Who or What is Influencing Cardinal Burke and Others Regarding Fatima?

The ghost of Fr. Gruner?

Venerable Cardinal Burke, in an address to the virtual Rome Life Forum, 'connected the errors of communist Russia with the current corona crisis', calling for the consecration of Russia as per Our Lady's requests at Fatima.

I have to wonder who is influencing Cardinal Burke. In his address, his call to put into practice the message of Fatima, along with the First Saturday devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is wonderful - it is good advice. However, it appears he believes the Consecration of Russia was either incomplete or not accepted by Heaven. That implies that St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, the CDF and Sr. Lucia herself, were not telling the truth. JPII made the consecration, which Sr. Lucia explicitly stated had finally been accomplished, and that Heaven accepted it. I do not understand the Cardinal's contradiction of the Holy See?

Reading the footnotes, I noted Burke appears to rely upon the writings of Michel de la Sainte Trinité, The Whole Truth about Fatima, Volume Three. Frere Michel speculated and wrote about the secret before the third part was revealed - he spoke about it publicly, sharing his insights based upon those who knew Sr. Lucia, as well as his personal intellectual deduction. He is now a Carthusian, Dom François Marie Velut, O. Carth., formerly Prior of Grande Chartreuse, therefore I have no idea what his thought about Fatima is today. 

When I understood he became a Carthusian, my respect for his theories was automatic, and admittedly, influenced my understanding of Fatima.  Until the actual secret was revealed, and having read the accounts of Sr. Lucia herself.  That said, many writers have expanded on the theories set forth by Frere Michel, many of which contradict Sr. Lucia's own testimony.  The idea that the secret was not revealed in its entirety, and that the consecration was inadequate., contradicts the Holy See and Sr. Lucia.

Fatima Crusaders.

The never ending conspiracy theories infecting Fatima, spoils the authenticity of the message for many, Catholics and non-Catholics alike.  Many Catholics consider it a sort of right-wing-nut obsession. If the Cardinal would have only emphasized the requests of Our Lady as directed to the faithful, it would have been much better. The association of the virus with the Secret of Fatima strikes me as conjecture.

The 3 volumes on Fatima, written by Frere Michel (Velut) are definitely an important work.  Fr. Gruner and the Fatima Crusader seemed to have based their entire apostolate on Frere Michel's scholarship.  Fr. Kramer's book 'The Devil's Final Battle' is very much based upon Frere Michel's research and public addresses.  Unfortunately, it appears that Cardinal Burke and Archbishop Vigano have been influenced by all of them.  I say that because it contradicts what the Holy See has revealed, and what Sr. Lucia stated before her death, in letters and books, verified by the Carmel in Coimbra, Portugal.

I hate to link to some sites because they deal in misinformation and conspiracy theories.  Nevertheless I will link to provide the reader with the opportunity of reading an address on the secret by Frere Michel in 1985.  Obviously pre-dating the revelation of the actual secret by 15 years.  Likewise I will link to the Cardinal Burke address.

What Cardinal Burke said.

In a powerful address during the virtual Rome Life Forum hosted by Voice of the Family (read full talk below), the Cardinal connected the errors of communist Russia with the current crisis, highlighting the prominent role that the atheist communist regime of China has played in it.

“The consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is more needed today than ever,” he said.

“When we witness how the evil of atheistic materialism, which has its roots in Russia, directs in a radical way the government of the People’s Republic of China, we recognize that the great evil of communism must be healed at its roots through the consecration of Russia, as Our Lady has directed.”

“Recognizing the necessity of a total conversion from atheistic materialism and communism to Christ, the call of Our Lady of Fatima to consecrate Russia to her Immaculate Heart, in accord with her explicit instruction, remains urgent.” - LifeSiteNews

The source: Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité.*

What was the major concern of Fatima Crusaders?  The third part of the secret - perhaps even more so than the consecration of Russia.  Lucia said it was accomplished and accepted by heaven, Crusaders say it wasn't.  They also believe there is more to the third part of the secret.  They extrapolate these novelties from Frere Michel's research.  What follows is an excerpt from Frere Michel's 1985 address.  (Contradicting F. Michel's insistence that the secret be made public, I'll cite something Sr. Lucia always said about the hidden part: Sr. Lucia always insisted, "The part necessary for the people to know was already known since 1917.")

