Ave Maria Purissima! Peace be to all! I would like to get your attention to our old Paraclete Herald Issue # 2, Volume # 2, for the months of March and April 1992. The article below was written by our Beloved Patriarch John Florentine Teruel PP
"WOMAN, BEHOLD YOUR SON" "BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER"
Still the Blessed Virgin Mary as Lady of the New Advent against the dragon." - THE APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC CHURCH BELIEF.. By + John Florentine L. Teruel, P.P.
The Apostolic Catholic Church (ACC) claimed to be founded by God, the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, through its Patriarch and Founding Bishop, + John Florentine Teruel, P.P. ACC is believed to be an Apocalyptic and Eschatological church. But, by virtue of its ecclesiastical mandate and valid Apostolic Line of Succession, ACC is one with and not separated from the ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH founded by our Lord Jesus Christ through His apostles.
As christian Catholic Church, ACC believes in the Most Holy Trinity: One God - three in persons - Co Eternal, Co Essential, Co Immortal and Co Substantial of the Father and the son, and of the Holy Spirit.
ACC is an ecclesiastical, autocephalic (self governing) denomination that traces its history and teachings to Jesus Christ.
The church originated as a Holy Trinity Catholic Movement founded in Hermosa Bataan in the early 1970s by Sister Ma. Virginia p. Leonzon vda de Teruel. The movement has spread throughout the Philippines, Hongkong, Australia, Canada, Brunei, and the United States of America. Membership is estimated to be more than five million.
ACC believes that salvation of man has direct and most important role to play during the eschatological time. Besides the glory of God and his kingdom, the books of the Holy Scripture also indicate with great frequency of man's salvation as the very eschatological purpose of a good life. It is the penultimate reward for obeying God's commandments. Salvation holds very important place among the motives and goals of the moral effort in Holy. Scripture and subsequently also in the piety of the Church.
Salvation is as much a key biblical concept as the concepts of God;s glory and kingdom. The notion of God who saves his people is a recurrent theme in the OT. This salvation is often a liberation from temporal afflictions, but, it also constitutes an eschatological promise.
Whenever Israel found herself in a time of crisis from which God delivered her, she experienced God's salvation. Especially at the time of the Exodus, God saved Israel by ransoming her from the power of Egypt (Exodus 14:13, Psalm 106:7-10, Isaiah 63:8f). But also on many other occasions, the Patriarchs and the chosen people experienced the saving hand of God. In each time of impending disaster, therefore, Israel turned to Yahweh in order to be saved. She knew that besides her God, there is no saviour (Isaiah 43:11f, Hosea 13:4, I Macabee 4:30)
The title "Savior" for Yahweh becomes a major theme of prophetic eschatology. Prophecies concerned with the last day describe under various pictures the final salvation of Israel. Yahweh will save His people by leading them back to their land (Jeremiah 23:6-8). He will save His sheep by bringing them to good pasture (Ezekiel 34:22f). He will deliver the house of Israel from all its impurities by giving them the gift of His Spirit (Ezekiel 36:22f). Salvation will be the essential act of Yahweh in that future time of grace when He will come to restore His people and all the earth in justice and holiness (Isaiah 45:21-25;51:7-11;61:10f; Jeremiah 31:7-9). To achieve it, He will send His servant, who will be made a light to the nations, that the Lord's salvation may reach to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6-8)
Salvation obtains an even more important place in the New Testament. The Gospels regard salvation as the purpose of Christ's life. He has come to earth to save that which was lost ( Luke 19:9f, John 5:34, 6:39f), to save the world and not to condemn (John 3:17, 12:47). The evangelists Matthew and Luke underline Jesus' role as Savior from His very infancy. The child conceived by Mary shall be called Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The angels announce to the shepherds the glad news that to them is born that night a Savior (Luke 2:11). Zechariah and Simeon hail in Mary' s child the dawn of salvation promised by the prophets (Luke 1:69-71, 77:2:30). And the preaching of John the Baptist makes ready the ways of the Lord, so that "all flesh shall see the salvation of God " (Luke 3:6)
The message of the Apostolic Community has for its objects the salvation of Jews and Gentiles (Acts 13:26,47; 28:28). The good news about Christ is defined as the 'message of salvation' (Acts 13:26; cf. 11:14) Christ is the savior (Acts 5:31; 13:23) and 'there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved' (Acts 4:12). The apostles, then, offer men the only 'way of salvation' (Acts 16:17)
The letters of the Apostles preach salvation as the meaning of Christ's life. God desires the salvation of all men ( I Timothy 2:4; 4:10). For this reason, He has sent His son as Savior of the world (Heb 5:8f; 1 John 4:14) and has made the Gospel an instrument for the salvation of every believer (Romans 1:16). In preaching it, the apostle has no other purpose, but, the salvation of men ( 1 Cor 9:22; 10:33). Salvation is also the meaning of the Christian life. The Gospel confronts men with a choice between salvation and doom, life and death (2 Cor 2:15f; 2 Thess 2:10-12).
