THEOLOGICAL ERRORS

Already in the foregoing we see the element of theological error and heresy. Christ did die for al l -though many rejected the saving grace His sacrifice provided. It seems most unlikely that Our Lady, Queen of Theologians, would make such an error, but then, the issue of 'Many’ vs. 'All’ was rampant among her listeners. But now we come to the main theme:

’My children, My Son’s Church is passing through a terrible crisis. Please do not abandon it in these days of darkness, but stay and fight with prayers, good deeds, works of mercy and good example … The forces of evil, 666, are firmly entrenched in Rome. Many cardinals, the Red Hats, have fallen, and they now mislead many of the Purple Hats, the bishops … Pray for your bishops, your cardinals. Pray for your priests and your pastors… They are the major source for attack now by 666. Yes, My children, 666, Lucifer and his agents entering into human bodies to bring about the fall of Rome to the enemy. Pray for your bishops that they be given the grace in the light to know how deep they have fallen into the darkness… My children, the forces of evil 666 – and 666 I repeat is Lucifer and his agents loosed from hell now to do full battle with the children of God. Lucifer knows that he has been given only a set time, and his time is growing short… I repeat, My children, and I call you My children for reason. For unless you remain as children in heart, simple, devout, with piety, trusting in Jesus without question, unless you remain as little children, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. My children, many of your brothers and sisters are selling their souls to get to the head. What does it matter if you gain all of the world’s graces, and they call them graces, but how they foul the supernatural! It is no grace, My children, to achieve worldly acclaim and fortune…’

We see that the ’Lady’ handles the English language at Bayside no better than she handled Italian at San Damiano. And now Veronica continues with her description of events:
’Our Lady is now taking Her Rosary from about Her waist like this, and extending it out and making the sign of the cross… Our Lady now is turning to Her right and She’s floating over across the sky to the first tree, and Our Lady is bending over and making the sign of the cross… Our Lady is turning now to Her left, and She’s pointing up to the sky, and Michael is coming down. He is a tremendous size! He’s, oh, a real warrior of Heaven. Beautiful! I can’t explain his face because I can’t see it well, not like Our Lady’s. He is all encased like in white and a glaze, like a haze of white all about him. Just beautiful!… now Our Lady is going over to Her left side, that would be our right side. She’s floating across. Our Lady does not have to move Her feet, I notice; She’s just standing still, but She’s carried like on the wind, clear across the sky. Our Lady is bending over and making the Sign of the Cross with Her Rosary… Now Our Lady is plac- ing the crucifix across Her chest to Her heart.’ The 'Lady’ again speaks: 'My children continue with your prayers of atonement. They are sorely needed.’ Pause. 'You must not forget, my child, JACINTA, 1972 (capitals in the original text) . I spoke with the child and told her of the fashions that would come to the world that would displease the Almighty Father very much. These fashions would lead many young onto the road to perdition…’

UP, UP AND AWAY

During the same seance we find the ’Lady’ flying about still more… ’Now, Our Lady is going high up into the sky, very, very high, and She’s standing there now looking about and now She has Her Rosary in Her hands, and I can see She’s moving her fingers across the beads… Now Our Lady is nodding her head. Our Lady-’My child and My children, continue your prayers of atonement.’ ’

Veronica continues: ’Jesus is coming forward. The sky is very bright. the light, it just seems to exude from Him.’ Then we get a minute description of the garments he is clothed in. ’It’s very windy and the cape is blowing. Jesus is gathering it up now… Now Jesus is looking about Him as He is turning His head now to the right. The wind is blowing His hair out. It’s quite long. To His shoulders and very loose and full. Now Jesus is turning over to His left. He looks really magnificent… Now Jesus is touching His lips with the first finger of His right hand.’

After this rather lengthy introduction, the 'vision’ speaks at last:
’My child, I am not going to burden you with a long discourse this evening. Needless to say, My Mother has done very well with Her counsel to the children of the world. Your world is proceeding onto a road leading to a crucible of suffering. It will be a way of cleansing for mankind. All that is rotten shall be shaken from the vine… ’

The opening phrase of the foregoing sounds like something an after-dinner speaker would say at a Rotary meeting. In any case, the 'message’ follows:
’My children, I repeat anewto all. Conform to the world and you will die on the vine. Conform and you die on the vine. I will explain this, My children, simply to you. If you choose of free will to join those of the world who have now given themselves to Satan, you cannot remain on the tree of life, but you must become a cohort of Satan and an agent of Hell in human form.’

The foregoing is certainly not a statement momentous enough to justify an apparition. Does not Holy Scripture speak more eloquently? The 'vision’ then seems to advocate Luther’s heretical notion of justification by faith alone, saying, 'it is only through great grace that man shall be pushed over the veil, into Heaven, the Eternal Kingdom. Graces are given in abundance for the asking. Believe, my children, just believe, and you will be given the way.’ (It is interesting to note that 'beyond the veil’ is a phrase which appears in the language of clairvoyants and mediums).

The 'play-by-play’ description continues: ’Now Jesus is turning to His right and He’s floating across the sky. Our Lady now is coining down through the right side of the sky, just beyond that hugh crowd… Jesus is looking over now to the right and the left, and He’s bending down now and looking all about Him.’ Then we find ’Jesus is looking over and He’s pointing up to the sky with His hand, like this, and there is appearing in the sky a large picture of a globe, a huge ball with a cross on the top of it. And it’s just above us directly overhead, a hugh ball with a cross on the top. Now Jesus is taking His place. Jesus is on the right side of the ball, and then Our Lady is standing on the left side of the ball, each on both sides of this hugh globe… And I can see the outlines of the world, you know, the countries upon the globe…’ Soon there is a ’dove’ flying around and lighting on the globe. Jesus terminates the description with the admonition: ’Now my child and My children, continue with your prayers of atonement.’ What a kaleidoscopic series of events to crowd into one evening; and this goes on some 29 times a year!

PLASTIC SURGERY

At this time there was much opposition directed against Paul VI for the many doctrinal and liturgical innovations he had approved. It was becoming clear that the drastic changes had his full approval. His reputation had to be protected, and the faithful further duped. Hence we have a series of messages that reach the height of absurdity. Clearly, all the 'good’ achieved in the Bayside vigils had to be placed at the service of this important end.

The 'Lady’ informs us through Veronica: 'My child, I bring you a sad truth, one that must be made known to mankind. Our dear beloved Vicar, Pope Paul the Sixth, he suffers much at the hands of those he trusts! My child, shout it from the rooftops! He is not able to do his mission. They have laid him low. My child, he is ill, he is very ill!!! Now there is one ruling in his place, an IMPOSTER, created from the minds of the agents of Satan. Plastic surgery, My child, the best of surgeons were used to create this IMPOSTER. Shout it from the roof- tops! He must be exposed and removed! Behind him, My child, there are three, who have given themselves to Satan (Casaroli, Benelli and Villot are named). You do not receive the truth in your country and in the world. Your Vicar is a prisoner!!!… The appearance in public is not Paul the Sixth, it is the imposter Pope. Medication of evil has dulled the brain of the true Pope, Paul the Sixth. They send into his veins poison, to dull his reasoning and paralyze his legs...’ (Capitals and exclamation points were in the original.)

On July 1, 1974, Veronica has yet another vision, that of ’Pope Paul VI, nailed to a cross that was being dragged by long cords. Those dragging the cross were Cardinals, Bishops and Clergy. Our Lady then explained, 'this scene is the present. Our Vicar and your father on earth is being crucified by those who have pledged themselves to follow him in obedience.’

Short after this Veronica was declared to be ’pure and spotless by the Mother of God Herself. She stated that when Veronica dies, her soul is destined to go immediately into Heaven to enjoy the Beatific Vision, without Purgatory. This shows the holiness of Veronica… Veronica who is addressed by St. Therese as 'my sister,’ must be ranked with truly great Saints.’

Once again we have an example of deviation from the doctrine of the Church. No one can be declared a saint before they die, and this for the simple reason that they retain their free will, and hence their ability to reject the truth. Of course, one must consider the possibility that Veronica no longer has a free will-but even then, one must question just who controls it.

Elsewhere, the 'Lady’ and her cohorts are full of criticism for the Pentecostal movement and occult societies. She voices sadness about the loss of respect being given to the Eucharist, objects to Communion-in-the-hand, and to nuns wearing miniskirts. Practically all the 'abuses’ that post-Conciliar Catholics have been subjected to are covered at one time or another.

But nowhere is the New Mass criticized. Once again we get the 'Lady’s’ message: ’I must also warn you so that you do not have hindrance to your mission that there will be many false prophets in the world… therefore, it would be best if you do not go about seeking the supernatural elsewhere… You will all remain in your parish churches. Though you may not understand all of My directions and counsel, you must accept this counsel; for the Eternal Father sees into the future and makes His plan in accordance.’ Here we have a clear cut appeal – nay a command – to all those who are upset by the innovations: they are 'ordered’ to remain in the New Church.

We have mentioned that at San Damiano there was a deliberate attempt to imitate the events at Fatima. Here at Bayside, we see the same pattern. thus Anne McGinn Cellis, writing in Sancto Maria, tells us that on June 12, 1976, ’the pilgrims (from Canada) say the sun, blazing in the sky, well before sun-down, suddenly became like a pearl disc, upon which one could gaze without the slightest discomfort, and then, as at Fatima, different pilgrims witnessed different phenomena – all of it fantastic – and spectacularly beautiful… the precise length of time of the duration of the Fatima miracle.’

GADGETS GO TO BAYSIDE

The 'Lady’s’ love of gadgetry is manifested not so much by her references to Veroriica as her 'voice-box’ or 'loud- speaker,’ but in her insistence upon people taking Polaroid photographs. (Indeed, after a visit to Bayside, I was tempted to buy Polaroid stock). One editorial commentator has gone so far as to say that 'a key characteristic of these apparitions has been the taking of 'miraculous photographs’ by the pilgrims attending the vigils.’ As the 'Lady’ said, ’many manifestations will be given that have not been given since the beginning of Creation nothing is impossible with the Father! Have you not received a small evidence of this in your photographic manifestations?’ (April 21, 1973).

