A Response to Dr. Mark Miravalle's Critique of Maria Divine Mercy

By Arthur Policarpio

This article is the first part of a series in response to Dr. Mark Miravalle’s article condemning the prophecies and messages given by Our Lord to the Irish seer “Maria Divine Mercy”. In this article, we examine three (3) of the objections raised by Dr. Miravalle regarding the Messages.

Objection 1: The Emergence of the False Prophet

My poor Holy Vicar, Pope Benedict XVI, will be ousted from the Holy See in Rome. Last year, my daughter, I told you of the plot, within the corridors of the Vatican. A plan to destroy My Holy Vicar was devised in secret on the l7th March, 2011, and this will come to fruition, for it has been foretold.

Exactly one year after that message, Pope Benedict XVI made the unprecedented act of resigning from the papacy. The circumstances surrounding his resignation raise a lot of questions: Why would the pope resign right in the middle of the Year of Faith that he himself declared? He declared his resignation on February 11, 2013, and a mere two weeks after, his resignation took effect - why so abrupt?

On April 12, 2012, Jesus gave this astounding message to Maria Divine Mercy: “My beloved Pope Benedict XVI is the last true Pope on earth…. The next Pope may be elected by members within the Catholic Church, but he will be the False Prophet.”

It is this aspect of the Messages given to Maria Divine Mercy that has caused many well-meaning Catholics, as well as prominent theologians such as Dr. Miravalle, to reject the Messages. Dr. Miravalle, in his critical review, said:

The message directly contradicts Catholic teaching as to the legitimacy of a validly elected Pope. The message implies that an “anti-pope” can come from a valid conclave, which constitutes a false or “heretical” position. The alleged message goes on to claim, by deduction, that Pope Francis is in fact the “False Prophet.”

Below, I give seven (7) reasons that will hopefully show to the reader that the above prophecy concerning the emergence of the “False Prophet” is both possible and believable:

1. Antipopes. The history of the Catholic Church is replete with accounts of “antipopes” competing for the papacy. The first antipope emerged in the 3rd century. During the time of the Western Schism, there were as many as three popes competing for the papacy.

2. Antipopes in Deed. There have been historically-documented instances of popes in the past who may have been validly elected by a conclave, but who nonetheless were virtual “antipopes” in words and deeds. One such pope was Pope Boniface VIII, who forced his predecessor, Pope St. Celestine V, to resign after only five months as pope. Celestine V was the last pope in Church history to resign, prior to the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. Boniface VIII put Celestine V into prison, in conditions so desolate and inappropriate for a former pope. Celestine V eventually died in prison after 10 months of captivity. History books are replete with the words and deeds of Pope Boniface VIII - his obsession with worldly power, forcing land owners from their lands and parceling these out to relatives, and many other deeds unbecoming of the status of the “Vicar of Christ” on earth. It is important to note that Benedict XVI visited the tomb of Pope St. Celestine V several times prior to his actual resignation - as if pointing us to the story of Celestine V, and the circumstances behind his resignation.

3. The Hidden Hand of Freemasonry. At the turn of the century, Pope Pius XII seized documents from a masonic lodge that contain chilling details of a plan by the secret sect to destroy the Catholic Church by infiltrating its ranks with freemasons. The goal, as stated by the “Alta Vendita” documents, is to cultivate “a pope according to our needs”. At the turn of the century, they almost achieved their goal, as only a last-minute intervention during the conclave by an alert Cardinal prevented Cardinal Rampolla from being elected pope. Cardinal Rampolla was later found to be a high-ranking member of a Satanic, masonic sect.

4. Corroborating Prophecies from Reputable Marian Apparitions. Many reputable Marian apparitions have prophesied about the “end times” - the times that lead to the Second Coming of Jesus - and the “Great Apostasy” that will emerge in the Church. The messages of Mary given to Fr. Gobbi of the Marian Movement of Priests (containing Church imprimatur and nihil obstat) say explicitly that in the end times, the “man of iniquity” will sit in the chair of Saint Peter, and will “create a false church” by merging this with other religions. Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich warned of a coming great schism in the Church during the end times, as well as the “strange relationship” between two popes, one of whom will lead a false church. In Akita, Our Lady warned of great division in the Church, which “bishops against bishops, cardinals against cardinals...”. In La Sallette, Our Lady likewise warned of this crisis that would face the Church during the end times. Could all of these approved and reputable apparitions and prophetic messages be false? Or are these all messages from heaven, given to multiple sources, meant to warn us about the greatest evil and deception that will befall the Church during the end times?

5. The Bible has Prophesied about the Emergence of the False Prophet. The Book of Revelation warns that during the end times, the Antichrist and the False Prophet (the “false prophetess” referred to in Revelation) will rise and will greatly deceive God’s children: “And I saw, from the mouth of the dragon, and from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophetess, three unclean spirits go out in the manner of frogs.” (Revelation 16:13).

In the end, the Lord says that He will prevail, and that the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be defeated: “And the beast was apprehended, and with him the false prophetess, who in his presence caused the signs, by which she seduced those who accepted the character of the beast and who worshipped his image. These two were cast alive into the pool of fire burning with sulphur.” (Revelation 19:20).

Furthermore, the book of Daniel warns that in the end times, the “abomination of desolation” will take place in the Church, and the “daily sacrifice” (referring to the Holy Mass) will be abolished. This is in line with prophecies given to Maria Divine Mercy, as well as the messages given to Fr. Gobbi by Our Lady, which warn that the False Prophet will eventually abolish the daily sacrifice of the Mass by denying the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist through the changing of the words of consecration.

6. Not Meant to Divide the Church. The messages do not call us to rebel against the Church. On the contrary, it calls us to remain loyal to the Church and the hierarchy. The messages, however, do clearly prophesy that major major changes in the Church will happen very soon - changes in the sacraments, the Holy Mass, the Eucharist, tolerance for sin - all under the guise of “modernizing” the Catholic Church. All of these will culminate in the creation of a new, modern, “one world church” that will deny the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and will merge the Catholic Church with other religions. Once these things happen, Jesus calls us to remain loyal and true to the Church - the TRUE Church, and the TRUE Faith.

7. Fulfillment of the Prophecies will Prove or Disprove. In the end, the fulfillment (or non-fulfillment) of the prophecies will prove or disprove the messages. Is it wise to dismiss these prophecies outright - with so many corroborating prophecies saying the same thing? What if they were true? It is wise to heed the story of people during the time of Noah - many laughed at him and did not believe in his prophecies. Eventually, when the prophesied Great Flood came true, they were unprepared, and got destroyed. Meanwhile, those who believed in the prophecy and prepared well were saved.