Pope Benedictus XVI and the Flag of the European Union
Yesterday, there was a major vote in Ireland as to whether to accept or reject the EU’s Lisbon treaty.
Pope Benedict apparently spoke to the Irish:
The pope has timed a speech about the role of Ireland in European history to coincide with the eve of the Lisbon Referendum.
BBC – June 12, 2008
Pope Benedict has used his weekly audience to praise the central role of Irish missionaries in European history, a day before voters go to the polls to decide the future of the Lisbon Treaty.
Pope Benedict praised St Columbanus in his weekly audience.
Speaking to tens of thousands of pilgrims in St Peter’s Square, the Pope gave a sermon about the life of St Columbanus, an Irish monk born in 543 who travelled to Europe to spread Christianity.
In his speech charting the saint’s life, Pope Benedict said that Columbanus could be called a “European saint”…
The saint was an early advocate of European unity, at least in religious terms.
The church was split with schisms in northern Italy, prompting Columbanus to write “a letter to Pope Boniface IV to convince him to make certain decisive steps towards re-establishing unity”.
Pope Benedict described Columbanus as one of the founding “Fathers of Europe”.
“(Columbanus) spent all his energies to nourish the Christian roots of the nascent Europe.
“With his spiritual strength, with his faith, with his love of God and neighbour, he became one of the Fathers of Europe, showing us today the way to those roots from which our continent may be reborn,” he said.
While the Pope did not urge a “yes” vote in Ireland, church sources said that the timing of his speech would not have been accidental.
He has frequently spoken about the need for European unity and for a Europe as a “community” which he has said must acknowledge its Christian heritage.
He also chose the name Benedict, as the last Pope Benedict was a vigorous advocate of European unity, striving to avoid the outbreak of World War. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7450602.stm
However, at this time it looks like not enough heeded him according to the Los Angeles Times earlier this morning:
DUBLIN, Ireland — In a stunning setback to efforts to draft a modern new European constitution, voters in Ireland today appeared to reject a new reform treaty, throwing the European Union’s future governance into doubt.
Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern conceded the referendum on the new Lisbon treaty, which requires ratification by all 27 EU members to take effect, was headed for near-certain defeat, though official results had not yet been declared.
“To a certain extent, we’re in uncharted waters,” he told reporters. “Obviously, it’s disappointing. It’s quite clear there’s a very substantial no vote.”
More than a dozen countries so far have ratified the complex treaty, which establishes the EU’s first full-time president and allows many decisions in the recently expanded union to be taken by qualified majority vote, rather than unanimous consent.
Ireland was the only nation whose constitution required a public vote, and the result is that the Emerald Isle’s 3 million voters have thrown a wrench into a constitution for more than 490 million residents of Europe.
It was unclear how the EU would proceed in light of the results of Thursday’s voting; some analysts have suggested the treaty, signed at Lisbon in December, could be reworked and put to a new vote…
Other opponents argued that the treaty could threaten Ireland’s traditional military neutrality. “This treaty will increase militarization and neoconservatism of Europe,” said Treasa O’Brien, who voted in Cork. “I’m pro-European, but the EU started as an economic system. The treaty will turn the EU into a superstate, and that was not its original intention.” http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-ireland14-2008jun14,0,2826243.story
Both Bible prophecy and recent EU history suggest that the EU will still try to move forward no matter how people vote (this Treaty of Lisbon essentially replaced the EU constitution that voters in France and the Netherlands rejected a while back). Europe is destined to become a superstate no matter how often any vote against it.
It was interesting to me that the Pope praised Columbanus (also spelled Columbkille)–something he would not have done if he were trying to get the English to vote for the treaty. Notice what that one of the one the Pope just called one of the “Father of Europe” wrote:
It has been foretold in 597, by ST. Columbkille…”…English nobility shall sink into horrible life–wars shall be proclaimed against them, by means of which the franatically proud race shall be subdued, and will be harassed from every quarter. The English shall dwindle into disreputable people and shall forever be derived of power” (Culligan E. The Last World War and the End of Time. The book was blessed by Pope Paul VI, 1966. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), pp. 118-119).
