| Home - Latest News | Introduction | Bayside Prophecies | Directives from Heaven | Order Form | Testimonies | Veronica Lueken | Miraculous Photos | Bible | Radio Program |

These Last Days News - August 15, 2013

Should Priests Drive Fancy Cars?

"Pastors, you must now do great penance.  Get down on your knees! Humility! Humility, My pastors! Holiness and piety! Tradition! What are you building among yourselves but a church of man, eliminating My Son in the light." - Our Lady, December 24, 1975

"My child, make it known to Our priests in My Son’s houses upon earth, churches, that We want Our priests to shine forth as pure examples of chastity and holiness.... "The example that must be shown and given to the children of earth by Our priests must set them apart as representatives of My Son. They do not have any equal upon earth, for their vocation is a special gift of God." - Our Lady, June 18, 1974

First Things reported on August 5, 2013:

Of all the challenging things Francis has said since becoming pope, none has been more quoted than this line: “How I would like a Church which is poor, and for the poor!”

Simple and direct, it perfectly captures the spirit of Francis’ new pontificate. And what gives it such power and meaning is the personal witness behind it.

Francis’ sparse and austere lifestyle is well-known: As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he shunned limousines and chauffeurs, opting instead for public transportation. Rather than live in the bishop’s residence, he chose a modest apartment. After becoming cardinal, he continued his own grocery shopping and even cooked his own meals.

Elevated to the Chair of St. Peter, many expected him to change habits, but Francis declined. He insisted on paying his own hotel bill, carrying his luggage, and living in a Vatican guesthouse rather than the Apostolic Palace.

Had he left it at that, many would have noted the new pope’s frugal lifestyle and commended his humility. But Francis has done something more: He challenged others to live more modestly themselves.

In a speech last month, Francis warned religious that following the latest fashions, in technology or dress, was not the route to happiness, much less suitable for their state in life:

It hurts me when I see a priest or a nun with the latest model car. . . . A car is necessary to do a lot of work, but please choose a more humble one. If you like the fancy one, just think about how many children are dying of hunger in the world.

Familiar as these comments should be—who hasn’t been told by their parents not to be wasteful, with so many people starving in the world?—they sparked a mini-uproar. Francis was rebuked by defenders of the auto industry, who pointed out that he himself recently received the keys to the expensive popemobile; was accused of bad economics, since inexpensive cars often break down and harm the economy; and certain traditionalists asked how he could be raising such trivial concerns when there was so much dissent going on in the Church.

Never mind that Francis has already cut his use of the popemobile (developed for the pope’s safety, not comfort), or that he never said one should buy a cheap, unworkable car (only a modest one), or that he has already indicated he will brook no dissent on essentials of the faith. Francis clearly touched a nerve, and his critics, both in and outside the Church, felt it.

In fairness to those who respectfully question Francis, the Church has never forbidden all examples of splendor, especially those which pay homage to God: Jesus graciously accepted the alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, even as those around him objected; and when it comes to the liturgy, sometimes more ismore. As one commentator wrote in a spirited exchange with back-to-simplicity campaigners:

I agree that clerics should be humble and have a poverty of spirit in their everyday lives. I do not understand, however, why progressive Catholics are so bothered by formal liturgical dress. . . . Human beings are physical creatures who perceive through their senses. The Church has always had a physical sacramentality to reflect this fact. Liturgical ‘pomp’ . . . serves to elevate the mind of the worshipper to God, to beauty and the sacred. If the priest and the congregation wear shabby clothes and vestments to mass there will be no elevation of the spirit via the senses, no physical reminders that the mass is different than going to a ball game, that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our Faith.

One trusts that Francis appreciates this fact, even if he himself prefers more low-key, reverent Masses.

That said, the Pope deserves praise for speaking out against conspicuous consumption and urging religious to adopt a more humble way of life. Following the example of Our Lord, the saints and doctors of the church have always stressed the Beatitudes, the first of which is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” The need for personal sacrifice and discipline, in order to serve others, is at the very heart of the Gospel and should inspire every Christian, especially priests.

