I luga o Charlie Johnston

Iesu o lo o savali i luga o le vai saunia e Michael D. O'Brien

 

O I LENEI o se autu autu autu ou te taumafai e lalaga i itu uma o laʻu galuega: Aua le fefe! Aua e ave i totonu ia fatu o le moni uma ma le faʻamoemoe:

E le mafai ona tatou nanaina le mea moni e faʻapea o le tele o ao taufaʻafefe o loʻo potopoto i luga o le lagi. Peitai, e le tatau ona tatou faʻavaivai, ae tatau ona tatou ola pea i totonu o tatou loto… —POPE BENEDICT XVI, Catholic News Agency, Ianuari 15th, 2009

In terms of my writing apostolate, I have spent the past 12 years striving to help you face this gathering Storm precisely in order that you may lē ia e fefe. I have spoken about the uncomfortable realities of our times rather than pretending that everything is flowers and rainbows. And I have spoken over and over again about God’s plan, a future of hope for the Church after the trials which she now faces. I have not ignored the labor pains while at the same time reminding you of the New Birth coming, as understood in the voice of Tradition. ^[1]ff. O Popes, ma le Era Dawning ma Faʻafefea Afai…? As we read in today’s Psalm:

God is for us a refuge and strength, a helper close at hand, in time of distress: so we shall not fear though the earth should rock, though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea, even though its waters rage and foam, even though the mountains be shaken by its waves… The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our stronghold. (Psalm 46)

  

SHAKEN CONFIDENCE

In the past two years, the “mountains” of confidence have been toppled in some as one alleged prediction after another has failed to come to pass by certain “seers” and “visionaries.” ^[2]ff.  Ki moli uila One such prediction was by an American, Charlie Johnston, who said that, according to his “angel”, the next president of the United States would not come through the normal electoral process and that Obama would remain in power. For my part, I have explicitly warned my readers faasaga i banking too much on specific predictions like these, including Charlie’s (see Ile Iloa o Auiliiliga). God’s mercy is fluid and, like a good father, He does not treat us according to our sins, especially when we repent. That can change the course of the future in an instant. Still, if a seer feels in good conscience that God is asking them to make such predictions public, then that’s their business; it’s between them, their spiritual director, and God (and they must also be responsible for the fallout, either way). However, make no mistake: the negative fallout from these sometimes rash predictions affects every one of us in the Church who are trying to promote the authentic revelations that Our Lord and Lady want us to hear in these times. In that regard, I wholeheartedly agree with Archbishop Rino Fisichella who said,

O le faʻafetauia o le mataupu o valoʻaga i aso nei e pei lava o le vaʻai i faʻafanoga pe a maeʻa se vaʻa. - "Valoaga" i le Lomifefiloi o Mataupu Faavae Taua, i. 788

All this said, I have been asked by some readers to clarify my position on Charlie since I not only mentioned him a few times in my writings, but appeared on the same stage with him at an event in Covington, LA in 2015. People have automatically assumed that, as such, I must therefore endorse his prophecies. Rather, what I endorse is the teaching of St. Paul:

Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. (1 Thess 5:20-21)

 

OF “THE STORM”

Charlie’s spiritual director, a priest in good standing, suggested that he contact me three years ago because we were both speaking of a coming “Storm”. This is, after all, what Pope Benedict said above, as well as St. John Paul II:

O le taimi tonu lava i le faaiuga o le meleniuma lona lua o le tele, taufaʻafefe ao liliu i luga o le tafailagi o tagata uma ma le pogisa e oʻo mai i luga o tagata agaga. —POPE JOHN PAUL II, mai se saunoaga, Tesema, 1983; www.vatican.va

In the approved revelations of Elizabeth Kindelmann and the writings of Fr. Gobbi, which bear the Le faʻamaonia, they also speak of a coming “Storm” upon humanity. Nothing new here, really. So I agreed with Charlie’s statement that a great “Storm” is coming.

But how that “Storm” unfolds is another matter. At the conference in Covington, I specifically stated that I could not endorse Charlie’s prophecies ^[3]see 1:16:03 in this video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=723VzPxwMms but that I appreciated his spirit and faithfulness to Sacred Tradition. It was also very interesting to have an open Q & A with those at the Covington event where we shared our respective viewpoints. In Charlie’s own words:

One need not agree with all—or even most—of my supernatural claims to welcome me as a fellow worker in the vineyard. Acknowledge God, take the next right step, and be a sign of hope to those around you. That is the sum of my message. All else is explanatory detail. — “My New Pilgrimage”, August 2nd, 2015; from Le Laasaga Saʻo e Sosoo Ai

I lenei tulaga, o valoʻaga o le lumanaʻi e lona lua lona taua. O le mea e taua o le faʻatinoina o le faʻamatalaina Faʻaaliga. —Cardinal Ratzinger (POPE BENEDICT XVI), Message of Fatima, Theological Commentary, www.vatican.va

 

CLARIFICATIONS

All this said, last May, I began to see that many were still assuming that I endorsed everything Charlie was saying. I might point out, however, that I have shared the podium with several alleged mystics and seers over the years, but leai se isi who were condemned by their local ordinary or who taught anything contrary to the Catholic faith. A few years back, I also shared the stage with Michael Coren, a Catholic convert and author who has subsequently apostasized. I think most people understand that I am not responsible for what others say and do simply because I spoke at the same event as them. 

Nonetheless, last May in Fear, Fire, and the Rescue?, I pointed out the Archbishop of Denver’s preliminary assessment of Charlie’s messages and his statement that…

… Ua fautuaina e le Archdiocese [agaga] e saili lo latou saogalemu ia Iesu Keriso, le Sakalameta, ma Tusitusiga Paia. —Archbishop Sam Aquila, statement from the Archdiocese of Denver, March 1st, 2016; www.archden.org

At the same time, I felt obligated to address the significant differences that were emerging between my writings and Charlie’s. In Le Faamasinoga o Loo Iai, I noted the Archbishop’s warning for “prudence and caution” regarding Charlie’s alleged prophecies, and went on further to reiterate the eschatological vision of the Church Father’s that differs from what Charlie and some other mainstream eschatologists are proposing. In Pe e afio mai Iesu?, I pulled together what is a “prophetic consensus” of 2000 years of Tradition and modern prophecy that paints an unmistakable picture of the horizon.

Since Charlie’s failed prediction, the Archdiocese of Denver issued another statement:

The events of 2016/17 have shown that Mr. Johnston’s alleged visions were not accurate and the Archdiocese urges the faithful not to condone or support further attempts to reinterpret them as valid. —Archdiocese of Denver, Press Release, Feb. 15th, 2017; archden.org

That is my position too, of course, and hopefully every faithful Catholics’. Again, I draw my readers’ attention to the wisdom of St. Hannibal:

How many contradictions we see between Saint Brigitte, Mary of Agreda, Catherine Emmerich, etc. E le mafai ona tatou mafaufauina faʻaaliga ma faʻamatalaga o ni upu o le Mau. O nisi o latou e tatau ona aveʻesea, ma isi faʻamatalaina i se saʻo, ma le faʻaeteete uiga. —St. Hannibal Maria di Francia, tusi ia Epikopo Liviero o Città di Castello, 1925 (faamamafa laʻu maina)

… E le mafai e tagata ona feutanaʻi ma faaaliga tumaoti e pei lava o ni tusi faʻavae o le tusi poʻo faʻaiʻuga a le Holy See. E oʻo i tagata e sili ona malamalama, ae maise fafine, e ono sese i faʻaaliga, faʻaaliga, nofoaga, ma musumusuga. E sili atu ma le tasi le taimi e faʻatapulaʻaina ai le faʻagaioiga paia e le tagata soifua… ia mafaufau i soʻo se faʻaaliga o faʻaliga a le tagata lava ia o se talitonuga maumaututu poʻo ni finauga latalata i le faʻatuatua e masani lava ona le mafaufau lelei —a letter to Fr. Peter Bergamaschi

I hope this clarifies for readers where I stand in regards to the specific prophecies of se seer or visionary, no matter how great in stature, level of approval, or otherwise.

 

ALU I Luma

I also hope that the “inquistional” bearing of some Catholics would give way to a more merciful, calm, and mature approach to prophecy which—like it or not—is part of the life of the Church. If we follow Church teaching, live by it, and discern prophecy always in this context, there truly is nothing to be afraid of, even when it comes to prophecies that e faapitoa. If they do not pass the test of orthodoxy, they must be disregarded. But if they do, then, we simply watch and pray and get on with the business of being faithful servants in the daily duties of our vocation.

Many are asking me what I think about the confluence of the 100th year anniversary of Fatima and other such “date” markers in 2017. Again, I don’t know! It could be significant… or not at all. I hope people will understand when I say, “Does it really matter?” What matters are two things: that every day, we place ourselves in a state of grace by recourse to God’s mercy and love so that we are always ready to meet Him at any moment. And second, that we co-operate with His will in the salvation of souls by responding to His personal plan for our lives. Neither of these obligations suggests ignorance of the “signs of the times,” but rather, should strengthen our response to them.

Aua le fefe!

 

FAITAU FUAFUAGA

Valoaga Ia Malamalama lelei

Ki moli uila

Pope, Valoaga, ma Picarretta

 
Faʻamanuia ia oe ma faʻafetai i tagata uma
mo lau lagolago i lenei matagaluega!

 

E malaga ma Mareko i le le Lenei le Upu,
kiliki i luga le fuʻa i lalo e lesitala.
O lau imeli o le a le faʻasoaina i se tasi.