Feastday
17th September
Born
1542
Died
1621
A
distinguished Jesuit theologian, writer, and Cardinal. Patron Saint of
Catechists.His father was Vincenzo Bellarmino, his mother Cinthia Cervini,
sister of Cardinal Marcello Cervini, afterwards Pope Marcellus 11. He was
brought up at the newly founded Jesuit college in his native town and entered
the Society of Jesus on 20th September 1560, being admitted to his first vows
the following day. The next three years he spent studying philosophy at the
Roman College, after which he taught the humanities first at Flornce, then at
Mondovi. In 1567 he began his theology at Padua, but in 1569 was sent to finish
it at Louvain, where he could obtain a fuller aquaintance with the prevailing
heresies. His spirit of prayer, his singular delicacy of conscience and freedom
from sin, his spirit of humility and poverty together with the
eisinterestedness which he displayed as much under the Cardinal’s robes as
under the Jesuit’s gown, his lavish charity to the poor, and his devotedness to
was of the number of the Saints.
For
all catholics actually perceive antichrist to be one certain man but all the
previously referenced heretics in a manner peculiar to them proprie teach
antichrist not to be a single person but rather they teach the antichrist to be
a single throne or tyrannical kingdom or the apostolic chair of those who
preside over the catholic church
For
it must be known that in the divine letters the Holy Spirit to have given as
six sure signs concerning the coming of the antichrist: two which precede
himself namely the preaching of the gospel in the whole world and the
devastation of the Roman Empire; the contemporaneous men (2 witnesses) which it
is to be seen prophesied Enoch and Elias and the greatest and last persecution
and alosoi that the public sacrifice (of the mass) shall completely cease; the
two following signs surely the death if the antichrist after 3 and half years
(after his rise to power) and the end of the world, none of which signs have we
seen at this time. The 3rd demonstration arises from the coming of
Enoch and Elias who live even now and and shall live until they come to oppose
Antichrist himself and to preserve the elect in the faith of Christ and in the
end shall convert the Jews and it is certain that this has not yet been
fullfilled. But it is easily seen that by is truly this is not a childish
fantasy but a most true concept the Enoch and Elias shall personally return and
it is also seen that the contrary concept (that they will not personally
return) is either absolutely heretical or a serious error very close to
heretical
The
sixth demonstration arises from the last sign, that follows antichrist which
shall be the consummation of the world. After antichrist at once comes the last
Judgement…the future reign of antichrist shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety
days duration. Mat 24 “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached to the
whole world and then shall come the consummation (of the world). That is a
little after antichrist shall come the end of the world