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Discernment of Private Revelation

Claims of Private Revelation: True or False?
An Evaluation of the messages of Fr. Melvin Doucette of Prince Edward Island (ourladyofpei.ca)

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In my humble and pious opinion as a faithful Roman Catholic theologian, the claimed private revelations in the form of the messages and visions to Fr. Melvin Doucette of Prince Edward Island, Canada (ourladyofpei.ca) are not true private revelations from Heaven. A list of reasons and examples follows.

Introduction: Fr. Melvin Doucette is a Catholic priest, in his 60's as of this writing, who spent many years in Africa as a missionary priest. He currently lives on Prince Edward Island. He claims to have been receiving private revelation, mostly in the form of locutions, since 1999.

  1. Contradictions with True Private Revelation

    Zechariah and Elizabeth

    Here is a message given to Fr. Doucette on the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25, 2003):
    “Melvin, my brother, I love you. Let us go to visit our Blessed Mother on the Feast of the Annunciation.” I consented with joy and Jesus took me to her home in heaven. She greeted us saying, “Jesus and Melvin, welcome and please come in. Jesus, my precious Son, today we celebrate your Annunciation by the Angel Gabriel. Today you took upon yourself human nature in my womb. I glorify God today as we celebrate the feast of your conception. Melvin, my son, today your Redemption began when the Angel Gabriel announced that I would be the Mother of the Saviour, the Mother of God. The Angel Gabriel is with us here and greets you.” The Angel said, “Greetings on this great day! It was my joy to have been sent by the Father to announce to Mary the coming of the Saviour of the world. Today through the power of the Holy Sprit she conceived a Son, the Son of God who will reign on the throne of David for ever.” Our Blessed Mother continued, “ Yes, we remember that the Son of God became man today, nine months before Christmas. The divine nature of God joined our human nature at Jesus' conception in my womb and at that moment the Son of God became the Son of man too. My dear children, Jesus entered our human history at His conception and He was given His name on that very day by the Angel. Although no one could see Him with the eyes, He was truly present and His influence was felt immediately as my visit to my cousin, Elizabeth, testifies. Both Elizabeth and her unborn child, John the Baptist, were touched by Jesus, just conceived a few days previously. Let us honor Jesus from the moment of His conception. I bless you.”
    First, notice that this message has the same fault present in almost every other message: it merely states what is already known, in an extremely simplistic and uninformative manner. Do you really think that the Virgin Mary would have nothing to say in a supernatural private revelation about the Incarnation of her Divine Son Jesus, other than very simple sentences that state what is already known? The Blessed Virgin Mary is the seat of Wisdom; if this message were from her, which it is not, it would have contained a subtle and profound wisdom, not this superficial presentation of common knowledge.

    Second, the author of this message, apparently a fallen angel, made a mistake in the description of the Visitation. The message claims that at the time of the Visitation, Jesus had just been conceived 'a few days previously.' This claim contradicts the true private revelation to Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, as described in her book, The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In chapter 7, Blessed Emmerich states that it was revealed to her by God that Jesus was conceived, at the Incarnation, on February 25th. She also states that it was revealed to her by God that Jesus was born on November 25th, nine months later. (We know from the true private revelation at Medjugorje that the liturgical date for Mary's birth is not the historical date of her birth, so it is not surprising that the same would be true for Christ.) Now Blessed Emmerich also stated that the Visitation occurred when the Virgin Mary decided to accompany Joseph on his trip to Jerusalem for the Passover. She also describes that they took an indirect route to avoid the crowds traveling to Jerusalem at that time for the Passover. But the Jewish Passover always occurs after the spring equinox (March 22 or 23 during Jesus and Mary's lifetimes), no earlier than late March, and most often in April. Therefore, the statement that Jesus had just been conceived a few days previously is a false statement. It must have occurred weeks and probably more than a month later, at the time of the Passover. (In my chronology, the Visitation occurred on April 20th).

    Joachim and Anne

    Another message, supposedly from Mary, implies that Mary was an only child, or at least that she was the first child of Joachim and Anne:
    September 8, 2006
    “I was the delight of My parents, Joachim and Anne, the day I was born. They had waited many years and had prayed much to be blessed with a child. Finally I arrived to take away all shame and to bring sunshine in their lives.”

