In my humble and pious opinion as a faithful Roman Catholic theologian, the claimed private revelations in the form of the messages to Michael DiBitetto and the Trust Prayer Group (trustprayergrp.org) of Shelton, Connecticut are not true private revelations from Heaven. A list of reasons and examples follows. But let me just say from the start that these messages are filled to the brim with many of the characteristics of false private revelation. I will limit the number of examples that I give, but know that there are many more similar examples in these messages.
Please note that the ellipses in these quoted messages are part of the message; they do not indicate that any words are missing. They are said to indicate where 'Mary' or 'Jesus' paused for effect while giving the messages. All of the messages, as they appear on the official website, are continually interrupted by these ellipses.
- Vague Predictions
One of the most common characteristics of false private revelation is that the messages purport to predict the future, but in fact all they do is use various tricks to make it seem as if the future were predicted. One of these tricks is to predict events which are very common:
August 22, 2005.
WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS … MAJOR DISASTERS WILL CONTINUE … YOU WILL HAVE TORNADOES AND HURRICANES … THERE WILL BE MORE … MORE ACCIDENTS WITH CARS … TRAINS … BUSES … AND YES EVEN PLANES … ONCE AGAIN …
October 25th, 2004.
THERE WILL STILL BE … MANY AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS… YOU WILL HEAR OF TRACTOR - TRAILERS…. ONCE AGAIN… HAVING ACCIDENTS…. AND THEY WILL BE MAJOR…. TRAINS … BUSES…. AND CONTINUING ALSO…. WITH PLANES….
Notice that in the above messages the event predicted are events that happen every year, such as tornadoes and hurricanes. They predict accidents which happen from time to time, such a plane crashes. These messages even predict events that happen daily, such as truck and car accidents. And there are no specifics as to where or when these events may occur - until after an event. Then a specific message is given discussing the event.
October 3, 2005
LOOK AT THE SCHOOL BUS IN NEW YORK … THAT TURNED OVER … ALL THOSE INNOCENT CHILDREN … WALKED AWAY WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES … THAT WAS DUE TO PRAYER … FROM THEIR TEACHERS AND THEMSELVES … AS THEY BELONGED TO ST. JOSEPH CHURCH … IN THE BRONX.
Vague predictions beforehand, followed by specific messages afterward are a deceitful way of making people think that the event was predicted. Here is a similar example:
August 1, 2005
AS I HAD SAID: DISASTERS WILL CONTINUE AND YOU WILL HEAR OF MORE DISASTERS OCCURRING … THERE WILL BE MORE FLOODS … THERE WILL BE MORE WILD FIRES … FOREST FIRES … THERE WILL BE MORE … CRASHES WITH BUSES AND TRAILERS …
THESE ARE THINGS THAT WILL BE OCCURRING CONSTANTLY … BUT … PRAYERS CAN EASE THEM…REMEMBER THIS.
Again, floods, wildfires, and vehicular accidents occur every year. The Virgin Mary in Heaven would not give a supernatural message to tell us that there are floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and vehicular accidents in the world. We already know that. These messages portray the Virgin Mary as if she wanted to talk to us about weather disasters. There are even a couple of messages that mention hurricane Katrina; but those specific messages were only given after the event:
September 5, 2005
LOOK WHAT IS HAPPENING … TODAY A PLANE CRASH … MANY PEOPLE DIED …LOOK WHAT ELSE … MORE PEOPLE ARE DYING IN NEW ORLEANS … DUE TO THE HURRICANE … MY DEAR … DEAR CHILDREN … THINGS … ARE NOT GOING TO IMPROVE … THINGS ONLY CAN GET WORSE … UNLESS… THE WHOLE WORLD PRAYS … AND COMES TOGETHER … AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS …YOU WILL SEE MORE TORNADO'S … HURRICANES … THROUGH OUT THE WORLD … YOU'LL DEFINITELY SEE MORE PLANE CRASHES … UNFORTUNATELY THIS WILL TAKE PLACE … BUSES AND TRAINS … KILLINGS IN STREETS … LOOK AT THE LOITERING THAT'S TAKING PLACE IN NEW ORLEANS
Now I ask you, does the above message sound like the Virgin Mary, the all-pure Queen of Heaven to you? Hurricane Katrina occurred in late August of 2005. The two messages that mention Katrina are from September of 2005. So the author of these messages shows no knowledge of the future. The true Virgin Mary in Heaven is with God who is all knowing; she is so close to Him and she has the Beatific Vision of God will such fullness for a human person that she can know the future by knowing God. But the author of these messages has no knowledge of the future at all.
A message of July 18, 2005, predicted a heat wave in Europe:
BUT THE DISASTERS ARE FAR FROM FEW … EUROPE WILL BE HIT WITH SO MUCH … HEAT WAVE … THEY WILL HAVE 'DROUGHT' … PEOPLE WILL DIE FROM THE HEAT … BUT ONLY … ONCE AGAIN… PRAYERS CAN 'EASE' THE DISASTERS FOR EUROPE … I WOULD NOT SAY WHAT COUNTRY … BUT IT WILL BE VERY SOON… MANY CAN DIE … IT WILL BE IN THE THOUSANDS…
But then a subsequent message purports to explain why this did not occur:
September 5, 2005.
I HAD SAID: THAT MANY… MANY LIVES CAN BE TAKEN … SOMEWHERE IN EUROPE … DUE TO A MAJOR HEAT WAVE … AND PEOPLE MAY BE WONDERING … WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN ? WELL DUE TO SO … MANY … MANY PRAYERS … AND MANY PRAYERS CAME FROM EUROPE ITSELF … THE HEAT WAVE WAS NO LONGER DANGEROUS … TO THE LIVES … BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN … IT CAN NOT RETURN …
The above prediction of a heat wave is merely a trick, predicting something that commonly happens: particularly hot weather during the summer. Then, when this did not occur, it is said to have been averted by prayer. But then it is also said that it might still occur some other time. This kind of vague continually-changing prediction is characteristic of false private revelation. They predict common events, then say that prayers averted the event if it did not occur. Then they warn that it could still occur again. No matter what happens, it seems as if they are right.
And the only thing that is certain from these vague changing predictions is that they are not from Heaven. For Heaven is beyond Time, with God who is Eternity. Jesus and Mary are both in Heaven in body and soul, so they both know the future as well as they know the past or the present. All our future prayers and free will decisions are known by them. So they cannot predict something which does not fail to happen.
- Running Commentary on News Stories
This characteristic of false private revelation makes the reader feel as if the messages are relevant and accurate, by summarizing and commenting on current news stories. One problem with this type of message is that their specificity contrasts strongly with the vague and evasive nature of the messages that claim to predict the future. If Mary were to speak specifically about current events, and if she were to give predictions of soon-to-occur current events, she would certainly be able to predict those events with specificity beforehand. Instead, these false messages are ambiguous and unrevealing when talking about the future, and very specific when talking about the recent past.
Some examples follow.
November 28, 2005
LOOK WHAT IS HAPPENING … IN THE WORLD … LOOK IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY … HERE IN THE UNITED STATES … A 'MAJOR'… SNOWSTORM … TORNADO'S … AND CHINA … A MINE … CAVED-IN … THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON …
January 9, 2006
THE TIMES ARE CHANGING … LOOK WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD … LOOK AT IRAQ… THE SUICIDE BOMBINGS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE … LOOK AT THE MUD-SLIDES IN CALIFORNIA… AND LOOK AT THE FIRES IN TEXAS AND OKALAHOMA …
October 3, 2005.
WHAT … DO YOU WANT TO HEAR ? DO YOU WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE WAR IN IRAQ?… THAT IT'S CONTINUING … AND PEOPLE ARE STILL DYING … EVERYDAY … INNOCENT LIVES ARE TAKEN …
-DO YOU WANT TO KNOW … THAT THERE WILL BE ANOTHER PLANE CRASH ?
-THERE WILL BE MORE KILLINGS … IN STREETS …
-THERE WILL BE BUS ACCIDENTS … LOOK AT THE SCHOOL BUS IN NEW YORK … THAT TURNED OVER … ALL THOSE INNOCENT CHILDREN … WALKED AWAY WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES … THAT WAS DUE TO PRAYER … FROM THEIR TEACHERS AND THEMSELVES … AS THEY BELONGED TO ST. JOSEPH CHURCH … IN THE BRONX.
-DO YOU WANT TO HEAR OF … MORE HURRICANES ?
-VOLCANO'S ERUPTING ?
This kind of running commentary on current events is often found in false private revelations, but is not found at all in true private revelations. It is a clear indication that the messages come from fallen angels, or from mere human deception, for the only information in them is that which is currently in the news. And if the information in the news is wrong, that incorrect information finds its way into these messages. There are clear examples of this below in the section on the Tsunami of Indonesia and in the section on the War with Iraq.
