THE SIX (6) POPES OF ST.
MALACHY - Part I -
There is a pamphlet that becomes popular before papal
elections, "The Prophesies of St. Malachy." Malachy's book is a collection
of 112 Latin phrases describing the Popes reign from Celestine III (1143)
up to the last Pope (end of the world). Readers erroneously thought that
these phrases hinted the person to be elected Pope. The Latin phrases
describe the reign of the Pontiff and a few anti-popes.
St. Malachy was an Irish saint and the first Irishman
canonized by the formal process of the Church (canonization). He was a
close friend of St. Bernard. He was described thus: A saint who was trained
by a saint, ordained priest by a saint and died in the arms of a saint.
The book alarmingly suggests that we only have two (2)
Popes to go before the end of the world. Is time running out? Is it later
than we all think? How true this is, we just have to wait and see, but
wisely prepare ourselves spiritually just in case he is right.
Let us see how the five (5) Popes lived up to
Malachy's prophesies, then let us imagine how the reign of the next pope
would look like.
ANGELIC SHEPHERD: POPE PIUS XII (PACELLI). Malachy described Pius XII as
"Pastor Angelicus." An angel is a pure spirit; devoid of all
passions, pure and chaste, pure in intelligence - and such was Pius XII.
Pius, like the early popes, was practically appointed
pope by Pope Pius XI. He was well cultured and sharp in intelligence; he
was the picture of a man without passion and pure in heart. Ascetic and
emaciated, he was a man who had risen above the nature of man.
He wrote two hundred documents to monks and nuns reminding them of their
vows to live angelic lives.
Guardian Angel of the Church, he preached on an
average of once a day, guiding the Church on all topics and questions of
conscience.
He tried to make the Roman Curia as angelic as he was,
messengers of his messages. But it didn't work.
During the last days of his life, he lived like a
hermit - a way of life described by the early Fathers as "the angelic
life." Though inaccessible to all, his office shone with greater
light.
Pure and chaste as the angels,
he was worthy to behold Christ at his death bed. With his angelic reign,
Pope Pius XII became the absolute model of what the Papal office should be.
( 01-05-02)
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