    July 26, 2006
    “They had to wait many years before they were blessed with a child. When finally their daughter was born, they were filled with joy. Their daughter was the chosen of the Father to be My Mother. They gave her the name Mary and she was conceived without original sin.”
    But Scripture says that Mary had a sister (John 19:25). And Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich tells us, based on her visions from God, that Mary's sister was older (The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, chapter 1). Since Mary's sister was born first, it is not the case that finally they had a child to take away their shame of being childless. Joachim and Anne were not childless prior to the birth of Mary. These messages to Fr. Doucette contradict the true private revelation to Blessed Emmerich.

    Now here is another false message about Joachim and Anne:
    July 26, 2006
    “There is great joy in heaven as we join you in celebrating the feast day of My grandparents, Anne and Joachim. They lived in Jerusalem, very near the Temple. When I was young, My parents and I used to visit them at least once a year.”
    First, Blessed Emmerich states that Joachim died about six or so years before Jesus was born, and that Anne remarried. Blessed Emmerich describes the events about a month after the Birth of Jesus Christ:
    “Today Zacharias went away again, but Anna came back to visit the Holy Family with her eldest daughter, her second husband and the maidservant. Anna's eldest daughter is bigger than her mother and really looks older than Anna. Anna's second husband is taller and older than Joachim was. His name is Eliud, and he had a post at the Temple connected with the supervision of the sacrificial animals. Anna had a daughter by him, also called Mary. At Christ's birth she must have been six or eight years old.” (The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, chapter 11)
    So if this daughter of Anne was from her marriage to her second husband, and the daughter was six to eight years old at the time of Christ's birth, then Joachim must have died at least six to eight years before Jesus was born. So the claim made in the messages to Fr. Doucette, that Jesus visited his grandparents, Joachim and Anne every year when Jesus was young cannot be true.

    Second, according to Blessed Emmerich, when Joachim was still alive, prior to the Birth of Jesus, Joachim and Anne lived “in a house with land in the neighborhood of Nazareth that had come to them from Joachim's parents.” (The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, chapter 1). They did not live in Jerusalem, nor near the Temple.

    Third, according to Blessed Emmerich, the Holy Family was in exile in Egypt for much of the time that Jesus was young. They fled there out of fear of Herod, and they remained there for several years. Therefore, when Jesus was young, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus did not visit even Mary's mother Anne, a remarried widow, yearly.

  2. The Messages are Simplistic and Uninformative

    False private revelations cannot succeed in deceiving people, unless the messages contain some truths of the Faith and some exhortations to holiness. True private revelations also contain truths of the Faith and exhortations to holiness. But the false ones can be distinguished because they present the truths of the Faith in a simplistic and uninformative manner. The truths presented are things that are already known. A Jesus, the One True Teacher of the Faith, does not teach people things they already know; His teaching is profound and subtle. But the teachings of false private revelation are shallow and simplistic, mere statements of what is already known.
    January 2, 2002
    “On this second day of the New Year many people in the world are going back to work. The festivities are over and most of the decorations are coming down and are going to be put away. The routine of work now takes over.”
    Jesus would not give a supernatural private revelation on January second to tell us that it is the second day of the New Year, and that people are now going back to work, and that they are taking down the decorations, etc. There are other examples of messages that simply state obvious facts about ordinary happenings in the world or in Fr. Doucette's life. Then there are messages that have a similar simplistic approach to spiritual things. Here is one such example:
    January 1, 2002
    Jesus then said, “Today is My Mother's great Feast day. Because she is My Mother, she is called the Mother of God, a title the Church has given to her. This honor shows Her greatness. She is not only the Mother of God but also your Mother. Celebrate Her on earth as We celebrate Her in heaven. Honor her who plays such an important role in your salvation. The Father honored her from the moment of her conception till her glorious assumption into heaven. She has been given the title Queen of Heaven and Earth. It is fitting to honor Her who called herself 'the handmaid of the Lord.' A new year begins for the world....
    Notice that this message tells us nothing at all. We already know that January first in Mary's feast day (and this message was given to a priest, so he certainly already knew this). We already know that Mary is Jesus' mother. We know that this is what makes her the Mother of God and that the Church has given her this title. I could continue on pointing out how obvious and simplistic and uninformative each sentence is in these messages, but you can see that for yourself. Each sentence is entirely useless.