- False predictions about the Tsunami of Indonesia (Dec. 26, 2004)
The supporters of this claimed private revelation say that the messages predicted the Tsunami which struck Indonesia on December 26, 2004. However, none of the messages prior to that event are in any way specific. They do not mention a tidal wave or tsunami, nor an earthquake, nor the Indian ocean, nor Indonesia. The messages merely predicted a major disaster without giving any specifics as to what kind of disaster or where it would occur. And the only specific information is that it would happen before or on Christmas day. The only specific claim turned out to be false.
December 8, 2004
MY DEAR…. DEAR CHILDREN …. FROM NOW TILL CHRISTMAS DAY…. THERE WILL BE A MAJOR…. MAJOR DISASTER …. PLEASE …. PLEASE…. PRAY …. PRAY THAT IT WILL EASE… AS IT WILL…TAKE PLACE….
December 13, 2004
MY DEAR… DEAR CHILDREN…. I HAD SAID: FROM LAST WEEK …. TILL CHRISTMAS …. A MAJOR… DISASTER WOULD OCCUR…. AND IT WILL …. AND I HAD SAID ALSO …. THAT YOUR PRAYERS CAN ONLY HELP …. EASE… THE DISASTER… AND THEY CAN…. BUT DO REMEMBER …. WE NEED “MORE PRAYERS FROM THE WHOLE WORLD”…
No location or description of the 'major disaster' is given. The only specific is that it will occur before (or perhaps on) Christmas day. Then the day after the Tsunami, the following message was given.
December 27th, 2004
NOW …. MY DEAR …. DEAR… CHILDREN …YOU MUST BE SAYING …. WHEN AM I GOING TO SPEAK…. ABOUT THE MAJOR ….. MAJOR DISASTER …. IN SOUTHERN ASIA ???
THE FIRST QUESTION IS …. THEY SAY … I HAD SAID …. UNTIL CHRISTMAS …. OR BY CHRISTMAS…. A MAJOR DISASTER WOULD OCCUR ….WOULD IT HAVE MADE YOU FEEL …. MUCH BETTER …. GETTING UP CHRISTMAS MORNING …. TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS MAJOR DISASTER ?…. AND THEN …. THE NEXT QUESTION …. PEOPLE SAY …WELL IF WE PRAYED…. WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN EASED .…OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN EASED ..?…
MY DEAR …. DEAR CHILDREN …. THIS MAJOR DISASTER…. WITH THE TSUNAMIS' …. BELIEVE ME …. THEY WERE …. “EASED”…. YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO KNOW …. THE OUTCOME … OF THESE EARTH-QUAKES ….
PRAYERS DID “EASE” IT …. BUT THEN PEOPLE SAY: OVER 20,000 PEOPLE HAVE DIED (the count is now up to 40,000) IS THAT “EASED” ?
YES …. IT HAS BEEN “EASED” …. DUE TO … SO MUCH PRAYER …THIS PAST CHRISTMAS …. AS IF THERE WAS NOT …. ENOUGH PRAYERS…. THE MAJOR ..DISASTER IN SOUTHERN ASIA … WOULD HAVE LOOKED … SOMETHING LIKE THIS ….
THE EARTH-QUAKES …. WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSER TO IN-LAND …. AND THAT MEANS …. MORE … COUNTRIES …. WOULD HAVE HAD THE EFFECT …. AND THE COUNTRIES THAT WERE EFFECTED …. COULD HAVE BEEN …. WIPED AWAY …. OFF… THE … MAP …. IF THE EARTH-QUAKES WERE… CLOSER….OVER 20,000 ( now up to 40,000) PEOPLE HAVE DIED ….SO FAR … WITH OUT IT BEING “EASED”… IT WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER 200, 000 PEOPLE DYING ….
SO NOW … MY QUESTION TO YOU …. MY DEAR CHILDREN…. KNOWING THAT THE EARTH-QUAKE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH … CLOSER …. IN-LAND …. TO INDIA …. AND THAILAND… IMAGINE …. WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE ???
MY DEAR …. DEAR CHILDREN …. YOU DO NOT KNOW…. HOW POWERFUL PRAYERS ARE …. AND AS I HAD SAID: “THIS WAS TO TAKE PLACE ON CHRISTMAS …. BUT DUE … TO PRAYERS … WE HELD IT OFF …. TILL THE FOLLOWING DAY …. SO EVERYONE COULD HAVE A VERY BLESSED … CHRISTMAS ….
If the reason that the major disaster occurred after Christmas was so that everyone could enjoy Christmas, then why was the disaster predicted for before Christmas in the first place? The answer is that the author of these messages has no idea what will happen when.
This message also claims that the disaster of the Tsunami was eased (lessened) by prayer, so that it could have been worse. But the message gives the example of saying “WITH OUT IT BEING "EASED"… IT WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER 200, 000 PEOPLE DYING”. Yet the actual number of persons who died in this tsunami was certainly well over 200,000 people. If this message were from the Virgin Mary, she would have known the number who were to die in advance. Yet even AFTER the event, the author of this message has no idea how many have died. The figure mentioned is 20,000, but even that number is only said to be based on what people were saying at the time. Again, the author of the messages shows a profound ignorance which cannot be found within the true Virgin Mary in Heaven.
Also, the message claims that the disaster would have been worse if the earthquake were closer to land. But this is doubtful. The earthquake was able to cause such a large tsunami because it was under the ocean. If it were closer to land, there may have been no tsunami at all and the damage would have been much more localized. Also, earthquakes under the ocean do not necessarily cause tsunamis at all; it is dependent on location. So a different location, whether closer to land or not, would not necessarily be a greater disaster. The message therefore shows a basic ignorance of how earthquakes and tsunamis work. But the Queen of Heaven is not ignorant, for she is with Christ who is God.
The only specific point given in advance for this prediction was the timing. But that point was wrong. Then the claim is made in this message: “YOU DO NOT KNOW…. HOW POWERFUL PRAYERS ARE …. AND AS I HAD SAID: THIS WAS TO TAKE PLACE ON CHRISTMAS …. BUT DUE … TO PRAYERS … WE HELD IT OFF”. But this claim is absurd because God knows the whole future, including all our future prayers. It cannot be the case that Jesus or Mary did not know that prayers would be said (on Christmas, no less!) so that the event would be delayed for a single day. This message presents those prayers as having only the power to ease a disaster which clearly was not eased, and to delay a disaster, but only for one day.
And in case it might seem like more than a coincidence that even a vague prediction of a major disaster was made and one occurred: other messages in other years also make the same vague prediction of a major disaster before the end of the year. This is a trick, because there is always something that can qualify as a disaster in any year. And if there is not one, then they can claim it was averted by prayer.
August 29, 2005.
MANY CATASTROPHES WILL TAKE PLACE …BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR
May 15, 2006
DISASTER'S … WILL CONTINUE … AS I HAVE SAID: A MAJOR DISASTER WILL OCCUR IN CALIFORNIA … I CAN NOT SAY WHEN … OR WHAT PART … BUT IT WILL TAKE PLACE
November 20, 2006
AND AS I HAD SAID: A MAJOR DISASTER … BY JANUARY 1ST OF 2007
These messages make this kind of vague disaster prediction year after year. It is a trick that is working well for them, so they continue using it. These messages make vague guesses as to what will happen in the future. Then they make excuses when events do not occur as the messages had predicted.
January 17th, 2005
MY DEAR CHILDREN …. I ASK YOU ALSO … TO PRAY FOR ALL THE SOULS …. THAT WERE LOST …. IN ASIA …. BY THE TSUNAMI …. PRAY FOR THESE POOR SOULS …. MANY WERE SO INNOCENT … BUT THEN … THE QUESTION COMES …. WITH …. “THEN WHY WERE THEY TAKEN ?”
GOD OUR FATHER …. ALWAYS HAS A REASON ….
A LOT OF THE CHILDREN WERE TAKEN …. THESE WERE INNOCENT … CHILDREN …. THAT WERE MOLESTED … BY THEIR PARENTS …. THEY WERE USED … IN PORNOGRAPHY …. THEY WERE ABUSED …. PHYSICALLY …. BY TAKING THEIR SOULS …. WE SAVED THEM FROM BEING ABUSED …MORE … AND… MORE….
In another message, it says that God does not cause disasters:
September 5, 2005.
GOD OUR FATHER DOES 'NOT' START THESE … SOME ARE NATURAL DISASTERS … AND SOME ARE CAUSED BY SATAN …
But in the message of January 17th, it says that God used the Tsunami to take these children's lives deliberately. These two claims are contradictory.
Also, notice how absurd this reasoning is: the message claims that God brought a Tsunami to kill over 200,000 people, killing very many children, to same some of those children from being molested. I ask you, does this sound like the reasoning of an all-powerful all-knowing and supremely merciful God to you? Do you really think that God would kill 200,000 people because he had no other way of saving children from abuse? Or that the way to save them was to kill them?!? The entire idea is insane.
- False Predictions and False Statements about the Iraq
In the messages about the Tsunami, there was a false statement, given after the event, about the number of persons killed by the Tsunami. In the messages about the Iraq war, there are also false statements, as well as vague constantly-changing guesses about what will happen. Eventually one of these guesses is bound to be correct, but this is not true prophecy, nor is it true private revelation.
