As we watch the division in the Catholic Church between Norvus Ordo from Vatican 2 and the Traditionalists, between the soft hand against the German bishops to the heavy handedness toward the SSPX, are we seeing the implosion of the 2000 year old stronghold of the Christian faith? What makes this more interesting and notable are three things. A book by Taylor Marshall called Infiltration, which describes ideologies creeping into the Church since the late 1800s and leading to the call of Vatican 2 for changes. The understanding of the Reformers. And three Marian Apparitions that directly speak of the Church in the state it is now in.

This article will discuss two of the three, the Reformers and the Apparitions because they seem to play hand in hand. Included will be the messages of the Blessed Mother, the statements of the Reformers and scriptural basis for those statements. And how they match up in many ways to the Marian messages. Will this cause controversy? Yes. Will it bring a visceral hatred? Probably. But it is a fact based article, and the truths as seen when connected.

The first Apparition occurred in 1846, in La Salette, France. And this one is the most explicit in terms of the Seat of Peter. Only parts of the message were approved by the Church. And true to ow many apparition secrets are not revealed at the time, a few points were left out of the official tell of the apparition message.. In 1879, Melanie Calvat wrote the full message points that the Church either didn’t want released or had chosen not to speak of. While some Popes apparently knew and possibly favored knowledge of these points, Pope Leo XIII had them sealed and forbidden from release.

And once they are seen in the writings of Ms Calvat, one can see why.

• Rome will lose the faith and become the seat of the Antichrist.
• In the year 1864, Lucifer together with a large number of demons will be unloosed from Hell; they will put an end to faith, little by little.
• The Church will be eclipsed and the world will be in consternation.

This can be seen as a warning to repent, as the message from the prophets of old. In 1870, the first Vatican Council set as dogma, Papal Infallibility. This determination set the concept that the Pope cannot make a mistake when speaking on Faith and Morals. The issue that can cause an issue here is that view, that the Pope has authority to set doctrine without question. And we can see that what has happened through the last century in the Church, from changing the 1955 Missal to Vatican 2, that this ‘little by little’ change has created a major issue within the Church.

The Reformers has already stated this scenario as one of their main points.

• Luther (1537) – The Pope is the very Antichrist, who has exalted himself above, and opposed himself against Christ because he will not permit Christians to be saved without his power.
• Calvin – The Pope takes upon himself the position of Christ, using the name as a pretext, to be the leader of an impious and abominable kingdom.
• Westminster Confession (1647)  – Nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition.

Scriptural basis for this ideology can be seen in the book of Revelation (Apocalypse).

Revelation 17 – Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters,  with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.”  And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.”  And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.  The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated;  they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while.  As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.  And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.  These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.  They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.  And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.  And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”

The next apparition was in Fatima (1917). There were three main messages, with the third not being revealed even to this day. While there is a an image that emerges, the explanation of the images remains hidden. The text released by the Vatican describes a vision seen by the children:

• A bishop dressed in white (understood to be the Pope) makes a difficult pilgrimage through a ruined city filled with corpses.
• He reaches a large wooden cross on top of a mountain, where he is gunned down by soldiers and arrows.
• Other bishops, priests, and lay people are also killed, while angels collect their blood and sprinkle it on souls making their way to God.

There has been speculation, deservedly so, that the true interpretation was never released. After the attempted murder of Pope John Paul II, the official version of the secret was this assassination attempt. But it doesn’t connect. The Pope was the only one attacked. Not on a pilgrimage, no dead bodies of martyrs. So this leads to the question, what was the true interpretation that remains hidden? Sister Lucia, one of the original 3 visionaries, never directly stated since she was forbidden by Rome to do so. But as an SSPX article points out, she did hint. “This disorientation is diabolical, it is sad that so many people let themselves be dominated by the diabolical wave sweeping over the world! And they are blinded to the point where they are incapable of seeing error! Their principal fault is that they have abandoned prayer.”

This hints at apostasy within the Church of Rome. We can see small signs of this in Vatican 2, especially in the removal of prayers of the liturgy. Key Prayers Removed or Altered

• Leonine Prayers: These were a set of prayers—three Hail Marys, the Hail Holy Queen, a prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, and a three-fold invocation to the Sacred Heart—added by Pope Leo XIII to be said after Low Mass for the intention of the Church and the conversion of Russia. These were officially removed in 1964. [1]
• Psalm 42 (Judica Me): The opening prayers at the foot of the altar, which included Psalm 42, were removed from the introductory rites. [1, 2]
• Last Gospel (John 1:1-14): The traditional reading of the Prologue of John at the end of Mass was eliminated. [1]
• Prayers at the Foot of the Altar: Prayers such as the Aufer a nobis and Oramus te (a prayer to St. Michael) said by the priest while ascending the altar were removed. [1]
• Specific Penitential Prayers: The Misereatur and Indulgentium (absolution prayers) following the Confiteor in the traditional rite were omitted. [1]
• Private Prayers of the Priest: Many prayers that the priest previously recited privately at the altar, intended only for him, were removed, shortened, or made audible. [1]

Other Liturgical Changes

• The Trinity Prayer (Offertory): Some older offertory prayers that referenced the sacrificial nature of the Mass were replaced with prayers inspired by Jewish table blessings.
• The Triple Kyrie: While the Kyrie itself remains, the structure of the Nine-fold Kyrie was often replaced or altered. [1]

While some prayers were removed to simplify the mass and encourage active participation, others were made optional or replaced, resulting in a distinct shift from the 1962 Missal. But, it did not start there. Many prayers were removed from the 1955 Missal by Pope Pious XII that were used during Holy Week.

