The anti-Christ

[HailHolyQueen90]

Is there any good Catholic articles on the anti-Christ and the end times?

What will he be like? How long will he reign?

I decided to ask on here because I keep running into Protestant articles and I want Catholic views only, I know a lot about our end times beliefs but would like to learn more.

• Thanks

 

[jonbhorton]

Is there any good Catholic articles on the anti-Christ and the end times?

What will he be like? How long will he reign?

I decided to ask on here because I keep running into Protestant articles and I want a SPECIFICALLY Catholic view.

Thanks for the post. Coming from Protestantism, I’ve been wondering the same thing myself. I cannot, as of this writing, find an official document or writings regarding this and how the Church teaches eschatology.

In the end, I recognize it doesn’t necessarily matter if we just do what is traditionally Catholic. To worry about epochal evil is to forget the gravity of evil in general, and in the here and now. This is why Protestant end-timers get so wrapped up in a certain thing, they generally lose the entire picture and create one of their own.

The biggest anti-Christ we fight is our selfish ego, for more often than not, we declare ourselves God on the wing of His Temple. We often urge others to accept this lest they lose currency or even the ability to engage in transaction with our person and all we hold as true in the system of our creation.

The thing to remember, despite the very real aspect of the thing being discussed, is to not engage in, nor submit to, the things which we see written about. If the only lesson we draw is that, then, that’s the only lesson we need to understand when said figure comes about.

In this: I’m perfectly willing to be corrected, lest my mark be his mark; for I wish my marking to be His Mark.

 

[Timothysis]

The Catholic Church does not promote the idea of the “end times.”

 

[The_Scott]

The Catholic Church does not promote the idea of the “end times.”

It’s important to note that “does not promote” shouldn’t be equated with “does not believe.”

And there’s no official Church document on the antichrist. There would be sermons and opinions by theologians, but in the end they are just that - opinions.

 

[thesacrifice]

Since Catholics don’t promote but obviously believe in the anit-christ, that still doesn’t answer your question. Here is something I found in the CCC that actually will help with your answers… now i can tell u exactly who the anti-christ is but it would be better for you to learn for your self.

CCC
105 God is the author of Sacred Scripture. "The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit."69
"For Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author, and have been handed on as such to the Church herself."70
106 God inspired the human authors of the sacred books. "To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more."71
107 **The inspired books teach the truth. “Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures.”**72

The Holy Bible has the answers; just as stated by holy mother church

 

[kubark]

Is there any good Catholic articles on the anti-Christ and the end times?

What will he be like? How long will he reign?

I decided to ask on here because I keep running into Protestant articles and I want Catholic views only, I know a lot about our end times beliefs but would like to learn more.

• Thanks

An excellent resource on Catholic eschatology is the book Trial, Tribulation and Triumph: Before, During and After Antichrist by Desmond Birch, published in 1996.

Before I quote the relevant section on Antichrist, I will quote Birch in another section of the book where he notes that:

“As will be emphasized and reemphasized; a broad view of Catholic prophecy must begin in, and be rooted in, what the Vatican Council II Fathers reconfirmed and defined as the two sources of Revelation, sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture. According to Catholic teaching, those are the only sources for what we believe in supernatural faith. Those two sources ended with the death of the last Apostle. Nothing else can be a matter of faith for a Catholic. Any private prophecies can hold interest for a Catholic only to the degree that they are in agreement with Public Prophecy from Scripture and Tradition. The writings left to us by the Fathers of the Church form a major part of Tradition. Also, the Church teaches that under certain circumstances the “Fathers…, are of supreme authority whenever they all interpret in one and the same manner any text of the Bible.” One such area relates to the Father’s teachings about certain events which must precede the Antichrist. The Church has issued definitive eschatological documents on only a few points of eschatological doctrine. In areas, and on specific eschatological issues, where the Church has not issued definitive statements, the Fathers are the first place to look for a Catholic answer.”

Now, on to the section of Desmond Birch’s book specifically dealing with Antichrist (I will omit the sections on the Minor Chastisement and the Age of Peace and skip ahead to Birch’s section on the Antichrist):

A Hypothetical Chronological Table of events prophesied to precede the Parousia:

(a) Those which are binding in Faith are presented in bold italicized print.

(b) Those which are part of the traditional teachings of the Church – but which are not absolutely binding in faith are presented in bold print.

(c) Those about which there is a heavy preponderance of teaching among the Fathers and Doctors are presented in simple italicized print

(d) Those which represent private prophecy from Church-approved sources are presented in plain type.

1. The Major Chastisement – the Tribulation of Antichrist:

The Gospel must be preached in the whole world (Matt. 24, 14; Mark 13, 10), even though many will not accept its message (Luke 18, 8).

