A Catholic Land

La Salette: a dilemma for the Popes:

It is important to understand that there were two versions of the Secret of La Salette given to the Church:

see also:

and also in a broader context in the Questions and Answers:

The Church received the Secret of La Salette, and with it, its great warning. The apparition at La Salette, and the secret of La Salette, brought intrigue and controversy (many, including amongst the clergy, not believing that it was the Blessed Virgin.) But the secret, given in 1858, included the most frightening warning 'ever' given to mankind; it accords with the Apocalypse ch. 8&9.

Indeed it is the secret released by Melanie in 1858 that includes the most frightening warning 'ever' given to mankind: the release of Lucifer and a great number of demons from hell, affirmed as being in incarnate (human) form by a vision she received whilst receiving the secret. It is this that accords directly with the Apocalypse, chapters 8 and 9, and in particular the release of “the locusts” by the “fallen star” Lucifer himself; his having been given the key to the bottomless pit. (Apoc. 9:1-4.)

A dilemma for the Popes:

But It was not until 1879 that Melanie, and following a number of
setbacks, gained a Bishop's imprimatur for the Secret, and which
meant that it would be protected from being placed on the Forbidden
Index. And it was at this point (autumn 1879)that she showed a copy
to Pope Leo XIII in Rome.

And at this time (August 1879) figures of St John appeared alongside
figures of the Holy Family at Knock, co. Mayo in Ireland. The Apparition
at Knock has a profound significance in the context of The Apocalypse.

See: Knock, Mayo, St. John and The Apocalypse.

Pope Leo took an interest in the Secret, but soon (although later
towards the end of his papacy)all commentaries on it were
placed on the Forbidden Index.

Q.21 Was this because of what the Secret says about what will
happen to the Church?

A. The wording with the Index entries shows this. It was all very
complex because the Church had given no comment on the longer
version disclosed in 1858. And other were ready to do so. But it
should not be forgotten that Pope Leo had also come under great
pressure from a number of French Bishops who disliked what is
mentioned in the Secret about the clergy(But which Melanie said
was as a warning to them.)

It was a difficult time for the Church; It had received what was
thought to be the Secret in 1851, and the Church was trying to
deal with losing and then having lost the Papal States to Italian
Unification. It was a time of much distraction and upheaval.

But if the Church did not link the longer version of the Secret to
the Apocalypse then the danger was that it was not focusing on the
Apocalypse, and in turn distracted from a focus on these being the
very last times of the world; indeed distracted from the whole era of the
Apocalypse, and all that this means. And indeed this means being
unfocussed on the release of "the locusts" the apostate angels, and
which, for obvious reasons the Church had to heed as quickly as
possible. To help protect Herself, and mankind!

The last chastisement upon mankind; the incarnate demons
flooding mankind; and indeed, swarming as "locusts" is a severe one.

Q.22 Do you think that Pope Leo XIII and his successors recognized
anything to do with the Secret in the context of the Apocalypse?

A. It is difficult to know the extent of what they knew and/or accepted.
Of course the Popes would have sought to do their best with what they
understood at the time.

The final chastisement is not upon the Church Herself (as though exclusively)
it is upon mankind. But it affects the Church and the Church needed to protect
Herself, and mankind, as far as possible, by alerting to what was happening.
What was needed was a focus in the Church on the Trust and confidence in
the Church that Our Lord said that He would be with His Church all through
the days ".... even to the consummation of the world." (Matt 28:19-20)

But the Popes indeed obviously did the best that they could according to what
they understood in the whole context of the Secret. These were very complex
and difficult circumstances for them.

But what is clear is that as they increasingly tried to protect the Church, it
was as though they knew and yet did not know.

And Pope Leo XIII himself had a vision in 1884. There is no doubt that he
had a vision it took place in front of witnesses who reported as to how the
Pope stood motionlessly, as his colour changed rapidly. It is said that it was
that very same morning that he wrote his prayer to St Michael and ordered
it to be said at the end of all low masses throughout the world. He followed
this with further prayers to St Michael, all richly indulged.

It was reported a while later that Pope Leo had seen in his vision demons
descending upon Rome.

The well known and great prayer to St Michael is...