3. As long as this Secret is not revealed, the peace of the world will remain tragically threatened. I will explain myself. We believe strongly, that as long as Russia is not consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as God requires it to be, Russia will not be converted. And as long as she will not be converted, liberated from its atheistic and persecuting Bolshevism and from the grip of satanic forces which enslave it, the risk of a nuclear apocalypse will remain a terrible threat for the world. God has willed that the peace of the world depends, in our Century, on the ardent filial obedience of the Pope and of the bishops to the commands of His Most Holy Mother who appeared at Fatima. Now, this act of faith, of confident docility towards the Immaculate Mediatrix, through which our pastors shall carry out the consecration of Russia, presupposes also, and I shall even say first of all, the acceptance and the public disclosure of the Secret. It is a lesson of history: Since 1960, the deliberate, contemptuous concealment of the Secret of Our Lady has gone hand in hand with the stubborn refusal to precisely carry out with exactitude, Her other requests. On the other hand, the publication of the Third Secret will be the clear sign that the Church has officially recognized the Divine authenticity and importance of the Fatima Message in its entirety. One of the major obstacles to the consecration of Russia shall in that case be set aside! 

4. Finally and especially, for the welfare of the Church. While the Church, without a doubt, is going through the most serious crisis in her history, while heresies of all sorts are taught and propagated, poisoning everywhere the people of God, while her “self-destruction” continues without letup since 1960, and when the “smoke of satan” has penetrated into the holy place, to use some expressions of Paul VI, it would be a very great pity and certainly even criminal to continue to neglect, to disregard, to despise the salutary words of the Virgin Mary – concerning precisely this ‘crisis of faith’ that we are undergoing. Since the Queen of Heaven as early as 1917 had foretold the danger and since She had certainly indicated the real causes of it, and moreover, since She had proposed the effective remedies, is it not a terrible shame that these remedies intended to be publicly made known in 1960 have yet to be revealed to us? Is it not scandalous that for 25 years, millions of souls have been suffering in this “diabolical disorientation” and have been running the risk of being lost eternally without the pastors of the Church deigning to accept the extraordinary aid that Heaven is offering them? - This article was originally given as a talk by Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité at the Vatican Symposium on Fatima sponsored by the “International Fatima Rosary Crusade” on November 24, 1985. 

I can only hope Cardinal Burke and Archbishop Vigano will stop the the conspiracy theories and contradictory information regarding Fatima.

*Ed. note:  Frere Michel remains a reputable source, so long is that his speculative/deductive work is checked against what has been revealed by Sr. Lucia and the Holy See.  I want to share is own incredulity regarding false secrets revealed early on after the 1960 reading:

"Basing oneself on this reliable data, one can discard a whole series of false secrets that have been successively published for 25 years. I cite them all in my work and I demonstrate, for example, that the most famous of them, the “Secret” circulated in 1963 by the German magazine Neues Europa, and which has been ceaselessly reprinted in innumerable magazines, is a fake.2 There are in this text, several monstrous errors which prove this sufficiently. Moreover, although it is a matter, we are told, of simple “extracts” of the real Secret, these “extracts” are already at least four times too long to fit on the sheet of paper on which Lucy wrote down the whole of the Third Secret." -ibid

Fake comment from Bl. Paul VI

I searched to find the speech or address of Paul VI containing the following quote now circulating online:

“The tail of the Devil is functioning in the disintegration of the Catholic world. The darkness of Satan has entered and spread throughout the Catholic Church, even to its summit. Apostasy, the loss of the Faith, is spreading throughout the world and into the highest levels within the Church”. - Attributed to Paul VI

Paul VI supposedly said that in a speech on October 13, 1977.   Interestingly enough, many trads and Fatima people pretty much dismiss Paul VI for everything else, yet they are grabbing onto this quote, which fits well into their narrative that Pope Francis undermines Catholic teaching and 'Francis-bishops' are apostates.  I think a couple of prelates may even ascribe to this theory and call for a re-consecration of Russia.  You know.

As one comment on Fr. Z's post highlighting the "Pauline' quote noted:  

I have heard this quote as well as the now-famous 1976 Cardinal Wojtyla comment from America (about the battle between Church and Anti-Church). 

