Venezuelan Seer Says God Holding Back 'Arms Of Terrorists' But Danger Is Ahead

By Michael H. Brown

First story

It's not going to happen. She knows that. But Catholic seer Maria Esperanza di Bianchini of Venezuela, here in the U.S. on a strictly private visit (as she last was back on September 11, 2001) puts forth a radical proposal: if the U.S. wants to avoid further disaster, she says, it should place two churches -- not just commercial buildings, not only offices, but two spiritual centers -- at the site of the former World Trade Center.

During visits and phone conversations to update a book of interviews with her, we asked if mankind had learned anything from the collapse of the WTC. "They are heading to the same direction again," said the mystic, who is associated with the Church-sanctioned apparition site of Betania near Caracas. "They want to go back to what they had. What God wants to be revealed in that place are twin churches. Two churches that resemble the towers but are churches, built there. That’s what God really wants. I know it’s impossible, and it’s a shame, but you never know. God wants two churches, twin churches, to be built there to save the world, because if they do that, if they built them, there would be many souls saved and the world would be saved – if they built two churches in that place."

According to her translator, Carlos Marrero Bornn, Esperanza, who is now ill and conducted the last interview with the assistance of a microphone, also mentioned the idea back when the buildings initially collapsed. She says building a spiritual center would even do economic good because people would come from all over to pay their respects.

It's not clear if Maria envisions solely a spiritual center or simply two buildings in addition to what else may be built. Whatever the actual realism, the idea that a spiritual lesson should have been learned from September 11 and that the site should be consecrated to God -- not materialism -- is the message. We note that one of the bright spots of the disasters was the miraculous survival of Trinity Church, which is just across the way from Ground Zero -- as is Church Street.

Signs? Or just "coincidence"? We wonder this as New York ponders architectural renderings for a new Trade Center. In a way, we can see why many would want to simply rebuild: Doing otherwise is nearly conceding a defeat.

But perhaps the spiritual could somehow be accented.

Thus far, plans set forth by major architects are sterile structures that minimize God and maximize man. All too predictably, there is a great push for erecting yet bigger towers (just as men throughout the Bible kept building towers as icons to themselves, towers that fell, we have pointed out, in ancient chastisements).

Remember those fallen beams -- the ones that were left by firemen as a testimony to faith?

We submit for consideration that what God wants is the Cross He Himself left in the rubble.

Perhaps He was nudging us there, letting us know what He wants to clear away and what He wants to establish. At the very least, He seems to want some form of profound spiritual acknowledgement. And that's really what Esperanza is saying.

For now, the great mystic says God is "holding back" the arms of terrorists "with His right arm." She says if we pray and honor Him, "He will stop everything." Right now He is protecting us, she says, "because of Our Lady. She is involved in many things to defeat the enemy, because this moment needs a lot of peace. Injustice is reigning right now, but Our Lord is fixing everything. Anyone who dares do something, who rises to do evil, will pay the consequences. We must raise our hearts and open our eyes to the infinite, to eternity, and say only, 'My God, my Lord, we're waiting for you!'"

Currently, there is too much pride, she warns. There is politics. The consequences of a war with Iraq, she says (as she has in the past), would be "very serious."

"God doesn't want evil or death but unity through love," she believes. "It would be a crazy thing to do, to attack Iraq, because they will attack and attack and attack, and they are prepared. They are just waiting to respond. They are just waiting for something little to fall upon, the terrorists and Iraq together. Leaders must be humble in heart and very wise, with patience and generosity. We are here in this world to serve – serve, serve, serve, and never get tired of serving. We can never allow ourselves to be provoked; we must always have our minds on Heaven. We have to be balanced. We are here today because God wants us to be here."

Will America find itself lessened in the future? Will future events cause the world's remaining superpower to diminish (as a new power, the European Union, rises)? "The U.S. is very smart and intelligent," she says of a country she dearly loves. "It has many talents. It is a nation that does what is just."

But it is also a nation, she emphasizes, that must go back to God.

"The risk is still there," she says. "You have to be alert all the time because there may be surprises. The United States must be very careful right now."

Seer Who Believes Churches Should Be Built At WTC

Adds A Crucial Detail

By Michael Brown

 [note: rumors concerning alleged prophecies from Maria Esperanza are circulating, some contrary to what she has said; as far as we know she has not dispensed dates for any events, nor insisted on a dogma proclamation]

Second story

We reported last week that Maria Esperanza de Bianchini, the famous Catholic mystic from Venezuela, was calling for twin churches to be established at Ground Zero -- that somehow those planning to replace the World Trade Center should include spiritual plans. "What God wants to be revealed in that place are twin churches," she told Spirit Daily. "Two churches that resemble the towers but are churches, built there. That’s what God really wants. I know it’s impossible, and it’s a shame, but you never know. God wants two churches, twin churches, to be built there to save the world, because if they do that, if they built them, there would be many souls saved and the world would be saved – if they built two churches in that place."

Maria has asked that we add an important detail: that the churches be open to all faiths. She emphasizes that God wants all men to worship Him and His Son as one -- not as a New Age global religion, but as a resurgence of Christian unity. Thus, the churches should be ecumenical. Such is in keeping with the messages from Betania, the Church-sanctioned apparition site with which she is associated. At Betania the Mother of God came as "Mary, Reconciler of Peoples and Nations."

Such is also in keeping with repeated requests by the Pope for ecumenism, including a major plea from him last week, when according to Zenit News Service, John Paul II said that "the restoration of full communion among Christians is not only the duty of pastors and theologians, but of every baptized person... In virtue of the strength of the faith that unites us, we Christians, therefore, are obliged, each according to his own vocation, to restore full communion, precious treasure left to us by Christ," the Holy Father added in a firm voice.

In order to restore the lost unity, said the Pope, "it is necessary to cultivate among Christians a love that is committed to surmounting the differences. It is necessary to make the effort to overcome every barrier with incessant prayer, with persevering dialogue, and with a fraternal and concrete cooperation in favor of the poorest and neediest."

Current plans for the WTC focus on replacing the collapsed structures with a memorial to the victims, and skyscrapers with office, retail, and hotel space -- basically what was there before.