BL. ANNE CATHERINE EMMERICH (1774 –1824) was an Augustinian Canoness Regular of Windesheim,
mystic, Marian visionary, ecstatic and stigmatist. She was
born in Flamschen, a farming community at Coesfeld, in the Diocese of
Münster, Westphalia, Germany, and died in Dülmen, where
she had been a nun, and later become bedridden. Emmerich is notable
for her visions on the life and passion of Jesus Christ, reputed to
be revealed to her by the Blessed Virgin Mary under ecstasy.
During her bedridden years, a number of well-known
figures were inspired to visit her. The poet Clemens Brentano
interviewed her at length and wrote two books based on his notes of
her visions. The authenticity of Brentano's writings has been
questioned and critics have characterised the books as "conscious
elaborations by a poet" and a "well-intentioned fraud"
by Brentano, and due to the questionable nature of their
authenticity, were not considered during her beatification process.
However, despite the criticism surrounding his writings, the Vatican
has publicly posted on their website that it views their general
message as "an outstanding proclamation of the gospel in service
to salvation". (1)
Also, notwithstanding the controversy of Brentano's
transcriptions, they have resulted in conversions, and, have proved correct with regards to finding the 'Holy house of Mary in
Ephesus. Neither Brentano nor Emmerich had ever been to Ephesus,
and indeed the city had not yet been excavated; but visions contained
in The Life of The Blessed Virgin Mary were used during the
discovery of the House of the Virgin Mary, the Blessed Virgin's
supposed home before her Assumption, located on a hill near Ephesus,
as described in the book Mary's House.
In 1881, a French priest, the Abbé Julien Gouyet
used Emmerich's book to search for the house in Ephesus and found it
based on the descriptions. He was not taken seriously at first, but
sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey persisted until two other priests
followed the same path and confirmed the finding.
At first, the Holy See took no official position on
the authenticity of the location yet, but in 1896 Pope Leo XIII
visited it and in 1951 Pope Pius XII initially declared the house a
Holy Place. Pope John XXIII later made the declaration permanent.
Pope Paul VI in 1967, Pope John Paul II in 1979 and Pope Benedict XVI
in 2006 visited the house and treated it as a shrine.
Emmerich was beatified on 3 October 2004, by Pope
John Paul II. However, the Vatican focused on her own personal
piety rather than the religious writings associated to her by Clemens
Brentano. Her documents of postulation towards canonisation are
handled by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.
Despite
the controversy surrounding Brentano's writings of her visions,
since the Holy House of Mary was discovered because of them, they
should be considered. She saw alarming events that would happen to
the Church in the future, and apparently had visions of the Great
Monarch and the Angelic Pontiff. Since they appear to be coming true
right before our eyes, it seems prudent to include a selection of
them in the Timeline. (Please note: she may not have seen these
events in sequence but in a cyclical fashion, we cannot assume they
will unfold chronologically as she saw them):
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May
13, 1820
“Once
more I saw that the Church of Peter was undermined by a plan evolved
by the secret sect (I.e, the Freemasons), while storms were damaging
it. But I saw also that help was coming when distress had reached its
peak. I saw again the Blessed Virgin ascend on the Church and spread
her mantle [over it]. I saw a Pope who was at once gentle, and very
firm.... I saw a great renewal, and the Church rose high in the
sky….” (Angelic Pontiff?) Yves Dupont, Catholic
Prophecy, Tan Books and Publishers 1970, p 60)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
July,
1820
“I
saw the Holy Father surrounded by traitors and in great distress
about the Church. He had visions and apparitions in his hour of
greatest need. I saw many good pious Bishops; but they were weak and
wavering, their cowardice often got the upper hand…Then I saw
darkness spreading around and people no longer seeking the true
Church.” (Very Rev Carl E. Schmoeger, CSSR, The
Life of Anne Catherine Emmerich Volume 1 and 2, 1976
Edition, Tan Books and Publishers, p. 298)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
July 12, 1820 - NOT A GREAT MONARCH PROPHECY
IMPORTANT NOTE: the 'Emperor Henry' vision she received on this date has been misinterpreted - she did NOT receive in a vision revealing the name of the Great Catholic Monarch but had a vision of St. Henry II of Germany who also walked with a limp, and therefore this vision has not been put into the Timeline, click here for more info.
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July 12, 1820 - NOT A GREAT MONARCH PROPHECY
IMPORTANT NOTE: the 'Emperor Henry' vision she received on this date has been misinterpreted - she did NOT receive in a vision revealing the name of the Great Catholic Monarch but had a vision of St. Henry II of Germany who also walked with a limp, and therefore this vision has not been put into the Timeline, click here for more info.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
August
to October, 1820
“I
see more martyrs, not now but in the future…I saw the secret sect
(Freemasons) relentlessly undermining the great Church. Near them I
saw a horrible beast coming up from the sea... All over the world,
good and devout people especially the clergy were harassed oppressed
and put into prison. I had the feeling that they would become
martyrs one day.” (NOTE: the time of great persecution before the
renewal?)
