Beware anyone who scoffs at this and dismisses it as “crazy talk”. The points match up so thoroughly it simply no longer can be dismissed.  And either we believe that St. Francis of Assisi was who the Church says he was, or he was a madman and these are the ravings of a madman, and all of the miracles attributed to him are lies.  But you can’t have it both ways – and isn’t that the overall theme in all of this?

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, no matter what anyone tells you, you can’t have it both ways.

–**–

1. The time is fast approaching in which there will be great trials and afflictions; perplexities and dissensions, both spiritual and temporal, will abound; the charity of many will grow cold [a pandemic of Diabolical Narcissism], and the malice of the wicked will increase.

2. The devils will have unusual power, the immaculate purity of our Order, and of others, will be so much obscured that there will be very few Christians who will obey the true Sovereign Pontiff and the Roman Church with loyal hearts and perfect charity. At the time of this tribulation a man, not canonically elected, will be raised to the Pontificate, who, by his cunning, will endeavor to draw many into error and death [Check!].

3. Then scandals will be multiplied, our Order will be divided, and many others will be entirely destroyed, because they will consent to error instead of opposing it.

4. There will be such diversity of opinions and schisms among the people, the religious and the clergy, that, except those days were shortened, according to the words of the Gospel, even the elect would be led into error, were they not specially guided, amid such great confusion, by the immense mercy of God. [Terrifying]

5. Then our Rule and manner of life will be violently opposed by some, and terrible trials will come upon us. Those who are found faithful will receive the crown of life; but woe to those who, trusting solely in their Order, shall fall into tepidity, for they will not be able to support the temptations permitted for the proving of the elect.

6. Those who preserve in their fervor [because intensity of feeling is a GOOD thing] and adhere to virtue with love and zeal for the truth, will suffer injuries and, persecutions as rebels and schismatics; for their persecutors, urged on by the evil spirits, will say they are rendering a great service to God by destroying such pestilent men from the face of the earth [before this is all over, people will be scrambling to turn in their family members and friends, oftentimes for financial reward], but the Lord will be the refuge of the afflicted, and will save all who trust in Him. And in order to be like their Head, [Christ] these, the elect, will act with confidence, and by their death will purchase for themselves eternal life; choosing to obey God rather than man, they will fear nothing [NOTHING], and they will prefer to perish rather than consent to falsehood and perfidy. [Those who choose to remain faithful to Jesus Christ and His Holy Church can expect to die an unnatural death.] 

7. Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it under foot and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days JESUS CHRIST WILL SEND THEM NOT A TRUE PASTOR, BUT A DESTROYER.”