One could be overwhelmed by the mounting tempo of Apocalyptic prognostications after Barrack Obama won in the presidential polls in the US.
Google is not short of sites finding Obama a perfect fit for the anti-christ (I don’t yet believe he is, though). Notes one website: “the fact that he is backed by Oprah, who herself is attempting to reinvent Christianity in a New Age guise, only fuels the fires of speculation. And is it no disturbing fact that his first term would culminate in the year 2012?” (New Age folk and the ancient Mayan calendar say this year would be most cataclysmic in human history, but then, they’re New Age.)
With Obama Apocalypse tailing strange weather all over the world, even those who cared less whether they had any religion are talking Apocalypse.
I would have dismissed the Obama stigma as probably racism, except that even American James Francis Cardinal Stafford got into the ring, calling Obama “aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic” because of the latter’s “extremist anti-life platform” which reminds me of Mother Teresa’s warning that a nation that aborts babies will surely destroy itself.
Obama’s role in Apocalyptic unfolding is not clear yet. But surely, Catholics with interest in mystical phenomena now feel his presidency will unlock something unusual. Meantime, I’d like to dwell more on other aspects of the Apocalypse.
Having spent many years researching on Catholic mysticism in modern times, I had long ago concluded these decades are living pages of the Bible’s last book. I’d like to put solid pillar to this by citing the explosion of Marian apparitions in all continents and even islands these days. But since writing about this will take much space, I’d recommend Google again, as it has enough list of apparitions and other supernatural phenomena, at times photographed or video’d.
I feel surer about my rough estimates of when modern day prophecies are to take place, largely based on the hints provided by one person: Malachy O’Morgair, born 1094 in Armagh, Ireland. He is better known in our times as St. Malachy, the first Irish to be canonized by Pope Clement in 1190 AD.
St. Malachy put on record his prophecies of who would be future popes (from the view of the 12th century he belonged to) by way of describing them. The names were provided by history unfolding, manifesting his 100 percent accuracy.
Allow me to zero in on the 10 last popes in his list which he described as follows (the identities of the popes are in paragraphs with the interpretation of modern followers of the saint):
• The Burning Fire (PIUS X. 1903-1914. He showed a burning passion for spiritual renewal in the Church);
• Religion Laid Waste (BENEDICT XV. 1914-1922. During his reign, communism moved into Russia where religion was banned and World War I killed millions of Christians);
• Unshaken Faith (PIUS XI. 1922-1939. He faced tremendous pressure from fascist powers in Germany and Italy, but he held on to his faith);
• An Angelic Shepherd (PIUS XII. 1939-1958. Peter Bander says this pope “has emerged as one of the great Popes of all time,” and he “was in the truest sense of the word an Angelic Pastor to the flock.”);
• Pastor and Mariner (JOHN XXIII. 1958-1963. He was a pastor to the world and the Patriarch of Venice);
• Flower of Flowers (PAUL VI. 1963-1978. His coat-of-arms depicted three fleurs-de-lis, corresponding to Malachy’s prophecy.)
• Of the Half Moon (JOHN PAUL I. 1978-1978. He was elected Pope on August 26, 1978, when there was a half moon. He reigned 33 days and died, soon after an eclipse of the moon);
•The Labor of the Son (JOHN PAUL II. 1978-2005. He was the only pope who was both born the day of an eclipse of the sun, and entombed the day the sun was eclipsed).
• Glory of the Olive (BENEDICT XVI. The name chosen by this pope reflects the Benedictine order whose monks are also known as Olivetans, with olive as root word);
Finally, last in St. Malachy’s list is Petrus Romanus or Peter the Roman who, some believe, would be an instrument of the anti-christ.
Let us pray.