 Key prayers, blessings, and ritual elements that were altered or removed include:

Palm Sunday

• Suppressed Blessing Prayers: Out of seven traditional prayers used to bless the palms in the pre-1955 rite, six were abolished, leaving only a single, significantly shortened prayer. [1, 2]
• Processional Prayers: Prayers that framed the procession as a public witness of the faith were removed, and the historical rite of the priest knocking at the church doors was suppressed. [1]

The Easter Vigil

• Blessing of the New Fire: Three traditional prayers for the blessing of the new fire were replaced by a single, newly composed prayer.
• The Triple Candle (Tenebrae / Triple Reed): The ancient Lumen Christi ceremony featuring the triple candle was completely eliminated.
• The Exsultet Preface: The consecratory preface of the Exsultet was removed and replaced with a newly created prayer.
• Post-Exsultet Prayers: Liturgical prayers originally offered for the Pope, bishops, the congregation, and the civil government were entirely removed from the end of the Exsultet. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Good Friday

• Mass of the Presanctified: The ancient, solemn Mass of the Presanctified was replaced with a simplified service.
• Passion Truncations: Specific verses detailing the preparations for the Last Supper (e.g., in Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22) were removed from the recitation of the Passion. [1, 2, 3]

General Daily Mass Revisions

• Prayers at the Foot of the Altar: Although preserved in regular Masses, the Judica me (Psalm 42) and the prayers at the foot of the altar were completely omitted during Palm Sunday and the Easter Vigil. [1]
• The Last Gospel: The recitation of the Last Gospel (the prologue of St. John) at the conclusion of Mass was eventually made optional in 1964 and removed altogether in the 1969 Novus Ordo. [1, 2, 3]
• Omission of Vigils and Octaves: Most liturgical vigils and octaves throughout the year were suppressed to simplify the liturgical calendar. [1]

Reformers made statements on this perceived apostasy within the Roman Church.

• John Calvin – I deny that See to be Apostolical, wherein nought is seen but a shocking apostasy.
• John Know – The Roman Catholic Mass is as idolatry and an abomination, a total departure from the Church that Christ established.
• Westminster Confession – There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and of perdition, that exalteth himself, in the Church, against Christ and all that is called God.

Scriptural basis for this view:

2 Timothy 4:1-4 “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,  and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.  As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

The final Apparition in the trio is from Akita, Japan in 1973 and 1981. There were three messages (always seem to be in threes). The last one is the one that falls into this report. Like the other apparitions, there is a call to repentance and use of the Rosary. But it seems that the third message is always a vision of the future of the Church. The third message of this apparition can be seen fully in the Church of Rome as it plays out on the front page of newsprint and in news videos.

• The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres… the Church will be full of those who accept compromises…”

This statement needs no explanation as we see this very thing playing out in the actions of acceptance to dismantling of tradition by men like Bishop Martin in North Carolina and the German Council of Bishops. While banning men like Archbishop Vigano and Bishop Strickland for upholding 2 millennia of the faith.

The Geneva Bible commentary heavily targets the “cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops” as agents who abandon Christ to defend a corrupt earthly system. The Akita prophecy describes a system so thoroughly hollowed out by “compromise” and demonic infiltration that the institutional framework completely fractures. To a historicist Protestant, this mirrors the chaotic, spiritually destitute state of the Harlot church described in Revelation 17 and 18.

Scriptural basis:

Revelation 17 can be seen above.

Revelation 18:

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory.  And he called out with a mighty voice,      
 “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
 She has become a dwelling place for demons,
 a haunt for every unclean spirit,
 a haunt for every unclean bird,
 a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
   For all nations have drunk
 the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,
 and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her,
 and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”
   Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,      
 “Come out of her, my people,
 lest you take part in her sins,
 lest you share in her plagues;
   for her sins are heaped high as heaven,
 and God has remembered her iniquities.
   Pay her back as she herself has paid back others,
 and repay her double for her deeds;
 mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.
   As she glorified herself and lived in luxury,
 so give her a like measure of torment and mourning,
 since in her heart she says,
 I sit as a queen,
 I am no widow,
 and mourning I shall never see.’
   For this reason her plagues will come in a single day,
 death and mourning and famine,
 and she will be burned up with fire;
 for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.”
   And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning.  They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,      
 “Alas! Alas! You great city,
 you mighty city, Babylon!
 For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
   And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore,  cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble,  cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.
   “The fruit for which your soul longed
 has gone from you,
 and all your delicacies and your splendors
 are lost to you,
 never to be found again!”
   The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,
   “Alas, alas, for the great city
 that was clothed in fine linen,
 in purple and scarlet,
 adorned with gold,
 with jewels, and with pearls!
   For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.”
 And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off       and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,      
 “What city was like the great city?”
   And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,      
 “Alas, alas, for the great city
 where all who had ships at sea
 grew rich by her wealth!
 For in a single hour she has been laid waste.
   Rejoice over her, O heaven,
 and you saints and apostles and prophets,
 for God has given judgment for you against her!”
   Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,      
 “So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
 and will be found no more;
   and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters,
 will be heard in you no more,
 and a craftsman of any craft
 will be found in you no more,
 and the sound of the mill
 will be heard in you no more,
   and the light of a lamp
 will shine in you no more,
 and the voice of bridegroom and bride
 will be heard in you no more,
 for your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
 and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
   And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
 and of all who have been slain on earth.”

While one can try to validate change made over the years by the Church, what cannot be denied, are we are seeing out the actions prophesied by the Blessed Mother in three locations in the span of 117 years. In three countries and two continents. The first coming before Vatican 1. The second coming before Vatican 2. And the last coming before the writing of the new Catechism of the Catholic Church. Take from this article what you will.