John Paul II: "We are facing the final confrontation .... it is no longer possible to avert the coming tribulation"

I picked up a flyer on the way out of Mass this morning. Apparently a group called "A Call to Mary" (along with "Men of the Sacred Hearts" and "The International Marian Catechist Apostolate") is presenting an "Urgent Conference" in commemoration oft he forthcoming 100th anniversary of the apparitions at Fatima in 1917. The title reads: "Fatima: Hope for the World ~ A Warning and Final Plea from Heaven to return to the Mercy of God."

The conference is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2015 at the St. Louise Chapel, 3477 S. Lapeer Rd, Metamora, MI 48455 (248-808-8954), and speakers include Fr. Ben Luedtke, Msgr Arthur B. Calkins, Fr. Ladis Cizik, Prof. Robert Fastiggi, Dr. William Thomas and Matthew Hill.

But what interested me were two quotes on the flyer from John Paul II, which struck me as clearly prophetic:

• "We are now standing int he face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has gone through. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-Church, the Gospel versus the anti-Gospel, between Christ and Antichrist." (Pope St. John Paul II, Philadelphia, 1976)
  
  
• "We must prepare ourselves to suffer great trials before long such as will demand of us a disposition to give up even life, with a total dedication to Christ and for Christ. With your and my prayers it is possible to mitigate the coming tribulation, but it is no longer possible to avert it, because only thus can the Church be effectually renewed." (Pope St. John Paul II, Germany, 1980)