I agree with Jon. There are any number of private prophetic writings that the Church neither condemns or endorses. The problem is because they are not Public Revelation, such as is the case for Sacred Scripture or the Deposit of Faith, they are not required belief among Catholics. Individuals take such private revelations as if they are required belief, and carry the mark of infallibility. Some people put these writings in a position that is far more important (to them) than the Scriptures and living a life of virtue. While the end of time will come no doubt, so too will our own lives one day. For most of us, it will probably be before the end of the Earth. So it is more important that we try to live a life free from sin. When we do sin, avail ourselves to the medicine Jesus gave us, ie, we are reconciled Sacramentally and strengthened through the Eucharist. When it come to reading, that we study our Faith by reading the Sacred Scriptures and Good Catholic books that explain the Faith.

The clincher in fulfillment of Pontiff John XXIII, Shepherd and Sailor, is the posthumous publication of his “log”, Journal of a Soul, much like a pilot of a ship keeps track of his course.

The overall difficulty with any prophecy is having it confirmed. St. Paul wrote in one his letters of the importance of such confirmation. And he also put prophecy with interpretation above speaking in tongues, as to hear and not understand is of less edification than to hear prophecy and its meaning.

The reference in this thread to Paul VI’s writing, Dei Verbum, which separates revelation into public and private, has similar intent. If private revelation is so exclusive as to be void of meaning, then the message is one of gibberish, “ear tickling” so to speak, to quote from St. Paul’s letter to Timothy.

Then there is the fact that the St. Malachy Prophecy was written hundreds of years before the Constitution on Divine Revelation was written. The necessity for confirmation remains unchanged, however.

Seeing the General Resurrection of the Dead unfolding before our eyes puts public revelation into the limelight. But what of continued discourse amongst those resurrected? It is not only private per the individual, but public, as well, because the Gospels are about the Resurrection, too. Then the Deposit of Faith can be seen to have accrued interest from the Lord’s bounty.

From my study of prophetic writings thusfar, there remains an inconsistency in the most recent two elections : both ‘elected’ candidates are, at best, Curates, with respect to the St. Malachy Prophecy. The departure from the original procedure of election, as in the case of Matthias to fill the shoes of Judas Iscariot, is the cause of this anomaly.

Much like placing too much weight on private revelation, placing too much weight on Papal Infallibility can produce an error outside of the domain of Faith and Morals.

Election to the College of Cardinals by prayer and the casting of lots, was replaced by direct appointment through the Vicar of Christ.

The confirmation of the St. Malachy Prophecy is confounded much by such errant treatment of what began as a sacred task.