November 26, 2001
MY CHILDREN … AS FOR THE WAR … IT IS FAR … BUT OVER … YOUR COUNTRY SOON … WILL DEAL WITH SUDAM HUSSEIN … AND AS I HAVE SAID ONCE BEFORE: BEFORE THE 8TH. OF DECEMBER … OR BY THE 8TH… I DO NOT WISH IT TO BE ON MY FEAST DAY … BUT I DO NOT CONTROL … EVIL … OR SATAN …
This false prediction uses a technique of guessing based on current events. The Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center occurred in 2001. “The War” refers to the war on terrorism which began on that day. The war in Afghanistan began in October of 2001. So in November of that same year, this claimed prophecy makes a guess that the U.S. would deal with Saddam Hussein next. It even gives a date of before or by the 8th of December. But the war in Iraq did not begin until March of 2003. Therefore, this prediction was false; it cannot be a message from the Virgin Mary in Heaven. God knows the whole future with absolute certainty, because he takes into account all our future prayers and free will decisions. Since Mary is with God in Heaven, she cannot err in any manner, not even in predicting the future. As for the statement that the war is far from over, this is merely a statement of the obvious; it is not a prophecy.
JAN 6, 2003
BUT PRAYERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.... HAVE POSTPONED THE WAR WITH IRAQ FOR QUITE AWHILE NOW.....AND HOPEFULLY THE PRAYERS WILL CONTINUE ... TO STILL POSTPONE IT EVEN LONGER......AND JUST MAYBE WITH ENOUGH PRAYERS.....IT MAY NEVER GET STARTED... BUT YOUR COUNTRY DOES NOT JUST HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.....IRAQ
The author of this message clearly has no idea what will happen when. This message cannot be a true prophecy from the Virgin Mary in Heaven, because Mary is with God, who knows the whole future with certainty.
JAN 13, 2003
EVIL MUST BE STOPPED ! BEFORE IT ATTACKS…. AND TOO EVIL .. I AM SPEAKING OF IS IRAQ.
IRAQ WILL SOON MAKE A MISTAKE .. THAT WILL CAUSE WAR.
YOUR COUNTRY IS FULLY PREPARED .. FOR WAR WITH IRAQ RIGHT NOW, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH …. YOU SEE FROM THE OTHER SIDE … NORTH KOREA … IS READY TO GO TO WAR ALSO WITH YOUR COUNTRY …..
THEY DO HAVE NUCLEAR BOMBS …. AS DOES IRAQ … YOUR COUNTRY MUST BE VERY CAREFUL WITH NORTH KOREA … EVEN MORE SO THAN WITH IRAQ.
At this point in time, prior to the Iraq war, it was thought by many persons that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, and that they were working on building a nuclear bomb. But as it turned out, they did not have an active nuclear bomb program, nor a working nuclear bomb, nor the fissionable material needed for such a bomb, nor even much in the way of weapons of mass destruction (except some older weapons from earlier decades). If this message were from the Virgin Mary in Heaven, she would not have made the false statement that Iraq has nuclear bombs.
January 27, 2003
YOUR COUNTRY WILL BE GOING TO WAR WITH IRAQ …VERY SHORTLY … NO MORE THAN ONE MONTH FROM NOW. BUT ALSO THEY COULD EVEN START EVEN 1 WEEK FROM NOW. IT ALL DEPENDS ON SUDDAM HUSSEIN, HOW MUCH IS HE GOING TO REVEAL …. AND HOW MUCH IS HE GOING TO DENY AND REFUSE? HE DOES HAVE HIS CHEMICAL WAR HEADS ….AND YES HE STILL HAS … THE NUCLEAR … WEAPONS WHICH THEY NEVER FOUND.
Again, this statement that Iraq has nuclear weapons is false. The U.S. military won this war quickly and obtained the ability to search anywhere in the nations. Nuclear weapons give off a substantial amount of radioactivity which can easily be detected once one is in control of a nation. No such weapons were found, nor was there any evidence of an active nuclear program for building such a bomb.
Notice also that the author of this message continues to have no idea what will happen when. The message contains the obvious statement that war with Iraq is a possibility, but no real knowledge of the future. Also, the war with Iraq began on March 20th of 2003, which was more than a month after this message claimed the war would begin 'no more than one month from now.' True messages from Heaven do not contain false statements or false predictions, therefore, these messages are themselves false.
MY DEAR CHILDREN….PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR YOUR COUNTRY….THAT THEY DO NOT GO TO WAR…..SO SOON…. PRAY…..THIS IS THE WEEK THEY WILL BE TALKING ON WEDNESDAY….AND AFTER THAT……ONLY GOD THE FATHER KNOWS………. MY DEAR CHILDREN….SUDDAM HUSSEIN …..IS VERY EVIL HE WILL KILL MANY MANY PEOPLE…. AND THEY WILL BE INNOCENT….PLEASE….PRAY THAT HE ACCEPTS TO GO INTO EXILE…..AS IT WOULD BE A RELIEF….FOR ALL COUNTRIES……
First, it is not true that only God the Father knows the future. Jesus predicted the future in Matthew chapter 24, and in the other Gospels. And all the Blessed in Heaven, most especially the Queen of Heaven, the Virgin Mary, have the Beatific Vision of God. As a result of the Beatific Vision, they can know these future events. That is why Mary, at Garabandal and at Medjugorje, was able to give secrets about the future. If Mary cannot know the future, then she could not have given the predictions of Garabandal and Medjugorje. But this message claims that Mary in Heaven cannot know the future, and that only God the Father can know the future. Yet other messages talk about the Warning, which was first prophesied at Garabandal.
Notice that a previous message predicted war within a month, and now this messages says that maybe Saddam Hussein will go into exile. Again, the author of these messages has no idea what will happen, therefore these messages do not come from Heaven.
Feb. 10, 2003
KEEP PRAYING …..MY DEAR CHILDREN…AS THE LONGER IT IS DETAINED …THE WAR BETWEEN YOUR COUNTRY AND IRAQ….THERE IS ALWAYS ….A CHANCE…. THAT IT MAY NEVER….COME TO A WAR. PRAY THAT SUDDAM HUSSEIN…. FOLLOWS….THE ORDERS ….FROM THE U.N. MY DEAR CHILDREN
Again, these messages show no knowledge of the future at all. They even show a poor understanding of current events, since it was already clear to many people that Saddam Hussein would not comply with U.N. resolutions.
Feb 17, 2003.
PRAYERS THRU-OUT THE WORLD HAVE PREVENTED YOUR COUNTRY TO GO TO WAR WITH IRAQ….FOR ALL THIS TIME… THAT THEY'VE BEEN TALKING…. UNFORTUNATELY LIKE I HAVE SAID….YOUR COUNTRY WILL GO TO WAR WITH IRAQ … IT ALL DEPENDS WHEN…AND HOW MANY PRAYERS ARE BEING SAID…. MORE PRAYERS…THE LONGER IT WILL BE POSTPONED
This message illustrates a common technique used in false private revelation. They make a prediction, such as the prediction in the message of January 27, 2003 saying that war with Iraq would begin 'no more than one month from now.' And when the predicted event does not happen, it is said to be delayed due to prayer. Then they add encouragements to pray, so that the war might be delayed or averted. No matter what happens when, the messages claim to be right. But God knows the whole future with absolute certainty, because He is all-knowing and because He knows even our future prayers and free will decisions.
FEBRUARY 24, 2003
AND AS FAR AS THE WAR BETWEEN YOUR COUNTRY AND IRAQ …. WELL MY DEAR CHILDREN REMEMBER I HAVE SAID ;; SUDDAM HUSSEIN WILL MAKE A MISTAKE . UNFORTUNATELY HE IS MAKING ONE, BY REFUSING TO DISARM HIS MISSILS , UNLESS HE CHANGES HIS MIND , YOUR COUNTRY WILL BE AT WAR WITH IRAQ.
PRAY MY CHILDREN , AND PRAY THAT THE WHOLE WORLD PRAYS ON THIS BECAUSE IF THE WHOLE WORLD DOES NOT PRAY , YOUR COUNTRY COULD BE AT WAR BY AS EARLY AS NEXT MONDAY…..OR BEFORE.
War with Iraq did not occur on or before the Monday after February 24, 2003. The war with Iraq began on March 20, 2003. Notice also that a previous vague message, saying merely that an evil dictator (Saddam Hussein) would make a mistake, is now claimed to be fulfilled merely by his refusal to disarm his missiles. This is a common technique in false private revelation: a vague message that could fit almost any event is given, then after an event occurs which in some way fits the vague message, a specific message is given, but only after the fact. The reason for the use of this deceitful technique is that fallen angels do not know the future at all, but they do know how to deceive.
March 3, 2003
MY DEAR CHILDREN…WHAT I HAD SAID LAST WEEK: PRAYER CAN PRO-LONG WAR… IT HAS THRU OUT THE WORLD…THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH PRAYER…BUT AS I HAD SAID THE OTHER DAY: UNFORTUNATELY WAR WILL STILL OCCUR…AND IT WILL TAKE PLACE THIS MONTH. PLEASE MY CHILDREN…CONTINUE TO PRAY…PRAY THAT WAR CAN BE AVOIDED.
