In my humble and pious opinion as a faithful Roman Catholic theologian, the messages and claimed private revelation to Catalina Rivas, a.k.a. Katya or Catia, (http://www.greatcrusade.org) are false and are not from Heaven. A list of reasons and examples follows.
- Association with other false prophets
The messages portray Jesus as implying that Nancy Fowler and Vassula Ryden are true prophets.
“However, I give some of My children, owing to the nature of the responsibility that I give them, another type of life. I want to talk to you about this. My Love has let you meet Nancy Fowler and Fr. Stefano Gobbi and allowed you to receive many videos and books from other people who were chosen in this era of the salvation of a planet that is sinking into the abyss of sin, of the rejection of God.”
http://www.pdtsigns.com/katyaongobbi.html
The implication is the Nancy Fowler is chosen by God and that her messages are true. But there are many reasons to believe that the claimed private revelation to Nancy Fowler is false. See my article on the subject:
http://www.catholicplanet.com/apparitions/false53.htm
After seeing a videotape of Vassula Ryden, Catalina received the following message, supposedly from Jesus:
“She is the messenger of My Peace, you are the messenger of My Love.”
9-Jan-96
However, the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has repeatedly condemned Vassula Ryden's messages. See number 13 on this page:
http://www.catholicplanet.com/apparitions/index.htm
- Worldly language and ideas
Jesus is repeatedly portrayed as speaking in a worldly manner, not in a heavenly manner, and not at all like the manner of speaking so clearly presented, in many passages, in all four Gospels of the New Testament.
For example, 'Jesus' refers Catalina as “my cucarachita,” which means “my little cockroach.” Jesus uses worldly expressions, such as: “Do not cry over spilt milk.”
The messages repeatedly claim that Jesus is asking for prayers for the former USSR, which no longer exists:
“My daughter, much beloved, today I want your prayers for the conversion of the former USSR… Yes, you heard correctly, for the former USSR.”
Again, a worldly expression is used: 'you heard correctly.' In the following quote, Jesus is portrayed as complaining in a worldly manner, as pressuring people to join Catalina's group, and as if he is frustrated and powerless himself.
“It is each one's decision to belong to this group or to ruminate over the frustration of having failed Me in the things that are truly important to Me…. It is very sad to see every instant on earth that indeed the commandment of love of neighbor is destroyed by selfishness, envy, hatred, division and, in this way, the dignity of God's creatures is crushed by the anvil of interior slavery, which makes them victims of disorderly passions”
(from Catalina's book called 'Divine Providence,' chapter 2)
The emphasis in the quote above is love being destroyed by evil and on God's creatures being crushed by interior slavery and disorderly passions. These are the words of fallen angels, not the words of Jesus who is Love. Jesus does not give messages describing love and God's creatures being destroyed and crushed by what is evil.
“The responsibility that I place in the hands of My chosen ones implies an enormous quota of persecutions, suffering and bitterness.”
“In the majority of cases, I and My Word have been the nucleus…. In some cases the group has grown and therefore, strengthened its work; widened its radius of action. They have won over more and more souls for Me until they have joined together with another group of chosen ones….”
Language such as 'the nucleus' and 'the radius of action' and 'an enormous quota' are worldly terms, which are fine for us here on earth, but which are not befitting of the Savior of the world in Heaven.
- A different message from the true Gospel
Notice that the messages quoted above speak as if Jesus were distinct from the Word of God, saying “I and My Word,” as if Jesus were not the Word of God. They also speak as if the various claimed visionaries, such as Vassula and Catalina and Fowler, were “chosen ones,” who will reform the world apart from the Church.
More generally, these messages present the future as if the only salvation were from these visionaries, not from the Pope and the body of the Bishops, with the priests and religious and the whole laity. This gospel of Catalina is offering salvation from claimed private revelation, rather than from the Church established by Christ. This is a common characteristic of false private revelations; the idea is presented that truth and salvation are not found in Tradition, Scripture, Magisterium, but in the messages of various visionaries. Such an idea is fundamentally contrary to the Catholic Faith itself. The Faith teaches that there is no salvation outside of the universal Church. But these messages say otherwise:
“The mission of certain angelic spirits is to plant the seed of wisdom in the new nations, according to the divine plans. And once men assimilate them and their intelligence is opened to all teaching and research, they are left at the mercy of their own strength without them noticing the absence of such spirits.”