“When
the Church had been for the most part destroyed [by the secret sect,
Freemasons], and when only the sanctuary and altar were still
standing, I saw the wreckers enter the Church with the Beast. There
they met a Woman of noble carriage who seemed to be with child
because she walked slowly. At this sight, the enemies were
terrorized, and the Beast could not take but another step forward. It
projected its neck towards the Woman as if to devour her, but the
Woman turned about and bowed down [towards the altar], her head
touching the ground. Thereupon, I saw the Beast taking to flight
towards the sea again, and the enemies were fleeing in the greatest
confusion.... Then, I saw in the great distance a great legion
approaching. In the foreground I saw a man on a white horse. (NOTE:
The arrival of the
Great Monarch?) Prisoners were set free and joined
them. All enemies were pursued. Then, I saw that the Church was
being promptly rebuilt, and she was more magnificent than ever before
(…).” (OBSERVATION: we seem to see a variation of the Woman of the Apocalypse who is with child and which the Dragon tries to devour. Interesting the 'man on the white horse' that saves the Church is seen right after this in Bl Emmerich's vision. A possible confirmation from Bl Emmerich that the Woman clothed with the Sun and the White Rider of the Apocalypse refers to the arrival of the Great Monarch. See: 'Look to the Skies for the Signs of the Times' for more info on this, click here.)
(Yves
Dupont, Catholic
Prophecy, Tan Books and
Publishers, 1970, pp. 62-63.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
September
10, 1820
“I
saw the Church of St Peter: it has been destroyed but for the
Sanctuary and the main altar. St Michael came down into the Church,
clad in his suit of armour, and he paused, threatening with his sword
a number of unworthy pastors who wanted to enter. That part of the
Church which had been destroyed was promptly fenced in with light
timber so that the Divine office might be celebrated as it should.
Then, from all over the world came priests and laymen and they
rebuilt the stone walls, since the wreckers had been unable to move
the heavy foundation stones. And then I saw that the Church was being
promptly rebuilt and She was more magnificent than ever before…”
(Yves
Dupont, Catholic
Prophecy, Tan Books and
Publishers 1970, p 65)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
October
1, 1820
“The
Church is in great danger. We must pray so that the Pope may not
leave Rome; countless evils would result if he did. They are now
demanding something from him. The Protestant doctrine and that of the
schismatic Greeks are to spread everywhere. I now see that in this
place (Rome) the (Catholic) Church is being so cleverly undermined,
that there hardly remain a hundred or so priests who have not been
deceived. They all work for destruction, even the clergy. A great
devastation is now near at hand.” (…) (NOTE: again we see a
prophecy of a Pope considering to flee Rome, devastation is near at
hand when this happens – the evils upon the Church have been
brought in by Protestant and schismatic doctrines.)
“In
those days Faith will fall very low and it will be preserved in some
places only.”
(Yves
Dupont, Catholic
Prophecy, Tan Books and
Publishers 1970, pp. 66)
“The
Little Black Man in Rome, whom I see so often, has many working for
him without their clearly knowing for what end. He has his agents in
the New Black Church also. If the Pope leaves Rome, the enemies of
the Church will get the upper hand. I see the Little Black Man in his
own country committing many thefts and falsifying things generally.
Religion is there so skilfully undermined and stifled that there are
scarcely 100 faithful priests. I cannot say how it is, but I see fog
and darkness increasing ... All must be rebuilt soon; for everyone,
even ecclesiastics, are labouring to destroy (and) ruin is at hand.
The 2 enemies of the Church who have lost their accomplice are firmly
resolved to destroy the pious and learned men that stand in their way
(…).” (Very
Rev Carl E. Schmoeger, CSSR, The
Life of Anne Catherine Emmerich Volume 1 and 2,
1976 Edition, Tan Books and Publishers.)
(NOTE:
the 'Little Black Man' remains a mystery – defintely a Satanic
enemy of some sort.)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::
October
4, 1820
“When
I saw the Church of St Peter in ruins and the manner in which so many
of the clergy were themselves busy at this work of destruction –none
of them wishing to do it openly in front of the others -I was in such
distress that I cried out to Jesus with all my might, imploring His
mercy. Then I saw before me the Heavenly Spouse, and He spoke to me
for a long time…He said, among other things, that this translation
of the Church from one place to another meant that she would seem to
be in complete decline. But she would rise again; even if there
remained but one Catholic, the Church would conquer again because she
does not rest on human counsels and intelligence. It was shown to me
that there were almost no Christians left in the old acceptation
of the word.”
(Yves
Dupont, Catholic
Prophecy, Tan Books and
Publishers, 1970, p 67)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
(No
precise date), 1820-1821
“I
see many excommunicated ecclesiastics who do not seem to be
concerned about it, nor even aware of
it. (i.e. Liberal religious) Yet, they are (ipso factor) excommunicated whenever they
cooperated to [sic] enterprises, enter into associations, and embrace
opinions on which an anathema has been cast. It can be seen thereby
that God ratifies the decrees, orders, and interdictions issued by
the Head of the Church, and that He keeps them in force even though
men show no concern for them, reject them, or laugh them to scorn.”
