My work in the field of Catholic eschatology spans over 20 years of research, study, and writing. Eschatology is, by its nature, highly speculative. I’ve never received any kind of revelation from God myself. My predictions are not divine revelation; they are the result of study and interpretation. I have been wrong many times concerning the timing of the events at the start of the tribulation. But I believe that my work in this area is useful to the faithful, as they prayerfully consider the possibilities for the future of the Church and the world.
The predictions below are presented as fallible and speculative. They represent not so much the exact course that I expect events to take, but an indication of the direction that I consider events will likely take. Also, these predictions are a small subset of the total set of predictions found in my several books of eschatology. They do not represent all of the predictions.
First, an overview of the tribulation:
A. The first part of the tribulation occurs for this generation, beginning within the next few years, and ending in 2040 A.D.
B. Then there will be a brief period of peace and holiness on earth, lasting about 25 years.
C. The next few hundred years will see a gradual but unstoppable increase in sinfulness and suffering in the world. The Church will remain holy, and Her teaching will remain pure. But many of Her members will fall into sin, due to the influence of the sinful world.
D. The second part of the tribulation occurs in the early 25th century (about 2430 to 2437). The Antichrist reigns for less than 7 years during this time.
E. Jesus Christ returns to earth, ending the tribulation.
Now, some predictions for the near future. These are not listed in chronological order.
* The Warning, Consolation, and Miracle — predicted at Garabandal and Medjugorje — will occur prior to the start of the tribulation, sometime within the next several years (2018 to 2023).
* The Church will experience a severe schism. First, a conservative schism will occur, under Pope Francis; next, a liberal schism will occur, under his conservative successor.
* The conservative schism will be triggered by certain events: Amoris Laetitia (as we already know, so, not a prediction), and the approval of women deacons, and controversial teachings on salvation theology.
* After a short time, Pope Francis will resign from office.
* His very conservative successor will reign for a few years, and then die a martyr, during World War 3.
* The successor to Pope Francis will take the papal name Pius XIII.
* Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran, will become the Supreme Leader of Iran, in place of Ayatollah Khamenei, while Rouhani is also still President.
* ISIS will take control of Iraq.
* Iran and Iraq (controlled by ISIS) will make a pact to work together, so as to unite the Muslim nations and fight against the West.
* Iran will announce that they have nuclear weapons.
* World War 3 will be the war of the Arab/Muslim nations of the Middle East and northern Africa, led by Iraq (under ISIS) and Iran, against the United States and Europe.
* World War 3 will begin with a nuclear attack on New York City by Iran.
* After the martyrdom of Pope Pius XIII, there will be two elections for Pope, one valid election choosing the next valid Pope, and one invalid election choosing a very prominent antipope.
* The antipope will have more support from persons who call themselves Catholic than any antipope in the history of the world.
* The true pope will have many faults, and will not be a particularly holy or scholarly leader.
* There will be a series of valid Popes with short reigns, Benedict 16, Francis, Pius 13, and their successors.
* In the late 2020’s, a great Ecumenical Council will be called. The Pope who calls the Council will die soon after it begins.
* The Cardinals and Bishops being already assembled, they shall quickly choose the next Pope: the Angelic Shepherd (Fr. Zlatko Sudac).
* He shall lead the Church from about 2029 through the end of the first part of the tribulation (2040) and into the time of peace that follows.
The worst sufferings of the first part of the tribulation occur in the 2030’s and in early 2040 (at the Three Days of Darkness). After the Three Days of Darkness, there will be peace and holiness, and a respite from the suffering, for a while.
by
Ronald L. Conte Jr.
Roman Catholic theologian and translator of the Catholic Public Domain Version of the Bible.
Please take a look at this list of my books and booklets, and see if any topic interests you.
the reproach of Christ 
Ron, your writings on the future of the World are very well researched and supported by writings of Catholic saints over the many centuries. Medjugorje is a true apparition and the Blessed Virgin Mary stated that there are ten secrets that will unfold soon and will affect the entire World. She already revealed the third secret of a Great Miracle that will heal and convert many people. I don’t consider your writings on eschatology as highly speculative at all but very accurate. The start of the tribulation has been difficult to determine only. In a way, none of us should want these events to begin, as there will be much suffering. However, these events are necessary in order to save as many souls as possible from the fires of Hell.
Thanks, Matt.
I agree I find this site very informative I make it a port of call every day keep up the good work ron
The Holy Father has suggested that his pontificate would be short, perhaps 4-5 years. We are already past the 4-year point obviously, but he has also (in some cases) hinted at certain appointments ending at their 5-year point. It would be quite surprising, although perhaps not completely unexpected, if he resigns in March at his 5-year point. I think this is a remote possibility, however.
I don’t believe he will resign until after he completes the tasks assigned to him by God. Grace prevents him from merely following his own whims. I think he will teach on salvation theology, and approve of women deacons. Then the conservative schism will reach full bloom, and only then will he resign.
No Pope will take the name “Pius XIII.” It does not matter even if one was very conservative: he would not want to advertise his intentions in such a way.
I don’t understand your point. There was a Pius the 12th. Why would no Pope call himself by that name again? And what do you mean by “advertise his intentions”?
Just consider why the next Pope might call himself “Pius XIII.” You yourself say that the next Pope will be very conservative and will call himself this. The implication is that he will take the name “Pius XIII” in order to announce to the Church, “I am a very conservative Pope and will do very conservative things!” But no Pope is going to announce that, even if he intends to do those things, because announcing it would make it much more difficult to do it. In the same way Pope Francis did not and will not make any announcement that he is a liberal Pope.
And I did not say that no Pope ever will take the name: one might take the name hundreds of years from no, when it will no longer imply being conservative. But no Pope will take the name (certainly not the next Pope) as long as it would be an announcement like that.
Oh, I see. But Popes do use papal names to signal what they will do. John Paul I and II each took those names to signal that they would continue the work of Vatican II (started by Pope John and completed by Pope Paul). So I think a Pope would want to signal that he intends to have a conservative reign, after the liberal reign of Pope Francis.
On nuclear weapons:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/12/indiscriminate-nuclear-destruction-condemned-magisterium.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=BRSS&utm_campaign=Catholic&utm_content=127