In the fear of the Lord, they must work out their salvation (Philippians 2:12), which is the object of the Christian hope (1 Thessalonians 5:8f). Salvation is the final event at the end of time. God guards those who are chosen 'for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time' ( 1 Peter 1:5). The manifestation of the Lord and savior will bring about 'the salvation and the power and the kingdom our God and the authority of His Christ' (Revelations 12:10).
In synopsis, the primary biblical basis for eschatology focuses more on humankind's collective destiny expressed in the OT messianic hopes, and directly grounded in our Lord JC in the NT .The 'end time' has 'directly' begun in Jesus' proclamatin of the coming of the Kingdom of God, in his death and Resurrection, and in the outpouring of the HS. But, it is 'still to be consummated' when Christ comes in glory to judge the living and the dead (2 Timothy 4:1). 'Eschatology', then, plays a true important role in the 'Good News' of the gospel, expressing the goal and purpose of God's total plans of salvation. It treats of the final destiny on three levels; First, the individual person - that every individual human person is made up of a body which is to 'be raised up on the last day' (John 6:39f
) and a 'spiritual and immortal soul', endowed with consciousness and will; Second, the whole human race - that the final goal of the 'People of God' and the whole human race is 'when the elect are gathered together in the holy city which is illuminated with the glory of God, and in whose splendour all peoples will walk' (Revelation 21:23); and Third, the entire material cosmos - that the final state of whole cosmos, is 'the new heavens and new earth where the justice of God will reside' ( 2 Peter 3:13).
The mission of the ACC follows the 'Great Commission', as handed down by Jesus Christ through His Apostles to go throughout all the nations, preaching the Good News of salvation and baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, ACC distinctly believes that by the miracle that happenes to Patriarch + John Florentine Teruel, PP and by the divine revelation of the Holy Spirit through Sis Maria Virginia, before the Parousia comes, God, the Holy Spirit as the Third Divine Person of the Holy Trinity, and like the Father and the Son, will have His own so-called 'personal' revelation and manifestation ('kaganapan').
In 1969, a big miracle happened to seminarian Florentine Teruel at the San Jose Major Seminary, inside the compound of the Ateneo de Manila University, Katipunan, Quezon City. At around 5:30am as he was doing his morning meditation, an old hermit-like man approached him saying " My son, can you help me?" Florentine answered, "If the help you are asking from me will be for the salvation of the world, do unto me as you wish." From here, the old man corporeally transformed into the like of Jesus Christ. Florentine found himself kneeling down. Seeing that the Lord's feet are not on the ground, he cried and embraced His legs. He was terrified not knowing what was happening. The Lord asked Florentine to raise his head and look at Him to know, verify and confirm whom he is really seeing. Adhering to the command, Florentine stared and exclaimed, "My Lord and my God". He was asked to stand and listen well. "Truly, you are blessed to be able to avail of my last drop of blood in the calvary. From now on, I will be with you" Raising His right hand up to the sky, while His left hand was on the right shoulder of John, the Lord said " Father, unto you I recommend his spirit." From far distant sky, appeared an image of an old bearded man, stretching His right hand and instantly touching the head of Florentine. Then the Lord continued " From you and your clan, the New Jerusalem will be built and the Third Testament will be written."
Since then, for one year and a half, unusual things used to happen to Florentine. In trance, he was doing healing, blessing and counselling. The figure that appeared like the Lord did not claim to be Jesus Christ, but, God the Holy Spirit. Occassionally, Florentine would experience bi-location. The Holy Spirit wanted to be known and called "INGKONG" (Apocalypse 3:12-13).
This phenomenon transferred to Sister Maria Virginia, thus, the start of the Catholic Movement and the Foundation of the Apostolic Catholic Church (ACC).
ACC prayed hard and looked for some biblical references for the said miracle and other teachings of Beloved INGKONG through His (Living) Covenant, St. Maria Virginia, in Sacrifice Valley which is now commonly called as the Holy Land. God, the Holy Spirit will establish a "new covenant."
'Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruits" (Matthew 21:43).
"The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers." (Jeremiah 31:31-32) It is the belief of many that the Philippines is one of the nations that belongs to the tribes of Judah - of Southeastern and Northeastern nations. "They (the saved) lift their voices in acclaim; from the sea they proclaim the majesty of the Lord;... in the coastlands, give glory to the Lord! (Isaiah 24:14-15).