    The messages to Fr. Doucette are overly-simplistic and merely state things that are already known. There is no true teaching; no profound and subtle wisdom; the messages are ultimately uninformative. This feature is found throughout the messages. Again and again and again, message after message contains little else except simple statements of basic information about the Faith that we already know. Profound and subtle wisdom is entirely absent.

  3. Disorder in the Roles of Jesus and Mary and Fr. Melvin

    One of the more unique features of this claimed private revelation to Fr. Doucette is an odd 'play' that is acted out in message after message. First 'Jesus' visits Fr. Doucette (apparently in a vision or in his imagination), then they go to 'Mary's home'. Mary greats Jesus and Fr. Doucette almost as if they were equals. Then she teaches while Jesus remains mostly silent. Her teaching is, like the other parts of the messages, simplistic and uninformative, merely telling us what we already know. Then sometimes 'Jesus' will chime in at the end and merely agree with what Mary taught.

    Here is one example of this, but there are very many more:
    In prayer Jesus took me to visit Our Lady. Jesus was the first to speak to me and He began by saying, “Melvin, I love you and all my friends. Let us go and visit Our Mother.” I agreed enthusiastically and Jesus took me to Our Blessed Mother's home. She welcomed us saying, “Greetings Jesus and Melvin and welcome to My home. Let us sit here awhile. Tomorrow is the Feast of Epiphany. This feast brings back many memories. I remember very well the arrival of the Magi, the three wise men from the East. They had seen the star of Jesus' birth and had followed it to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem. What joy filled their hearts when they saw the Infant Jesus. They knelt down and adored Him. They brought meaningful presents for the Child and put them before Him. These men were not Jews but Gentiles. This signifies that Jesus is the Savior of our people, the Jews, and of all the people in the world. He has come for every person. He is the Savior of every nation, of every race and of every ethnic group. Today Jesus' followers are from all over the world. However, many, including most of My people, refuse to accept Him as their Savior. The Father has made Jesus the only Savior of the world. He wants all people to believe in Him, to obey His commands, and to walk with Him. May the people of the world be converted before it is too late. I bless you all, My children. Thank you Jesus and Melvin for your visit.”
    First, let me say that it is very offensive to the Catholic Faith for anyone to portray Mary as teaching while Jesus sits there and says nothing. No such similar event occurred when Jesus and Mary were on earth. For the true Virgin Mary knows that Jesus is God. She would never teach while he remains silent. Instead the Virgin Mary would act much in the same manner as Mary (the sister of Martha and of Lazarus), who sat at Christ's feet listening to His words. For He is the One True Teacher of the Faith, and the Virgin is His disciple, not His teacher.

    Now in true private revelation, Mary might appear and teach. But when Jesus appears in true private revelation, other than as a little child, it is Jesus who teaches. Mary does not stand beside Jesus and teach, while He remains silent. This would be the equivalent of if you were standing in the same room with the Pope, and you taught, while he just sat there and remained silent. Such disorder is not the mark of true private revelation.

    Second, Jesus is the Son of God, but in these little plays where Jesus and Melvin visit Mary, Jesus and Melvin are treated almost as if they were equals. Jesus and Melvin decide together to visit Mary. Jesus does not command Melvin, he suggests that they visit Mary's home together. Melvin agrees. Then Mary greets them as if they were equals, and no account is made for the fact that Jesus is God and Mary is merely human and Melvin is merely a human sinner.

    Third, notice that as 'Mary' teaches in the presence of 'Jesus,' she tells us nothing that we do no already know. We already know that the Magi were not Jews, that they brought meaningful gifts, that Jesus has followers all over the world. Literally, this message contains no information at all.

    Finally, the true Jesus and Mary only give us the gift of a true supernatural private revelation when they have something important and meaningful to say! These messages are devoid of wisdom; they present a series of simple sentences which feedback to us what we already know. Uselessness is the mark of false private revelation. There are very many other messages that have this same scenario, where Jesus and Melvin are treated as equals, and they visit Mary, who does almost all the teaching while Jesus is mostly silent, and the teaching is uninformative.

