- Introduction
Many of the messages of John Leary, particularly during the year 1999, claim that the next Pope after John Paul II would be an evil Antipope associated with the Antichrist. These messages claim that this Antipope is the same one called the Beast in the Book of Revelation, and that he would change the teachings of the Church in a way that is contrary to the Gospel. The messages further claim that this Antipope would help the United Nations and the Antichrist take control of the world and implant computer chips in people's brains to control them.
These claims are heretical, schismatic, and absurd.
John Leary believes that these messages are from Jesus, but the Bishop of his Diocese (Bishop Matthew Clark of Rochester, New York) has decided that such messages are not from Heaven, and that they contain ideas contrary to the teaching of the Church.
http://www.marysremnant.org/Friends/Defend/Leary.html
Furthermore, it is clear to all faithful Catholics that John Paul II's successor, Pope Benedict XVI, was validly elected, is not an antipope, is not evil, and has not changed Church belief or practice in contradiction to the Gospel. An argument does not need to be made to support that which is manifestly true in the eyes of all the faithful.
For the dire predictions of Leary's messages about the United Nations, the Antichrist, and computer chips, these events have not occurred and are contrary to both fact and reason. The United Nations does not have the power to control the world. In fact, the United Nations is often criticized because its frequent resolutions are not enforced. Also, there are no computer chips which can control the human brain; such technology does not exist, even in theory.
See my article on why the Antichrist cannot possibly be in the world today.
- Does John Leary still believe these messages?
I contacted John Leary through the contact form on his website. I asked about the messages which said that John Paul II would go into exile, and that his successor would be an evil Antipope. He replied: “Jesus has given several
messages concerning the topic but under obedience to the bishop we can not put them out.” The e-mail was signed “John and Carol”. Carol is his wife, who accompanies him when he travels and gives talks about his messages; she believes with him that these messages are true and are from Heaven.
If John Leary did not believe these past messages about John Paul II going into exile and about an evil Antipope as his immediate successor, then he could easily have taken the messages off of his website, or at least have issued some kind of statement or correction on his site. But he has not done so. If he no longer believed these past messages, obedience to Bishop Clark would not prevent him from saying so. If the more recent messages “concerning the topic” indicated that the current Pope is not evil, or is not an Antipope, again, John Leary would be free to release such messages, just as he freely continues to release other recent messages. The only reason he could not release these “several messages concerning the topic” is if these messages continue to claim that the Pope after John Paul II is evil and is an Antipope.
Notice, too, that Leary refers to these messages which he cannot disclose under obedience to the Bishop by saying “Jesus has given several messages concerning the topic.” Clearly, John Leary believes that these messages condemned by the Bishop are nevertheless messages from Jesus.
For all of the above reasons, it is clear that John Leary continues to receive messages claiming that Pope Benedict XVI is an evil Antipope. And, since he has not denied or stated any change in the prediction that Pope John Paul II would be in hiding in exile during the reign of this Antipope, it seems that he also believes that John Paul II is not dead, but is in hiding. The claim that Pope Benedict XVI is an Antipope is schismatic, but the claim that John Paul II is not really dead is absurd and is contrary to reason and known facts.
- Recent Messages Compared to Messages from 1999
The messages claiming that Pope John Paul II would go into exile, and that an evil Antipope would take his place, were from the year 1999. Although it is clear, as explained above, that more recent messages continue to make the same claim, such messages have not been released to the public. Yet by a comparison of other points within the messages from 1999 with more recent messages, it can be demonstrated that John Leary and his messages are still promoting the same world view and the same alleged sequence of events which include the prohibited claims about John Paul II and his successor.
January 7, 1999
Jesus said: “My people, a time is coming soon when my clergy will be gathered together for a special election of the next pope. My pope son, John Paul II, is about to be replaced for reasons of health and age. There will then be two popes reigning at once, as John Paul II will leave Rome. There will be a lot of celebration, but this next pope will be an antipope, one of the beasts in revelation. He will be liberal and cunning and eventually he will lead people astray as he will accommodate the preparation for the coming Antichrist. This event of John Paul II's leaving will bring about a schism in my church. My remnant will split away from this evil pope into an underground Church. This is the sign to go into hiding, as soon they will come to your house demanding everyone to take the mark of the Beast to buy and sell. For those, who refuse to take the chip in the hand or forehead, they will be taken to detention centers as enemies of the new world order. If you are in hiding before they come to find you, you will be protected by my Angels from imprisonment. They will come to people's houses with Gestapo tactics before martial law is declared. Fear not this time of testing, for I will protect your souls from the evil ones. You may suffer persecution for a brief time, but my victory will soon bring my faithful to my era of peace on a renewed earth.”
