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For many, the decision to stay and pray at home, otherwise known as Home Alone Catholicism, is reached only through an arduous period of prayer and reflection, research and discovery of authentic Catholicism. The decision is not easy, and I am oftentimes very encouraged from hearing from those who have made the decision to be Home Alone Catholics.
I would like to open up this topic of How Did You Come To Home Alone to my readers and visitors who would like to share a brief account of their experience becoming Home Alone Catholics, which is just being actually Catholic for the first time. I encourage you to do so, because I know personally how edifying it can be to hear the stories of others and how they “came home” to the Catholic faith and practice of our religion.
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Hello Robert Robbins, hello all,
nice to find like minded folks. I am a Catholic, and I stay at home for nearly ten years now. Here’s my brief account.
I was born shortly after the opening of the 1960s robber council in Germany. My mother was a fan of Montini 666, and my father converted from protestant to V2-protestant when his sons were V2 altar boys and spend much time in a V2 youth group. I had learned that the Church teaches: God requires us to be Catholics. At school we mocked protestant classmates for not being real Christians.
When I was 18, I was told that V2 teaches that one doesn’t have to be Catholic to please God. Immediately I left the V2 sect, it was too boring anyway.
When I was 40, living in Brazil, I started to understand how rotton this vale of tears is, and how rotton my own life had been. Looking for truth, over the course of 10 years, my wife and I went to Holy Scripture, to the V2 sect, to the Lefebvrists, to other Lefebvrists, to home alone, sedevacante, and finally sedem ablata (Is 22:25, peg removed, taken out of the way). It took lots of reading, learning, and discussions to arrive here. Deo Gratias.
I am quite convinced that Mt 24:15 (abomination of desolation) was in 1962 when Roncalli changed the unchangeable Canon of the mass; the Great Apostasy solemnly went public in 1965; we are living in the “time such as never was” (Dan 12:1), the consummation of the age is happening before our eyes; Antichrist is heads and body of the false Church; and the Lord will return in 2028 (=1962+66).
The Lord said that he shall be with us “to the consummation of the age” (Mt 28:20). Both constitutions of the Vatican Council start off by saying in their first sentence or paragraph that there shall be shepherds “usque ad consummationem saeculi”. Mt 24:14-15 says ” … and then shall the consummation come. When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation … ”
There are lots of quotes from the Fathers revealing that the consummation of the age is the time of Antichrist. Here’s one:
“It should be known that the Antichrist is bound to come. Every one, therefore, who confesses not that the Son of God came in the flesh and is perfect God and became perfect man, after being God, is Antichrist. But in a peculiar and special sense he who comes at the consummation of the age is called Antichrist.” John of Damascus, An Exposition of the Orthodox Faith (Book IV)
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Thank you, Eugen, for sharing your story. It sounds very familiar.
As for the speculation of dates, I have to stop short, because only the Father knows the day and hour of the ending of the world. But I do agree we are in the ends times and the consummation is just around the corner.
Again, thank you for sharing. I hope you find the content on CE helpful and encouraging.
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Yes, Robert, only the Father knows the day and hour. But of exactly what? Of the abomination of desolation? Of the return of the Lord? … ?
Several Fathers teach, following Scripture, that the time of Antichrist will last for three and a half years, and then the Lord returns. And most of them seem to believe, that that number is to be taken literally. Consequently, following these Fathers, those who witness the abomination of desolation know at least roughly how long the last time of tribulation will last. In case you’re interested I can send you a PDF with roughly 20 pages I wrote on the topic based on what I found in Scripture and Catholic commentators. If not, I won’t blame you for not being interested in speculations of this kind.
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I would say that the consummation, that is, the ending of the world and the returning of Christ–which is obviously distinct from the reign of the Antichrist and the abomination of desolation–is what is unknown. Of course, all things are unknown until they happen, which goes without saying, but the end of all things marks an abrupt breaking of the clock, which cannot be known until it happens. Other things may be known within reason and deductions from scriptural prophecy, but the exact hour, e.g., 2028, is not our place to know. Indeed, not even the Lord of Lords knows that. Only the Father. So I caution you against thinking you may know the hour at which our Lord shall return and judge the nations:
“But of that day and hour no one knoweth, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone,” (Matt. 24:36).
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Please, look at this quote of the Vatican Council:
“Pastor aeternus et episcopus animarum nostrarum […] in Ecclesia sua Pastores et Doctores usque ad consummationem saeculi esse voluit.” (The Vatican Council, Pastor aeternus)
https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/i-vatican-council/documents/vat-i_const_18700424_dei-filius_la.html
“The eternal shepherd and guardian of our souls [… willed …] that in his church there should be shepherds and teachers until the consummation of the age.” (my translation, cf. Mt 28:20)The quote is the very beginning of one of the two infallible dogmatic constitutions of the Vatican Council. It clearly refers to Mt 28:20 (like the first sentence of the other constitution, Dei Filius, does, too) and it says that there will be shepherds until the consummation of the age.
