Sixth Seal (World War 4) is described in this way: “And the stars from the heavens fell upon the earth, as the fig tree casts its green figs when it is shaken by a great wind.” (Rev. 6:13). This image of something like stars falling to the earth is a fitting description of nuclear weapons being used in an all-out nuclear war (World War 4). But some nuclear weapons are used during World War 3.

The destruction of Vatican City is referred to in Sacred Scripture: “Awake, O spear, against my shepherd and against the man that clings to me, says the Lord of hosts. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. And I will turn my hand to the little ones.” (Zech 13:7).

In this passage, the spear is a nuclear missile. Unlike the attack on New York City (a nuclear bomb delivered without a missile), by this time, the Arab forces have been able to put a nuclear bomb into a missile. The date of July in 2013 comes partly from the chapter and verse numbers. Zechariah 13:7 indicates the year 2013 and the 7th month, July.

The shepherd refers, in level of meaning, to the place where the Shepherd of the Church resides, Vatican City, which will be struck by the nuclear missile. It also refers, in another level of meaning, to the Papacy. Since Pope Peter the Roman was captured in 2012, blinded, and imprisoned in Iraq (where he will die), this passage does not refer to him. It refers to his successor, who is killed by the nuclear missile sent against Rome and Vatican City. The text refers both to 'my shepherd' and to 'the man that clings to me.' Therefore, another man will be killed in this same nuclear attack, at Vatican City or Rome, who is also a leader within the Catholic Christian faith (perhaps a Patriarch of the East living in exile in Rome or in Vatican City).

See my book, The Bible and the Future of the World, 5th edition, (available as a free ebook) for a detailed interpretation of Daniel and of the Book of Revelation and other passages from the Bible.

3. Common Sense about the Attack on New York City

It is well known that, for some time, Iran has been trying to obtain nuclear weapons. North Korea, Pakistan, and India were able to obtain nuclear weapons, even though these are less developed and less wealthy nations. Therefore, it is not out of reach for Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. Iran has long been cited as a major state sponsor of terrorism.

Eventually, an Arab/Muslim nation, hostile to the U.S. and the West, will obtain a nuclear bomb (by building one or buying one). It is clearly not out of the financial and technological reach of Iran and similar nations to obtain or build a nuclear bomb. Currently, in 2005, it is not generally believed that Iran has nuclear weapons. But in 4 or 5 years time, they certainly would be able to build or buy one or more nuclear weapons.

The Arab/Muslim extremists hate the U.S., and they especially hate New York City. They have already attacked New York city twice. If they had a nuclear weapons, do you think that they would use it anywhere else except New York City? For some reason, which I cannot fathom, NYC is their target of choice.

Conclusion

There are many more related events that occur in this same time frame, but I cannot fit them all into one article. Read my books and articles about the future for more information. Be careful who you listen to, for there are many false claimed private revelations in the world today.


by Ronald L. Conte Jr.
November 10, 2005