Now the war did begin in March of 2003, but this merely illustrates another technique used by false private revelation: repeated guessing. The prior messages quoted above first said that the U.S. would deal with Saddam Hussein in 2001. A later message, when it was clear that war was more likely, predicted war within a month of January 27, 2003. Then another message, on February 24th 2003, predicted war within eight days.
Then, on March 3rd of 2003, this message predicted war in that same month. But by then it was clear to everyone that war was approaching. In fact, on March 1st of 2003, President Bush gave a radio address saying that the U.S. was determined to confront the threat of Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction. On that same day, March 1st of 2003, the parliament of Turkey rejected a resolution to participate (with up to 45,000 troops) in the U.S.-British attack on Iraq. [Source: LexisNexis]
And notice that the message continues to give itself an escape clause, just in case war does not begin in March, asking for prayers so that war can be avoided.
March 17, 2003
YOUR PRESIDENT IS SPEAKING TONIGHT … AS HE WILL BE GIVING SUDDAM HUSSEIN…LAST CHANCES…I HAD SAID: SUDDAM HUSSEIN WOULD MAKE A MISTAKE…AND HE HAS . HE WOULD NOT LISTEN TO THE U.N….OR TO THE INSPECTORS. UNFORTUNATELY. YOUR COUNTRY WILL BE GOING TO WAR…WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE…SO MANY LIVES KILLED…
SUDDAM HUSSEIN IS SO EVIL…HE MAY NOT EVEN ATTACK….. JUST TO SHOW ALL THESE OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HE NEVER HAD ANY WEAPONS… AND HE WAS INNOCENT…AND YOUR COUNTRY WOULD BE BLAMED.
By this date, it was clear to everyone that there would be a war. Also, when a President gives an address to the nation, the topic and general content is usually known in advance and reported by the news media. So this message is not really a prediction, but a statement of common knowledge.
November 27, 2006
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR PEACE … IN THE WORLD … IT IS LIKE A SEE-SAW … WHEN NORTH KOREA … SAYS: THEY WILL HELP IRAQ … THEY HAVE A NUCLEAR TEST … THEN IRAN … NOW … SAYS: THEY WILL HELP IRAQ … FIGHT THE UNITED STATES … AND THEY ALSO HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS …
The statement “they also have nuclear weapons” refers to Iran. However, Iran only has a nuclear program for obtaining enriched uranium; they do not have a nuclear bomb, nor do they have more than a small amount of enriched uranium, not enough for any size nuclear bomb. Again, here is a factually false statement in a message that supposedly comes from Mary in Heaven. All the Blessed in Heaven have the Beatific Vision, therefore none of the Blessed in Heaven can ever utter a falsehood, not even mistakenly.
- False Understanding of the Assumption
August 15, 2005
I WANT TO THANK ALL … WHO MADE A SACRIFICE AND ATTENDED MASS TODAY … FOR MY FEAST … AS "THE ASSUMPTION"…
THIS WAS A VERY … VERY SPECIAL AND EMOTIONAL DAY … TO BE "ASSUMMED" INTO HEAVEN … BY ANGELS … MY BODY AND SOUL … TO BE UNITED WITH MY SON … YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR … JESUS CHRIST . THIS WAS … AN EXPERIENCE … I WOULD NEVER FORGET … BUT YET … I FELT SAD … FOR LEAVING EVERYONE … MY TIME WAS DUE … MY SON WANTED ME … IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN … BY HIS SIDE …
This message implies that Mary was assumed into Heaven at the end of her life, without ever dying and rising again. The part which says that she felt sad for leaving everyone implies that she was alive and then went up to Heaven. Whereas, the Church teaches (in Munificentissimus Deus) that Mary died, then rose from the dead, and only then was she assumed into Heaven. She was not sad to leave at her assumption because she had already left at her death.
According to Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, and also Saint Bridget of Sweden, both of whom received true private revelations from God about the Assumption: Mary died and her body lay for some days (15 days according to St. Bridget) before her resurrection and Assumption.
- Worldly Language and Sarcasm Attributed to Mary
One of the common characteristics of false private revelation is that Jesus or Mary are portrayed as using worldly language, rather than heavenly language. These messages show this same characteristic.
August 1, 2005
THERE IS NO-TIME … TO START TO 'LAY-BACK'… PEOPLE MUST MOVE FORWARD
January 10th, 2005
MAYBE PEOPLE NEED …. A REFRESHER COURSE …. AND WATCH …THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST AGAIN….
January 10th, 2005
AND THEY FELT …. THE EARTHQUAKES …. IT WAS A SIX-POINTER
September 26, 2005
AND YOUR WEATHERMEN HAD SAID: IT WOULD ONLY BE GOING TO THE 'COAST OF TEXAS'… BUT YET IT TAILED UP TOWARD LOUISIANA … A LITTLE
December 27, 2004
"WE HELD IT OFF" [claiming that the tsunami of Indonesia was delayed by one day through prayer.]
November 7, 2005.
UNFORTUNATELY … ANOTHER COUNTRY … WILL BE STARTING A LITTLE RUCKUS
November 27, 2006
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR PEACE … IN THE WORLD … IT IS LIKE A SEE-SAW
November 27, 2006
ARE YOU PREPARED TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF MY SON … YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST ? …OR IS IT JUST … 'ST. NICK' … AS YOU CALL HIM SANTA CLAUSE ?
The above messages portray Mary as speaking with worldly language. Many other messages show this same feature. Words and phrases like 'lay-back' or 'refresher course' or 'six-pointer' or 'it tailed up' or 'we held it off' or 'a little ruckus' are not inappropriate for we who are in the world, but they are not the kind of language used by those who are in Heaven, nor certainly by the Queen of Heaven.
October 3, 2005.
IT WAS A SUNDAY … YOU COULD HAVE GONE HOME … AND TOOK A NAP … BEFORE ATTENDING MASS … BUT … SOME HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO … SLEEP … COUNT THEIR MONEY … PLAY WITH THEIR CHILDREN …READ THE SUNDAY PAPER … YES … SO MANY MORE IMPORTANT THINGS …THAN TO BE WITH MY SON JESUS CHRIST … FOR ONE HOUR …
The above message from October 3, 2005 portrays Mary as if she were speaking sarcastically: “some have more important things to do … yes, so many more important things.” The Virgin Mary does not speak with sarcasm in any of the true private revelations accepted by the Church. Mary is in Heaven with God, so, when she speaks in true private revelations, she speaks in a heavenly manner, not an earthly manner. The worldly language and sarcasm of these messages is a characteristic of false private revelation.
- Promotion of the false private revelations to Ida Peerdeman
January 23, 2006
PEOPLE MIGHT BE ASKING … OR SAYING … "OUR LADY OF ALL NATIONS" AGAIN? MY DEAR CHILDREN … I COULD HAVE COME THIS EVENING … AS… "OUR LADY OF SORROWS" FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD … AND WHAT 'IS' TO HAPPEN … BUT I FELT … "OUR LADY OF ALL NATIONS"
Each apparition claims to be the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Fatima, or Our Lady of Sorrows, or various other appellations. But one of the appellations used repeatedly is 'Our Lady of All Nations,' referring to the title used in the apparitions and messages of Ida Peerdeman of Amsterdam, Holland.
See my evaluation of Ida Peerdeman's messages for an explanation of why they are false:
http://www.catholicplanet.com/apparitions/false01.htm
Just as the messages of Ida Peerdeman repeatedly claimed that each successive Pope would 'proclaim the dogma,' so also do these messages make the same claim:
November 28, 2005.
PLEASE CONTINUE … TO PRAY FOR POPE BENEDICT THE XVI … AS HE NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS … CONSTANTLY … AS YES … HE DOES HAVE HIS MISSION TO FULFILL … HE MUST COMPLETE THE MISSION OF POPE JOHN PAUL II. AND HE MUST … 'ANNOUNCE' … "THE DOGMA … THE CO-REDEMPTRIX" … THIS IS SOMETHING … I HAVE ASKED MY SON JESUS CHRIST … 'NOT' … TO DO … AS IT WILL MAKE … SO MUCH TROUBLE … IN THE CHURCH …THAT IT WILL HAVE … SPLITS … IN THE CHURCH …BUT THIS IS SOMETHING MY SON JESUS CHRIST … WANTS …
The message claims that the current Pope (now Benedict XVI) will announce the so-called Dogma and that this proclamation will divide the Church. But the idea of Mary as co-Redemptrix is not a controversial one; it will not divide the Church or cause as schism, as this message implies. In fact, this claim is merely an updated version of the claims made in the messages of Ida Peerdeman. Those claims turned out to be false, since none of the Popes did proclaim the so-called Dogma, as her messages predicted. Now these messages make the same false claim.
- A Special Mission for the Pope?
