A Vision Received by a Charismatic Catholic Priest      during the International Catholic Charismatic Congress in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Whitsuntide 1975:

"...Peculiar. I had expected to be overawed or happy at the sight of the Pope and in this grand Basilica among the mass of people to be swept along by the applause, shouts and choirs of joy; to be deeply touched even by the prophetic pictures announcing disruptions and persecutions. Because that such would have to be said, seemed quite normal to me. But now I was plainly and simply happy to be able to so wonderfully feel the living and glowing presence of the Holy Spirit - nothing more. Within me was deepest peace and I was in full charge of my neutral capabilities and was completely indifferent towards this immense demonstration of greatness. I was suffused by bliss, which I could not categorize, as if everything was self-evident and the unusual was non-existent. I saw and felt that only the natural was genuine and everything unusual is artificial.

"In the evening we traveled back by train and continued to pray in brotherly joy. Our compartments were connected through loudspeakers...

"I felt myself drawn upwards as if I was about to leave this earth and rise into the air. This feeling of being lifted came from a steady living movement that continued for about three hours. I again saw the masses of people: from the most insignificant unknown to the priests, bishops, cardinals and the Pope. I saw the Pope, his surroundings and everything that is organized around his person - this whole ceremonial. Then my field of vision widened over far extended parts of the earth and I saw the human organization of the church in the world.

"I had the impression that the church had formed as a religion, like a human society, which impedes the entrance to a godly life. The entanglement through the many personal thoughts and the countless theatrical and artificial attitudes - which seemed more like a farce - I saw as the cause of this impediment; it was suddenly before my eyes that Jesus could never have lived in this way and could never have intended things to be like this. It was if the life of Jesus and of what was expected of us had been too simple, although Jesus had already opened the gates for us and given us the possibility to enter the kingdom of God, into a completely enveloping light-flood of Divine Love. I saw that it would actually suffice to be conscious of the existence of this unique one, whom after all we are seeking with our whole soul - because in reality we have been created for him; and that we should open our hearts for him in deepest honesty, by turning away from all the rest, so that he might fill us and bring us to live constantly and naturally with him.

*

"The spirit showed me that everything that had been erected artificially in the world and in the church and which at present is used as a social, political, economical, human, ecclesiastical or religious back up, would suddenly collapse and disappear like smoke. Only the natural and self-evident life in God will continue to exist. I saw the Pope together with today's face of the church, of society and of the world disappear. The entire old world dissolved itself with amazing speed.

"An emptiness opened up - as if something was being ignored. The impression arose in the aftermath of a short but very painful time, of which I perceived nothing though. As if the earth had gone through a gigantic sieve, had been rattled and shaken, as if it had suffered through huge, hitherto unknown cramps and convulsions, in this way painfully seeking the kingdom of God, which it finally also found after most severe sorrows. As if a purifying release had taken place, which alone made God's reign possible and presented the human beings with a life only supported by God.

*

"The world appeared to me as if renewed from the bottom up. How much had changed on earth! I took in the newly arisen and harmonious Nature that was filled with an unbelievable peace. There was no longer an imbalance among the elements. The flora was beautiful and permeated by bustling life, finally freed from every disturbance that had earlier thrown it out of balance and devastated it. The plants, earth, forests, clouds and heaven married up in an indescribable harmony. The animals were no longer wild and nourished themselves from the grasses. The air was pure and good to breathe, the earth-enveloping atmosphere clear and transparent. It was at the same time a spiritual layer. Nature was permeated and pervaded by the overflowing spirit of God as if with a gentle warmth. The Holy Spirit glowed through everything; His active presence was perceivable as a tender, pleasant streaming of life and love pulsing through everything. Constant bliss and never ending deepest experiencing. Truly: a new heaven and a new earth. Noticeable was, that only very few people still lived on earth. The great conurbations and industrial centers had disappeared, large gatherings of people and materialism had passed; they no longer had any right to exist. The human beings lived connected to God and Nature. Their whole being perceived the presence of God and they breathed his proximity. Their breathing was a continual prayer. By inhaling the oxygen-giving air they received their existence from God. By exhaling they gratefully gave back to him from their very being. Joy and a constant quiet and blissful gratitude filled them. They were familiar with the Holy Spirit. Their abilities absorbed him and were permeated by him. Their spiritual, intellectual and physical qualities flourished and were perfectly balanced, without the slightest unevenness. Their spirit was constantly and effortlessly engrossed in God: This state was relaxing for them; nothing could any longer darken or slow down their intelligence. In striding onwards they received bit by bit an understanding of all things, meeting their needs at that time ...their intelligence was lively, quick, thorough and mobile, it swung in harmonious accord with the Will of God. They mastered everything in the right way.