  4. God is portrayed as if He had lost patience

    God is also portrayed as if He were about to withdraw His protection from the world. Why would God withdraw His protection from the world? Supposedly because He is 'fed up' and He has 'had enough.' Does this sound like the God of Infinite Love and Mercy to you? Nor does it seem so to me. But this is a common theme in false private revelation:
    January 15, 2002
    The Father: “I have had enough of the atrocities, the hatred, the greed and the selfishness of so many people who offend me every day and refuse to repent. The time has arrived for what has been predicted in the Bible. A period of suffering and chastisement is here. The Old Testament tells of the Babylon exile of My people, the Jewish people. I withdrew My protection from the Jewish people and then their chastisement began and it lasted 70 years. This period of suffering and chastisement is now upon the world.”

    January 12, 2002
    Mary: “The heavenly Father has had ENOUGH. He is going to withdraw His protection from the world and a period of suffering is going to begin soon.”
    In truth, God never withdraws His protection or His mercy from the world: “And behold, I am with you always, even to the consummation of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) “And since he had always loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” (John 13:1). The messages of Fr. Doucette are not in harmony with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But they are in harmony with other false private revelations.

  5. No knowledge of future events

    Instead of knowledge of future events, we are presented with messages that simply state what is already known. Also, there are a few obvious statements 'predicting' vague things that most observers would also judge to be likely in the near future. First we are given a statement noting that the war has started [this war must be the invasion of Afghanistan by the U.S. after 9/11/2001]. Then the obvious statement that war involves suffering. Then the 'prediction' that it would intensify, and more nations would be involved:
    January 26, 2002
    War has started and now is a time of suffering for many people. It is going to intensify and more countries are going to be involved.
    The prediction that the war would intensify and that more countries would be involved is an example of the type of prediction found in false private revelation: a vague prediction, which almost any set of subsequent events could be interpreted so as to fit. But in fact, the war in Afghanistan was limited in intensity, and was limited in the number of nations that became involved. Also, notice the glaring lack of knowledge about the subsequent war in Iraq.
    February 28, 2002
    Jesus: “To bring all people to their senses an intensifying period of suffering is now upon the world.”
    This statement is grammatically awkward. It contains a worldly colloquialism, to bring someone to their senses. It contains a vague suggestion about the future, that sufferings will intensify, which tells us almost nothing. And it observes the obvious fact that there is suffering in the world. Such is the way with false private revelation.
    February 25, 2002
    The Father: “Something special is going to happen this week.”
    Here is an example of the archetypical prediction found in false private revelation. Something is predicted to happen within a particular time frame, but we are not told what. Of course, the other archetype of false predictions is that we are told what will happen, usually a fairly common event like a natural disaster, but we are not told when. In the first case, later on almost any event can be claimed to be that 'special' event. And if nothing happens, they can always focus on some small event and claim that it has hidden significance. In the second case, the event that is predicted is of a kind that happens again and again in the world, such as storms or earthquakes, and so, when this inevitable event does occur, it is claimed as a fulfilled prediction. If it happens soon, they say how amazing it is that we were warned just before the event; but if it happens years later, they say how amazing it is that the event was predicted so far in advance.

    And do you really think that the First Person of the Almighty and All-knowing Trinity would give a supernatural message from Heaven just to say something so vague and useless?

  6. Many of the messages merely state what is already known

    True private revelation from God is given for a purpose: to reveal, to teach, to guide, etc. False private revelations, such as this one, do not reveal or teach, but merely make a series of statements containing information that is already known. The statements may all be true, but the revelation is nevertheless false, because nothing insightful or wise is revealed. There are no subtle yet profound truths. The messages do not teach or reveal anything, but merely state what is already known.