Both quotes can be traced, apparently, to newspaper articles, but no one, as far as I know, has ever found the originals. 

In fact, I have looked for the supposed 10/13/77 speech on the Vatican website; not there. I also read Wojtyla’s speech in American in 1976; not there. 

The Paul VI “smoke of satan” is authentic, although it is found in a summary of a homily he gave; found on the Vatican Website. - Source

 I did the same search and had the same results.  The address of Pope Paul on 10-13-77 was to the German Bishops in Latin, and despite my limited knowledge of Latin, I saw nothing of the quote there.

Speaking of Bella Dodd and the Trump-Russian-Connection ...

“I would certainly like to find out 

who is really running things.”

Dr. Bella Dodd

I came across this ...

“I think the Communist conspiracy is merely a branch of a much bigger conspiracy!”

The above statement was made to this reviewer [Cleon Skousen] several years ago by Dr. Bella Dodd, a former member of the National Committee of the U.S. Communist Party.
Perhaps this is an appropriate introduction to a review of Dr. Carroll Quigley’s book,
Tragedy And Hope. 

Dr. Dodd said she first became aware of some mysterious super-leadership right after World War II when the U.S. Communist Party had difficulty getting instructions from Moscow on several vital matters requiring immediate attention. The American Communist hierarchy was told that any time they had an emergency of this kind they should contact any one of three designated persons at the Waldorf Towers. Dr. Dodd noted that whenever the Party obtained instructions from any of these three men, Moscow always ratified them.

What puzzled Dr. Dodd was the fact that not one of these three contacts was a Russian. Nor were any of them Communists. In fact, all three were extremely wealthy American capitalists!  Dr. Dodd said, “I would certainly like to find out who is really running things.” - Cleon Skousen, The Naked Capitalist (1970)

That's it!

Oddly enough, many far right Republicans ascribe to Skousen's theories, Glenn beck for instance, as well as Trump supporters, such as Ben Carson, and Rick Perry, although they tend to finger the Democrats as the Marxist-Communists infiltrators.

So, what if the Dodd quote is credible?  Perhaps it could help explain,  kinda-sorta, the Trump-Russian connection - if there really is one?

What?

Coming up: The real story why the NY Archdiocese will not let Archbishop Sheen's body go - yep, the Bella Dodd connection.

Anti-papist to anti-pope: We can't know it yet?

First Anti-Pope Clement VII

1P5 editor Steve Skojec weighs in on Barnhardt's claim Francis is an anti-pope.

At least he disagrees - to an extent.  He declares that Barnhardt -

... is NOT a sedevacantist, as she makes clear. She just thinks we still have the same pope we had in February, 2013. Is she right? Not my call. Does it matter? On an objective level, of course it does. To know the true pope from the false one is better than not to know it. But we can’t know that with the certitude of an ecclesiastical judgment. Not yet. - 1P5

Not yet?

The discussion is ludicrous, albeit it fascinating to read how these people seem to have gone from anti-papist to practically judging a validly elected Pope to be an anti-pope.  On some level it means they believe Benedict XVI to have been forced into retirement-resignation, and Francis covertly made pope.  Even after statements from Benedict refuting these and so many other conspiracy theories.  It's as crazy as the impostor pope stories about Paul VI and Sr. Lucia.  It fits with the sedevacantist theories about the suppressed election of Cardinal Siri as Gregory XVII in favor of John XXIII.  Theories pretty much based on the active imaginations of Euro-trad-monarchists, as well as the dubious revelations of Bl. Anna Katherine Emmerick and the prophecies of a handful of other mystics.

If there is anything worthwhile in Skojec's essay, it is his refutation of Barnhardt's selection of private revelations and prophecy to support her claims.  Anyone familiar with the promotion of conspiracy theories on the apparition of Fatima and the so-called third secret will spot the same old fake messages immediately.  It's Bayside-Necedah revisited.  It is amazing how embedded in Catholic culture these false prophecies have become.  I can't help thinking of the extended secrets of LaSalette, repeated so frequently since Vatican II.  But I digress.

Skojec helps his readers out by pointing to the errors of the works of prophecy Barnhardt depends upon:

I’m not going to devote the time and research necessary to write a deeply substantive critique of Ann’s theory. Briefly, though, I do want to address some issues I have with her argument.

