Writing from 1820 by a nun who had a vision:

Writing from 1820 by a nun who had a  vision:

What she saw appears as if it would fit comfortably into this 21st century and not an eye would blink in disbelief.  Any Roman Catholic would never believe that the scenes she visualized could occur in our Church since we have the presence of the Holy Spirit constantly surrounding our Holy institution.  

From my experience of functioning in different parish churches I got a sense of that presence in one parish different from that in others.  As I entered the parish Church of BVM in Midland, PA where I ministered for several months,  I could feel a different aurora that seemed to reach out and say something during the Holy Mass.  It was like a spiritual sense that enveloped my attention more than any other Church I had been in during the Mass.  

Of course it isn’t as though the Lord isn’t present especially in the Transubstantiation of the Eucharist; He is!  But something else appears spiritually without even seeking his presence.  We are informed that when the Tribulation occurs in this world the churches will no longer have the protection of the Holy Spirit since he will have left with all believers as well.  

I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Gal 5: 21 - 23).  If you cannot see not one but all the fruits of the Holy Spirit in a person or congregation, the Holy Spirit has departed.

Perhaps what Blessed Catherine Emmerich viewed was that period when the Holy Spirit was already removed from the earth and the Tribulation had already begun.  

What is frightening for those of us who still are maintaining our faith and trusting in God’s constant presence within each of us and certainly within his Church are already reading or hearing rumors that are not hyperbole but an actual occurrence of the wrath of Christ imminently awaiting for that final command.  

On the other side of all this are the crowds of young people around the world coming together as revivals for Jesus Christ and turning back to a faith that has appeared to slip away.  Could it be that the youth of the world we put our hope in are actually setting the stage for a turning back to Christ?  

Let us hope and pray that someone, as the youth of the world, may become that vestige of grace from God to hold back the wrath that is predicted to happen.  

Ralph B. Hathaway