Have you ever heard of Fr. Stefano Gobbi? Fr. Gobbi penned a book in which he detailed supposed locutions from the Blessed Virgin. It was quite the rage 20 plus years ago.
I read his book way back in the 80’s I think. I remember at the time thinking that so many of the things that he wrote about (future events at least) seemed improbable or impossible. He spoke of coming chastisements, which are certainly possible and richly deserved. But he also spoke about anti-Christ and the second coming and other things that seemed to indicate an imminent end. Of course, Fr. Gobbi could just have been wrong or perhaps I misinterpreted the messages, but it seemed to me at the time to miss the mark.
Jesus made a number of promises about things that would occur before his return, some of which have yet to happen and it seems implausible to impossible that they could all occur in the time frames mentioned in Fr. Gobbi’s book.
Perhaps Mary did really speak to Fr. Gobbi but he got mixed up or just got it wrong, or perhaps Mary never really did. Either way, it seems that the messages which created such a fanfare 20+ years ago never really amounted to much and have largely been forgotten.
Regardless of all that, Fr. Gobbi has now passed away and I pray that he is now having that conversation with the Blessed Mother.
June 30, 2011 at 4:37 am
Sorry. But I'm not going to pray for somebody I've never even heard of.
June 30, 2011 at 5:41 am
Sorry anonymous. Don't worry, if you're in an ambulance someday and the siren is screaming, and I hear it, I'll pray for you – whoever you are. We're part of the Church Militant right now, whether you know everybody in it or not.
I hope Fr. Gobbi is
June 30, 2011 at 5:42 am
well – that posted before I was done, #$%^ computer.
So, as I was saying, I hope Fr. Gobbi is having that conversation, too!
June 30, 2011 at 10:45 am
(I apologize for my poor English) I had been invited to a community prayer with don Stefano in Rome, in 1994. The meeting was absolutely traditional, devote, eucharistic and marian. His book of personal private revelation had on my mind the impression of a charismatic, apocaliptic evidence of the role of the media power in the decreasing of faith in the world. May the soul of this holy priest get the vision of the most Holy Trinity, alleluia!
June 30, 2011 at 3:20 pm
Yes, I went to see him when he came to Houston–WHAT A CROWD turned out! Don't know if his predictions came true or not, or even what they were.. Mrs. S
June 30, 2011 at 3:54 pm
You shouldn't have commented at all. Very poor taste.
June 30, 2011 at 4:31 pm
May Fr.Gobbi rest in peace. He warned the priests about the wolves in the Church,freemasons,and promoted devotion to The Blessed Virgin Mary encouraging the priests and the faithful to meet weekly to pray the Holy Rosary.
June 30, 2011 at 5:33 pm
I take great comfort in the fact that it is not necessary to believe in apparitions to be a Catholic in good standing. These revelations tend to happen whenever a scoundrel meets a fool, or they are just the result of hysteria or mental illness. That is why its important to let the wisdom of time and the investigation of the Church be the final arbiter in these matters, and try to keep human longing for the magical and extraordinary at bay.
June 30, 2011 at 5:46 pm
Fr. Gobbi did incalcuable good by encouraging priests and laity to be Eucharistic, Marian and faithful to the Pope. Millions of laity, tens of thousands of priests, bishops, and even Cardinals participated in the Cenacles he organized in Rome and throughout the world, pledging themselves to Jesus through Mary. He came on the ecclesiastical scene when John Paul II did and helped renew the Church with him. Whether his writings were simply his own meditations or authentic revelation, which he unwisely interpreted on occasion, will be determined by the Church. I have no doubt he was a holy priest of God and is with Him today or in the anteroom of purgatory.
June 30, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Fr. Gobi, rest in peace…you served the Lord with all of your heart and produced so much good fruit wherever you brought your message. Your Book,inspired by Our Blessed Mother and the Holy Spirit with messages for Priests and Laity, has meant a great deal to me. It is with sadness that I hear of your passing, but it is also with joy, because I feel you are now in the arms of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for whom you served so well.
June 30, 2011 at 7:20 pm
I don't think we can say if someone is in heaven or hell. No one knows a person’s mind and heart save God.
June 30, 2011 at 8:20 pm
I began this month to read the book (To the Priests, Our Lady's Beloved Sons) again. Fr Gobbi displayed humility; he prayed the rosary; many people (priests, bishops cardinals) came to the cenacles he promoted; many people prayed the rosary with him. And yet this man's very humility caused some to speak against him. We should all be more like the example Fr Gobbi showed to us.
