Introduction: The Virgin Mary has appeared, in a true private revelation, to six visionaries of Medujorje. Each is given ten secrets. Some of the secrets are the same for each of the visionaries and some are different. Some of the secrets are personal, not meant for the Church and the world; other secrets are meant for the whole world. The comments below refer only to those secrets which are for the whole Church and the whole world. Each of the ten secrets will begin in the lifetime of this generation. Each of the ten secrets has a comprehensive and profound effect on the Church on earth and the world. Each of the ten secrets is found, in some form, in Sacred Scripture, including the Old Testament.

Point of View: I generally understand what the secrets are and when they will occur; this understanding comes from my study of the Bible and my understanding of private revelation (though I have never received any private revelation myself). If the world had faith, if the members of the Church on earth had more faith, then these events would not be secret; everyone would know them through Tradition and Scripture, through faith and grace. I think it is silly that the visionaries are able to keep these things secret, when they are available to be understood through Scripture, faith, and grace. I think that, as the secrets unfold, more and more people will understand what the remaining secrets are.

1. The first secret has been said to involve an upheaval in a region of the world. But actually, the upheaval of a particular region is merely one of many effects of the first secret, whose scope is worldwide. The first secret will not occur in 2004 or 2005; it occurs years from now. The first secret has a salutary effect on the Church as a whole. It is not a natural or supernatural disaster. It is not intended by God to cause death, although some deaths will result, because we are sinners. It relates to the human person.
   
   
2. The second secret will occur soon after the first secret. Like all ten secrets, this secret is worldwide in scope. It relates to the human person. It is not political. It is not a natural or supernatural disaster. This secret will be understood by the faithful as a blessing, not a curse. The impious will react with fear and astonishment.
   
   
3. The third secret will occur more than a year after the first secret. It relates to the human person. The visionaries have said that, at the time of this secret, a permanent sign will be left at Medjugorje. There will also be permanent signs in other places. But the secret itself is not merely a permanent sign. It is a blessing on the human person.
   
   The first three secrets are closely related. They are each intended by God to be a blessing for humanity. They are a blessing even for persons who are non-Catholic or non-Christian or even non-religious. The first three secrets are blessing for those who have faith, but, for the faithless and impious, they are a source of fear and confusion.
   
   
4. The fourth secret takes years to unfold; it begins within a year or two after the third secret. It is worldwide in scope. It is not a natural disaster. It is not a supernatural disaster or event. But it is disastrous. Very many people will die as a result. Yet it is the will of God.
   
   
5. The fifth secret takes years to unfold; it begins soon after the fourth secret and gets worse as time passes. It ends soon after the fourth secret ends. Many people will die or be seriously injured as a result. It is not a supernatural disaster or event. This secret occurs because of our sinfulness. God's plan does not require it.
   
   
6. The sixth secret begins within a few years after the fourth secret begins. The sixth secret unfolds over several years. The sixth secret ends a few years after the fourth secret ends. It is severe and widespread, affecting the much of the world, some areas more than others. In general, the wealthy will suffer more than the poor. It is not a supernatural disaster or event. Many people will suffer; some will die.
   
   
7. The seventh secret overlaps the fourth, fifth, and sixth secrets. It increases in severity and then dimishes in severity. It does not have a clear starting point or ending point. It is not a supernatural disaster or event. Many people will die.
   
   
8. The eighth secret occurs much later than the previous secrets. There is a space of several years between the end of the seventh secret and the beginning of the eighth secret. The eighth secret is not a natural disaster. It is not a supernatural disaster or event. Many good people will die. More good people will die than bad people.
   
   
9. The ninth secret takes a few years to unfold; it begins within a few years after the eighth secret. It is worldwide in scope. It is not a natural disaster. It is not a supernatural disaster or event. But it is disastrous. Very many people will die as a result. Yet it is the will of God. The ninth secret is related to the fourth secret, but the ninth secret is far worse than the fourth secret.
   
   
10. The tenth secret is not the end of the world. It begins soon after the ninth secret. It is worse than all the sufferings of the other nine secrets put together and results in more deaths than all the other secrets put together. But it is not the end of the world. More bad people will die than good people, but very many people, both bad and good, will die.
    
    

On the mitigation of future sufferings through prayer: From our point of view within Time, it seems that future events are altered by God in answer to our prayers. This is true, from our point of view within Time. But God is present throughout all Time and beyond Time. To God, past, present, and future are the same. From God's point of view, the future does not change in answer to our prayers. Rather, God has already taken all prayers throughout Time into account in His plan for future events. Our prayers are effective even beyond the limits of Time because God is beyond all limits.