Italy during the nineteenth century was rife with thoughts of revolution, followed by insurrections. Even the Papal States did not go untouched and many times the Reigning Pontiffs would have to seek the help of either France or Austria.
Because of the heavy handed Austrian occupation of different parts of Italy this would lead many into secret societies in order for the people of Italy to rid themselves of the Austrian military.
These revolutions would often place the Pontiff in a precarious position, as it tried to maintain order and also justice. Unfortunately this was also the Era of free thinkers and those who refused to follow any authority, as they sought to overthrow differing Governing Bodies and also defied The Church!
Into this landscape was born one John Bosco in the year 1815 to a poor family who though devout struggled to educate their family. Unfortunately John's Father died when he was very young, which left his mother, Margaret to raise her children on her own.
John Bosco, was blessed with a curious mind and an exuberant personality which won him many friends. And it would be this that held him in good stead when he became a Priest and worked towards providing a good education for the poor boys in his area.
But John Bosco also had another distinction for God had blessed him with visions of future events and warnings for his country, the youth's he looked after and the world.
The visions John received started at the tender age of only nine years old and would be with him till the end. And upon instruction from Pope Pius IX, John complied with the Popes request to write his visions down for prosperity and the edification of the Faithful.
These visions of John Bosco would inform him of boys that were in his care who were about to die, this enabled Fr. John to make sure the boys soul was not in a state of sin.
But John Bosco also received these visions, as if in a dream, which he relayed in his writings. One of these was in the year 1870, where he explains what he saw and heard, "War will come from the south, peace from the north. The laws of France no longer recognize the Creator. The Creator will reveal Himself by visiting her three times with the scourge of His wrath. The first time He will destroy her pride by defeat, pillage, and destruction of crops, cattle, and men. On His second visit the great whore of Babylon, which the faithful grievingly call Europe's brothel, shall lose her leader and fall prey to chaos."Paris! Paris! Instead of fortifying yourself with the Lord's name, you surround yourself with houses of ill repute. You yourself shall destroy them; your idol, the Pantheon, will be razed to the ground, so that it may truthfully be said that 'iniquity has lied to itself. Your enemies will plunge you into anguish, famine, terror, and the contempt for My law, says the Lord."
As John continued to speak of what he was told,"On My third visit, you shall fall under the foreign yoke. From afar your enemies will see your palaces in flames, your home in ruins, soaked in the blood of your heroes who are no more."But behold, a great warrior from the north appears, a banner in his right hand, his arm bearing this inscription: 'Irresistible is the hand of the Lord. 'At that moment the Venerable Old Man of Rome went forward to meet him, wielding a flaming torch. The banner then grew larger and its blackness became white as snow; in its center stood out the name of the Almighty in golden letters."
The vision continued with this ominous warning, "Now the voice of Heaven is addressed to the Shepherd of Shepherds. You are in solemn conference with your co-workers but the enemy of good never stands idle. He cunningly plots and sets all his wiles against you. He will sow discord among your helpers and will rear enemies among My sons. The powers of the world shall vomit fire. They would love to smother My words in the throats of the guardians of My law, but they shall not succeed. They shall do much harm, but only to themselves. Hurry! If knots cannot be untied, sever them. Do not halt in the face of difficulties, but go forth until the hydra of error has been beheaded At this blow earth and hell shall tremble, but he world will be saved and the faithful shall exult. Gather around you only two co-workers, yet wherever you go,carry on the task entrusted to you and bring it to completion. Days go by swiftly and your years are reaching their appointed number, but the great Queen shall always assist you, and, as in the past, She shall always be magnum et singulare in Ecclesia praesidium.
And the vision continued, "But you, O Italy, land of blessings, who has plunged you into desolation? Not your enemies, but your own friends. Do you not hear your children begging for the bread of faith, unable to find one to break it for them? What shall I do? I shall strike the shepherds and scatter the sheep so that those who sit upon the chair of Moses may seek better pastures and their flock may gently listen and be fed. "But My hand shall be heavy upon both flock and shepherds. Famine, plague, and war shall cause mothers to mourn the blood of their sons and husbands shed on foreign soil. "What shall befall you, ungrateful, effeminate, proud Rome? You have reached a point when you seek and admire nought in your sovereign but luxury, forgetting that both your glory and his lies on Golgotha. Now he is old, frail, defenceless, and dispossessed. Nevertheless, though captive, his words cause the whole world to tremble.