The above message from 1999 contains the false claim that Pope John Paul II would be replaced and the next Pope would be an Antipope, one of the beasts of the Book of Revelation. The claim is then made that this situation will cause a schism in the Church. The message also claims that, about the same time, people will be forced to take the “mark of the Beast” in the hand or forehead. Clearly, these claims are related. They are interrelated elements of one coherent (and manifestly false) world view.
Now, the message of April 8, 2006 predicts “a division in the Church and chips in the body being forced on people.” And the message of April 23, 2006 again mentions “forced chips in the body as the mark of the beast.” Although Leary no longer gives out messages which claim that the Pope after John Paul II will be an “evil pope” who is “liberal and cunning” and leads the people astray, it is clear from the messages that he does give out, that there has been no change at all in the sequence of events being claimed by these messages.
The fact that the 1999 messages are still on the johnleary.com site, and the fact that the most recent messages still tell the same story as the 1999 messages, both imply that Leary still believes, and his messages are still claiming, that the current Pope, Benedict XVI is an evil Antipope and one of the beasts of Revelation.
January 10, 1999
Jesus said: “My children, you are about to be tested with a schism in my Church as Pope John Paul II leaves Rome. there will be two factions in my Church. One side will be led by the Antipope, who will control all of the Church buildings and will mislead the people into following the Antichrist. The other side will be my faithful remnant that are loyal to the teachings of Pope John Paul II and my traditional Church. Both the laity and the clergy must decide whom they wish to follow -- either Satan's Antipope, or my Gospel. You are choosing between the light of me or the darkness of Satan. Those who choose me will be persecuted, but they will be rewarded in my heaven on earth and above. Those following the Antipope will be led straight to Hell if they do not change their ways. Worship me only and never give allegiance to the Antichrist or take his mark in your hand or forehead.”
Though Leary no longer releases messages which contain a mention of the Antipope, he continues to release messages claiming that the Antichrist is in the world today and is plotting to put chips in people. The message of November 2, 2006 says: “Refuse to watch or listen to the Antichrist and refuse his chips in your bodies.” Since the story being told by Leary's messages has not changed, the unavoidable conclusion is that he still believes that the current Pope is the associate of the Antichrist and one of the Beasts of Revelation.
January 14, 1999
Jesus said: “My people, a time is coming soon when people will persecute you for believing in my name. Your evil age will grow worse with the coming Antipope and the Antichrist. Do not have fear, my faithful, for I will be watching over you with the help of my Angels. These evil people will try to force you to worship the image of the Beast. They will also try to force you to take the mark of the Beast. Some will be martyred, tortured, or enslaved. That is why I am showing you this prison setting. Those, that go into hiding as Pope John Paul II leaves Rome, will avoid imprisonment with my help.”
If Leary believed that Pope John Paul II were dead, then he would not be able to continue believing and teaching this story about the mark of the Beast and the Antichrist, because these elements of the story are all interrelated. Apparently, Leary believes that Pope John Paul II is not dead, but is in hiding. Otherwise, the predictions in these messages would be proven false, leading to the inevitable conclusion that they are not from Heaven. But the overwhelming evidence, including a very public funeral, is that John Paul II is dead. These messages cannot be true, and so they cannot be from God.
January 26, 1999
Jesus said: “My people, I have been warning you of the coming schism in my Church, but it will come as no surprise to you. You already have many divisions in my Church which are apparent in those who do not follow my Pope son, John Paul II. When this current Pope is exiled, your schism will formally begin. The next Pope will be an Antipope, who will dismiss many of my church's long standing traditions and laws. This evil Pope will accommodate every religion, but will relax the laws against the sins of the flesh. By his evil decrees, you will know of his ill intent to try and destroy my Church. When he promotes the Antichrist, there will be no doubt in anyone's mind of the evil nature of this imposter Pope.”
