St. John's Apocalypse, better known as the Book of Revelation, is perhaps the most profound, fascinating and frequently misinterpreted book in the Bible. All manner of heretics, pseudo-prophets and cultists have found in its mysterious symbols and prophecies the basis for their false teachings. Even the soberest Protestant studies -- which are numerous -- are infected by anti-Catholic errors and vain speculation.

Unfortunately, most Catholic studies of the Apocalypse have been aimed at specialists. An exception was this popular treatment by the eminent French theologian H.M. Feret, written in response to rising apocalyptic expectations during World War II, and later widely translated. Now back in print in its English version, it remains the definitive study for ordinary Catholics -- equally useful for laymen, clergy, seminarians, and homeschoolers studying Scripture with their children. Highlights and major themes:

• Common misinterpretations of apocalyptic symbols and prophecies -- and why they're wrong (Fr. Feret cites traditional Church teaching, great theologians, and Scripture itself)
• The important historical events that prompted St. John to write the Apocalypse (crucial to correct interpretation)
• Jesus in the Apocalypse: quite different from -- and an important complement to -- his image in the Gospels
• Important ways the Apocalypse modifies and enriches doctrines found elsewhere in the New Testament. How it supports Catholic dogmas denied by Protestants
• The Apocalypse as true prophesy. One major prediction that has already come to pass
• Major historical eras prophesied in the Apocalypse. Which one is ours?
• The Christian view of history according to St. John. The role of the Church
• How Protestants distort St. John's teachings about the Church, its divine mission, and its final destiny
• The activity of Satan in history. His two chief weapons against the Church
• The heavenly Jerusalem, and the End of Time
• The true meaning of the Millennium
• How St. John pictures Christ's spiritual kingdom, triumphant over the nations, as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesy
• How must the faithful cooperate with Christ in His victory over Satan? How St. John assures us that Christ's cause will triumph

Excerpts: Now here, according to St. John, is the primary power of the illusion which Satan exercises, slyly tempting multitudes of human beings and effectively leading them into idolatry, in order to be able subsequently to accuse them before God. Behind every deification of a state, whatever form it may take or by whatever ritual it may be accompanied, St. John from the time of Domitian onwards warns Christians to recognize the operations of that evil one whose name is Satan, the very spirit of error and deceit. No longer able to exercise his malice among the celestial beings of heaven, seducing them from God, for whom they have been created, he turns it loose in the world, employing for his particular purpose the political powers that are in a position to enforce idolatry among the masses. And when this plan succeeds, he hypocritically accuses the human multitudes before the throne of justice, whose divine judgements he knows are inevitable.…

While the gospel keeps people to the right road, false doctrines, religions and philosophies lead the human masses astray. When they appear, they seem to come from anything but political sources. They all try their best to resemble the Lamb. They claim to have the same rights, and to be just as effective as Christian truth. They seem at first to be far removed from any desire to favor the worship of political power. Actually, they should be recognized as St. Paul recognized Satan, when he described him as being disguised as an Angel of Light (2 Cor. 11, 14). Sooner or later they end by playing the first Beast's game, furnishing him with a mysticism for lack of which he would have no power over the masses. Then they invent a liturgy which is designed to divert to themselves the homage which is due to God alone.

The seventh seal having been broken by the Lamb, the book of history begins to unfold. The history of the last days, we must remember; that is to say, the period extending from the Resurrection of Christ to the great eschatological events which will accompany the end of time. By these are meant the human and cosmic cataclysms which will immediately precede the Last Judgement; the Judgement itself; and the glorious coming of the holy Jerusalem to the New Earth. The central portion of the book (8, 2-20, 15) offers instruction concerning this particular fragment of duration in time.

The teachings do not follow any orderly plan, each new feature dealing in chronological order with a fresh period. They either have a general application, or they single out individual aspects which complement one another, not throwing light on this or that period, but illuminating the whole of Christian history up to the end. Only in the last of these surveys (17, 1-20, 15) is a precise chronological prospect opened up as the narrative evolves. It concerns the fulfillment of God's judgements in history and, as we have already said, it applies in a truly prophetic way to events from the reign of Domitian onwards. Between the breaking of the seventh seal, and this prophetic section, in the narrow sense of the term, the general teachings little by little give point to other sections bearing upon the historic future.

There is first of all a general description (8, 2-11, 18) of the worldly condition of the 'inhabitants of the earth.' Their trials recall those inflicted upon Egypt under the Pharaoh when he obstinately insisted on keeping the faithful in bondage. They therefore have the same meaning. This section which, like the others, ends by conjuring up the disasters of the final days (9, 1-19), the consummation of all things (11, 15; cf. 10, 7); and the heavenly ovation which closes the drama (11, 16-18) also, by the dovetailing (10-11, 14), broaches the problem of Satan's struggle with the Church, and this problem is the real object of the following section.

Then the author resorts to a new flash-back. He traces this struggle between Satan and the Church to the very root, in its heavenly phase (11, 19-13). He describes the defeat of the Dragon in heaven, amid the acclamations of the celestial choir (12, 10-12). And only after that does he begin to deal with the titanic combat on earth (12, 13). There Satan is seen stirring up trouble among men through the medium of the two Beasts. And we are now properly prepared to follow their defeat and his, step by step (14, 20). After that it only remains for the New Jerusalem to appear in a regenerated cosmos, and this is fully described in the last chapters (21-22, 5).

At the point where we now find ourselves, therefore, two closely related mysteries are introduced into the instruction: that of Satan and that of the Church. We must commence by studying the former. The latter was intended to bring comfort and encouragement to the persecuted Christians, the former to make clearer the real causes and the chief instigator of their persecution. Through it all runs the inspiring assurance that truth will inevitably triumph, whatever apparent defeats it may temporarily suffer through the powers of darkness. In all the agitation brought about by these appearances, the mystery of the Church is shown, by contrast, poised in a state of unchanging serenity-very different from the feverish contortions of Satan as his end draws near.

Reviewers of the original 1958 English edition welcomed it as a crystal clear, balanced and Catholic explanation of Scripture's most difficult book:"SOUND, USEFUL AND ILLUMINATING ... not only explaining the text ... but bringing out clearly the religious truths which should guide our thoughts." -- The Clergy Review

"ENLIGHTENING AND SOBERING ... Those whom the Apocalypse tends to fill with distrust, alarm, bewilderment and vexation should find this companion to it reassuring, because Fr. Feret displays very convincingly that there is an intelligible message." -- Blackfriars

"PLAINLY AND LUCIDLY expounds the nature of Christian eschatology for the layman." -- Downside Review

"PROFOUND ... all readers will share in the consolation and courage that the first readers must have experienced at the assurance of final victory through the King of Kings." -- Theological Studies

"ADMIRABLY ACHIEVES ITS PURPOSE. [Fr. Feret] has selected the key ideas and developed them at some length and at times leisurely made modern applications. Thus the interest of the reader is sustained. At the same time the great figures and symbols are clearly presented and their meaning explained." -- Worship

TWO HELPFUL APPENDICES: Complete annotated translation of the Apocalypse enables you to read it along with Fr. Feret's commentary * Detailed outline of the Apocalypse