"Their inter-human relations were carried by a constant love. This love was the stream of the Holy Spirit flooding through them, which they passed on from one to the other. Every gesture, every glance, every word passed on some of this stream of love. One became the others living sacrament. The waves of this love were visibly and noticeably streaming out of them. It presented spiritual joy to those whom it was meant for, because it vibrated through their entire being. They kept nothing back, everything was returned to God.

"I could for instance see some of them at table. They spoke very little thereby although great joy erupted at times. Their mealtimes were like true Eucharists; an end had been put to heathen mealtimes. It was beautiful and simple! In the families the love was noticeably great. The children were happy and the people lived in a heartfelt attachment through this stream that enlivened everybody, which again unified them with each other. They trusted each other.

"They lived from their produce and their agriculture. It was astonishing to see them work. No longer any racing after profit. They worked much on the soil and did not become tired thereby. This work filled them with purest joy. When they ploughed a field they did not do one hand's turn too much, nor too little. Their whole thinking and being was turned towards God also during their work, moved itself in this spirit-filled atmosphere, breathing God's spirit. In the execution of their profession and in the harmonious discharge of their duties their natural talents were able to unfold to the highest blossoming and that gave them joy, to the honor of God. When sowing they were never worried about the harvest or the vagaries of the weather, because they were always quickly receiving far beyond their expectations. Nature was extremely fruitful. They kept no stores but nourished themselves only from what the soil gave them. They were good looking and strong. The consumer society no longer existed, they also no longer produced for other, unknown people. It was the same with building. They built only for themselves, and their houses fitted well into Nature, as if they had risen from the soil. The dwellings combined to small villages, separated from each other.

"There were no longer any diseases and also no suffering - because the people bowed to the Holy Spirit, virtually bathing in it. They became very old.

"I saw nobody die, but had the clear impression based on this way of living, that death was no longer something arduous, but rather a joyful and uplifting, hope filled transformation ...like the development of a caterpillar perhaps, that becomes a pupae, to eventually unfold himself as a butterfly.

"The people were naturally living in simplicity, peace and harmony ...and in accord with God. Through his help and through their personal commitment they had been forgiven from injustice. They had convalesced in holiness. The kingdom of Jesus was tangible. The Holy Spirit could freely unfold the talents of the people in favor of this joining together, thereby leading Creation to its actual destination and to its final and glorious unfolding. Evil powers and spirits, who once besieged the air space with Satan, had been expelled from this spiritual sphere. They no longer had any influence - because the people were swinging with nature in the Will of God.

"Deeply impressive was the joy of these people, to be allowed to live on earth while looking up to God. Their entire being was so filled up, that they could no longer think about the past. They would not have been in any position to do so. The memories of their past, the wounds of their recollections, had completely healed over. The godless intention of a life of building a world without regard to His Will, and the entire history of the earthly past as well as the old face of the church had wholly and fully disappeared. Not even a memory of it was there any longer - because the people lived for the present, furthering Creation and turned to God ...For them there was no past. They also planned no longer for the future, which no longer existed, because they were certain to be striding towards God's eternal and perfect kingdom, which would spread all over the entire Creation. They lived most intensely in the present. They lived it in striding onwards. It was also not a present time as we understand it, it was a blissful existence which developed and unfolded in the Spirit of God.

"Such is the end of all the times: quite easy to describe, once one has seen and experienced it. Because it was not just seen but most deeply experienced; I was no longer aware of the past, because it was as if during this vision it had disappeared. To form plans was likewise impossible in this state, because I submerged myself to such an extent in the joy of a God-proximity, saw the kingdom of God roll out now at last and saw His Will being fulfilled in heaven as well as on earth."