Letters

Prophetic words (letter)

Errol Duke

Contents - Sep 2003 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The future of the Anglican Church - Peter Westmore New auxiliary bishops appointed to the Sydney Archdiocese - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World - AD2000 Dissident US group establishing a foothold in Australian parishes - Mary-Ruth Monsour Catholic summer conferences in the United States: signs of hope - Richard Egan Culture: Second 'Carnivale Christi' Catholic arts festival scheduled for Melbourne - Michael Gilchrist Events: Hearts On Fire Vocations Congress for Melbourne Archdiocese - Joanne Grainger Understanding the Catholic Liturgy since Vatican II - Dom Alcuin Reid OSB Pope John Paul II calls for greater use of Latin - Denis Murphy Homosexual conduct: how Gospel teaching can be distorted - Bill Muehlenberg Letters: Not closing ranks (letter) - Alan Gill Letters: Hidden agenda (letter) - Dr Arthur Hartwig Letters: Liturgical choices (letter) - Marguerite Fennell Letters: New Mass (letter) - Philip Robinson Letters: Converts (letter) - Kevin Tighe Letters: Selfhood (letter) - Robert Prinzen-Wood Letters: Prophetic words (letter) - Errol Duke Letters: Freedom to be born (letter) - George F. Simpson Abridged Papal encyclicals available - Fr M. Durham Letters: Correction - Chris Hilder Books: OLD THUNDER: A Life of Hilaire Belloc, by Joseph Pearce - Scott J. Bloch (reviewer) Books: Some Fell On Rock, by Fr John O'Neill - Fr Peter Joseph (reviewer) Books: The Practical Preacher: Handy Hints for hesitant homilists, by Paul Edwards SJ - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: Great books at the best prices! Reflection: A Christian response to bereavement: Jesus' ministry to the sick and dying - Fr Dennis Byrnes

Devout orthodox Catholics continue to be deeply disturbed by many situations occurring in our Church today.

Our Lady's apparitions in Akita, Japan, in 1973, which were officially sanctioned by the Holy See on 24 April 1984 as worthy of belief, certainly relate and help to explain these difficult times we are currently experiencing.

Among the words of Our Lady recorded during these apparitions, the following seem particularly relevant - indeed prophetic - in light of what has occurred over the past 30 years:

"The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church ... One will see cardinals oppose cardinals, bishops against other bishops ... the priests who venerate me [i.e., Mary] will be scorned and opposed by their confreres [and] churches and altars sacked [e.g., tabernacles removed from sanctuaries to out-of-the way places] ... The Church will be full of those who accept compromise and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of God."

On the positive side, though, Our Lady has requested the faithful to be steadfast in their prayer lives - particularly through the sacraments and the Rosary.

We are called especially to pray for all our clergy who are under enormous pressure to work through these well-documented evil times in which we live.

To conclude, we must resist strongly - but in love. God will take care of the rest. AD2000 is one of these avenues in Australia that have taken up the cause. Let us continue to be on board.

ERROL DUKE
Elizabeth East, SA

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 16 No 8 (September 2003), p. 16