Historically, and continuing in our day, great harm has been done to the Church by an association with wealth and privilege. No one identified the problem better than St. Catherine of Siena, who, in a passionate letter to Pope Gregory XI on the reform of the clergy, wrote these searing words:

Alas, what confusion is this, to see those who ought to be a mirror of voluntary poverty, meek as lambs, distributing the possessions of Holy Church to the poor: and they appear in such luxury and state and pomp and worldly vanity, more than if they had turned them to the world a thousand times! Nay, many seculars put them to shame who live a good and holy life. . . . Holy Church should return to her first condition, poor, humble, and meek as she was in that holy time when men took note of nothing but the honor of God and the salvation of souls, caring for spiritual things and not for temporal. For ever since she has aimed at more temporal than at spiritual, things have gone from bad to worse.

Many of Francis’ predecessors have also made sacrifices and eschewed comfort. Among the most memorable examples is what Pius XII did during the Second World War. Sr. Margherita Marchione writes:

Out of solidarity with the miserable conditions of the people, he did not drink even a single cup of coffee, knowing the people had no coffee. He knew that heating fuel was in short supply, and he ordered the papal apartment to be kept without heat, even during the winter. During the war he did not take any vacations and did not go to Castelgandolfo.

Instead, Pius opened up the large papal residence for thousands of poor and persecuted people, who subsequently thanked him for saving their lives.

The outpouring of love and affection that has greeted Francis’ pontificate has a great deal to do with his modesty and commitment to the poor, and already prompted one priest to sell his luxury car. Leading churchmen have said that Francis has caused them to rethink their own elegant lifestyles, and at Commonweal, Michael Garvey argues persuasively that Francis’ words shouldn’t be restricted to the clergy, but should motivate everyone:

When the newly elected Pope Francis said that he longs for a Church that is poor and for the poor, he undoubtedly had overdressed and bejeweled cardinals, careerists bishops, and cufflink priests in mind, but he was addressing all the rest of us, too. Just because I don’t sit on a Bernini throne, keep a limo driver on hold or have a staff of vowed religious waiting on me at dinnertime doesn’t mean that I have no ballast to throw out, no occluded lifestyles to simplify, open up and focus.

To those who fear Francis’ approach is diminishing the papacy and forgoing things necessary to protect Christianity, one need only consult the Gospel of St. Matthew:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart will be also.

Pope Francis knows where our true riches lie, and by humbling himself and renouncing so many pleasures in this world, he is in fact elevating the papacy and attracting souls to Christ in ways that truly befit his leading representative on earth.

"I have asked you once, I have asked you again, My children, not to abandon your parish churches. It is the plan of satan to shut the doors. Remember, My children, and I repeat again, that My Son is with you in the Eucharist. He is present with you in Body and Spirit. He will be brought to you by a legally-ordained priest, a man of God. Do not judge My Son's Church or its structure by the ways of man. The Spirit will work miracles over the corruption of the man. A legally-ordained priest is a priest for life.
     "Please, My children, pray for your priests. Many are being led astray. Discipline and the rule must be followed in the priesthood. This brings great sorrow to the Eternal Father and My Son to see the manner in which the priesthood has cast aside the rule in the name of modernism and humanism." - Our Lady of the Roses, March 25, 1978

We urgently need your prayers and financial support to be able to continue to create these web pages.  Click here... Thank you in advance.

 When you pray the Holy Rosary, you have Our Lady's hand in your hand.  When you pray the Holy Rosary, you have the power of God in your hands.  Start now!  Let Us All Pray the Rosary Together Around the World an Increase in Humble Priestly Vocations... Click here...

Our Lady of the Roses Awesome Bayside Prophecies... https://www.tldm.org/Bayside/
These prophecies came from Jesus, Mary, and the saints to Veronica Lueken at Bayside, NY, from 1968 to 1995.