Notice that Leary's messages from 1999 pair the Antichrist with the Antipope. Also, the Antipope is called one of the beasts of Revelation, and there are frequent warnings in these messages about 'the mark of the Beast.' Now in the more recent messages, this talk continues unabated.
And this so-called evil Antipope, who in 1999 was called 'The next Pope,' is supposedly the cause of a schism. Other messages (quoted below) say that he will be associated with the New Age movement and with the so-called 'one world people.' Although the more recent messages have dropped the word 'Antipope,' they continue to teach the same idea with different words. In the following message, from 2006, Leary clearly teaches that there will be a schismatic church which is involved in New Age worship and involved with a 'one world people.'
June 22, 2006
You are about to see another division in My Church between the schismatic church and the faithful remnant. The evil segment will promote New Age idol worship of things and claim the sexual sins are no longer sins. My faithful will also have to defy this evil authority and standup for your true beliefs in worshiping Me only, and follow my commandments. You will also have to flee to My refuges for protection from the one world people who will try and force chips in the body on people, or they will be killed. My angels will protect you from these evil ones, but some of you may face personal martyrdom for your faith before you can reach My refuges. Refuse to believe in this schismatic church and refuse to take chips in your body, even if it may cost you your life. Those, who follow My ways of faith, will be rewarded in heaven.
So we can see from the more recent messages that Leary still believes and still teaches that there will be an evil Pope who will cause a schism in the Church (associated with New Age ideas and a 'one world people' and Masons). He has dropped the phrase 'evil Antipope,' but he has not dropped the idea. His messages merely express the same idea in different words.
January 29, 1999
Jesus said: “My people, you are seeing in these signs of darkness a coming time when the Masons will take over my Church. This will be a severe test in faith, but have no fear, for my remnant will survive this trial. This is a difficult message, but I am giving you this warning beforehand. My Pope son, John Paul II, whom you have seen recently, has called your country to task for its sins of abortion and euthanasia. The evil ones in the Vatican will find ways to exile my faithful Pope so they can install their evil Antipope. I am telling you to beware of the leadership of this Masonic Pope. He will try and mislead my faithful and eventually prepare people to follow the Antichrist.”
Notice that the same message which claims that 'evil ones in the Vatican' are going to install 'their evil Antipope' after John Paul II also claims that this Antipope will be associated with Masons, even calling him a 'Masonic Pope.' Has Leary changed his mind, or have his messages changed their claims, about the Pope after John Paul II? Clearly not, for recent messages continue to refer to Masons:
June 30, 2006
“The vision of the masonic ring is a symbol of the one world people who will be the instruments of this takeover. Refuse to take the chips of the masons into your bodies.”
Presidents and world leaders do not generally wear rings as a sign of their authority. But the Pope wears a papal ring. The 1999 messages about an evil Antipope associate that Antipope with a 'one world people' and Masonic influence. The most recent messages in 2006 have continued to make these same claims, having dropped the word 'antipope,' but making the same point of view evident by means of different words.
February 3, 1999
“The schism is already present in my Church. It will be my Pope son's leaving that will bring about the formal split in my Church. The new Antipope, once placed in office, will begin making concessions to the worldly government of the new world order. He will so want to protect his power base, that this evil Pope will accept the Antichrist's demands of placing the image of the Beast on all of the altars. Those churches, that refuse this demand, will be burned to the ground. The evil of the tribulation will grow so great, that the Antipope will encourage the people to even worship the Beast. There will come a separation of the faithful remnant from the evil lot listening to this Antipope. Do not follow this evil Pope who will be misleading the people.”
Notice that, in this message from 1999, the schism is not said to be in the future. And the event which is said to bring about the formal split in the Church is the departure of Pope John Paul II and his replacement by his successor, who is called 'The new Antipope' and 'this evil Pope.' Leary's messages from 1999 quoted here are still on his official web site at johnleary.com. He has not withdrawn these claims at all. Therefore, he apparently still believes that Pope Benedict XVI is this evil antipope from his messages.
February 22, 1999
Jesus said: “My people, I am showing you how my pope son will be leaving Rome to form an underground Church. Another will take his place after forcing Pope John Paul II into exile. The black knife indicates that he will have evil roots and he will have diabolic designs to change my Church. He will cause a schism in my Church by his evil decrees. His evil roots will be linked to his Masonic loyalties. Many of my Church's traditions will be rooted out and they will be replaced by man's laws and not mine. When this Antipope promotes worshiping the Antichrist, there will be no doubt of his evil intent to mislead my people. Everyone in my Church will then have to take sides either to follow my Pope John Paul II or this Antipope.”