I remain a member of the Marian Movement of Priests and attempt to live a life that shows my love for Our Lady and her Son.
I pray that eternal rest be granted to Fr Gobbi, and that light perpetual shine upon him.
June 30, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Amen
June 30, 2011 at 10:25 pm
I have been reading the messages to Father Gobbi daily since 1989.
FATHER STEFANO GOBBI, R.I.P.
July 1, 2011 at 2:20 pm
I confused. Am I supposed to be in favor of or against Fr. Gobble?
July 1, 2011 at 8:24 pm
He did the task that was assigned to him and he did it well. It matters not whether he is popular, well known, ordinary, fantastic. He just did his job as best he could and to put it simply he took care of business which was the helping of souls to find the path to get them to heaven. That really is the task for all.God takes all of our little efforts and combines to make a great tide of goodness. Now just need a few more to add to this tide and the world could be changed for the good.
July 1, 2011 at 8:52 pm
From one of the very few theologians of eschatology (the last things), an exorcist who worked under Fr. Amorth, and the only Vatican approved theologian with permission to write on Luisa Piccarreta and her Divine Will writings (with the proper interpretation) while her cause is being studied in Rome:
Fr Iannuzzi's Tribute to Fr. Gobbi
A very touching tribute to Fr. Gobbi from Father Joseph Iannuzzi, an Official Exorcist – June 29th, 2011
I, Rev. Joseph Leo Iannuzzi, affirm that Fr. Steffano Gobbi is and was a true locutionist and a messenger from Mary, who shared with us a timely instrument from the Mother of God who is calling me and you to prayer and fasting from the heart. Time is short…The great chastisement awaits the planet that will be knocked off of its axis and send us into a moment of global darkness and the awakening of consciences..Fr. Gobbi's messages presently bear the Church's official seal of approval, the "imprimatur" Thus he is ecclesiastically recognized. So, prepare yourselves with the weapons of the Brown Scapular, the Miraculous medal, the Benedictine medal, the prayers of the Most Holy Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the frequent reception of the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion. As God loves you, I love you, and love one another. Forgive one another form the heart. Nothing else really matters in this life.
In Domino.
Rev. Joseph Iannuzzi
Fr. Gobbi spoke to these "end times – end of an era" prior to the era of peace/Eucharistic age after the conquering by the Immaculate Heart of Mary. If you read Fr. Iannuzzi's books about these things you will understand that there will be a personal anti-Christ, purification, tribulations, illumination of the conscience of the world (as also spoken to in other private revelations and approved mystics of the Church) before this new era ("thousand" years when satan is chained) as also before the final end of the world. This era of peace is mentioned by the early Church Fathers as an interim coming of Christ, between His first coming and His coming at the end of the world – as it will be a glorious Eucharistic age. People do get confused and many can misinterpret the messages of Fr. Gobbi which simply attempt to prepare God's people in ordering prayer and repentence. It is within the realm of private revelation, left so often to the studied private discernment as history has shown is necessary as so many bishops within same jurisdiction approving or disapproving of same private revelations!!
July 2, 2011 at 2:22 am
Father William E Bauer; My compliments.
July 5, 2011 at 3:47 pm
"That is why its important to let the wisdom of time and the investigation of the Church be the final arbiter in these matters, and try to keep human longing for the magical and extraordinary at bay."
Unfortunately, most of his followers didn't keep much of anything at bay, and some of his writings were controversial. Yet he was a devoted priest, and may he rest in peace. Amen.
July 5, 2011 at 5:33 pm
Here's some prophecies about the Antichrist.
From the Didache:
"In the last days there will multiply false prophets and corruptors and they shall be changed into wolves of their flocks. There will be an increase in iniquity; men will mutually hate each other, they will persecute and betray each other and then there will appear the deceiver of the world say he is the son of God. He will make signs and do miracles. The earth will be given into his hands and he will do such iniquities as has never before been done throughout the centuries."
St. Bridget of Sweden says,
"Before Antichrist comes, the portals of the Faith will be opened to great numbers of pagans."
St. Hilary: "Antichrist will teach that Jesus Christ is not the Son of God, but he is the wickedest of all criminals".
St. Hildegard: "An unchaste woman will concieve and bear an unchaste son. The wicked serpent, who decieved Adam, will influence this child in such a way that nothing good or virtuous will enter into him; nor, under the circumstances will it even be possible for any good to be in him."
St. Irenaeus says: "The Antichrist will decieve the Jews to such an extent that they will accept him as the Messias and worship him."