A SIMPLE PLAN
"Pastors, you must now do great penance. Get down on your knees! Humility! Humility, My pastors! Holiness and piety! Tradition! What are you building among yourselves but a church of man, eliminating My Son in the light." - Our Lady, December 24, 1975 

RESTORE
"In the beginning I gave to you, through your prophets, the establishment of My Church upon earth. The rules were simple but now have become changed and defiled to please the carnal nature of mankind. You must restore the holiness to My House! You must bend your knees in humility and penance." - Jesus, December 31, 1975 

THE CROSS
"You will well understand, My child, that the cross is always heavy. Humility and sacrificing of your worldly instincts will make your ascent to holiness much swifter. It is truly the will of the Father that you will do." - Our Lady, February 10, 1975 

SIMPLER
"We have asked you to pray for sinners; for you who have been given the grace to come upon these sacred grounds, you must go forward and try to save your brothers and sisters. I say brothers and sisters, My child and My children, because you are all brothers and sisters as you were created by the Eternal Father. Due to man's humility in the beginning-except, My child, for the sin of Adam and Eve-the world was not in such great chaos. Life was far simpler. As man goes forward and tries to seek all of the earth's paradise by way of fortunes and gold and silver, they have sold their souls to get to the head." - Our Lady, March 18, 1989

 STRENGTH
"My children of light, you will continue in your efforts to save your brothers and your sisters. The scoffers will increase, but you cannot be moved by their reactions. You will try to save them, even against their will. Give the message to your brothers and sisters and then go on, for there are many to be saved.
   "Do not, My child and My children, concern yourself with trivialities. It is only pride and the need for more virtue of humility that will make you concerned of the opinion of mere man. Pray, My child and My children, for the strength to proceed without interference." - Jesus, March 15, 1978 

YOU LACK HUMILITY
"During the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, there is a change of the bread and a change of the wine, and it is the real Presence, the Body and the Blood of your God!
   "As in the past, cannot you recognize the mystery of Heaven and earth? Did not the staff of Moses turn into a serpent in the will of God? Did not the river in Egypt turn into blood in the will of God? And cannot God, in His will, come to you changing the bread and wine into the actual Presence, the real Presence, the factual Presence of His Body and Blood?
   "But no-o-o, because you do not pray enough, because you lack humility, because you have given yourselves to the world and pleasures of the flesh, you have lost the way; you have gone into darkness. And a Church, a House in darkness wears a band of death about it! All that is rotten shall fall! The heavens and earth shall shake! Many shall die in the great flame of the Ball of Redemption." - St. Michael, February 1, 1977 

ONLY AS LITTLE CHILDREN
"Fight not among yourselves. Just pray, for you are all brothers. Satan seeks to separate My children with discord. Heed not his diabolical plan that blinds you to the truth. Sacrifice your pride, your avarice, your greed. Be humble in heart, for only as little children shall you enter the Kingdom." - Our Lady, July 15, 1970 

REMAIN HUMBLE
"My children, remain all humble of heart; seek only for the light; search as light bearers in the darkness; go through the darkest corners of the souls of mankind. Bring your light to them as given to you from Heaven. Always there will be opposition, My children, when satan knows that his time grows short. He will come back from the abyss with demons comparable in power to himself." - Our Lady, May 30, 1977 

DO NOT BREAK
"You must still in your human nature not become prideful or arrogant. You must accept the counsel of the true priests who are in My Church. You cannot and must not break away and form your own groups.... I do not want you to leave your parish churches. I want you and counsel you as your God to remain! If you have any dispute, I ask you for the preservation of your salvation upon earth, to not cast aside the role of the priesthood as given through the Apostles, My followers. Peter was My first Pope and your first Pope, and as all others who followed him, they must be accepted. Be they weak or noble, be they with sanctity or unholiness, they must be accepted and followed." - Jesus, June 9, 1979