To begin with, three of the five prophecies she cites are of questionable provenance. The St. Francis of Assisi prophecy is the most significant of these, since to read it one feels as though it is meant for our present time. - Read the rest here.

I don't know, but there is something rather likable about Skojec, he's a good writer, seems like a great guy with a good sense of humor, a good Catholic - why he goes off on this stuff I'm not sure.  Like I said, he does a good job sourcing and discrediting - or at least judging unreliable the prophecies Barnhardt sites.  In addition to the St. Francis false prophecy, he locates the source of the fake Fatima message, and gives some good background information.  However, he seems to leave the door open to the possibility these 'could be' true.

Reading private revelations literally, and forming private opinion about what is related therein, while attempting to configure it with current events, is a sure way to end up with the sedevacantists and schismatics who have alienated themselves from the Church.  At least Skojec has the good sense to recognize all of these issues mean nothing without an ecclesiastical judgment, that is, an authoritative judgment from the Church... aka the Pope and the Magisterium - the bishops in communion with him.

Skojec concludes his essay directing readers to seek the clear, authentic teaching of the Church and to disseminate that - and not to worry about who is the true or false pope.  Not bad advice - yet he still leaves that Barnhardt foot in the door - Francis might be an anti-pope - we just can't know it yet.

And the Resignationism theory spins on, along with the  'bad council, bad Mass' trope.

The men shall wear white berets and the women shall wear blue.

I want you to wear something borrowed,

like that pretty chapel veil with your blue jumper...

Oh.  And tell all the people Paul VI has been replaced with an impostor.

Here you go ... the “relationship between two popes” and the “baleful consequences” of the “false Church” ...

Oy!  Vat a nightmare!

It was only a matter of time.

Gänswein recently shared confidences of Pope Benedict XVI on there being two popes - one active, one contemplative - which in turn gets spun as code, linking it to the two popes prophecy from Blessed Emmerich.  Unverifiable as that may be - and even dismissed by some proponents of Emmerich's private revelations, it remains useful for the propagation of the 'bad council-bad Mass' trope -  'emmervating' from the Fatimist conspiracy theorists.

Those Ridiculous Fatimists ...

Discalced Nuns of the Carmel of Coimbra, Sr. Lucia's community.

-source-

They are out in droves.

Questioning everything - accusing popes and saints of lying and cover-up about the content of the 'secret' - hiding the part concerning the great apostasy and 'bad Mass'.  It has grown progressively worse over the years and now when we are entering the first centenary - it's crazier than ever.

The Vatican revealed the secret - one secret in three parts - Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith: The Message of Fatima - read it here.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - CDF - it used to be called the Holy Office - responsible for the dogma of faith. Cardinal Ratzinger was its head when the secret was reviewed under the authority of St. John Paul II. When you or anyone else claims the entire secret was not revealed you are accusing the Church, the Pope and the Magisterium of lying. You are inventing conspiracy theories and promulgating error. Even if an old priest-friend of Pope Benedict claims Benedict told him this or that part of the secret has yet to be revealed - don't believe him.  The third part of the secret was  always for the pope to read - it was never mandated that the secret be revealed to the pubic.  The first parts of the secret already contained what was essential for the faithful to know.

Included in the sensationalist claims of Fatimists is that there was an impostor Sr. Lucia - a ridiculous conspiracy theory. Proponents insist the difference in photos of the young Lucia and the old Lucia is proof positive. Sr. Lucia had bad teeth, most likely she was fitted with dentures which changed her appearance or 'bite'. It is absolutely ridiculous to make such claims that an impostor replaced the real seer. Such claims make an entire community of Carmelite nuns liars and co-conspirators. Likewise, the idea of a bad council and a bad Mass is ridiculous, because the Carmel of Coimbra is faithful to the Magisterium and would have accepted Vactican II as well as the Ordinary Form of Mass. (Look at the photo at top - a bunch of co-conspirators? I don't think so.) In addition, the family of Sr. Lucia would have to be complicit in such a cover-up. It is absurd.

These conspiracy theories and doubts are promulgated by those who wish to discredit the Catholic Church and justify their rejection of Vatican II, the Mass of Paul VI - or the Ordinary Form, as well as the Papacy since 1960.