Here is the profound connection between the Secret of La Salette, and the Apocalypse:

In the Apocalypse St John writes of “the Lamb” opening the fourth seal, and of the fourth horse and horseman of The Apocalypse; the pale green horse, as follows:

And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the
voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come! ”
And I saw, and behold, a pale green horse, and
he who was sitting on it — his name is Death,
and hell was following him....(Apoc; 6:7-8)

Traditional Catholic commentary on the fourth horseman is :

Ver.8. Pale-green horse, i.e., olive-coloured; this horseman symbolizes death, or rather pestilence.....

It is what is “following him” that is shown in the Apocalypse; chapters eight and nine, and shown in paragraphs 11 and 12 of The Secret of La Salette.

Chapter nine of the Apocalypse begins with St John writing:

And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet, and I
saw that a star had fallen from heaven upon the
earth, and there was given to him the key of the
bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit,
and there came up smoke out of the pit like the
smoke of a great furness, and the sun and the air
were darkened by the smoke of the pit. And out of
the smoke there came forth locusts upon the earth...
(Apoc. 9:1-3.)

The release of the Locusts thus follows from the Abyss being opened by the fallen star (Lucifer.) And just as the fallen star must be an individual; ie a living intelligent being (to have been given the key to open the bottomless pit with) so too the locusts are those whom live in the Abyss (to be released from) and from out of which they come. Locusts (the creature/insect) do not live in the Abyss, demons do (as do imprisoned human souls.)

Locusts are a descriptive term. Just as 'serpent' or 'snake' is the descriptive term used for Lucifer; the devil, in the garden of Eden. “Locusts upon the earth” means the demons in incarnate; human form. And voluminous. And swarming.

The secret of La Salette, paragraphs 11 and 12 state:

"In the year 1864, Lucifer with a great number of demons will be unleashed from
hell; they will abolish the faith little by little and even in persons consecrated to
God; they will blind them in such a way that barring a particular grace these
persons will take on the spirit of these bad angels: several religious houses will
lose the faith entirely and will lose many souls.. "[Secret:(11)]

The dead and the just will be made to revive [Secret:12]
[That is to say that these dead will take the appearance of just souls who had
lived on earth, in order to lead men further astray: these so-called resurrected
dead, who will be nothing other than the demon under these appearances, will
preach another Gospel contrary to the one of the true Christ Jesus, denying the
existence of heaven, or they may also be the souls of the damned. All these
souls will appear as if united to their bodies.]

These words [in brackets] accompanied the words about the resurrection of
the dead. See: (Le Secret De Melanie p29-30.)

It is very significant that Melanie included her explanation of
the vision that she saw during the apparition (para 11) It is accurate!

Incarnate demons flooding mankind in vast numbers is mankind's last times predicament.
It is the great warning in the secret of La Salette. The apostate angels have become the final flood
upon wayward mankind. Mankind is now very, very vastly outnumbered and these are NOW the
very last days of the world as we know it.

Melanie and Maximin, the seers, reported the apparition to their local priest and Bishop.

The one thing that the Church needed to heed – and by which much else in the secret falls into place – is that paragraph 11, and part of paragraph 12 accord with The Apocalypse chapter 8 & 9. And set all plans for the very last times of the world in place accordingly and in a very rigid and determined way – and as soon as possible!!

And ch 20 of The Apocalypse tells us:

And when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be
released from his prison, and will go forth and deceive the
nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and
Magog, and will gather them together for the battle; the
number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went
up over the breadth of the earth and encompassed the
camp of the saints, and the beloved city....[Apoc. 20:7-8]

The thousand years represents an indeterminable period between Our Lord's resurrection from the dead, and His Second Coming in Judgement.

My understanding is that this is a further showing to St John as to what will happen (and has happened at the point at which it is actually shown (late on)in the Apocalypse.)

Pope Leo XIII himself had a vision in 1884. It was in front of witnesses who said of how the Pope's "colour changed rapidly" as he stared motionlessly." It was that very same morning that he wrote his famous prayer to St Michael, and ordered it to be said at all low Masses throughout the world from that day onwards. The prayer is:

Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle, be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust down to hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. Pope Leo XIII

What was needed to be known is that they were now throughout the world in incarnate “human” form. And
ever increasingly in increasing numbers!

But as the popes increasingly tried to protect the Church, it was as though they knew and yet didn't know!

There is more on the response of The Popes in the links below: Why There two version of the Secret of La Salette, and/or in The Question and Answers; beginning at Question 15.

see also: