post your questions in the comments below.
Sorry I haven’t been posting much. I’m finishing work on my latest book.
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I recall a long time ago reading in one your blog posts (I searched but was unable to find it) that during the first parts of the upcoming lesser Tribulations, that God will touch children in such a way that they will receive graces to avoid sin. I recall researching this prophecy and reading that that wicked parents see their children in a state of grace, many of them will convert.
Antonia Acutis, the mother of Blessed Carlo Acutis wrote a book about her son. She stated that in 2010, while praying in a chapel in Assisi, she saw St. Francis telling her, that Carlo will be Blessed. And he added, ‘when you son Carlo is canonized, Almighty God will send the Holy Spirit on the face of the earth and touch every teenager in the world with sanctifying grace.”
This could the clue on the start of the tribulations when it is announced that Blessed Carlo will be canonized a Saint!
This part, “God will touch children in such a way that they will receive graces to avoid sin”, is when I was writing about the Warning of Garabandal. I don’t know about the rest of it.
Today, May 23, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis has approved a miracle associated with the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis! Therefore, it is reported that Blessed Carlo Acutis will be canonized as a Saint in 2025, the Year of Jubilee, by Pope Francis.
As I wrote in original post, ‘Antonia Acutis, the mother of Blessed Carlo Acutis wrote a book about her son. She stated that in 2010, while praying in a chapel in Assisi, she saw St. Francis telling her, that Carlo will be Blessed. And he added, ‘when you son Carlo is canonized, Almighty God will send the Holy Spirit on the face of the earth and touch every teenager in the world with sanctifying grace.”’
Thus, the secrets of Garabadal and Medjugorje may begin in 2025 or 2026!
I hope I’m not too late to the party here, but I thought of a question.
As I understand things, a dogma means it is “divinely revealed”. And if public revelation ended with the apostles, does that mean every dogma is part of the Deposit of Faith?
Here’s another way of asking the same question: Are the terms “dogma”, “divinely revealed”, “deposit of faith”, and “public revelation” all synonyms? Or do they have their own definitions/nuances?
Thanks!
They are not all synonymous. Public revelation (Tradition and Scripture) did not end with the death of the last apostle, John the Evangelist. Divine Revelation includes truths in addition to formal dogma. God might divinely reveal something to a Pope or to a recent Saint, but it would not be public revelation or dogma. Maybe I’ll write an article on this topic. Too long to explain here.
Sacred Tradition and Scripture did NOT end with the last apostle?
It seems clear that the Gospel of John was amended after his death, for example:
{21:24} This is the same disciple who offers testimony about these things, and who has written these things. And we know that his testimony is true.
Also, the Letters of John are believed to have been written by a different John, who lived later than John the Evangelist. So Scripture was not completed by the time of the death of the last Apostle, John the Evangelist.
As for Tradition, it continues even today and so is called the living Tradition.
Hhmmm… I’m not sure about that. Or I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying.
Sounds like the misunderstanding may be the phrase “with the death of the last apostle”. I feel I learned that somewhere, but can’t find a specific reference just now, so we can set that aside.
Regardless, CCC 66, quoting Dei Verbum, says “‘The Christian economy, therefore, since it is the new and definitive Covenant, will never pass away; and no new public revelation is to be expected before the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Yet even if Revelation is already complete, it has not been made completely explicit; it remains for Christian faith gradually to grasp its full significance over the course of the centuries.”
There is no new public revelation; it is “complete”, right? Even though a more full understanding will still develop. That was the material point in the original question.
So the original question could be reworded as “If public revelation is complete (though undeveloped), does that mean every dogma is part of the Deposit of Faith?”
As you say, maybe a more fully explained blog post is what is needed.
There is no new public revelation, correct. I don’t think Scripture was complete at the time of the death of John the Evangelist; that is, I think, stated in the CCC but is debatable. Tradition and Scripture are complete public revelation (the deposit of faith), with nothing added. But as you said, the Church continues to clarify what is explicit, and to make explicit what was previously only implicit. The Church deepens Her understanding of that completed private revelation.
Mr. Conte,
When Jesus was arrested by the Jewish authorities, He was taken to Pilate to be condemned since they could not execute a death sentence on Him, at least that’s what some religion teacher told me, but then… why was Saint Stephen executed by stoning? That is, if they had a death sentence in their laws, why didn’t they just stone Jesus?.
Regards
The Romans did not permit the Jewish authorities to put persons to death, as Israel was under Roman law. However, the early Church was sometimes in disfavor before the Roman leaders, so sometimes a crowd might put someone to death, and get away with it. For example:
Mark the Gospel writer had been leader of the church at Alexandria for many years. Some of those who worshipped the pagan gods would have liked to have killed him much sooner than they did. But the Roman government did not permit the peoples under their jurisdiction to put anyone to death, especially for reasons of solely a religious disagreement. That is why they did not put Mark to death on the first day that they mistreated him. On Easter Sunday, they dragged Mark through the streets with a rope around his neck. They had him under their control and could have killed him that day, but they did not. They waited a day to see how the Roman government at Alexandria would react. They were testing the limits of what they could get away with. Did Nero’s persecution of Christians mean that the Roman government would not intervene if they attacked Mark? By the next day they realized that the Romans would not stop them from harming Mark. So, on the day after Easter Sunday, they again dragged Mark through the streets of the city with a rope around his neck. But this time they did not stop until he was dead.
Mr. Conte thanks for clarifying that topic and for your time I do appreciate the example. Regards.
Amen. That is very true. Thank you, Ron. I greatly appreciate it. God Bless.
A question in terms of health and physique for the body. Is it okay for a person to have an ambition to have an athletic physique type of body by working out at the gym while maintaining one’s faith with God? Is it a sin or not? I seen this across social media platforms of personal trainers and influencers of having that masculine aesthetic look and building up masculinity. What is the church stance on this as well? Thank you and God Bless.
I don’t think there is an official Church stance. I would say that concern for the health of the body is good, but people should not focus excessively on looks. Health of the soul is more important.
[1 Timothy]
{4:7} But avoid the silly fables of old women. And exercise yourself so as to advance in piety.
{4:8} For the exercise of the body is somewhat useful. But piety is useful in all things, holding the promise of life, in the present and in the future.
{4:9} This is a faithful saying and worthy of full acceptance.