    There are many examples of this characteristic of false private revelation in the messages of Fr. Doucette. A few examples should suffice.
    February 10, 2002
    Jesus: “Melvin, I love you. Today you are going home with a joyful heart after attending the conference in Dieppe. You have spent a day there with many of My friends and I bless all who have come to the talks. There you have met a person whom I have put in your path and I am hoping that you are soon going to take a new step towards the realization of My plan for you.”
    The above message is a series of statements of things that are already known. Jesus would not appear to someone, or give a supernatural private revelation (as locutions or messages), merely to recount the events of that person's day. Fr. Doucette receives a message telling him what he already knows about the conference he attended. But he already knows these things. These words are empty.
    Jul 22 2006
    Jesus: “I wish to talk to you this morning about the Bible, which contains the Word of God. You cannot truly know Me unless you read the Bible. My very words are contained in that book. The Old Testament gives an account of the creation of the world and the first human beings. You also have the selection and the story of the Jewish people who were chosen as the People of God. It also gives all the laws, which the Jewish people have to follow. It also has the words of the prophets in that part of the Bible and they speak about My coming as the Messiah. The Jewish people were prepared by My Father to welcome Me. I was born in a Jewish family and I lived as a Jew during My life on earth. In the second part of the Bible known as the New Testament, you find My birth, public life, death and resurrection. The Gospels give My teaching, which every Christian should follow.”
    Above is a similar example of an empty message, except this time the message tells Fr. Doucette things that he already knows about the Bible. The 'teaching' in this message is extremely shallow. It tells us that the Old Testament contains the story of the Jewish people. It tells us that there is a second part of the Bible, and that the second part is known as the New Testament. Then we are 'informed' that the New Testament contains the birth, public life, death, and resurrection of Christ. So here is a whole paragraph of teaching, supposedly from Jesus himself, which is completely uninformative. The priest to whom the message is given already knows these very simple things, as do his parishioners, as do even the young children in religious educations classes. If you tried to write a more shallow and uninformative summary of the Bible, I don't think you could do it.

    True private revelation from Jesus Christ shows the subtle yet profound wisdom of the Son of God. False private revelation contains some true statements, but these true statements are ultimately fruitless, adding nothing at all to our understanding of the Faith. Consider the words of Christ in the Gospels. Even any one verse is full of profound wisdom; and any paragraph of Jesus speaking in the Gospels could fill a lifetime with prayerful meditation. But these messages go on and on and on and on without teaching anything at all. Who is fooled by this?
    February 9, 2002
    Mary: “Melvin, you are in Dieppe, New Brunswick, for a conference on contemplative prayer, the deep and intimate prayer with Jesus.”

    February 6, 2002
    Jesus: “You experienced My presence many times in your life. In retreats I was with you in a special way and I showed you the road you were to follow. Many years ago, when you were in Chilubula, Zambia, Central Africa, I called you at 3:00 AM to go to church and there I spoke to you for hours. There also in Chilubula, you smelled the beautiful aroma of roses that came from the chalice and the hosts after the consecration and this fragrance lingered until Communion. You experienced this phenomenon for a whole week. In Rome, I spoke to you so intimately about the mission I was giving you. In Jerusalem, during your 30-day retreat, I shared My Passion with you and for two weeks you lived the Passion with Me. At Palmer Road Church of the Immaculate Conception, I spoke to you during the celebration of the Eucharist, and I asked you to start the community of My Brothers and Sisters. A few years ago I called you to write the books on contemplative prayer.”
    Here again, Jesus and Mary supposedly are giving supernatural messages to Fr. Doucette, but all the messages do is state obvious facts. Nothing is taught and nothing is revealed. There are many other such messages. They go on and on about trivialities, or they present the Faith in the most simplistic and shallow manner imaginable. Clearly these words do not come from Heaven, where the God who is Wisdom and is Knowledge and is Truth dwells.

    True teachers teach you things you did not know, or they correct you on points that you had misunderstood. False teachers teach you what you already know, so as to gain your acceptance. True teachers teach from true wisdom, which is subtle, yet profound. False teachers teach an overly-simplistic and shallow teachings, because they lack true wisdom. These messages to Fr. Doucette teach what is already known, in a very simplistic and shallow manner. Compare his messages to those of Saint Faustina; supposedly the same Jesus spoke to both persons, yet the messages to Faustina have an amazing depth of wisdom, and those to Fr. Doucette teach nothing other than what every modestly well-informed Catholic already knows. Such is the way with false private revelation.

