Pope Benedict XVI Blog

"St. Malachy Mania" after Pope's election should prompt spiritual readiness not fear

Director of the Morley Institute for Church & Culture, Deal Hudson, advises all Catholics to be cautious when ascribing the purported prophecies of St. Malachy to the election of Benedict XVI. He reminds us that prophecy is only valid when it is in accordance with Holy Scripture and the Magisterium of the Church and, finally, true prophecy is not meant to fuel speculation that the end is near and to frighten us but to help us all "avoid spiritual harm" by being alert and in a constant state of spiritual readiness.

The Window
on April 28, 2005
A Catholic Look at Society, Culture and Politics

Deal W. Hudson

In This Issue:
St. Malachy Predicts the Election of Benedict XVI

The election of Benedict XVI set predictable cries of joy and sorrow. Fortunately for the Church the cries of joy far outnumber the cries of sorrow, even if the media refuses to see it.

But another aftershock of April 19th is buzz sweeping the country about the medieval prophecies of St. Malachy.

My own daughter came home from her Catholic high school in Fairfax, VA and informed me that there would be only one pope after Benedict XVI. She explained further that the last pope would also signal the Second Coming of Christ and the end of the world. "Dad, everyone at school is talking about the prophecies of St. Malachy, all the students and even the teachers."

An internet search and calls around the country confirmed that a bit of St. Malachy mania is sweeping through the country, especially among Catholic students. In an increasingly virtual age, such information, especially if it's sufficiently exotic, can be sent nationwide by instant messaging, emails, and bloggers in the space of twenty-four hours.

With respect to prophecies and visions - - there are several things to keep in mind. The canonization of a person, such as St. Malachy, would imply that that there is nothing in his prophecies and visions that is contrary to the faith. (Malachy was canonized the first Irish Saint in the Catholic Church by Pope Clement III in 1190 AD)

Thus, it's important to question whether or not they are authentic. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, who wrote an early biography of St. Malachy, corroborates his gift of prophecy but does not mention any specific prophecies

Personal revelations should always be read in conjunction with the Scriptural prophecy, especially the Book of Revelation, and the prophecies which the Church gives official credence. The final discernment of prophecies is judged in accordance with the Magisterium of the Church.

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posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 10:11 PM