(Yves Dupont, Catholic
Prophecy, Tan Books and Publishers, 1970, p 69)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
January
27, 1822
“I
saw a new Pope who will be very strict. (The
Angelic Pontiff?) He
will estrange from him the
cold and lukewarm bishops. He is not a Roman, but he is Italian. He
comes from a place which is
not very far from Rome, and I think he comes from a devout family of
royal blood. But there must
still be for a while much fighting and unrest.” (Yves Dupont,
Catholic Prophecy,
Tan Books and
Publishers, 1970, p 70)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
October
22, 1822
“Very
bad times will come when non-Catholics will lead many people astray.
A great confusion will result. I saw the battle also. The enemies
were far more numerous, but the small army of the faithful cut down
whole rows of enemy soldiers. During the battle, the Blessed Virgin
stood on a hill, wearing a suit of armour. It was a terrible war. At
the end, only a few fighters for the just cause survived, but the
victory was theirs (…).” (Yves Dupont, Catholic
Prophecy, Tan Books and Publishers, 1970, p 71)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
April
22, 1823 - A 'Strange Ecumenical Church'
“I
saw that many pastors allowed themselves to be taken up with ideas
that were dangerous to the Church. They were building a great,
strange, and extravagant Church. Everyone was to be admitted in it in
order to be united and have equal rights: Evangelicals, Catholics,
sects of every description. Such was to be the new Church…But God
had other designs (…).” (Yves Dupont, Catholic
Prophecy, Tan Books and Publishers, 1970, p 71)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
On
Paris
“Frightful
misery, corruption and abomination reigned in the city. It appeared
to be in sinking condition, and
that no stone would be left upon another.” (Reverend A.
O’Brien. From the
Visions of the Venerable Anne Catherine Emmerich, Topic
Newspapers LTD, Mullingar.)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
On
the Ecumenical Church
“They
built a large, singular, extravagant church which was to embrace all
creeds with equal rights: Evangelicals, Catholics, and all
denominations, a true communion of the unholy with one shepherd and
one flock. There was to be a Pope, a salaried Pope, without
possessions. All was made ready, many things finished; but, in place
of an altar, were only abomination and desolation. Such was the new
church to be, and it was for it that he had set fire to the old one;
but God designed otherwise (…).” (Very Rev Carl E. Schmoeger,
CSSR, The Life of Anne
Catherine EmmerichVolume 1 and 2, 1976 Edition, Tan Books
and Publishers)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
On
Schismatic Christians (Perhaps Part of the 'Ecumenical Church'
mentioned above?)
“I
saw several churches, or rather meeting-houses surmounted by
weather-cocks, the congregations, disunited from the Church, running
here and there like beggars hurrying to places where bread is
distributed, having no connection with either the Church Triumphant
or the Church Suffering. They were not in a regularly founded, living
Church, one with the Church Militant, Suffering, and Triumphant, nor
did they receive the Body of the Lord, but only bread. They who were
in error through no fault of their own and who piously and ardently
longed for the Body of Jesus Christ, were spiritually consoled, but
not by their communion. They who habitually communicated without this
ardent love received nothing but a child of the Church receives an
immense increase of strength (…).” (Very Rev Carl E. Schmoeger,
CSSR, The Life of Anne
Catherine Emmerich Volume 1 and 2, 1976 Edition, Tan Books
and Publishers, p. 85)
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On
Rome
“I
came to the Church of Peter and Paul (Rome) and saw a dark world of
distress, confusion, and
corruption, through which shone countless graces from thousands of
saints who there repose (…).”
(Very Rev Carl E. Schmoeger, CSSR, The
Life of Anne Catherine Emmerich Volume 1 and
2,
1976 Edition, Tan Books and Publishers, p. 130)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Approaching
the end of Time?
“All
around me I see a terrible, bloody war, which approaches from
Midnight, the North, and Evening, the East. I heard that Lucifer --
if I am not wrong, would be let go for a time, fifty or sixty years
before the year 2000. I saw the earth covered with darkness,
everything was withered and barren, everything made the impression of
pining away. It seems that even the waters of the springs were
exhausted. I saw how the labour of darkness multiplied among the
people, I saw countries and people in the greatest of distress, and
fighting each other violently. In the centre of the battleground was
a giant abyss, into which the warring factions seemed to fall (…).”
(Robert
A. Nelson. Prophecy:
A History of the Future Internet
Version:
“I
wish the time were here when the Pope dressed in red will reign. (The
Angelic Pontiff?)
I
see
the Apostles, not those of the past, but the apostles of the last
times, and it seems to me, the
Pope
is among them (…).”
“I
was likewise told if I remember right that he (Satan) will be
unchained for a time fifty or
sixty
years before the year of Christ 2000 (…).” (Rev R. Gerald.
Culleton, The Prophets
and Our Times, Tan Books and Publishers, 1941, p
207)
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FOOTNOTES:
(1)
"Her words, which have reached innumerable people in many
languages from her modest room in Dülmen through the writings of
Clemens Brentano, are an outstanding proclamation of the gospel in
service to salvation right up to the present day". Quote
from 18th paragraph of Vatican online biography Anna
Katharina Emmerick (1774-1824)
(http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20041003_emmerick_en.html