  7. Promotion of new devotions; Call for new religious groups

    Both true and false private revelations sometimes call for a new devotion or a new religious group. Therefore, such a call is unrevealing; one cannot tell merely from the fact that a new devotion or group is requested that it is a true or false revelation.
    February 10, 2002
    Jesus: “It has been a long time now since I have called you to begin the Society of My Brothers and Sisters. It has not been possible to begin until certain conditions have been fulfilled. Surrender to Me and I am going to lead you and show you the way. Today you begin a new phase of the work I have given you to do. When the twin societies are established together with the families and the youth consecrated to Me, a new mentality is going to be born. Those who join are going to be centered on me and they are going to live a simple lifestyle. They are going to reject the modern culture of consumerism and materialism that dominate the lives of so many people. A new culture, the civilization of love, the kind Pope John Paul II has elaborated upon, is going to begin. I bless you all.”
    One might think that a false private revelation would not suggest a new order or religious group, particularly in view of the fact that most false private revelations come from fallen angels. But such suggestions do exist in various false private revelations. They suggest such things so that they might obtain a measure of control over the Church, by having a religious group which obeys their instructions from false private revelation. Such is the case with the Shepherds of Christ Ministries; that organization takes direction from the claimed unapproved false private revelation to Rita Ring.

    In this case, the order that is suggested does not really offer anything new or substantial to the Church. The claim is made that these 'twin societies' will be centered on Jesus. But all orders are centered on Jesus. All the religious are called to live a simple humble lifestyle and to reject consumerism and materialism. So these societies are not distinguished from other orders, except in one regard, that they would take their direction from this claimed private revelation.

    Also, concerning this message, notice that 'Jesus' does not say anything informative or instructive. The kinds of statements that are made don't really teach, they just tell the reader things that he or she already accepts as true. Also, 'Jesus' defers to Pope John Paul II, instead of teaching from himself. This is unlike Jesus, the Word of God, the One Teacher of the Faith, to teach nothing but what is already known and then to refer the reader elsewhere (even to a Pope) for knowledge. If this were a true private revelation from Jesus, He would teach; He would not give a supernatural message just to refer a Catholic priest to the teaching of the Pope. Again, the message is uninformative, so it cannot be from the Teacher of Truth.

  8. Worldly language

    In false private revelation, the messages often contain worldly language, portraying Jesus and Mary as speaking in a manner which is not heavenly and spiritual, but earthly. Now such language may be fitting for us mortal and sinful human beings on earth, but it is not the kind of language used by Jesus or Mary, neither on earth nor in heaven.
    February 28, 2002
    Jesus: “One day they are going to realize they have messed up lives.”

    Aug 24 2006
    Jesus: “I wish to put the record straight....”

    September 20, 2006
    Jesus: “If you have been in a rut too long, it is necessary to get out of this routine so that your enthusiasm may return.”

  9. Promotion of False Private Revelation

    One of the messages to Fr. Doucette refers to a trip that he made to a site of false private revelations, at Marmora, Ontario. Those false private revelations were made to Dory Tan and other persons. (See my list of false private revelations).
    “You are back home after a good trip to Ontario. I blessed you on this voyage in many ways. Your visit to Marmora, Ontario, was especially blessed by me.”
    This message treats Marmora, the site of a false private revelation, as if it were a legitimate place of pilgrimage. False private revelations sometimes promote other false private revelations, but true private revelation never does, because Jesus and Mary know which are true and which are false, and they would not lead anyone astray.

  10. False Teaching about Marriage

    The Scriptures contain an unpopular teaching about marriage, that the husband is the head of the family, and that the wife is to be submissive and obedient to her husband; the relationship between husband and wife is like the relationship between Christ and the Church. But the teaching of secular society is that marriage is a partnership, where the husband and wife have the same role and there is no obedience or submission. So which view of marriage is found in the following message (March 12, 2003) to Fr. Doucette?
    “It is my joy to bless married couples and their families. If husbands and wives love each other then they are imitating my love for the Church, my spouse. I gave my whole life by dying on the cross for the Church. Each partner in marriage should be ready to give until it hurts. Love in marriage is the most beautiful gift the world can ever see and where there is love, I am there. This exchange of love in marriage results in bringing children into the world. My dear married couples form a partnership with me through prayer and the Eucharist and I will strengthen your love for one another.”
    Clearly, this message presents the secular view that the husband and wife have the same role, with no obedience or submission of the wife to the husband. Also, the teaching of Scripture that the husband represents Christ and the wife represents the Church is subverted, so that the mutual love of husband and wife represents Christ's love for His Church. In other words, the claim is that the wife's love of her husband is just as much like Christ's love for the Church as is his love for her. Notice also that no distinction is made in the role of husband and wife in the marriage; it is portrayed as a partnership with a mutual exchange of love. Now this probably will sound good to most readers, because it is what we all have been taught by modern society. But it contradicts Sacred Scripture nonetheless.