Perhaps this would be a good time to share what other Catholic writers/saints/prophets have taught. Several Roman Catholic prophecies appear to generally state is that there will be some type of civil unrest in parts of Europe which occur after England becomes less powerful, and that ultimately England will be severely chastised. Here are several along those lines (note, I believe that the “Great Monarch” will be the final King of the North):
Saint Cataldus of Tarentino (c. 500): “The Great Monarch will be in war till he is forty years of age….he will assemble great armies and expel tyrants from his empire. He will conquer England and other island empires” (Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p.30).
The Ecstatic of Tours…”When everyone believes that peace is assured, when everyone least expects it, the great happenings will begin. Revolution will break out in Italy almost at the same time as in France. For some time, the Church will be without a Pope. England, too, will have much to suffer…” (Dupont, Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p.37)
St. Edward (11th century). “The extreme corruption and wickedness of the English nation has provoked the just anger of God. When malice has reached the fullness of its measure, God will, in His wrath, send to the English people evil spirits who will punish and afflict them with severity by separating the green tree from its parent stem the length of three furlongs. But at last this same tree, through the compassionate mercy of God and without any national assistance, shall return to its original root, reflourish, and bear abundant fruit.” (Dupont, p.18)
It is to be noted, too, that there was no English nation as such in the 11th Century, but only a kingdom of the Angles and Saxons. This discrepancy, however, may be due to a mis-transcription. (the preceding was the comment from Dupont personally on the Edward’s prophecy, p.19)
St. Malachy (12th century). “Ireland will suffer English oppression for a week of centuries, but will preserve her fidelity to God and His Church. At the end of that time she will be delivered, and the English in turn must suffer severe chastisement. Ireland, however, will be instrumental in bringing back the English to the unity of Faith.” (Dupont, p.15)
Catholic sources claim that the first portion of the above Malachy prophecy has been fulfilled. But notice that the above also claims that England will suffer from severe chastisement. And apparently many those that survive will become Catholic (probably through desperation, coercion, deception, and/or force).
Balthassar Mas (17th century). “I saw a land swallowed up by the sea and covered with water. But afterwards, I saw that the sea receded little by little and the land could be seen again. The tops of the towers in the city rose again above the water and appeared more beautiful than before, and I was told that this land was England.’ (Dupont, p.32)
The above may have several interpretations. Figuratively, it may mean that Protestant England is to be destroyed and will become Catholic. Or it may simply mean some type of tsunami will affect England. However, notice that England is prophesied to become Catholic:
Bl. Anna-Maria Taigi (19th century). Whole nations will come back to the Church and the face of the earth will be renewed. Russia, England, and China will come into the Church. (Dupont, p.45)
Of course, Russia and China will finally turn on the European power (Daniel 11:44-45), but the Bible shows that for a while “All who dwell on the earth will worship him {the European beast power}, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).