October 31, 2005
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY … FOR POPE BENEDICT THE XVI… I KEEP REPEATING: "HE NEEDS YOU PRAYERS" … HE NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS … TO GIVE HIM THE STRENGTH … TO COMPLETE … A VERY 'SPECIAL' MISSION …"
September 12, 2005
I ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO PRAY … PRAY FOR POPE BENEDICT THE XVI … YOUR PRAYERS ARE SO NEEDED… FOR HIM … HE HAS A MISSION … THAT HE MUST ACCOMPLISH … AND HE CAN … GET SOME CRITICISM FOR WHAT HE IS TO DO …
Notice that nothing specific is said in these messages. This is a preparatory technique used in false predictions of future events. If anything should happen in the future that in any way involves the Pope doing something 'special,' subsequent messages can then claim that whatever happened was the special mission referred to in prior messages. So a vague message is given first, in anticipation of the likelihood that a Pope might do something of significance. Then, after the Pope does something (almost any kind of action or decision will fit such a vague message), a specific message can be given talking about that event and linking it to the prior messages. The effect is that it seems as if the event was predicted. But in fact it is not so much a prediction as a statement that Popes often make significant decisions.
- A False Pope?
Certain messages, during the reign of Pope John Paul II, claimed that the next Pope would be a false pope, an evil antipope associated with the Antichrist.
SEPTEMBER 2, 2002
.THE NEXT POPE …. IS THE FALSE POPE….SOON THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE RISING IN PUBLIC. ….PLEASE MY DEAR CHILDREN….DO NOT …LOOK…AT HIM…OR DO NOT …LISTEN…TO WHAT HE HAS TO SAY….HE WILL TRY AND DECEIVE YOU….
JAN 6, 2003
WE WILL BE CALLING POPE JOHN PAUL II. ......SOON....AND YOU WILL HAVE A FALSE POPE... YOU WILL KNOW THIS BY THE CHANGES HE WILL TRY AND MAKE.....AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE A SPLIT IN THE CHURCH.....AND WHEN YOU GO AGAINST THE FALSE POPE.....THEN YOU WILL START TO BE CONDEMNED
The above messages claimed that the next Pope after Pope John Paul II would be a false pope (i.e. an antipope). Notice that this prediction is not presented as if it were conditional. It is a plainly false prediction; the next pope, Benedict XVI, was not a false pope.
October 2, 2003
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR POPE JOHN PAUL II …. YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM THIS PAST WEEK IS A WARNING TO ALL … THAT SOON WE WILL BE TAKING POPE JOHN PAUL II HOME
Here is another false prediction, made in 2003, claiming that Pope John Paul II would died soon. Yet in fact he did not die until 2005. The prediction gives no date or time frame, and is merely based on the well-known then fragile health of the Pope.
April 4, 2005
YOU HAVE LOST ONE OF …. THE GREAT … GREAT POPES … IN CHURCH HISTORY …. WHAT CAN I SAY … EXCEPT.. PRAY … PRAY THAT THEY MAKE… THAT IS THE CARDINALS … ' THE RIGHT CHOICE'…. FOR THE NEXT POPE … IT WILL BE … A VERY … VERY… CRUCIAL…TIME …. FOR THE VOTING OF THE NEW POPE… IT WOULD BE CRITICAL IF THEY MADE A MISTAKE … SOME VISIONARY'S HAD SAID : THAT POPE JOHN PAUL II. WAS ALIVE … AND IN EXILE … BUT HE IS ALIVE…. " HERE IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN"… AND NO WHERE ELSE...
Supposedly, the above message is from Heaven, yet it plainly presents Mary as if she had no idea who the next Pope would be. St. Malachy, while still on earth, was able to give a prophetic list of the Popes, which is still accurate today. So how is it that these messages claim that the Queen of Heaven has no idea and no influence over who the next Pope would be? Previous messages claimed the next Pope would be a false pope. But now this message ignores that previous prediction.
There are a number of false visionaries who claimed that Pope John Paul II would go into exile and be replaced by a false pope. This is found in the messages of John Leary and others. It is based on the suggestion, frequently mentioned in the news at the time, that Pope John Paul II might resign due to ill health. Those predictions were meant to take advantage of that possibility: if he did resign, they could claim that he was forced to do so, then they could try to split the Church by encouraging people not to obey his successor. But such was not the case.
April 11, 2005
POPE JOHN PAUL II. IS NOW WITH US … HERE IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN … HE DID MORE THAN HE WAS SUPPOSE TO … AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE LOVE HE HAS FOR GOD OUR FATHER… MY SON JESUS CHRIST … AND EVEN FOR ME …. HE DID NOT GIVE 100% … HE GAVE OVER 200% ….AND IF THEY NEVER CANONIZE HIM … AS A SAINT … REMEMBER THIS…. AS FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED HERE IN HEAVEN… HE IS A SAINT...
Notice the profound ignorance revealed in this message. Supposedly, this message is from Mary in Heaven, who is with Pope John Paul II, yet she claims not to know if he will ever be canonized. Such ignorance is not possible for the Virgin Mary, who has the Beatific Vision of God and who is the seat of Wisdom. Also, the statement that Pope John Paul II gave 'over 200%' is just absurd; this is not the way that the all-wise heavenly Virgin Mary speaks.
April 18, 2005
THIS IS A MOST CRITICAL TIME … FOR AN ELECTION OF A HOLY FATHER …. TO TAKE THE PLACE OF JOHN PAUL II. THERE MUST … BE PRAYERS…. TO HELP ELECT A NEW POPE… MY DEAR … DEAR CHILDREN … IT IS SO … SO IMPORTANT THAT THE RIGHT POPE IS ELECTED … YOU DO NEED SOMEONE LIKE JOHN PAUL II. WHO IS SO TRADITIONAL… IF YOU GET SOMEONE WHO IS NOT TRADITIONAL…. MANY … MANY CHANGES IN THE CHURCH WILL TAKE PLACE … AND MANY … COULD EVEN LEAVE THE CHURCH…..
Again, this message admits a complete ignorance about the future of the papacy and the Church which is not possible for true private revelation from Heaven.
June 6, 2005
PEOPLE ARE HAVING … SO…MANY…QUESTIONS… ABOUT THE CHURCH … ABOUT POPE BENEDICT THE XVI…. IF HE IS … THE ONE… THAT WAS TO BE THE 'FALSE' POPE …. I MUST … REMIND YOU … GOD THE FATHER … HAD 'CHOSEN' CARDINAL RATZINGER TO BE THE NEXT POPE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT … HAD TOUCHED THE HEARTS… OF ALL THE CARDINALS … THAT IS WHY … YOUR POPE IS THE … "TRUE" POPE IF GOD THE FATHER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT DID NOT INTERVENE … YOU WOULD HAVE HAD … A FALSE POPE …
Now compare the message from September 2, 2002 to the message from June 6, 2005. They contradict one another. The former states unequivocally that the next pope will be false, but the latter says that this next Pope is not false. Also, it is odd for 'Mary' to say that only the Father and the Spirit intervened, and not to mention Christ himself.
- The Antichrist and the Chip
One of the more common and more bizarre claims made in false private revelation is the claim that the Antichrist is in the world today and that he is preparing to force people to have computer chips implanted in their bodies. See my article The Antichrist is Not in the World Today
for an explanation as to why the Antichrist cannot be born, nor take power, for hundreds of years. As for the so-called 'Chip,' there are varying and contradictory claims about this.
Some of the false visionaries claim that it will be used for 'mind control,' but this claim is absurd and contrary to the Faith. It is absurd because such technology does not exist, even in theory. Also, the Antichrist comes to power due to the many sins in the world: he cannot take away anyone's free will. It is against the Faith to claim that he has power by taking away free will.
The message of the Trust Prayer Group tend to describe the chip as being used for location and for commerce. However, sometimes the messages say it is place in products; other times the messages say it will be put into the human body.
December 2, 2003
THE antichrist IS STARTING TO SURFACE ….THIS IS SOMEONE WHO YOU MUST NOT FOLLOW…DO NOT…LISTEN TO HIM SPEAK…AND MOST OF ALL…DO NOT … EVEN LOOK AT HIM… AS HE IS EVIL …
November 2, 2004
MY DEAR CHILDREN… BE PREPARED FOR… "THE ANTI-CHRIST"…. HE IS NOT FAR FROM SURFACING…. HE WILL APPEAR ON TELEVISION… MOVIE THEATERS… NEWSPAPERS…. AND RADIO… HE WILL BE ALL OVER… BE PREPARED "NOT" TO LISTEN AND MOSTLY… DO NOT LOOK AT HIM"…
June 13, 2005
'DO NOT LOOK … OR EVEN LISTEN TO'… THE ANTI-CHRIST WHEN HE ARISES … AND COMES OUT FROM HIDING… HE IS PRESENT … HERE ON EARTH … "WAITING" … FOR THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY .
Some false visionaries have claimed that even looking at the Antichrist will put you under his control. But the Church teaches that we all have free will; not even Satan or all the devils put together can take away anyone's free will. Even the Antichrist, when he eventually arrives in the distant future, will have free will; he is evil precisely because he freely chooses evil, and the same is true of his followers.