More recent messages continue these claims about an underground Church.
February 12, 2006
As soon as you see New Age idols and teachings brought into a church, leave that church for an underground faithful remnant church that is true to My teachings.
February 23, 2006
When you see such New Age teachings and idol worship enter a church, it is time to leave such churches for the coming underground church.
May 7, 2006
There is coming an evil group who will follow the New Age ways, and they will try and destroy My Church, but the gates of hell will not prevail against Me. My elect will be forced underground….
The messages of 1999 openly say that the Pope after John Paul II will be an Antipope, leading an evil group who have taken his side, and that the faithful will have to form an underground Church, in other words, a Church not led by the successor to Pope John Paul II. The messages of 2006 continue this same kind of story, making the clear suggestion that there will be an underground Church and that an evil group will take control of the institutional Church (which obviously includes the papacy). Again, we see that the messages and the world view presented in them has not changed in any substantial way.
February 27, 1999
Jesus said: “My people, as the time of your computer problems draws closer to 2000, you will see many horror stories that could cause a massive chaos. The weakest link or where these problems have not been corrected, will cause a domino effect shutting down your power, your communications, and finally your means to transport food. Those, who have reserves of food and fuel, will be the only ones assured of eating. But when looting and searching for food begins, there will be few safe places to go. You will see the Antichrist manipulate food and money shortages to try and force people to take the mark of the Beast. Refuse the mark of the Beast at all costs and only worship me. When men search for food with guns and when John Paul II leaves Rome, this is your indication to go into hiding to protect yourself from the influence of the Antipope and the Antichrist. Rely on me for the grace to bring you through This tribulation. This is another expression of how your technology will bring about your downfall.”
This message of 1999 begins with a false prediction, that of a great disaster caused by the Y2K computer problem. This cannot be a message from Jesus because Jesus would not make a false prophecy; God knows the whole future with absolute certainty and Jesus is God. Yet Leary and his adherents seem unaffected by the fact that these predictions of a Y2K disaster, and of John Paul II going into exile have not occurred. It is a case of the blind leading the blind.
March 17, 1999
Jesus said: “My people, a time is coming when many churches will all be joined in a one world religion. The Antipope, who will replace Pope John Paul II, will make accommodations to join all religions as one. Many traditions of my Church will be compromised under the guise of unity. Unifying the churches will be one more step by the Masons toward one world control. This one world religion will then allow the Antichrist an opportunity to have everyone worship him as a world ruler. Do not follow either the Antichrist or this Antipope, who will be trying to deceive the people not to have allegiance to me only. You will see how the new age movement will draw innocent people into following this one world religion. Do not be fooled, but continue to remain faithful to me and not these false witnesses.”
Recent messages, quoted above, continue this same claim of Masons and New Age influences destroying the institutional Church, and of a one world people led by an Antipope.
October 26, 2006
See that spiritual authority will soon be threatened by the evil authority of the one world people.
August 14, 2006
…the one world tyrants will use spies as with Hitler to keep you under control using microchips in the body…. you are losing your freedoms every day to the one world people controlling your government from behind the scenes.
The more recent messages continues these false claims about a 'one world people.' And although they have dropped any mention of an Antipope, it is implied by the continued use of the same wording and the continued telling of the same false story. Even the phrase 'spiritual authority' is a thinly-veiled reference to the Pope and the Bishops of the Church. Leary's claims that the faithful must reject the institutional Church, in order to join an underground Church, and his claims that a group of evil persons will have 'spiritual authority' are clear evidence that he continues to believe and teach that the Pope is evil and is an Antipope.