It is also interesting that an Roman Catholic prophecy states that England will leave the Roman Catholic Church, be punished, then return. Notice the following prophecy and commentary from The Catholic Encyclopedia:
Prophecy of St. Edward the Confessor
Ambrose Lisle Philipps in a letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury dated 28 October, 1850, in giving a sketch of English Catholic history, relates the following vision or prophecy made by St. Edward:
“During the month of January, 1066, the holy King of England St. Edward the Confessor was confined to his bed by his last illness in his royal Westminster Palace. St. Aelred, Abbott of Rievaulx, in Yorkshire, relates that a short time before his happy death, this holy king was wrapt in ecstasy, when two pious Benedictine monks of Normandy, whom he had known in his youth, during his exile in that country, appeared to him, and revealed to him what was to happen to England in future centuries, and the cause of the terrible punishment. They said: ‘The extreme corruption and wickedness of the English nation has provoked the just anger of God. When malice shall have reached the fullness of its measure, God will, in His wrath, send to the English people wicked spirits, who will punish and afflict them with great severity, by separating the green tree from its parent stem the length of three furlongs. But at last this same tree, through the compassionate mercy of God, and without any national (governmental) assistance, shall return to its original root, reflourish and bear abundant fruit.’ After having heard these prophetic words, the saintly King Edward opened his eyes, returned to his senses, and the vision vanished. He immediately related all he had seen and heard to his virgin spouse, Edgitha, to Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury, and to Harold, his successor to the throne, who were in his chamber praying around his bed.” (See “Vita beati Edwardi regis et confessoris”, from manuscript Selden 55 in Bodleian Library, Oxford.)
The interpretation given to this prophecy is remarkable when applied to the events which have happened. The spirits mentioned in it were the Protestant innovators who pretended, in the sixteenth century, to reform the Catholic Church in England. The severance of the green tree from its trunk signifies the separation of the English Church from the root of the Catholic Church, from the Roman See. This tree, however, was to be separated from its life-giving root the distance of “three furlongs”. These three furlongs are understood to signify three centuries, at the end of which England would again be reunited to the Catholic Church, and bring forth flowers of virtue and fruits of sanctity. The prophecy was quoted by Ambrose Lisle Philipps on the occasion of the reestablishment of the Catholic hierarchy in England by Pope Pius IX in 1850 (Devine, Arthur. Transcribed by Marie Jutras. Prophecy. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XII. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, June 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).
Of course, the interpretation that three furlongs meant that England would become Roman Catholic in three centuries was in error, but notice that the Roman Catholics believe that England was prophesied to separate from the Roman Catholic Church, that it will be severely punished, and that it will again become Roman Catholic (AFTER it is punished).
D.A. Birch (Catholic writer commenting on the above “prophecy”) stated , “It is interesting to note that the National (Government) of England is foretold to have no role in the return of England to Roman allegiance. As a matter of fact, a number of prophecies specifically state that England will be reevangelized by the French and Irish after England has suffered a terrible and specific chastisement” (Birch, DA. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before During and After Antichrist. Queenship Publishing Company, Goleta (CA), 1996, pp. 308-309).
Now while the following prophecy is not specific to the English-speaking peoples, I believe that Roman Catholics will believe that the destruction of the USA and its English-speaking allies by the beast power will be justified by it:
St. Francis of Paola (Born in Italy, 15th century). “By the grace of the Almighty, the Great Monarch will annihilate heretics and unbelievers. He will have a great army, and angels will fight at his side. He will be like the sun among the stars. His influence will spread over the whole earth. All in all, there will be on earth twelve Kings, one Emperor, one Pope and a few Princes. They will all lead holy lives.” (Dupont, p.38)
The above shows that Roman Catholics will believe that God is on the side of the beast. A peculiar part of the above is that the Roman Catholics believe that there will be twelve kings associated with what we call the beast, yet the Bible states that there are ten (Daniel 7:24; Revelation 17:12)–however this is not necessarily a contradiction. Daniel 7:24 says the last kingdom arises from ten kings, while Revelation 17:12 states that ten kings will give their power to the beast. However, it may be that after the beast power is fully formed, that he will add two additional kings and apparently some princes.
Those in the UK need to be very leery of the European Union. The Bible indicates that a massive European power, apparently dominated by the descendants of ancient Assyria (modern Germany), will destroy the Anglo-American powers.
Some articles of possibly related interest may include:
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?
Do Certain Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus? Will the final “Anti-Christ” be Jewish, insist on Saturday, be opposed to the trinity, and bring in the millennium? Catholic writings indicate this, but what does the Bible show?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Living Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 This article explains how the LCG views this, and compares this to Ellen White.
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