I assume that you agree that we’re without any apostolic shepherds. Consequently, if we assume that the consummation of the age hasn’t begun yet, then we still should have shepherds and a pope, which is not the case. Consequently, the consummation of the age already has begun. But that’s not just a consequence of the teachings of the Vatican Council and of current reality. Holy Scripture and the Fathers confirm the view that the consummation of the age is the last time, the time of the reign of Antichrist.
In Mt 24:3 we read: “And when he was sitting on mount Olivet, the disciples came to him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the consummation of the world?” And in Mt 24:14-15 we read: ” … and then shall the consummation come. When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation … ”. So the consummation begins with the “abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place”.
I’ve found more than a dozen quotes from Catholic Fathers, i.a. in the Patrologia Latina (Migne), confirming that the time of the reign of Antichrist is the time of the consummation of the age. One of these quotes is of St. John of Damascus, who says that Antichrist “comes at the consummation of the age” (for the full quote see my post above). Just ask, and I’ll post the other quotes (it takes some work formatting).
Conclusion: If you believe that the consummation of the age will happen in the future, then you’d better believe (following the Vatican Council) that there are apostolic shepherds somewhere now. But there is no reason to do so. Scripture and the Fathers explain that the consummation of the age is the time of the reign of Antichrist, which begins with the Great Apostasy.
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I simply mean by “consummationem saeculi” the actual ending of the world, as opposed to the reign of the Antichrist ushered in by the Abomination of Desolation. “Consummatio” in its strictest meaning cannot have a beginning, because it itself is an ending, the word in Latin meaning “final result” or “conclusion.” But, if you want “consummationem” to mean the beginning of the reign of Antichrist, then that is fine. All I mean to say is that I believe the ending of the world is not deducible from scriptural prophecy, since it is by the same that we know it is only known by God the Father. The reign of the Antichrist may be approximated based upon certain known signs (the signs of the times) which signal to the faithful that the end of the world is nigh–but never to the degree of certitude of establishing a date, like 2028 for the very end of time.
I think you and I simply have a different understanding of “consummationem saeculi,” where you think it is a phase or unfolding of events whereas I believe it is an end of all events, and is signaled by the coming of Christ. Perhaps I should use the word “Second Coming,” or “Parousia,” because that is my meaning.
Your interpretation of the consummation of the age being equated with the reign of the Antichrist is interesting, and, based upon such an understanding, it would make sense to say that there is no reason to expect shepherds and teachers during that time (our time). But I think that consummation of the age could also (and perhaps more fittingly) mean the end of time itself, with no after. It is not a beginning but an ending.
As for needing your interpration of the phrase, as I linked to in my present article published today, I have a different take on “Pastor aeternus…voluit,” in making a distinction which St. Thomas makes regarding the different kinds of willing of God. Simply put, God could have willed absolutely that there always be shepherds until the end of time, or God could have wished that there be shepherds until the end of time, but, because of the Great Apostasy, that was not to happen. It is theologically solid and sound and based in Thomistic theology, which I quote at length in the linked article from today–which you might check out.
Anyway, thank you for sharing your thoughtful remarks in the Galaxy Forum. It is a shame not more people like yourself share their thoughts and discuss these important matters.
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Sure, the Vatican Council says “it was his will that in his church there should be shepherds and teachers until the end of time” and we know that the “eternal shepherd and guardian of our souls” allows men to frustrate His will. But on the other hand we also have the unequivocal statement “behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the age” (Mt 28 ult.), and the same Vatican Council solemnly pronounces “Dei Filius et generis humani Redemptor Dominus Noster Iesus Christus, ad Patrem caelestem rediturus, cum Ecclesia sua in terris militante, omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem saeculi futurum se esse promisit.” (The Son of God […] promised […] that he would be with this church militant upon earth all days even to the end of the age).
Mt 28:20 expresses not just the will of the Lord, but promise.
The reality we face and the teaching of the Vatican Council correspond to the teaching of the Fathers, that the consummation of the age is the time of the reign of Antichrist.
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The end is sweet to all who labor. A traveler freely asks where
there is lodging; a mercenary frequently calculates when the year
will be over; a farmer always awaits the time of the harvest; a
trader investigates the account of the money chest day and night;
an expectant mother expects the tenth month; so also the servants
of God freely ask about the consummation of the age (Mt 24:3).
”For,” it is written, ”where thy treasure is, there is thy heart
also.” (Mt 6:21)Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Hom. XLVIII
For at the consummation of the Jewish nation Jerusalem was destroyed,
which still was perceived to be Jerusalem but really was not.
At the consummation of the world the church will either be desolate
or to be made desolate: That is, that which is perceived to be the church,
not that which truely was and is the church.Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Hom. XLVIII
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Great quotes, Eugene. But who wrote them? I see it is a homily or sermon of some kind.
On a related note: on the CE Log tab, there is this note:
“Submissions
If you would like to contribute an article to the CE Log with your own thoughts on the Apocalypse, and how to survive it, or on Catholicism in the arts, sciences, or society, please submit a proposal to Contact@CatholicEclipsed.com, with a title in the subject, an abstract of the proposed article in the body, and graphics or images attached if applicable. If your article is selected, you will be contacted with a request to submit the full article, between 1000-2000 words, or longer if need be, and will be asked to provide a short BIO and image of yourself. Contributors will be featured at the end of their articles, along with a link to their website if they have one.”
If you would be interested in putting together your thoughts on the “Desolation of the Church” or other things touching upon the Faith during the Apocalypse, into a condensed 1500 word article, I would love to review it and publish it with full attribution. Just think on it and let me know.
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The “Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum” is an uncomplete early commentary on the Gospel of Matthew of around 600 pages, formally divided into “homilies”. Up to the 16th century the author was thought to be St. John Chrysostom. The Opus is extensively quoted by St. Thomas Aquinas in the Catena Aurea. A legend says: “As Thomas Aquinas was approaching Paris, a fellow traveler pointed out the lovely buildings gracing that city. Aquinas was impressed, to be sure, but he sighed and stated that he would rather have the complete Incomplete Commentary on Matthew than to be mayor of Paris itself.” (I couldn’t find the more eloquent version of this story by G. K. Chesterton.)
The original Latin quotes are:
“Omnibus enim laborantibus dulcis est finis. Viator libenter interrogat, ubi est mansio; mercenarius frequenter computat, quando annus completur; agricola semper tempus messis exspectat; negotiatior die ac nocte thecae suae discutit rationem; mulier praegnans semper de decimo mense cogitat: sic et servi Dei libenter de consummatione saeculi requirunt. Scriptum est enim: Ubi erit thesaurus tuus, ibi erit et cor tuum (Matth. 6. 21).”
and
“In consummatione enim gentis Judaeae Jerusalem destructa est, quae tamen videbatur esse Jerusalem, non autem vera erat. In consummatione autem mundi Ecclesia aut desolata, aut desolanda est: adhuc tamen illa quae videbatur Ecclesia, non autem quae vera erat, aut est.”
Thank you for offering to contribute to the CE Log. I’ll think about it.
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I know the reference to GKC but I do not recall where I read it.
Thank you for the informative response about the Commentaries.
If you would be inclined to submit an article to the CE Log, I think this issue about Shepherds and Teachers until the end of time would be good to write about. I know there is considerable disagreement about how this teaching applies to the present. In particular, it has become public knowledge that the once Home Alone Catholic, Eric Hoyle, has been so swept up by this teaching that he has returned to the Novus Ordo and claims it is the Catholic Church. So now is a ripe time to combat the error of misunderstanding this teaching from the Vatican Council. Your interpretation based upon theological sources is compelling.
I would be happy to receive the PDF you spoke of earlier, and reference it in future articles touching upon the topics contained therein, if you would allow. But you sound like a fairly educated person and I think readers of the CE Log would benefit from your analysis.
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I wrote a first draft. It’s 5 pages DIN A4 in LaTeX/PDF plus appendix with 9 pages of quotes. I may need some days to finish it.
What kind of file-format do you expect? html, bbcode, markdown, … ?
Is there a sandbox or something, where I can preview the resulting page?-
If you are referring to a submission for the CE Log, you can just email me your copy via the Contact page. Remember, articles on the CE Log are about 1000-2000 words, so keep it tight and succinct. If you are just wanting to share your document with me, you can email it. I am not going to publish a 5 page essay with 9 pages of quotes on the CE Log, but I will refer to that in upcoming articles if there is anything of interest there.
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Yes, I am referring to a submission for the CE Log. My five pages are less than 2000 words. If you don’t want to publish the additional nine pages of quotes, I deem the article useless, since the quotes are the proof of what I say in the article. How about putting the quotes here in the forum, and then put a reference to that thread in the article?
If you accept PDF and do the conversion/reformatting yourself, that’s fine with me. I would anyway ask you to proof read and correct my “German-English”.
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We can include the the quotes as footnotes directly in the article. That is fine by me.
Would you email the PDF and also include just a quick note on who you are. Include as little or as much info as you want, of course. Also, if you are a shy fellow, let me know your favorite or patron saint, and I will include that with your article.
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Robert, the COMMS-Page doesn’t allow to post attachments. So I would need an email address.
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You may email me at Contact@CatholicEclipsed.com
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