"O Rome! Four times shall I come to you! The first time I shall smite your regions and its people. The second time I shall bring slaughter and destruction to your very gates. Should not that make you open your eyes? A third time shall I come, and I will demolish your defences and defenders. At My Father's command, terror, dismay and desolation will reign."
And this particular vision goes on to exhort the Faithful to remain strong and hold onto the Truth's of the Church, and warns against those who prefer more 'worldly' pleasures at the risk of their eternal soul.
But our Lord also consoles the faithful with these words given to John from the same vision, "Things follow too slowly upon each other, but the great Queen of Heaven is at hand; the Lord's power is Hers. Like mist She shall scatter Her enemies. She shall vest the Venerable Old Man with all his former garments."There shall yet come a violent hurricane. Iniquity is at an end, sin shall cease, and before two full moons shall have shone in the month of flowers, the rainbow of peace shall appear on the earth. "The great Minister shall see the Bride of his King clothed in glory. Throughout the world a sun so bright shall shine as was never seen since the flames of the Cenacle until today, nor shall it be seen again until the end of time."
Even though St. John Bosco would see these incredible and terrifying sights and as our Lord revealed to him the future of the world if man did not repent and return to God. Still John Bosco in himself never lost his peace of mind or soul, but instead relied on prayer to placate the mighty hand of Justice.
But the most famous of St. John Bosco's vision is this one and still holds as a warning for us all today. As John saw and heard, and recounted, "In the midst of this endless sea, two solid columns, a short distance apart, soar high into the sky. One is surmounted by a statue of the Immaculate Virgin, at whose feet a large inscriptions reads:" 'Auxilium Christianorum' ('Help of Christians') . The other, far loftier and sturdier, supports a Host of proportionate size, and bears beneath it the inscription: 'Salus credentium' ('Salvation of believers'). "The flagship commander - the Roman Pontiff- standing at the helm, strains every muscle to steer his ship between the two columns, from whose summits hang many anchors and strong hooks linked to chains. The entire enemy fleet closes in to intercept and sink the flagship at all costs. They bombard it with everything they have: books and pamphlets, incendiary bombs, firearms, cannons. The battle rages ever more furious. Beaked prows ram the flagship again and again, but to no avail, as, unscathed and undaunted, it keeps on it course. At times, a formidable ram splinters a gaping hole in its hull, but immediately, a breeze from the two columns instantly seals the gash.
And the same vision continues with this warning, "Meanwhile, enemy cannons blow up; firearms and beaks fall to pieces; ships crack up and sink to the bottom. In blind fury, the enemy takes to hand-to-hand combat, cursing and blaspheming. Suddenly the Pope falls, seriously wounded. He is instantly helped up, but struck a second time, dies. A shout of victory rises from the enemy, and wild rejoicing seeps their ships. But no sooner is the Pope dead than another takes his place. The captains of the auxiliary ships elected him so quickly that the news of the Pope's death coincides with that of his successor's election. The enemy's self-assurance wanes. "Breaking through all resistance, the new Pope steers his ship safely between the two columns; first, to the one surmounted by the Host, and then the other, topped by the statue of the Virgin. At this point, something unexpected happens. The enemy ships panic and disperse, colliding with and scuttling each other.
"Some auxiliary ships, which had gallantly fought alongside their flagship, are the first to tie up at the two columns. Many others, which had fearfully kept far away from the fight, stand still, cautiously waiting until the wrecked enemy ships vanish under the waves. Then they too head for the two columns, tie up at the swinging hooks and ride safe and tranquil beside their flagship. A great calm now covers the sea. "
These visions of St. John Bosco though told over a century ago still hold true in today’s world as 'secularisation and modernism' infiltrate the Church and consumerism consumes the masses. But even though The Church will go through purgation still we hold true to Jesus Promise that even the gates of hell will not prevail against The Church.
I would encourage all to read about the Visions of St. John Bosco.