It doesn't matter who is spreading these stories and doubts, be it Alice Von Hildebrand or Ingo Dollinger or anyone else, repeating what they heard these people say is called hear-say testimony.

Private revelations add nothing to the deposit of faith, they never can assume an authority greater than the Church. The faithful are not obliged to accept private revelations, and they are certainly not obliged to pay any attention to those who take it upon themselves to interpret private revelations. Even Sr. Lucia was instructed and understood it was not her place to offer an interpretation of the visions and messages.

If there is any conspiracy involved in the Fatima revelations, it is to be found in those who discredit the Holy Father and the Magisterium and sensationalize the message of Fatima. Traditionalists would do well to look for Masonic-Communist influences among their own kind.

The Ball of Redemption. Duck and cover. Order blue berets here.

Oh! Now I get it. They read "Windswept House"...

and fantasies about the Third Secret.

I came across the following comment while reading a post at Catholic Herald.co.uk by Mary O'Reagan: If our Catholic blogosphere is going to survive then our bloggers have to become more Catholic.    A reader asks, why not blog about this?

Windswept House - Fr. Malachi Martin

"Suddenly it became unarguable that now during this papacy (of JPII), the Roman Catholic Church carried a permanent presence of clerics who worshipped Satan and liked it; of bishops and priests who sodomized boys and each other; of nuns who performed the “Black Rites” of Wicca, and who lived in lesbian relationships . . . every day, including Sundays and Holy Days, acts of heresy and blasphemy and outrage and indifference were committed and permitted at holy Altars by men who had been called to be priests. Sacrilegious actions and rites were not only performed on Christ’s Altars, but had the connivance or at least the tacit permission of certain Cardinals, archbishops, and bishops. . . In total number they were a minority—anything from one to ten percent of Church personnel. But of that minority, many occupied astoundingly high positions or rank.... The facts that brought the Pope to a new level of suffering were mainly two: The systematic organizational links—the network, in other words that had been established between certain clerical homosexual groups and Satanist covens. And the inordinate power and influence of that network." (pp. 492-3)

I've not read Malachi Martin's faction, but apparently most Catholics online have.  Especially those who think the Third Secret of Fatima has not been fully revealed, and Benedict XVI was forced to abdicate.

This explains so much.

Say no more poodle...

The Pope in Jerusalem ... Tomorrow

photo credit

What do you think?

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis leaves Saturday morning for his three-day apostolic pilgrimage to the Holy Land, which marks the 50th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s visit to the region. He will visit Jordan, the State of Palestine, and Israel. Vatican Radio’s Philippa Hitchen spoke to Charles Collins on Friday evening from Jerusalem about the anticipation for the trip. - Source

Remember the unknown locutionist of Monsignor Esseff?  "The Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, will go to Israel in its darkest hour and lay down his life for Israel. "

See - that's why I don't like these unapproved private revelation messages from unknown locutionists.

Pray for the Holy Father - and not just for the indulgence attached to such prayers.

Just when you thought it was safe to move into the Papal apartments, Fr. Amorth pops up with a haunting warning for the Pope.

"I would not wish that he ends like Luciani".

Although I kind of thought that too. 

Father Gabriele Amorth, chief exorcist of the Diocese of Rome has warned the new Pope Francis about a quick death following the fate of Pope John Paul I. "The Masons have their branches everywhere, even in the Vatican, unfortunately," Amorth said in an interview with the Italian newspaper "Il Giornale", which the newspaper "Österreich" online reported.

Amorth said that the new Pope Francis wanted a "poor church of the poor" like John Paul I "I would not wish that he ends like Luciani," commented the chief exorcist, the Freemasons aspire only after money and career, "they help each other," reported, "Österreich“" online. Father Gabriele maintains that they include the present Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, a Freemason, as well as President Giorgio Napolitano. In principle, all politicians in power are subordinate to the Freemasons and the world was dominated by seven or eight people who kept all the money in their hands, said the 88-year-old priest, who is believed to have carried out 70,000 successful exorcisms. - New Pope

Hasn't Fr. Amorth heard the prophecies about death in the Holy Land yet?  Or the Michael Voris video, "Someone is Going to Kidnap the Pope!"  Such drama.

Hello?  Ann?

Ann Barnhardt?