Also, false visionaries have been saying this kind of thing about the Antichrist for decades now. They have repeatedly offered messages, supposedly from Heaven, saying that he is here in the world and about to surface. Yet they never give specifics and the things they predict about him and events related to him never occur.
October 25th, 2004.
YOUR GOVERNMENT IS PASSING… MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE CHIP…. THEY WILL TRY AND PUT IT …ANYWHERE…. AS NOW …THEY ARE ADVERTISING TO PUT IT IN…. RAZOR BLADES …. YES THAT'S HOW SMALL IT IS…. THEY WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE … THE CHIP… FOR THE WRONG REASON…. SO THEY… CAN TRACK PEOPLE DOWN….
This reference to a chip in razor blades refers to RFID chips used for product control by wholesalers and retailers. It cannot be used to locate something or someone because it is very short range and does not have GPS. The idea that such chips found in the packaging of retail products might be used to track down people is contrary to reason and known fact. It is simply a conspiracy theory of the type often found in false private revelation.
November 8th, 2004.
AND IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CHIP UNDER YOU SKIN…YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BUY FOOD… SO THAT … IS WHY … YOU WILL NEED TO STORE… CANNED GOODS…
May 9, 2005
I HAD MENTIONED THAT…. SOON… : TO WORK… OR TO BUY FOOD … YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE -' THE CHIP' IMPLANTED … THIS … MUST … NEVER… TAKE PLACE …. YOU MUST … REFUSE… 'THE-CHIP' … EVEN… IF IT MEANS … LOSING YOUR JOB
So, if the chip is in products, why would people be advised to buy products and store them? Or, if one cannot buy or sell food, how many canned goods would one store: enough for the rest of one's life? Also, it is obvious to even the modestly well-informed reader that the world economic system is very diverse and disorganized; it is not possible to centralize control of buying or selling, using any method at all, anytime in the present generation, nor for at least several more generations.
Also, concerning the claim that the chip will be used to track people's location: most people have an address and phone number listed in the phone book, and on their driver's license, and which is known to the government and to numerous companies. And if one has a job, why would a locator chip be implanted? Someone with a job can be located at their place of employment. Also, almost all employers require employees to proved their current home address and contact information. So what would be the usefulness of such a system to locate people? If the government wants to find someone, they can go to their home or work. Or if a chip were implanted as a locator, someone who wanted to flee could simply remove it. This idea is unworkable, useless, and it ignores the current social and political reality.
- The Return of Jesus Christ
One of the more common claims found in false private revelation is the claim that Jesus is returning soon, for this present generation. This cannot be true because there are very many events predicted by Scripture and by the Saints which have yet to be fulfilled and which cannot be filled in less then several successive generations.
APRIL 2, 2003
HOW MUCH MORE TIME DO YOU THINK THERE IS BEFORE MY SON RETURNS TO ALL…FOR THE WARNING??
SO ANY TIME GOD THE FATHER WANTS THE WARNING TO OCCUR …IT WILL.
First, the Warning (of Garabandal) will occur in this generation, but the Return of Jesus Christ is in the distant future. It is false to claim that the Warning is of the end of the world. Second, this message presents the Warning as if its exact date were not established, and as if even the Father does not know when it will occur because he has not decided its date. So God cannot make up his own mind? Absurd.
January 9, 2006
THINGS ARE HAPPENING SO FAST … AND AS I HAD SAID: THIS COULD BE THE YEAR FOR THE RETURN OF MY SON … IT WILL DEPEND HOW EVERYTHING ELSE … WORKS OUT …
On the contrary, Christ cannot return until all that Scripture has prophesied has been fulfilled. The events of the Book of Revelation, a long complex series of events extending over many years, must occur prior to Christ's return. And those events (often called the tribulation) have not even begun yet.
It is not possible that Christ could return in 2006 (as this message surprisingly claimed), nor anytime for this generation. At La Salette, the true Virgin Mary gave a true private revelation describing what must happen before Christ returns. These predictions of the Virgin Mary at La Salette are not conditional; she describes the events that will happen, and the order of events. She describes a period of great suffering (the first part of the tribulation), then a period of relative peace lasting about 25 years, then a long time of increasing sinfulness, then the time of the ten kings, when ten leaders only rule the whole world, then the reign of the Antichrist, then the Return of Jesus. These many events have not occurred yet. So it is not possible that Christ would return before all has been fulfilled.
Also, at Garabandal (where the Warning was first described), there are three events or sets of events predicted: the Warning, the Miracle, and the Chastisement. It is not possible for those events to occur all in one year, and those events occur long before Christ's return.
Also, at Medjugorje, there are ten secrets (ten events or sets of events) predicted; from what has been said publicly by the visionaries so far, it is already clear that these events cannot be fit into one calendar year. Nor do those secrets predict the imminent Return of Christ.
Furthermore, the reign of the Antichrist (in the distant future) will last about seven years. The last half of his reign is a time of the most severe persecution of the Church. This length of time is prophesied in Sacred Scripture and cannot be changed:
[Daniel]
{9:27} But he will confirm a covenant with many for one week of years; and for half of the week of years, victim and sacrifice will nearly cease; but there will be in the temple the abomination of desolation. And the desolation will continue even to the consummation and the end.”
Also, during the last half of his reign, the two prophets of Revelation will preach for 1260 days:
[Revelation 11]
{11:3} And I will present my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy for one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.
None of these things has yet begun. Therefore, it is not possible that the Virgin Mary in Heaven would be so ignorant of Scripture and true prophecy that she would say in January of 2006 that maybe Jesus could return in that same year.
Furthermore, in Sacred Scripture Christ himself says that the date of his Return is known to the Father (Mt 24:36). Yet the above message speaks as if the date of Christ's return is not known and has not yet even been decided. Christ also says that 'the end is not so soon.'
[Matthew]
{24:6} For you will hear of battles and rumors of battles. Take care not to be disturbed. For these things must be, but the end is not so soon.
{24:7} For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be pestilences, and famines, and earthquakes in places.
{24:8} But all these things are just the beginning of the sorrows….
{24:36} But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the Angels of the heavens, but only the Father.
Also, see my article: The Antichrist is Not in the World Today
Certainly, the time of the Antichrist is in the distant future.
January 23, 2006
YOU MUST BE PREPARED … FOR THE RETURN OF MY SON JESUS CHRIST … WHO IS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR … PLEASE … DO HAVE BOTTLED WATER … AND CANNED GOODS … STORED AWAY … YOU WILL NEED THIS … IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE …
Again, a message claims that Jesus will return for this generation, so soon in fact that the message asks food to be stored. None of the true private revelations make this claim, that Christ will return for this generation. Most of the false ones make the same claim. And why would we need bottled water and canned goods for when Jesus returns, especially given the previous message claiming that He might return in 2006? The claim that these stored foods will be needed 'in the very near future' has proved to be false. It is already late November 2006, as I write these words. If Jesus supposedly were to return in 2006, then the need for canned goods in the 'very near future' would have to refer to the same calendar year. But neither of these claims is true.
January 10, 2005
PEOPLE …. DO NOT REALIZE …. WHAT IS HAPPENING …. THROUGH OUT THE WORLD ……THE DAYS ARE BEING NUMBERED FOR THE RETURN … OF MY SON YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST …. AND YET …. PEOPLE …. DO NOT ….. WANT TO BELIEVE THIS ….AND DO NOT WANT TO BE PREPARED FOR THIS ….THEY FEEL …. THEY HAVE … SO MUCH TIME ….THERE IS ….. NOT ENOUGH TIME MY DEAR CHILDREN
October 3, 2005
DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS … THE TIME IS GETTING … VERY … VERY SHORT … FOR MY RETURN … AND I WANT ALL … TO BE PREPARED … FOR THOSE … WHO COME AT THE END … YOU MAY NOT JUST MAKE IT …
October 11, 2004
PEOPLE MUST BE PREPARED… AS I HAD SAID: SOON… MY SON… JESUS CHRIST YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR…. WILL BE RETURNING…. AND YOU MUST BE PREPARED
November 8th, 2004.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THE WORLD ? … HOW MANY BILLIONS…AND BILLIONS…. IF EVEN NOT MORE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD … AND YET…. WHEN… MY SON JESUS CHRIST COMES …. TO WIPE AWAY THE EVIL… THERE WILL BE LESS THAN HALF OF THE POPULATION… THAT IS WHY YOU MUST BE PREPARED… FOR THE RETURNING OF MY SON JESUS CHRIST…
Now notice in these earlier messages that, again and again, the Return of Jesus is said to be imminent, yet no event claimed by these messages to be related to that Return has yet occurred. There is even a claim that half the world's population will not be here when Jesus Returns. Yet in early 2006, a message said maybe He would return in that year. Also, notice that this message speaks as if the author of the message has no idea how many people are in the world today: “billions and billions, if even not more….” More than billions and billions? What does that even mean?