Before Christ’s Second Coming there will be a great apostasy or religious defection (Matt. 24, 10-12; Luke 18, 8; Thess. 2, 3j; 2 Tim. 3, 1-9), and the Antichrist will appear (2 Thess. 2, 3-12; 1 John 2, 18, 22; 2 John 7).

The last (Roman) Empire, which has been divided into “ten kingdoms” is dismantled by a great (but evil) military and political leader. Three of the ten kingdoms will not go along with this. They are crushed. See – Book of Rev. Ch. 13, Book of Dan. Ch. 7 & 8. [See in St. Jerome’s commentary on *Book of Daniel that Antichrist will kill the three kings “who will not bow to him”]

The “False Prophet” arrives – the Precursor of Antichrist. He will “ape” the role that St. John the Baptist performed in preparing the people for the arrival of the Messiah.

All of this prepares the way for the coming of the Antichrist. He begins his rise to power at about the age of 30. After he seizes total power he begins a three and one half year bestial persecution of the Church.

During this period, the Two Witnesses (Enoch and Elias) who have never died but have been maintained in “Paradise” return to the presence of men and preach to the people against the Antichrist. ** Elias preaches primarily to the Jews and Enoch primarily to the Gentiles. It is the arrival of these “Two Witnesses” which foreshadows the foretold conversion of the Jews to Christianity.**

Antichrist finally kills them by his own hand in Jerusalem and their bodies lie in the street by his command for 3 &1/2 days, at the end of which a voice from Heaven is heard by everyone present which commands the two witnesses (Enoch and Elias) to arise. To the surprise and stark terror of the onlookers, they do.

The Jews as a nation will be converted after the full number of the Gentiles enter the Church (Rom. 11).

Antichrist, stung again by this latest heavenly miracle, tries to restore his prestige with the Jews by simulating Christ’s ascension from Mt. Olivet, and St. Michael casts him down screaming to his death. (St. Thomas & other Doctors teach this.)

After the death of Antichrist, a short period of time of unknown duration is given to the remaining inhabitants of the earth to repent and accept Our Lord and the message of his Gospel.

***There will be a physical transformation of the universe (Matt. 24, 29; Mark 13, 24f; Luke 21, 25f), and the world will be purified by fire in the final general conflagration (2 Pet. 3, 5-7; cf. 1 Cor. 3, 13). Then only will the Son of Man appear in Heaven (Matt. 24, 30; Mark 13, 26; Luke 21, 27).

Then comes the end of the world and the Four Last Things; Death, the Last Judgment, Heaven, Hell.***

 

[jonbhorton]

Kubark,

Thanks for the very detailed and thought-provoking reply.

I especially enjoyed the way you set the tone with the use of font style resources. I was able to really see how multiple eschatological theories could easily go awry if they diverged from the basics and were accepted as fact. Further compounding this is how the proposed chronology might play into misinterpretation of other scripture.

This is a two-fold good thing, insofar as the Church reserving certain aspects to what I assume to only be a select group of people spread out in case of assassination, an attack on the Vatican, etc. At least, I hope that is the case if such a certain group of people existed.

It would be ludicrous to have the Church say, “yes world, so-and-so in such-and-such place is identified as the anti-Christ and we suspect him to be taking power in exactly 1 year; see ya in a year y’all!”, for if the call was good, it would bring on both mockery and persecution. To say, “Well, world, it’s been real, but, it’s about to get very unreal” would cause pandemonium and mass chaos; rapes, murders, all manner of sin would result and in effect, actually self-fulfill a prophecy; much like mohammedanism constantly seeks to do. We see the effect this has with them in a position of willingness to engage in outright warfare, a warfare the Church can’t logistically conduct even if it were permissible.

So, it would seem to me that the Church is keeping her cards to her chest. In thinking of key things, and their corollary possibilities, as intelligence, this is certainly need to know information in the grey areas. I suspect that in time these things will be revealed. As with all plans, they’re extremely secret until the first shot is fired, bomb is dropped, or announcement made. In the realm of the enemy, the enemy the Church faces, it is not prudent to make definitive statements which would be to the benefit of earthly planners with malicious designs. Though many people are surely in a “want to know” status, and they might get a little taste or understanding, there are things which are only “need to know”. At least I think so.

I certainly don’t want a detailed account of things to happen. But I did enjoy the post.

 

[kubark]

Here are some more interesting tidbits from Desmond Birch’s Trial, Tribulation and Triumph:

St. Bridget of Sweden:

“Before Antichrist comes, the portals of the Faith will be opened to great numbers of pagans.”

“An apparent sign that the Antichrist is coming will be when Christians love error and when the unjust tred spirituality and justice under foot.”