    Scripture teaches that the husband's love for his wife is like Christ's love for His Church, and that the wife's love for her husband is like the Church's love for Christ. Scripture also teaches that the wife is to be obedient to her husband, since he is the head of the family. But in this message to Fr. Doucette about marriage, this headship is completely absent. Therefore, this message is not from Christ, the Word of God.

  11. False Claim about Knowledge of the Future

    The following message to Fr. Doucette contains some false claims about Catholic eschatology (theology having to do with the future of the Church and the world).
    Aug 24 2006
    Jesus: “There are many people today who say they receive messages from Me about the end of the world. Some even give dates or at least the year that this event will take place. Some give a list of various events that are to take place starting this year. I wish to put the record straight and calm your hearts. Do not believe anyone who gives a date or a year for the end of the world. No one on earth knows when this will happen. Only My Father in heaven knows the year, the month and the day that I will return to earth and He will not reveal it to any person. Yes, believe what I said and what is written in the Bible. Know that one day I will return to judge the living and the dead. It is a fact that the dead will rise, some to eternal bliss and others to eternal damnation. It is true that there will be wars and various disturbances in the world but no one knows the dates of these things. The Anti-Christ will also come into the world one day but he has not yet come and no person on earth knows when he will come.”
    First, this message correctly states that the Antichrist is not in the world, but that he will arrive one day. But very many claimed private revelations emphatically clearly state that the Antichrist is already in the world. Therefore, if one believes Fr. Doucette's messages are true, one must believe that the messages to numerous other claimed private revelations are false (including Christina Gallagher, Maureen Sweeney Kyle, John Leary, Louise Starr Tomkiel, Vassula Ryden, and many others). Now it would be good for people to abandon such false private revelations. However, the mere fact that Fr. Doucette's messages say that the Antichrist is not in the world does not mean that the messages are true private revelation. As a group, false private revelations sometimes use a deceptive technique I call 'distributed guessing.' One false private revelation makes a claim and another claims the opposite, so that persons of both opinions are led astray, and so that at least one false private revelation will turn out to be correct.

    Second, this message seems to equate the return of Christ with the general resurrection; the message shows no understanding that the return of Christ after the end of the Antichrist's reign is different from Christ's return for the general resurrection. A number of true private revelations show this understanding (Fr. Gobbi, Gianna Sullivan, others that mention the Second Pentecost). This message does not show any knowledge of the truth that Jesus will return twice, once at the end of the tribulation, and again for the general resurrection.

    Third, the message shows no knowledge of the order of events; first the message mentions the end of the world, then various disturbances, then the time of the Antichrist. All this is out of order. By contrast, in the Gospels, Jesus gives the proper order of events. This message is not from Jesus.

    Fourth, the message claims: “It is true that there will be wars and various disturbances in the world but no one knows the dates of these things.” Yet the visionaries of Medjugorje and of Garabandal know some dates that are related to the tribulation; they know dates of various kinds of severe disturbances. So this message contradicts the messages of Medjugorje and Garabandal.

    Fifth, the messages claims that, “Only My Father in heaven knows the year, the month and the day that I will return to earth….” But the year of Christ's return is known; it is 2437 A.D. This can be determined now from Daniel's 70 weeks of years, and separately from the words of the Virgin Mary at La Salette. See my article:
    The Return of Jesus Christ in A.D. 2437
    http://www.catholicplanet.com/future/Christ-Returns-2437.htm
    But, as far as I know, no one knows the date of the general resurrection, that is, of Christ's second return.