- False Claims about the Warning
The Warning is one of the most prominent features of the true private revelation of Garabandal. It has become a popular topic of discussion among Catholics interested in eschatology (the future of the Church). But many false private revelations have misappropriated this idea and distorted it.
Notice the contradictions in the following messages. A message from January 2003 claims that the Warning will take place soon. Then a subsequent message claims it could happen anytime that God wills, as if He had not decided yet. Then a message from two years later says 'very very soon.' Several messages then claim that the Warning occurs about the same time as the Return of Jesus and the Three Days of Darkness. Finally, we are told in the January 9, 2006 message that the Warning and the Return might happen in that same year, but no one knows when, not even (supposedly) the Queen of Heaven.
January 2, 2003
PEOPLE HAVE TO BE MORE PREPARED IN THEIR FAITH... AS SOON ... THEY WILL NOT HAVE MUCH TIME BEFORE THE WARNING TAKE PLACE.
APRIL 2, 2003
HOW MUCH MORE TIME DO YOU THINK THERE IS BEFORE MY SON RETURNS TO ALL…FOR THE WARNING??
SO ANY TIME GOD THE FATHER WANTS THE WARNING TO OCCUR …IT WILL.
April 11, 2005
YOU WILL HAVE … 'THE WARNING' … THAT WILL TAKE PLACE … VERY … VERY…SOON … AND THINGS WILL FOLLOW …
June 13, 2005
THE TIMES ARE GETTING SHORT …. AND SOON … YOU WILL BE HAVING … “THE WARNING” … AND MOST OF ALL … YOU WILL BE HAVING … “THE RETURN OF MY SON JESUS CHRIST …
September 19, 2005
YOU DO… HAVE TO BE … PREPARED … FOR THE 'RETURN' OF MY SON … FOR THE TRIBULATIONS … THE THREE DAYS OF DARKNESS … 'THE WARNING'… ARE YOU PREPARED ?
November 14, 2005
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR POPE BENEDICT THE XVI. AS HE NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS TO CONTINUE HIS MISSION … HE HAS SO MUCH TO DO…AND SO … LITTLE TIME … AS THINGS … WILL BE OCCURRING … IN THE NEAR FUTURE … ESPECIALLY … “THE WARNING”… THE RETURN OF MY SON JESUS CHRIST …
January 9, 2006
THINGS ARE HAPPENING SO FAST … AND AS I HAD SAID: THIS COULD BE THE YEAR FOR THE RETURN OF MY SON … IT WILL DEPEND HOW EVERYTHING ELSE … WORKS OUT …
January 9, 2006
MY DEAR… DEAR CHILDREN… DO REMEMBER THIS … YOU WILL “NOT” … BE WARNED … OF THE 'WARNING' … THE 'WARNING' IS OF MY SON JESUS CHRIST … NO ONE … WILL KNOW … THE DATE … NOR THE TIME … IT WOULD ALL COME … TOGETHER … WHEN NO ONE … EXPECTS IT TO BE …
Some messages say that the Warning will be soon, but other messages say that no one knows when, as if God himself has not decided or cannot make up His mind. And it has been years since the messages saying it would be soon, and the Warning has not occurred.
The claim that no one knows when the Warning will occur is false. The claim that no one will expect it in advance is false. The claim that there will not be advance notice of when the Warning will occur is false. The claim that the Three Days of Darkness occurs about the time of the Warning is false. The claim that Jesus returns about the time of the Warning or of the Three Days of Darkness is false.
The only thing true in these messages is that there will be a Warning, as was taught at Garabandal, and that the author of the above messages has no idea when it will occur.
- Claimed Major Disaster by January 1st of 2007
November 6, 2006
DISASTERS … ARE STILL OCCURRING … BUT BE "ON-ALERT" …THAT ANOTHER 'MAJOR' DISASTER WILL BE TAKING PLACE … VERY, VERY SOON
November 20, 2006
DISASTERS WILL CONTINUE MY DEAR CHILDREN … THEY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OUT THE WORLD … AND AS I HAD SAID: A MAJOR DISASTER … BY JANUARY 1ST OF 2007. AND ONLY PRAYERS CAN HELP 'EASE' THE DISASTERS … BUT IT WILL NOT STOP IT
It is now November 29th. There has not been a major disaster since these messages earlier in November. The most recent message of November 27th does not mention this prediction of a major disaster. Now the message claims that prayers can 'ease' the disaster, but not stop it. The problem is that, after January 1 of 2007, if no major disaster has occurred just by coincidence, the messages might point out a very small event and claim that it was to be a major disaster, but was 'eased.' Also note that no specifics are given as to what will happen or when. This kind of vague prediction, with a conditional escape clause, is typical of false private revelation.
Addendum (added January 3, 2007)
- Erroneous Portrayal of Mary
These messages to the Trust Prayer Group are supposedly from the Virgin Mary in Heaven. Yet she is portrayed as if she does not know what is going to happen in the future at all, and she is even portrayed as if she were disobedient, were rebuked by God, and as if God did not grant her every request.
December 18, 2006
MY DEAR … DEAR CHILDREN … I WILL TELL YOU THIS NOW … I HAD ASKED … GOD OUR FATHER … FOR PERMISSION … TO STOP APPEARING AND SPEAKING HERE AT THE PRAYER GROUP ... HE HAS DENIED MY REQUEST ... AS HE FEELS … I MUST BE MORE 'OBEDIENT' … TO HIM … AND TEACH EVERYONE … TO BE ALSO … MORE OBEDIENT … TO HIM … SO MY REQUEST … WAS DENIED … BUT HE WILL KEEP IT 'IN CONSIDERATION' … FOR THE FUTURE …
Even while the Virgin Mary was on earth, God the Father never denied her anything. Even more so, now that she is Queen of Heaven and Mother of God, He does not deny her any request. Mary was always completely obedient to God throughout her life, and that is why God grants her every request. It is impossible for Mary in Heaven to ask God for permission for something and then to have her request denied. It is also impossible for God to say, about the Virgin Mary in Heaven, that she needs to be more obedient to him.
Furthermore, God does not consider a request, as if He himself did not know whether or not He would grant it in the future. God is Eternal, therefore He is unbounded by Time. He does not think something over for a time, and then make a decision. All that God is and all that God does is one Divine Timeless Eternal Act.
The above quoted message portrays God and Mary in a way that is false and contrary to the truth. God can never be false. And Mary in Heaven can never be false. Therefore, it must be the message that is false.
- Unfulfilled Prediction of a Major Disaster
These messages to the Trust Prayer Group continually talk about disasters in the world, from bad weather, to vehicular accidents, to wars and natural disasters. And the messages are continually predicting major disasters, usually without specifics as to what will happen or where or when. Occasionally, the messages predict a major disaster within a given time frame, but again without saying what will happen or where. So if anything that fits the description of a 'major disaster' happens anywhere in the world during that time frame, they would claim it as a fulfilled prediction. But even with such a very limited prediction, the messages have been repeatedly wrong in these predictions.
A major disaster was predicted to occur by January 1st of 2007. Supposedly, this prediction comes from the Virgin Mary, in Heaven. And it was even stated that nothing could stop this major disaster, not even prayer.
November 20, 2006
DISASTERS WILL CONTINUE MY DEAR CHILDREN … THEY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OUT THE WORLD … AND AS I HAD SAID: A MAJOR DISASTER … BY JANUARY 1ST OF 2007. AND ONLY PRAYERS CAN HELP 'EASE' THE DISASTERS … BUT IT WILL NOT STOP IT
Other messages repeatedly reminded the members of the Trust Prayer Group about this impending major disaster:
December 4, 2006
PEOPLE … SEEM LIKE THEY CAN NOT WAIT … TO SEE WHAT IS THE MAJOR DISASTER … THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE … BY THE FIRST OF JANUARY … PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THE CAUSALITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES … THAT OVER 400 PEOPLE HAVE DIED …
YOU ASK … IS THIS THE DISASTER ?
NO … IT IS NOT …
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THE WILD FIRES IN CALIFORNIA … WHERE PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THEIR HOMES … AND A FEW PEOPLE LOST THEIR HOMES TO THE FIRE … AND OVER 10,000 ACRES OF LAND IS BURNING …
IS THIS … THE MAJOR DISASTER ?
AS OF NOW … IT IS NOT …
BUT THIS IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS
THAT CAN LEAD… TO A MAJOR DISASTER …
Notice that the message says that the wild fires were not the major disaster, but that they might be. Clearly, the author of these messages has no idea what will happen in the future.