“Just as children of God are born of a spiritual marriage, so will Antichrist spring from an accursed woman who will pretend to lead a spiritual life, and from an accursed man, through whose agency, and with God’s permission, the devil will accomplish his ends.”

St. Hildegard:

“At that period when Antichrist shall be born, there will be many wars and right order shall be destroyed on the earth. Heresy will be rampant and the heretics will preach their errors openly without restraint. * Even among Christians doubt and skepticism will be entertained concerning the beliefs of Catholicism*.”

St. Gregory:

“Before the birth of her child, the mother of Antichrist will announce the advent of a Messias who will restore **a great prosperity **to mankind.”

St. John Damascene:

St. John Damascene tells us that Antichrist will be a man, “born of fornication.”

The 1936 edition of the Catholic Encyclopedia

In its article on the Antichrist, observes that “many of the Fathers” accept the following thesis that:

“Antichrist will be of Jewish extraction, of the tribe of Dan, will be circumcized, will rebuild Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple, in which he will set himself up as God. Likewise, he is to begin his work of seduction among the Jews who will accept him as the Messias.”

Sister Nativitas

“Even before he is ten years old he will be more powerful and more learned than other men and, through his actions, it will be evident that he possesses greater genius, spirit and skill than other people. The fullness of his powers will first manifest themselves when he reaches the age of 30 years at which time his greatest heroic deeds will begin.”

St. Vincent Ferrer:

He says that the Antichrist will be “a diabolical man, who will bring distress on the whole world.”

“Antichrist will direct his attacks against simple folk…He will make use of magic, and produce lifelike apparitions, which are, after all, the merest trickery. He will bring down fire from heaven, and make images speak, for the demon can cause their lips to move. To all appearance, he will recall the dead spirit of your father, the phantom infants will seem to speak.”

“You must know that Antichrist will perform other prodigies by the power of demons, and these will be true miracles according to the nature of things in themselves, but false in regard to the definition of a miracle (i.e. by the power of God). For he will cause images and babes of a month old to speak. The followers of Antichrist will question these statues or babies, and they will make answer concerning this lord who has come in the latter times, affirming that he is the savior. The devil will move their lips and form the words they utter when they declare Antichrist to be the true savior of the world; and in this way he will cause the destruction of many souls.”

According to St. Vincent, those of simple faith will actually stand up quite well to the trials of Antichrist. He observes that one of the major causes of their withstanding such trials is that the people of simple faith will also be conversant with the prophecies about Antichrist. Like St. Peter’s brother Andrew, they will believe them. At the same time, the learned and the arrogant who are immersed in pride will swallow Antichrist’s blandishments, hook, line, and sinker. It is this last type of which St. Vincent says:

“Those is the third category whom he will try to seduce are learned folk, such as masters and doctors of civil and canon law, who can argue and grasp proofs of things. Against these Antichrist will weave spells of enchantment, bringing out the most subtle arguments, the most seductive reasoning, to render these learned men tongue-tied and incapable of answering. It is not difficult to understand how this is done since the demon already holds their souls in the chains of sin; for the greater their knowledge the more heavily burdened will be their consciences if they do not live up to it. If he can hold their souls in chains it is easy for him to bind a morsel of flesh like the tongue so that they cannot speak except what he chooses.”

St. Vincent gives us the simple antidote for “specious reasoning” which could at any time confuse us in our faith. There are those who would hold that, to a certain degree, what St. Vincent is describing for the time of Antichrist is happening to many Catholics right now:

“The remedy for the state of bondage is faith, which follows simple obedience and not argument or reasoning. Argument may be good for the strenghening of the intelligence, but it is not the true foundation of faith. Those whose faith rests on reason will lose it when they hear the specious reasoning of Antichrist. Those on the contrary who rely on a firm belief founded on obedience will reply: 'Away with your arguments! Such reasonings are not the grounds of my faith.”

 

[joe_bell]

1. I would readily recommend Fr Charles Arminjon’s “The End of the Present World and the Mysteries of the Future Life” Sophia Press. Printed in English about 4 years ago, it is a very readable compilation of conferences given by French Fr Arminjon that speaks about what to expect of the anti-christ, how those times will be, the end of the world, judgement, and Heaven.
   St Therese, the Little Flower said that “reading this book was one of the greatest graces of my life”. Sounds like quite the recommendation to me, and it is.
2. A second, shorter, but very worthwhile read is Cardinal Henry Edward Manning’s “The Pope and the Antichrist” 2008? by Tradii Books, found on Lulu, etc, with a preview at books.google.com and is available on Kindle.
   In it a series of lectures he(then Fr Manning) gave that, as he lets it be known at the outset, it is what the Church’s authorities(Popes/Scrirpture, Fathers, etc) have spoken of on the issue. It was received favorably and is more that worth your time, and I think a rather unique work.
   Hope this helps.

