Prophecy of Saint Francis?

[Jayson]

Apparently St. Francis of Assisi made a prophecy about the future of the church (in relation to his time). It is rather disturbing and I wonder what others think of it.

" The time is fast approaching in which there will be great trials and afflictions; perplexities and dissensions, both spiritual and temporal, will abound; the charity of many will grow cold, and the malice of the wicked will increase.

The devils will have unusual power, the immaculate purity of our Order, and of others, will be so much obscured that there will be very few Christians who will obey the true Sovereign Pontiff and the Roman Church with loyal hearts and perfect charity. At the time of this tribulation a man, not canonically elected, will be raised to the Pontificate, who, by his cunning, will endeavour to draw many into error and death.

Then scandals will be multiplied, our Order will be divided, and many others will be entirely destroyed, because they will consent to error instead of opposing it.

There will be such diversity of opinions and schisms among the people, the religious and the clergy, that, except those days were shortened, according to the words of the Gospel, even the elect would be led into error, were they not specially guided, amid such great confusion, by the immense mercy of God.

Then our Rule and manner of life will be violently opposed by some, and terrible trials will come upon us. Those who are found faithful will receive the crown of life; but woe to those who, trusting solely in their Order, shall fall into tepidity, for they will not be able to support the temptations permitted for the proving of the elect.

Those who preserve their fervour and adhere to virtue with love and zeal for the truth, will suffer injuries and, persecutions as rebels and schismatics; for their persecutors, urged on by the evil spirits, will say they are rendering a great service to God by destroying such pestilent men from the face of the earth. but the Lord will be the refuge of the afflicted, and will save all who trust in Him. And in order to be like their Head, [Christ] these, the elect, will act with confidence, and by their death will purchase for themselves eternal life; choosing to obey God rather than man, they will fear nothing, and they will prefer to perish rather than consent to falsehood and perfidy.

Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it under foot and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days Jesus Christ will send them not a true Pastor, but a destroyer."

 

[Lisa4Catholics]

Where did you find this?Do you have a link?

 

[serendipity]

If Saint Francis said the time is fast approaching, but he lived almost a thousand years ago, then I don’t think he was referring to as things are now. Although there are certainly parallels between what is going wrong with the Church management now, and at any other dark period of time, in the sense that those who seek to address such issues are always under attack.

 

[Little_Mary]

serendipity:

If Saint Francis said the time is fast approaching, but he lived almost a thousand years ago, then I don’t think he was referring to as things are now. Although there are certainly parallels between what is going wrong with the Church management now, and at any other dark period of time, in the sense that those who seek to address such issues are always under attack.

Yes - haven’t there been some anti-popes? That would match up with some of it.

 

[Jayson]

Could it be talking about Luther?

I think it may be something still in the future though, especially as the world becomes more and more secular. It kind of matches up with some of the Fatima imagery.

 

[Primitive]

Or, it is now and we are all just decieved still and this bad pope hasn’t been put in place yet.
Either way, history repeats itself…

When they say “The elect” do they mean all Christians, or just a certain type of Christian that are the most pious of them?

 

[Dj_Roy_Albert]

Could it be talking about Luther?

I think it may be something still in the future though, especially as the world becomes more and more secular. It kind of matches up with some of the Fatima imagery.

Exactly my thoughts as well. It’s obvious that many of the “fathers” of the Protestant deformation were under the influence of satan. The evil one divides, the Holy Spirit unifies.

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

must have been the anti-popes in France.

 

[batteddy]

My thoughts exactly…he’s predicting the Western Schism. That was a confusing time…but we sorted it all out.