TRADITIONALIST
"We hear all names coming forward to Our ears of churches being born anew, called the Traditional Roman Catholic Church. My child and My children, We need no more Traditionalists running around and creating new churches. We have to remain steadfast and firm in our convictions that with enough prayer, and also the firm example of holiness among many, this will not happen. We do not condemn those who make these side churches, the Traditional Roman Catholic churches; they mean well, but they are being led astray. There will be eventually an American Catholic Church if this continues. This is not approved by Heaven.... It is most urgent that this breaking away stop now before it evolves into a major schism." - Jesus, September 14, 1985

REMAIN
"Do not judge My Son's Church by man. The foundation is My Son, Jesus. And though the walls may develop cracks, the foundation is solid. Will you not remain and patch these cracks, My children? We do not wish that you break apart into small groups of discord. No schisms must take place in My Son's Church. For all who are baptized a Roman Catholic must die Roman Catholics to enter Heaven." - Our Lady, November 20, 1979

BADGE OF HONOR
"A duly ordained priest in the House of God shall not remove his habit. He shall not take the badge of honor of his vocation from him. In doing thus, he subjects his soul to contamination from worldly influence." - Our Lady, March 25, 1973

REWARD
"The simple life, My child, is the best for the dedicated. The dedicated, those who have accepted a vocation, must live only as human beings in the world, but must accept the spiritual.... Discipline must be returned to the Orders. Many must now retire from the world that has been given to Satan. Know now, my brothers and sisters of religious orders: you will be mocked, you will be scorned, but you will please the Eternal Father and receive your reward in the Kingdom." - St. Francis of Assisi, May 28, 1975

ETERNITY
"Additional graces I give unto you, My dedicated. Those who remain true to your teachings know that there is none whom you will answer to but the Father. Eternity is forever. Do not bargain your soul for the few years you have on your planet earth." - Jesus, September 13, 1974

POLITICS
"You must not involve yourselves, My pastors, with the political machines of your world. It is a satanic involvement." - Jesus, May 15, 1976

INSTRUMENT
"During the consecration of My Body, regardless of his human nature, whether it be saint or sinner, I come to you in full Body and Spirit. I come to you through him as a medium from God, through him as an instrument from God." - Jesus, June 18, 1977

"DO NOT GO SEEKING ELSEWHERE"
"I ask you all not to abandon My Church. Do not judge My Church by the priest, for in his human nature he can err. But I assure you I am using him, as a legally ordained priest, to bring you My Body and Blood. Do not go seeking elsewhere, for you will lose your baptismal right, and you will no longer be accepted as a Roman Catholic, and you will not enter into the highest place of Heaven, the Kingdom of Paradise." - Jesus, October 6, 1980

Directives from Heaven... https://www.tldm.org/directives/directives.htm

D1 - The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass   PDF  Order copies...
D2 - The Holy Eucharist  PDF  Order copies...
D5 - The Holy Priesthood PDF  Order copies... 
D82 - Sacraments  PDF  Order copies...
D107 - Pride    PDF  Order copies...
D108 - Humility PDF  Order copies...
D233 - Vocations, Part 1   PDF  Order copies...
D234 - Vocations, Part 2  PDF  Order copies...
D228 - Consecrated Hands   PDF  Order copies...

EDITOR'S COMMENT:  Evil is accelerating and the Anti-Christ forces are gaining power in the world.  When the persecution starts, all Christian web sites on the internet will be forced to close.  Be sure to have in your possession all the following items: the Bayside Prophecy books, Bayside Medals, Douay-Rheims Bibles, the Protection Packets, Candles, Sacramentals, and Religious Books.  Purchase these items now while they are still available!  You will urgently need them in the days ahead.  Also, you can print out all PDF files for the Directives from Heaven and all of the Bayside Prophecies.  Copy Our Lady's messages and the Directives from Heaven now while they are still available!  Pray to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance on how to prepare now and for the days ahead when the Antichrist is revealed.  Viva Cristo Rey!