Since the Philippines is the only Christian Catholic nation in the Far East and Asia, the Philippines is the country where the New Jerusalem will be brought down by God (Hebrew 12:22-23)
Sacrifice Valley, the New Jerusalem, is located above the hilly mountains of Hermosa Bataan. It is also called as the Pilgrimage Center by some Roman Catholic clergies because every Friday and other Holy Days people from all walks of life and from different race and countries flock in this holy mountain to see, listen and praise INGKONG (Micah 4:1-2).
Many come for physical, spiritual and emotional healing. Holy Sealing or "Pagpapatatak" (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30) is the initiation rite done solely by Beloved INGKONG (Matthew 3:11) for formal membership (Joel 2:28-29) where sins are forgiven, change of name, heart, and spirit are gifts (Ezekiel 36:25-26). It is here where the prophecy is fulfilled that those of heavens and of earth will join together ( Ephesians 1:10), to fight evil before the end of the world. ACC as an Apostolic Catholic Church, having the complete twenty six valid apostolic line of successions, aims to bridge the gap between the Roman Catholic church (RCC), the Latin rite, and the Orthodox Catholic Church (OCC), the Eastern rite. Likewise, by the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit, Beloved Ingkong, ACC joined the National Council of Churches (NCCP), to love and embrace the Protestant Christian brothers and sisters with divine aim to fulfil the eschatological ecclesiastical mandate of God: To be of One Flock and one Faith.
Why these things are only now being revealed? As what Jesus Christ, Himself, said that it is not his proper time yet to reveal all, but, the Holy Spirit has the task to speak, guide and declare the things that are coming (John 16:12-15). And according to St Paul, that there are also events which are not recorded or written in history. * 2 Thessalonians 2:15)
And finally, on the very judgment day, the Theotokos, the Child-God bearing Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, would play the most essential and most vital role on man’s salvation. She is the most qualified and most favored one (Luke 1:28; 42) to intercede and plea for the Mercy of God.
From the very instant of its creation, the soul of the Virgin Mary was free from original sin. By the single and special grace that she will bear in her womb the Saviour of the world, the eternal enemy of sin, His mother was preserved from the stain of sin before, during and after her conception. Mary’s Immaculate Conception can be the sole key and reason why she can beseech, plead and ask for God’s mercy for all mankind.
It is said that no religion will be able to save man. Not even man’s righteous deeds can save him, lest, he boasts and lives in pride. It is actually only the mercy of God that can truly save man (Titus 3:4f). On judgement day, as the living and the dead will face the Lord, the Red Dragon (Satan) with seven heads and then horns, bearing all the titles that insult God, will be at the courtyard of God. He will be ready to witness against everyone to insult and diminish God’s honour and glory for favouring and creating man according to His own image and likeness.
The seven heads of the dragon are the big churches that may seem successful, open and sincere in following, glorifying and honouring God, yet they do not please God. The ten horns are the ten commandments of God. As every good thing and deed is said about a person being judged, the dragon will forward, detail, and show the horn or horns of commandments he had violated. And violation of any God’s Decalogue is a mortal sin whose wages are sickness and death; and eventually, eternal punishment and perpetual separation from God. On this account, who will honestly be saved? All must have violated the commandments of God in his or her lifetime. Though it is true that the blood of Christ on the cross has washed and forgiven sins; and His death and resurrection reconciled man to the Father, man has continued committing sins. Even after saying that man confessed his sins and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, has he honestly and truly stopped transgressing God’s love and laws after the said acceptance?
Therefore, will God be a failure in His creation? Does God do not know that this will come to fore? As God is Mighty and Omnipotent, from the time of creation, He has put a total enmity between the Serpent (Satan) and the Woman (the Blessed Virgin Mary), and her seed… (Genesis 3:15), and up to the end of the world and the start of the new heavens and the new earth, still, it is the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Lady of the New Advent against the dragon. (Apocalypse 12:1)
Mary, as she interceded for the plight of the bride and groom in Cana, thought not yet the hour of her Divine Son (John 2:4f), will intercede for us all. More so, that it was to her that Saint John, the Evangelist, who represents mankind, was endorsed by Jesus Christ, and to Saint John, His own mother Mary, to be the mother of mankind. “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there to whom He loved, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son.” Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother’ (John 9:26:27). And as a mother to all, even to those who do not like to know and trust her, Mary, “to” Her son, Jesus Christ, will show her love and do her best to fight, pray and intercede on man’s behalf in the end-time or Maranatha.