The ’Lady’ further explains that 'the Eternal Father is making use of modern technology, to 'communicate with a fallen generation,’ a generation whose hearts are so hardened, whose minds are so closed, and whose eyes are so blinded that they need some kind of tangible proof of the authenticity of the Bayside visions.’ And this after ’Jesus’ has told us that 'Scientists have much to learn in their search for knowledge, for they are looking in the wrong field. It would be better for them if they sought the knowledge of the supernatural…’ As for the resulting photographs, they range from the innocuous to the bizarre.

The same source continues, 'if Heaven is indeed communicating with mankind in these 'latter days,’ and is using the camera to do it, then the communication is being accomplished through the use of symbols… Some of these symbols are known, and are therefore easily decipherable by almost anyone. Other symbols are more obscure, and their interpretation is reserved either for Veronica herself, or else for certain persons who have been designated by Our Lady as having received the special grace of being able to interpret the symbols.’ Another new charism, I suppose.

The reader may be interested in some of the standard interpretations. The number 2 means 'evil man’ (or woman). '3′ means 'warning.’ '5′ means one of the principal demons released from hell in these times. '8′ means the Eucharist or the Catholic priesthood. The Greek letter Psi seen in the sky at Bayside, or on certain photos, 'means that we are getting very close to the end of this particular period of time in human history.’ Snakes, especially cobras, represent the forces of hell. A noose, represents Judas.

Not everyone is capable of taking 'miraculous pictures.’ Certainly, I must admit that when I tried, I was a dismal failure – I wasted a whole role of Poloroid film. But Veronica’s special aide, Mrs. Ann Ferguson, has been 'given the gift of being able to take miraculous pictures, by Our Lady, and this gift is to be used to assist Veronica in her mission for souls.’ But if I was not given this charism, many who were with me on that cold winter night when I visited the Fairgrounds were more fortunate. Time and again I heard cries of joy as some fortunate photographer achieved success. Yet, I must admit that I was puzzled, for no matter how clearly they pointed out the importance of what they obtained, all I could see was a few squiggles on the print easily explained by the headlights of cars passing in the distance. Yet dear reader, do not think I dismiss the possibility of the not easily explained appearing on the Polaroid films. I have far too much respect for the power of the 'powers of darkness’ to deny such possibilities.

Yet another source informs us that the 'Lady’ of Bayside .’warned that 6 major Demons from Hell would possess persons in strategic World positions. As She said that Demon 5 had just been released, a pilgrim received this: (the source reproduces a photo at this point in the text) on a Polaroid snapshot! It shows a demon wearing a bishop’s mitre, indicating a Catholic bishop would be possessed.’ This same source, entitled 'Abominations and Desolations’ by Brother Vincent de Paul, tells us that 'Father John J. McLoughlin, who is Mr. 666 himself, entered the United States on Sept. 7, 1974. He was possessed by the Demon Our Lady calls Agent 6. Since this Demon will instigate World War III, and Our Lady said that the Demon, in charge of this devil is named 'Exterminatus,’ – he probably possesses Father McLoughlin.’

It is of interest that the 'lady’ at Bayside is pushing The Poem of the Man-God by Maria Valtorta, a multi volume text dealing with the life of Christ which again has no approbation and for which space does allow an analysis.

CONCLUSIONS ON BAYSIDE

A brief summary of the conclusions we ought to draw about the Bayside 'messages’ is in order here:
(1) One finds numerous theological errors in the messages attributed to Our Lord or Our Lady. No private revelation could contain error and still be accepted as authentic by the Church (or in these days when the post-conciliar church has abdicated its function in this realm, by any Catholic), much less if an error was placed on the lips of Christ Himself.
(2) The language attributed to heavenly personages is incoherent and undignified. No approved private revelation has ever contained such language. On the contrary, the language of true revelations is always simple, dignified and direct,
(3) The messages approve of the liturgical changes brought about by Vatican II. This alone should cause traditional Catholics to question their authenticity.
(4) Some of the phenomena reported are identical to those of Fatima. There is no precedent for approved private revelations 'imitating’ one another in such a fashion.
(5) There is an obsession at Bayside with the use of photographic 'gadgetry’ in an attempt to authenticate the message. Mechanical defects in the camera or film or a clumsy photographer can produce all sorts of odd effects, none of which are heavenly in origin. If Our Lady has something special to reveal to us, she would not entrust it to a Polaroid One-Step. Furthermore, the interpretation of photographic phenomena done by Veronica and her associates is superstitious. The’heavenly images’ found on the Bayside photographs can be interpreted any way the viewer wants, much like the Rorschach inkblot test.
(6) The messages possess no great spiritual insight on their own. At best, they are simply a random sampling of ideas, taken from previously approved apparitions and re-presented with a large dose of hysteria.