    Sixth, the message shows no knowledge of the details of these future events. The only things that are stated are things that are already known from Scripture. In fact, this message has less knowledge of the future than passages in the Gospels, such as Matthew 24, which gives more details and a correct order of events. Such an uninformative message cannot have come from Jesus, Who is the Word of God.

  12. False Claim about the Second Pentecost
    June 8, 2002
    Mary: “Both the Father and Jesus have been speaking to you about a New Pentecost, which will soon come upon the world. The Holy Spirit will be poured out into the hearts of the people and all will be taken by the fire of His love. Satan and all his co-workers will be curtailed in the near future. Jesus will indeed become the King of all the world. My Immaculate Heart will triumph. I will be accepted as the Mother of all the people. Prepare yourselves, my children, for this great day that is very near.”

    February 22, 2006
    “The world needs a Second Pentecost. The faith of the people is getting weaker and weaker and many are abandoning Me. The lure of the world is very strong for many and they fall into sin. They get involved in the occult and in pagan spirituality. Darkness is descending upon the world that is leading many to destruction…. I have selected My servant who will work closely with Me to bring about this Second Pentecost. Pray, My friends, that all this will happen soon.”

    September 10, 2006
    “These are the end times when each one of you is being called to believe in Me and to follow Me.…Your decision for or against Me will mark your life for all eternity. Know that there are great consequences to the decision you make today and tomorrow…. Pray that the New Pentecost will begin soon.”

    September 9, 2006
    “It is now the time for the new outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the world to begin.”
    Some true private revelations, such as that to Fr. Gobbi and to Gianna Sullivan, contain an idea of a second outpouring of the Holy Spirit, like the First Pentecost, but upon the whole world. This can only take place after the Return of Christ, in the distant future. The Holy Spirit is already with the Church in all its members, and in the Sacraments, and in the Magisterium. A new Pentecost can only occur after Christ's return, when the reign of sin on earth ends; the Holy Spirit cannot be sent out in a Second Pentecost while the world is unrepentant from serious sin.

    But several false private revelations have adopted and distorted this idea of a New Pentecost, claiming that it will occur for this generation. That claim is false, for it requires that Christ be returning soon, for this generation. It would also require the Antichrist, who has a brief reign prior to the Return of Christ, be in the world today. Only false private revelations claim that the Antichrist is in the world today and that Christ will return for this generation.

    Also, the message to Fr. Doucette, quoted in another section above, specifically says (correctly) that the Antichrist is not in the world today. So the incorrect claim that the New Pentecost could occur for this generation is contradictory to the statement in that message.

    Yet is clear that the author of this message has no idea when the Second Pentecost will occur, or what the circumstances will be, or what the Second Pentecost will be like. The message asks for prayers that it will occur soon, but since it depends on the Return of Christ, its date is set and cannot be changed. It is not as if Christ could return at any randomly chosen time in the near or distant future. Certain events, very many events, must occur first. And when Christ does return at the appointed time, it is not because the date for His Return, and for the subsequent Second Pentecost, has been changed by prayers. Some things cannot be changed by prayer because God has made promises in Scripture as to what will happen when in the future, and because certain events are fixed in God's plan, regardless of all the prayers on earth.

    In truth, the Second Pentecost cannot happen until after Christ returns at His Second Coming, for the reign of sin on earth must first end before the New Pentecost can begin. So the time of the Second (or New) Pentecost is for the distant future. But false private revelations generally claim that it will occur for this generation. Certainly, the day of the Second Pentecost is not at all near. Only false private revelations claim that it is near.

Conclusion

There are very many more messages to Fr. Doucette. The most common indication that they are not from Heaven is that these messages, despite their great number, are uninformative, merely telling the reader what is already known. The ineffable Catholic Christian Faith is presented in a shallow and overly simplified manner. Some of the messages have eschatological errors; all of the messages that refer to the future show no knowledge whatsoever of future events. There are also clear contradictions with true private revelation, especially the claim that Jesus visited Joachim and Anne every years when he was young, even though the true private revelation to Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich says that Joachim died years before Jesus was Born.

For all of the above reasons, it is clear that the claimed private revelations to Fr. Doucette in the form of messages and visions is a false private revelation and is not from Jesus or from Mary or from Heaven at all.


by Ronald L. Conte Jr.
October 9, 2006


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