The rise of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, a political stalemate in Saxony, and the break of Germany’s federal coalition government worry the Catholic Church.

In February, Germany’s Catholic bishops condemned the AfD and warned against voting for them. “The statement is highly unusual,” Deutsche Welle explained, “because for the past 25 years, the Catholic bishops have been reluctant to offer any assessments of political parties.”

But recent crises have caused the bishops to speak out. Notice the following headlines from various Catholic publications in Germany:

• “Bishops’ Conference Sees Far-Right Parties as Unelectable: ‘Incompatible With the Christian View of Humanity’” (domradio.de, February 22)
• “Before the Elections [In Eastern Germany]: The Church Warns Clearly Against the AfD” (katholische.de, August 31)
• “Bishops’ Conference Wants to Sanction AfD Members” (Die Tagespost, September 26).
• “Crisis of the Traffic Light Coalition: Church Reacts With Frustration and Concern” (katholische.de, November 6)
• “Catholic Entrepreneurs Call for Swift Vote of Confidence After Traffic Light Exit: Why Lose So Much Time?” (domradio.de, November 7)

Catholic leaders and associations have been especially concerned about Germany’s recent government crisis. “Public disputes and a lack of unity in government work are delaying urgently needed decisions and reforms,” explained the Family Federation of Catholics.

Dr. Martin Nebeling, the federal chairman of the Association of Catholic Entrepreneurs, told domradio.de:

Germany has a right to be governed sensibly. In recent weeks, there have been considerable doubts as to whether this is the case. In this respect, I believe that things are now coming apart that did not fit together well from the outset. Especially when you look at the emotionality of the chancellor’s statements.

Cardinal Reinhard Marx, however, believes the German political system can face the crises. “I think we underestimate in our country what it means to have functioning institutions that can also deal with difficult situations,” he said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was Germany’s first nondenominational chancellor since World War ii. Angela Merkel, a Protestant, was in power for 16 years before Scholz, and another Protestant, Gerhard Schröder, was in power before her for seven years. However, the next chancellor candidate of the Christian Democratic Union, which has the highest chance of winning the election, is Roman Catholic. Germany could once again be ruled by a Catholic chancellor.

But there is little reason for optimism in the Catholic Church: The current political climate and global crises make governing extremely difficult.

The Trumpet believes Europe will face these upcoming challenges by looking to its past. In “Watch This Man Closely,” Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explained:

Europe is not heavily Catholic today as it has been in the past, but that will change soon, and rapidly. The Bible prophesies that the coming European superpower will be guided by the Roman Catholic Church just as it has been in the previous six resurrections of the Holy Roman Empire over the past 1,500 years.

The book of Revelation speaks of a church-state union prophesied to rise one more time. As crises continue, we expect the Catholic Church to get more involved. The recent political statements may be just be the beginning. Mr. Flurry wrote in 2021:

This modern-day Holy Roman Empire is once again a church-state alliance—actually an empire guided by a religious power! We not only need to watch for the rise of a strongman to guide the empire, we need to watch for the rise of the Catholic Church’s influence over it.

The Trumpet and its predecessor the Plain Truth have watched this trend for many decades. Now Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the election of Donald Trump in the United States, and Germany’s political crisis give the Catholic Church more incentives than ever to get more involved.

In 1980, the late Herbert W. Armstrong foretold: “What Russia is doing will be the spark to bring the heads of nations in Europe together with the Vatican to form a ‘United Nations of Europe.’ The politicians cannot do this by themselves. Only with the collaboration of the pope can they do it.”

Mr. Flurry wrote: “Whoever the overall leader is of this powerful, deadly, beastly superpower, the Catholic Church will be largely responsible for installing him in power and guiding him.”

The leader Mr. Flurry has watched to fulfill this office has been increasingly in contact with the Catholic Church. Mr. Flurry noted:

Karl-Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester Buhl-Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg is a Roman Catholic. Freiherr stands for Reichsfreiherr, which means baron of the Holy Roman Empire. This title was given to the family in the 19th century by Emperor Leopold i, who was described by Eduard Habsburg as the “pinnacle of the Catholic faith in Habsburg lands.” Since 2009, we have watched Guttenberg’s connection with the Catholic Church, and he has recently made several statements about it.

In December, Guttenberg published his documentary about the “power of the churches” with the main focus on the Catholic Church. He discussed Catholic scandals with Vatican expert Andreas Englisch on his podcast. Guttenberg also talked about the church’s “miracles.” He has a strong belief in the Catholic Church.

Englisch said Germany’s attempts to reform the Catholic Church without the pope’s blessings are useless, words the Vatican certainly loves to hear. In various interviews and podcasts, Guttenberg has told the German people that “the tail cannot wag the dog,” meaning Germany cannot dictate to the church since the Vatican and the pope are the head.

These statements strengthen the Catholic Church and the pope! …

Who is talking about the Catholic Church like this? Guttenberg understands that it is this church that will lead the Holy Roman Empire. Only the Vatican can unite that empire. I believe Guttenberg is close to getting a very strong office in this church-led political power.

Since then, Guttenberg has continued to strengthen his relations with the Catholic Church. In September, he co-authored a book with Gregor Gysi that was published, like Guttenberg’s previous books, with the Catholic publisher Herder. He also talked to the Catholic publication Herder Korrespondenz about the end of war and the need for European nukes. In April, he was interviewed by Tobias Liminski for the magazine Grandios, which has the stated goal of “anchoring Christian values in society.”

We are about to see dramatic fulfillment of Bible prophecy. To keep up with these prophecies and to learn where they are leading, read “Watch This Man Closely” by Gerald Flurry.