Increase in Islam and Catholic Prophecy

Flags of the Arab League and the European Union

Yesterday, the Vatican admitted that there are now more Muslims than Catholics:

Vatican:

Islam surpasses Roman Catholicism as world’s largest religion

‘For the first time in history, we are no longer at the top: Muslims have overtaken us,’ official who compiles the Vatican’s yearbook says

Associated Press – March 30, 2008

VATICAN CITY – Islam has surpassed Roman Catholicism as the world’s largest religion, the Vatican newspaper said Sunday. “For the first time in history, we are no longer at the top: Muslims have overtaken us,” Monsignor Vittorio Formenti said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano. Formenti compiles the Vatican’s yearbook…

He said that Catholics accounted for 17.4 percent of the world population – a stable percentage – while Muslims were at 19.2 percent. Formenti said that the data refer to 2006. The figures on Muslims had been put together by Muslim countries and then provided to the United Nations, he said, adding that the Vatican could only vouch for its own data. When considering all Christians and not just Catholics, Christians make up 33 percent of the world population, Formenti said. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3525503,00.html

But the Vatican neglected to mention the plans its private prophecies have for Islam. And they tend to involve conflict. First some type of civil unrest, and then that is ultimately prophesied to lead to the elimination of Islam:

Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (died 1837): “described to me the great ordeal ahead. Rome would be battered by revolutions…Millions of men would die by the sword in war and civil strife, other millions would perish in unforeseen death. Then entire nations would return to the unity of the Church, and many Turks, Pagans and Jews would be converted and their fervour cover with confusion the original Christians. In one word she told me that our Lord was intending to cleanse the world and His Church…” (Bessieres A. Wife, Mother and Mystic (Blessed Anna Maria Taigi). Nihil Obstat: Carlos Davis, S.T.L. Imprimatur: E Morrough Bernard, Westmonasteri, die Februari, 1952. Reprint TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1982, p. 166).

Venerable Bartholomew Holzhauser (died 1658):…”Are we not to fear, during this period, that the Mohammedans will come again, working out their sinister schemes against the Latin Church? (Dupont, Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973,p.39).

Old Saxon Prophecy. “The seven-headed city, now more admirable than Jerusalem, shall be a place more desolate than Jerusalem. The Dog shall enter Germany but shall afterwards forsake his master and choose for himself a new man, whereby Scripture shall be fulfilled. This Dog shall signify the Turk which shall forsake his Mohammed and choose unto him the name Christian…But after all these things the end of the world shall approach, and there shall be heavey and pitiful days.” Comment: The seven-headed city is probably Rome…(the comment is from Dupont personally, Dupont, pp.23-24)

Brother Louis Rocco (19th century). “Terrible wars will rage all over Europe. God has long been patient with the corruption of morals; half of mankind He will destroy. Russia will witness many outrages. Great cities and small towns alike will be destroyed in a bloody revolution that will cause the death of half the population. In Istanbul (Constantinople) the Cross will replace the half-moon of Islamism, and Jerusalem will be the seat of a King. The southern Slavs will form a great Catholic Empire and drive out of Europe the Turks (Mohammedans), who will withdraw to North Africa and subsequently embrace the Catholic faith.” (Dupont, p.76)

(Note: The term “Turks” sometimes is only referring to followers of Islam as opposed to Turkish peoples.)

The reality is that the Bible shows that the King of the North will impose his religion (apparently a modification of Catholicism, see article Who is the King of the North?) on the world, but apparently the Muslim world (represented in a significant way by the coming King of the South) will rise up to oppose that religion.

However, both biblical (Daniel 11:40-42) and Catholic prophecies show that the Muslims will not win that battle. Notice a fairly specific Catholic prophecy on that:

Rudolph Gekner (died 1675). “A great prince of the North with a most powerful army will traverse all Europe, uproot all republics, and exterminate all rebels. His sword moved by Divine power will most valiantly defend the Church of Jesus Christ. He will combat on behalf of the true orthodox faith, and shall subdue to his dominion the Mahometan Empire. A new pastor of the universal church will come from the shore (of Dalmatia) through a celestial prodigy, and in simplicity of heart adorned with the doctrines of Jesus Christ. Peace will come to the world.” (Cited in Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p.36).

The reality is that world events are moving towards this conflict as a prince of the North is expected (Daniel 9:25-27) who ultimately will be the King of the North and overwhelm the future King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43).

Articles of 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?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?