The above message even goes so far as to claim that angels have been sent to give some new wisdom to the world (some type of truth not found in Tradition and Scripture and in the teachings of the Magisterium). This claim to present a Divine Revelation outside of Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture is contrary to the teaching of the Church.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “…no new public revelation is to be expected before the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout the ages, there have been so-called 'private' revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith. It is not their role to improve or complete Christ's definitive Revelation…. [The] Christian faith cannot accept 'revelations' that claim to surpass or correct the Revelation of which Christ is the fulfillment….” (CCC, n. 66-67).
- The false claim that the Antichrist is in the world today
“He [The Antichrist] lives hidden; it is as if everything were only eyes that look at the world; mouth that speaks words that confuse and seduce the minds of man, causing them to rush to their perdition.”
“In his pride, his heart full of hatred, he will carry through the most monstrous action, throwing himself towards where the Pope is, trying to raise himself.”
11-Jan-96
This claim, that the Antichrist is in the world today, is found only among the many false private revelations. None of the true private revelations have taught such an idea. Furthermore, Sacred Scripture and the writings of the Saints make it clear that now is not the time of the Antichrist. See my article, 'The Antichrist is Not in the World Today':
http://www.catholicplanet.com/future/antichrist-timeline.htm
- The false claim that Jesus will return for this generation
“I am about to return to you who love Me and I will return, no longer hidden, but obvious and glorious.” 18-Jan-96
“Wait attentively for My Return.” 23-Jan-96
Again, this is common claim among the false private revelations, many of which also teach abject heresy. But the same claim is not found among any of the true private revelations. Also, the same article cited above also gives good reasons, based on Sacred Scripture and the writings of the Saints, why Christ will not return until several more generations have passed by.
http://www.catholicplanet.com/future/antichrist-timeline.htm
- False teaching about angels
“I shall tell you where these angels come from. When the battle in Heaven broke out, there was a certain number of undecided angels who at the last moment united and fought against Lucifer. Those separated angels were judged by God and are in a special place so that, in carrying out the mission for which they were created, may again possess Heaven at the end of time. However, when their help is needed, they hear the divine mandate and go forth to the place to which they are sent and they fulfill their mission. They do not lead to evil. They have been judged and their state is similar to those souls that are purifying themselves in Purgatory, in order to be able to go to God and enjoy Him.”
10-Jan-96
This teaching is false for a number of reasons. A holy angel cannot be undecided in a battle between good and evil. Angels are not like human beings; they cannot have both sin and virtue in the same person. Angels are simple beings and are either entirely sinless holy angels, or fallen angels who are evil and are without any grace at all. There is no Purgatory for angels, nor anything similar. Once an angel falls from grace, thereby becoming a devil, he cannot repent. Due to the simplicity of nature of angels, they are either entirely good or entirely evil. Those who are evil are obstinate in evil, as St. Thomas taught in the Summa Theologica, I, Q. 64, 2. Therefore, it cannot be true that some holy angels were undecided about whether or not to fight against evil angels, nor that some holy angels sinned, but were given a kind of penance to regain heaven, nor that fallen angels can repent at all, nor that there is some state like that of Purgatory for repentant angels.
- False teaching about Mary's role as intercessor
“Before her entry into Heaven, your mediator, the most valid intercessor after Me, was missing but, since then, you have to your advantage, the most powerful and most affectionate Mother.”
11-Jan-96
This teaching is false because Heaven is beyond Time. Mary in Heaven is able to be an intercessor throughout all of Creation and throughout all of Time, because she dwells now with God who is Eternal. Therefore, the claim in this alleged message from Jesus cannot be true. Mary was never missing as an intercessor, not in the time prior to her entrance into Heaven, not even in the time prior to her Immaculate Conception. For the Queen of Heaven is now beyond time and place.
Conclusion
The claimed private revelations to Catalina Rivas resemble the other false private revelations, contain serious doctrinal errors, contain the false claim that the Antichrist is in the world today and that Jesus will return for this generation, and are therefore. not in harmony with the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus it is my conclusion that these messages are not from Jesus or Mary, are not from God or Heaven at all, and are an example of false private revelation.
by Ronald L. Conte Jr.
February 8th, 2008