April 6, 1999
Jesus said: “My people, I am showing you this golden globe to indicate how the men of money control your world. Through the various secret societies of world finance, you will soon see their new world order brought about. This has been planned for many years and soon their plan for takeover will be implemented. They will soon create wars and financial upheavals that will throw the world into a panic of chaos. This will lay the foundation for the coming to power of the Antichrist. As a result of a world depression and a world famine, the United Nations will call for a global government to restore order. During a time of martial law, a one world religion will be imposed which will be a means for religious persecution to force everyone to worship the Beast and take his mark on their body. All those, who refuse this mark, will be outlaws and liable for death. The Antipope, who will replace John Paul II, will assist in forming this one world religion of false gods. Once the united nations controls the world, the Antichrist will assume full control and eliminate all of the current leaders. As soon as this evil one will attain full control, I will come and sift all of these evil ones, as I will cast them into hell in chains.”
The message of October 31, 2005 talks about imminent martial law: “At one point the one world people will declare martial law as an excuse for a takeover.” Numerous other messages from 2006 speak similarly. This is one of the points which is integral to the false claims of the 1999 messages about an Antipope associated with the Antichrist. The 'mark of the beast' and the 'one world people' also continue in the current messages. There has been no change in the claims made by these messages, except that the claim of an evil Antipope has gone from being explicitly stated to being implicitly suggested.
Notice also the language of the following message:
August 31, 2006
My people, the same one world people, who are seeking global control over your money and privacy, are also going to try and force everyone to be a part of the One World Religion which is all about New Age teachings. This so-called religion does not worship God at all, but they worship earthly idols as seen in the vision. I have warned you before to leave any churches who teach New Age because they are promoting idol worship, and will eventually worship the beast of Revelation Antichrist.
The message of April 6, 1999 says: “The Antipope, who will replace John Paul II, will assist in forming this one world religion of false gods.” And a very recent message from August 31, 2006 continues to make this claim of a one world religion, even going so far as to tell people to leave any churches, because those churches will be taken over by one of the beasts of Revelation, the Antichrist. In view of the other messages of 2006, it is clear that Leary and his messages still teach people that the Church will be taken over by an evil group and that the faithful must leave the institutional Church. Also, the past messages from 1999 called the 'evil Antipope' one of the beasts from Revelation, and the more recent messages still talk about beasts of Revelation (merely dropping the reference to an antipope).
The other messages on this topic from 1999 continue to present the same ideas in much the same language:
April 28, 1999
Jesus said: “My people, as you read about my early Church, I want you to remember the fervor of the spirit of faith. It is this same persistence in believing in my word that will lead my underground Church during the coming schism. You will suffer through yet another Antipope, who will be misleading the people. Once my Pope son, John Paul II is exiled, you will see satan trying to destroy my Church. I have told you that the gates of Hell will not prevail over my Church. You have my assurance that my remnant will remain faithful to my word. You will have to go underground, because the public churches will be joined under a one world religion that will be faithful only to the Antichrist. As Pope John Paul II leaves Rome, you will need to go into hiding from those who will try to kill anyone believing in me.”
April 29, 1999
Jesus said: “My people, the Saint of today is St. Catherine of sienna. She lived in the time of several Antipopes when three popes claimed the throne of St. Peter. You are soon to see a time of schism in my Church once again. An Antipope is coming again to replace John Paul II. Be prepared to see this split in my Church which will place the Antipope and the Antichrist on one side against my faithful and their angels on the other side.”
June 16, 1999:
Jesus said: “My people, I am warning you again about the coming of an evil Masonic Antipope who will try and mislead even my elect. This shadow of darkness is a shadow of evil where the Masons have been struggling to take control of the Vatican for some time. The higher people in the Masonic order are ruled by those in allegiance to satan, the devil. It is their desire to destroy the Catholic Church from within. Know that when Pope John Paul II is exiled, the next Pope would not be elected in proper succession. This evil man will be crafty and deceiving like the devil. By your own discernment and prayer you will see how he will undermine the proper teachings of my church. He will control all of the Catholic Churches and he will join the one world religion which will follow the new age movement. He will accommodate my beliefs beyond recognition until he will even promote the teachings of the Antichrist. Even if you cannot believe that this will happen, when you see these events take place, you will not be able to deny them. Keep faithful to my commandments and pray for strength in these end days, as my remnant church will have to go underground to avoid persecution and being misled. A schism will occur in my Church where each person will have to decide to either follow me or the evil Antipope. Do not be taken in by his deceptions and know that I have warned you of this shadow about to take over the chair of St. Peter. It is with this event of my Pope son's leaving Rome that I also warned you of going into hiding. Call on me and I will have your guardian Angel lead you to a safe refuge. Have trust and faith that I will protect your soul during this tribulation. Continue to strengthen your prayer life so you will be able with my help to endure this trial.”