Joe

 

[johnthebaptist1]

I have read many paperbacks,and found out that it comes to one thing. One must read,anything that pretends to OUR LADYS message at Fatima. I just received a paperback called ( The Mystery of Iniquity).It tells us the same thing we always have been told by Sister Luica child of Fatima who reveals the destiny of the human race in our times, which was told by OUR LADY at Fatima. People must change their ways or war, hunger,persecution of the Church and the Holy Father,and errors of Russia will spread throughtout the world.
Now about the anti-Christ, well he will be the one under Zionist- Masonic, will created a New World Order and Impose its godless tyranny upon the world by force of arms, He will tell you to join his group,or be Kill, trying to force people to give up their Faith. He is among us now,trying to weaken us to turn away from God,But remain strong for in the end Jesus will come to save us.

 

[GaryTaylor]

Right and what did the Sister always state? Read the Bible, its all in their. Pray the Rosary daily, Reparation of sinners. However, did she not “always” follow the Pope in obedience?

I heard a Catholic Priest speak on EWTN last night about the antichrist. He had a slightly different twist. He stated the antichist could be raised up by satan at any time he choose’s. And he believed history already indicates this.

 

[JosephFG]

I am aware of the identity of the AntiChrist, and of the hidden reality of his reign, which shall be shortened, according to Scripture. I am unwilling, however, to post on this forum about it unless I receive assurances that I will not be banned. The hierarchical Church will not give its approval to what I say about this, and I do not wish to break the forum rules.

Please advise!

 

[JosephFG]

Recall the prophecy of LaSalette: “Rome will lose the faith, and become the seat of the AntiChrist.”

That is all I shall say, I think I am safe saying that since LaSalette is an approved apparition.

 

[Smugleaf]

Recall the prophecy of LaSalette: “Rome will lose the faith, and become the seat of the AntiChrist.”

That is all I shall say, I think I am safe saying that since LaSalette is an approved apparition.

 

[kubark]

Recall the prophecy of LaSalette: “Rome will lose the faith, and become the seat of the AntiChrist.”

That is all I shall say, I think I am safe saying that since LaSalette is an approved apparition.

Maximin’s and Mélanie’s secrets were sent in 1851 to Pius IX on the advice of Mgr. de Bruillard. It is unknown what impressions these mysterious revelations made on the pope, for on this point there were two versions diametrically opposed to each other. Maximin’s secret is not known, for it was never published. Mélanie’s was inserted in its entirety in brochure which she herself had printed in 1879 at Lecce, Italy, with the approval of the bishop of that town. A lively controversy followed as to whether the secret published in 1879 was identical with that communicated to Pius IX in 1851, or in its second form it was not merely a work of the imagination. The latter was the opinion of wise and prudent persons, who were persuaded that a distinction must be made between the two Mélanies, between the innocent and simple voyante of 1846 and the visionary of 1879, whose mind had been disturbed by reading apocalyptic books and the lives of illuminati. As Rome uttered no decision the strife was prolonged between the disputants.

 

[Anna_jane]

Fr. Vincent Miceli SJ wrote an excellent work called The Antichrist.
amazon.com/Antichrist-S-J-Vincent-P-Miceli/dp/0912141026

 

[Dragonslayer]

I am aware of the identity of the AntiChrist, and of the hidden reality of his reign, which shall be shortened, according to Scripture. I am unwilling, however, to post on this forum about it unless I receive assurances that I will not be banned. The hierarchical Church will not give its approval to what I say about this, and I do not wish to break the forum rules.

Please advise!

Okay, you’ve got my interest. Let’s hear it.

What’s the worst that can happen. You get banned, you rejoin under another name, no big deal.

Go for it.

 

[TrueLight]

Okay, you’ve got my interest. Let’s hear it.

What’s the worst that can happen. You get banned, you rejoin under another name, no big deal.

Go for it.

I dunno. Some of us see CAF as a community and would actually prefer to keep our identities consistent.

 

[Dragonslayer]

I dunno. Some of us see CAF as a community and would actually prefer to keep our identities consistent.

That’s okay for you, you’ve got over 6,000 posts. This bloke has only had 40 posts. I think it is far more important for us, indeed for the whole world, to know the identity of the anti-christ, and the hidden reality of his reign, whatever that might be.

 

[TrueLight]

That’s okay for you, you’ve got over 6,000 posts. This bloke has only had 40 posts. I think it is far more important for us, indeed for the whole world, to know the identity of the anti-christ, and the hidden reality of his reign, whatever that might be.

He he he.