December 26, 2006
PEOPLE ARE WONDERING … ABOUT A MAJOR DISASTER THAT I HAD SAID: WOULD OCCUR BY THE END OF THE YEAR BY JANUARY 1ST2007 … PEOPLE ARE WONDERING … WAS IT THE EARTHQUAKE IN TAWAIN ? WITH THE TSUNAMI GOING TO THE PHILLIPINES … THAT WHICH THE TSUNAMI NEVER FULLY DEVELOPED … OR WAS IT … THE SNOW BLIZZARD IN COLORADO? … THAT SO MANY PEOPLE WERE STRANDED AT THE AIRPORT OVER 2000 … OR WAS IT … THE PEOPLE IN COLORADO … OVER 31/2 MILLION THAT WERE STRANDED IN THEIR HOMES … AND NO ONE COULD MOVE AS ALL ROADS WERE CLOSED ? … COULD THIS HAVE BEEN THE DISASTER … THAT WAS EASED BY PRAYER? …
UNFORTUNATELY… I CAN NOT SAY … AS OF NOW
AS THE YEAR IS NOT OVER …
Again, the author of these messages shows a profound ignorance of the future which is incompatible with the exalted place of the Blessed Virgin Mary with God in Heaven. For God knows the whole future with absolute certainty, and Mary is with God, so that she can know particular events in the future with the same certainty. But these messages show no knowledge of the future, only vague guesses that maybe there will be a major disaster.
By January 1st of 2007, there was no such major disaster. So the subsequent messages tried to explain away this predicted disaster, which it was said could not be stopped even by prayer, but could be 'eased.'
January 1, 2007
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO START … I HAVE THOUGHT THAT MANY … MANY PEOPLE…WOULD HAVE BEEN PLEASED … THAT … NO MAJOR DISASTER HAD TAKEN PLACE … BUT IT SEEMS … I TOOK A LOT OF PEOPLE 'FOR GRANTED' … BECAUSE … MANY PEOPLE ARE DISAPPOINTED … OF NO MAJOR DISASTER …
WELL MY DEAR CHILDREN … I HAD SAID: THAT PRAYERS CAN 'EASE' MAJOR DISASTERS … BUT DISASTERS WOULD STILL OCCUR … NO ONE LOOKS AT THE PLANE … IN INDONESIA WITH 102 PEOPLE ABOARD THAT CAN NOT BE FOUND YET … WHAT IF THE 102 DIE … IS THAT NOT A MAJOR DISASTER? … WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? ANOTHER TSUNAMI ? ANOTHER ATTACK LIKE ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER? …
I ASK YOU THIS … IF ONE OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS … A LOVED ONE WAS ON THAT PLANE IN INDONESIA … AND NOW IT CAN NOT BE FOUND AND THEY DO NOT KNOW OF SURVIVORS THEY SAID … WOULD YOU THEN CONSIDER THAT A 'DISASTER?' … YOU WOULD CONSIDER THAT A MAJOR DISASTER … BECAUSE A FAMILY MEMBER OF YOURS WAS ON THAT PLANE … OR THE FERRY … THAT WAS SINKING … PEOPLE DROWNED ON THAT FERRY … BUT YOU SAY IT WAS 'NOT' A MAJOR DISASTER … DO REMEMBER … PRAYERS SAVED MANY … MANY LIVES …
MY DEAR … DEAR CHILDREN …
A VERY … MAJOR DISASTER … WAS TO OCCUR BY TODAY … OR MAY I SAY: THIS EVENING … BUT IT IS ALL … IN … SATAN … SATAN CAN CHANGE HIS MIND LIKE ANYONE ELSE … HE'S CHANGED HIS MIND … ABOUT THE DISASTER HAPPENING BY THIS EVENING …
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS … THE MAJOR DISASTER …
WILL STILL TAKE PLACE … IN THE VERY … VERY NEAR FUTURE …
PLEASE MY DEAR CHILDREN … DO NOT HAVE DOUBT …
I THINK YOU KNOW ME NOW … HOW I SPEAK … AND HOW I ACT …
AND YOU KNOW … I WOULD NEVER … DO … OR SAY…
ANYTHING …TO HURT YOU …
I THINK OF MY WORDS … BEFORE I SPEAK … SO I AM SURE
OF 'WHAT' I AM SAYING … TO EVERYONE …
I ASK YOU THIS …DO YOU THINK I FEEL BAD … THAT THERE WAS
NO MAJOR DISASTER? … NO …
LOOK HOW MANY SOULS … HAVE BEEN SAVED … TILL THIS DATE …
THEY HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO LIVE … ON EARTH …
AS I HAD SAID: A MAJOR DISASTER WILL STILL TAKE PLACE …
IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE …
Notice the series of contradictory excuses in the above message of January 1st, 2007. First, it is said that you should be happy that there was no major disaster. Then it is said that the plane that was lost in Indonesia might be that disaster, if the passengers are found to have died. (Again, notice the profound ignorance here, not only of the future, but of the present. The author of these messages cannot be the Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven, because she would not if those passengers had died.) Then it is said that a ferry sinking was a major disaster. Then, amazingly, the major disaster that supposedly could not be stopped even by prayer is said to have been stopped by Satan, as if the devil had a control over events that God and the Virgin Mary did not have, as if God and Mary do not know what the devil will do. Finally, the message has the gall to extend the prediction, claiming that a major disaster will take place in the very near future (but without a time frame or deadline for the prediction).
Yes, of course, a major disaster will happen somewhere in the world sooner or later. How is this even a prediction? It is a mere statement that disasters occur from time to time. But such a profoundly ignorant message cannot be from God, who is all-knowing, nor can it be from the Virgin Mary, the Seat of Wisdom.
The same kind of thing happened earlier in 2006, when a major disaster was predicted to occur before the end of April. Then this message on May 1 tried to explain away the failed prediction:
May 1, 2006
HOPEFULLY I WILL BE APPEARING IN … 'DIFFERENT WAYS' EACH WEEK … BUT IF SOMETHING … 'MAJOR-OCCURS' … THEN YOU KNOW … IT WILL BE AS … OUR LADY OF SORROWS …WHICH NOW … PEOPLE HERE AT THE PRAYER GROUP … AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE READ MY MESSAGES … ARE WONDERING … 'WHAT HAS HAPPENED?'
THAT A MAJOR DISASTER WAS TO OCCUR BY THE END OF APRIL …
THERE WERE DISASTERS … MY DEAR CHILDREN …
A BUS … WITH TOURISTS IN MEXICO …
WENT OFF THE SIDE OF A CLIFF …
A SMALL PLANE CRASHED IN THE WATER …
THESE 'SMALL' DISASTERS OCCURRED BECAUSE …
SO … MANY … MANY PRAYERS … WERE SAID…
DURING THE LENTEN SEASON …
ALL THE WAY THROUGH EASTER… AND DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY …
PRAYERS … ALL OVER THE WORLD … WAS OVERWHELMING …
IF THERE WERE 'NOT' SO MANY PRAYERS …
THESE SMALL DISASTERS OF A SMALL PLANE … AND A BUS …
WOULD HAVE BEEN A LARGE COMMERCIAL AIRLINE …
THAT WOULD HAVE HAD … HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE … DIE
ALSO … WITH THE BUS …
THE BOMB THAT WENT OFF… IN THE EMBASSY IN IRAQ…
IT COULD HAVE BEEN … WHEN THE EMBASSY WAS CROWDED …
WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE … INSTEAD OF 3 OR 4 PEOPLE …
SO … DISASTERS … HAVE OCCURRED … BUT …
PRAYERS … WERE OVER-WHELMING …
I DO HOPE …THAT THIS SATISFIES EVERYONE …
The same thing happened the previous year, in 2005. A major disaster was predicted to occur by the end of the year 2005. Then in January of 2006, this message tried to explain away the failed prediction:
January 2, 2006
AS I HAD SAID THIS MORNING ALSO … MANY PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS IN THEIR MIND … 'WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MAJOR DISASTER? BY THE END OF THE YEAR ?
INSTEAD OF HAVING QUESTIONS … PEOPLE SHOULD … THANK OUR LORD OUR GOD … AS PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED … BUT LOOK AT DISASTERS THAT ARE OCCURRING NOW …HERE IN THE UNITED STATES IN OKLAHOMA, TEXAS … ALL WITH FIRES … HOMES ARE BEING BURNT …
CALIFORNIA … RAINSTORMS AND MUDSLIDES … THESE DISASTERS WILL GO ON … BUT PEOPLE ARE PRAYING … AND THEIR SAVING MANY LIVES FROM BEING KILLED FROM THESE DISASTERS …
And there are many other messages making vague predictions about various disasters. And even with the vagueness of the predictions, the predicted events still fail to occur. Such messages cannot be true prophecy from God, for they bear all the marks of false private revelations given by fallen angels.
Conclusion
The messages to the Trust Prayer Group are one of the clearest examples I have yet seen of false private revelation. Not only is the author of the messages able to say anything specific and true about the future, but even some of the statements about the past and present are manifestly false. The language is worldly, the ideas presented are in contradiction to themselves and to the messages of true private revelation. There are serious eschatological errors, such as claiming that Jesus might return in 2006. There are predictions of future events which turned out to be false. Even the statements which are not plainly false are evasive, shifting, and deceptive.
I could quote very many other messages which show similar features characteristic of false private revelation. But this should be sufficient to demonstrate to faithful and reasonable Catholics that these claimed private revelations cannot possibly be from Jesus or Mary or Heaven at all.
by Ronald L. Conte Jr.
November 29, 2006
Addendum added January 3, 2007