June 23, 1999
It will not be long when the Antichrist will come as a man of peace trying to settle the chaos that will come from wars and your computer problems. Pray continually for peace and that weapons of mass destruction are not used. Satan's time is short and he is trying to coerce as many into wars as he can. Satan is out to destroy man and he will join with the Antichrist and the Antipope to gain control over the world.
June 24, 1999
In those days of my first coming there was a strong dominance by a Roman secular army. There are parallels with my Second Coming as well…. In this trial before my coming again, you will see an evil Roman dominance, only it will come from the Vatican through the Antipope.
June 25, 1999:
Jesus said: “My people, a time is coming when all of the governments of the world will crumble and fall into the hands of the Antichrist. Many do not want to believe that this can happen, but this is how it is written in the Bible. Once the Antichrist has assumed power, he will assign ten leaders as his puppets to help him control the whole world. He will set up a mark of his image to be worshiped and he will force everyone to buy and sell using his mark that will be placed in the right hand or forehead. The moneyed people of the new world order will control this new means of exchange through the central banks all over The world. There will be a network of satellites to control all of this buying and selling. My faithful will refuse to accept this authority in their lives. There will be a schism in my Church that will force my true believers to go underground away from the evil influences of an Antipope and the Antichrist. Refuse this evil money system where these chips will control those who take these chips in their bodies.”
July 7, 1999
Jesus said: “My son, I had given you a message recently about being submissive to your superiors. Now that you are being tested to comply with what is being asked of you, it is your responsibility to be obedient to those in proper authority of My Church. The messages I have given you concerning the Antipope and the Era of Peace will be vindicated in their own time. But for now it is proper to be obedient.
August 5, 1999
Jesus said: “My people, you should be aware that Satan is attacking My Church even from within. He has reached into the hearts of man and of My cardinals through the vehicle of freemasonry. Masons at the higher levels of authority are plotting with Satan to try and overthrow My Church. That is why there is a plan under way to exile My present Pope John Paul II so these evil men can install a Masonic Antipope who will undermine My teachings. But I am asking My faithful remnant to rally around My pope son, Pope John Paul II, who will be the real legitimate pope. Those, who refuse to believe that this is going on, are denying reality.”
September 15, 1999
Jesus said: “My son, your messages have drawn criticism from many quarters. As the hazardous events have been unfolding, many of your critics are having to believe in what was foretold as being self-evident. There are some who do not understand about the Era of Peace or how you could have an Antipope. You are right in being obedient to your local Catholic authorities. You have not denied these messages and they will be fulfilled in due time. These events of My Era of Peace and a schism in My Church will come about and when they happen, no one will be able to deny it.
The above messages from 1999 portray Jesus as predicting certain future events, through messages to John Leary. Those events include the exile of Pope John Paul II and the election of an Antipope as his immediate successor. Those messages are manifestly false; to assert otherwise is contrary to known facts. These same messages are schismatic in that they encourage the faithful to leave the institutional Church, and to distrust the Pope, following John Leary's messages instead of the Pope and the Cardinals and the Bishops.
Conclusion
John Leary's messages cannot be from Heaven, because numerous messages claimed that Pope John Paul II would be forced into exile, and that while he was in exile he would be replaced by an evil Antipope. But Pope John Paul II died, he was not forced into exile. And Pope John Paul II's successor was for a long time his friend and confidante, as well as his choice to defend the truths of the faith as the prefect of the CDF. No reasonable persons think that the election of Pope Benedict XVI was invalid or illicit; he is obviously neither evil, nor an Antipope.
Despite these manifest facts, John Leary's recent messages, and his decision to keep the older messages about an Antipope on his website (johnleary.com), indicate that he still believes that John Paul II's successor is evil and is an Antipope. The language of the messages, and the false story that they present as if it a prophecy, has not changed in any substantial way since the election of Pope Benedict. Therefore, John Leary believes that the current Pope is an evil Antipope. Even worse, his messages (the older ones as well as the newer ones) continue to encourage Catholics to leave the institutional Church for a supposed underground Church, and to distrust the Pope and the other leaders of the Church.
by Ronald L. Conte Jr.
November 26, 2006