There are 4 things you must have to survive the end times:

1.) The Douay-Rheims Holy Bible...

"You must all obtain a copy of the Book of life and love, the Bible. Do not accept the new mods. Try to find in your bookstores the old Bibles, My children, for many are being changed to suit the carnal nature of man.  I repeat, sin has become a way of life." - Our Lady, October 6, 1992  
    "I must ask you all to read but a few short chapters a day now, the Book of life and love, your Bible. Knowledge must be gained for all the disciples of My Son, for you will be attacked by scientific minds. But do not be concerned what you will say to them when accosted, for the words will be given to you by the Spirit." - Our Lady, April 10, 1976  (Order Form)

2.)  The total Virgin Mary’s Bayside Prophesies in 6 paperback books...

The Virgin Mary brings directions from God, the Father in Heaven on how to survive the end times.  God, the Father, through the Virgin Mary, tells what is coming, how to prepare for it, how to survive it, and how to even stop it.  These six volumes along with the Bible are most important to save yourself and your loved ones.  Order it now.  Tomorrow may be to late.  These 6 pocket size paperback books costs $33.00.   (Order Form)

3.)  Heaven's Home Protection Packet...

Heaven’s Home Protection Packet...
Our Lord stated we must have crucifixes upon the outside of all of our outside doors. In the "Heaven’s Home Protection Packet" there are instructions, four crucifixes, a tube of special cement for wooden or metal crucifixes. Wooden crucifixes adhere better to the doors when the aluminum strap is removed from the back. Put a light coat of cement on the back of the crucifix and then press it to the outside of the door. If you have any problems, you can call us at 616-698-6448 for assistance. This Heaven’s Home Protection Packet is available for a donation of $7.00 plus $3.00 shipping and handling. Send $10.00 to TLD Ministries, P.O. Box 40, Lowell, MI 49331. Item # P15  (Order Form)

Crucifix on front and back door...  The only real protection against terrorists...

Jesus - "Pray and wear your sacramentals. And, also, My children, I ask you again to place a crucifix upon your door. Both front and back doors must have a crucifix. I say this to you because there will be carnage within your areas, and this will pass you by if you keep your crucifix upon your doors." (6-30-84) (Testimonies of lives and homes saved by the crucifixes.)  https://www.tldm.org/news/crucifix.htm    (Order Form)

4.) Heaven's Personal Protection Packet...

Your names have been written in Heaven… "It is not by accident that you are called by My Mother, for your names have been written in Heaven.... But with this great grace you have great responsibility to send this Message from Heaven throughout the world, for if you are able to recover just one more for Heaven, an additional star shall be placed in your crown." - Jesus, August 5, 1975

A great obligation to go forward... "It is not by accident that you are called by My Mother, for it is by merit and the prayers that have risen to Heaven for your salvation.  For those who have received the grace to hear the Message from Heaven, you have a great obligation to go forward and bring this Message to your brothers and sisters.  Do not expect a rest upon your earth, for you will have eternal rest very soon." - Jesus, June 12, 1976

The sin of omission...  "The sin of omission shall condemn many to hell, be they layman or Hierarchy.  I repeat:  not the sin of commission, but the sin of omission will commit many to hell."  Our Lady of the Roses,  October 6, 1980

We encourage everyone to print or email copies of this web page to all the Bishops and all the clergy.  Also, email or send this web page to the news media and as many people as possible.

Email this page to a friend.

| Home - Latest News | Introduction | Bayside Prophecies | Directives from Heaven | Order Form | Miracles & Cures | Veronica Lueken | Miraculous Photos | Bible | Radio Program |

The electronic form of this document is copyrighted.    
Quotations are permissible as long as this web site is acknowledged with a hyperlink to: https://www.tldm.org
Copyright © These Last Days Ministries, Inc. 1996 - 2013   All rights reserved.
P.O. Box 40                   616-698-6448
Lowell, MI 49331-0040
Revised: October 20, 2022