Topics: Apparitions and prophecy culture
An imprimatur is not a seal on a prophecy, and Culleton’s Antichrist book is 75 years old, not 100
Return to Tradition presents an apocalyptic prophecy as rare because its publication bore an imprimatur, then attributes the reading to a book “originally published over 100 years ago”. An imprimatur clears a book of doctrinal error; it does not vouch for prophecies. The book dates from 1951.
By TradWatch™ staff
2 min read
Verdicts at a glance
- Needs context
An imprimatur on a published prophecy is a rare mark of the Church’s backing. · Anthony Stine, Return to Tradition
- Inaccurate
The passage comes from Fr R. Gerald Culleton’s The Reign of Antichrist, first published more than 100 years ago. · Anthony Stine, Return to Tradition
In this brief · 7 sections
On 10 October 2026 Return to Tradition released “Apostasy, The Mystery Of Iniquity And Antichrist According To Prophecy”, in which Anthony Stine reads a commentary on St Paul’s warnings in 2 Thessalonians 2 about the “man of sin”. Most of the episode is that reading and his own reflection. Two statements about the material can be checked.
What was said
Statement 1: Anthony Stine, Return to Tradition
Return to Tradition (podcast) · October 10, 2026
It is rare that you will find mystics of the church, whose prophecies bear apocalyptic warnings of the future. And then the publication of those warnings bear an imprimatur. That is rare.
In brief: An imprimatur on a published prophecy is a rare mark of the Church’s backing.
Our verdict: Needs contextThe words are accurate, but missing context changes how they read.
See the recordThis content is embedded for purposes of commentary, criticism, and news reporting. TradWatch is not affiliated with Return to Tradition (podcast). Views quoted are those of the speaker.
Statement 2: Anthony Stine, Return to Tradition
Return to Tradition (podcast) · October 10, 2026
That is an excerpt from The Reign of Antichrist by author R. Gerald Culliton, originally published over 100 years ago.
In brief: The passage comes from Fr R. Gerald Culleton’s The Reign of Antichrist, first published more than 100 years ago.
Our verdict: InaccurateThe record contradicts the claim.
See the recordThis content is embedded for purposes of commentary, criticism, and news reporting. TradWatch is not affiliated with Return to Tradition (podcast). Views quoted are those of the speaker.
Context
On statement 1 · Anthony Stine, Return to Tradition
Stine introduces the work of Abbé Joseph Maître, whose writing on papal prophecies he says bears an imprimatur from 1898.
On statement 2 · Anthony Stine, Return to Tradition
Stine names the source at the end of the reading.
The record
What the sources show, statement by statement.
Verifiable factcan be checked against the sources cited.TradWatch analysisis our interpretation, clearly labelled.Statement 1 · Anthony Stine, Return to Tradition
An imprimatur on a published prophecy is a rare mark of the Church’s backing.
Verifiable fact What an imprimatur certifies
Canon law requires the permission or approval of the local ordinary to publish certain writings (CIC can. 824). The censor who advises him “is to consider only the doctrine of the Church concerning faith and morals as it is proposed by the ecclesiastical magisterium” (CIC can. 830 §2).
Source
- 2
Official Church source
CIC cann. 824, 830
Code of Canon Law, Book III
Holy See (vatican.va)
- 2
TradWatch analysis Cleared, not confirmed
An imprimatur means the book was found free of error in faith or morals, and permission to publish was given. It does not mean the Church judged a prediction to be true or of heavenly origin. It is a fair reason to read a book without suspicion, but not evidence that its prophecies are reliable.
Source
- 2
Official Church source
CIC cann. 824, 830
Code of Canon Law, Book III
Holy See (vatican.va)
- 2
Statement 2 · Anthony Stine, Return to Tradition
The passage comes from Fr R. Gerald Culleton’s The Reign of Antichrist, first published more than 100 years ago.
Verifiable fact Published in 1951
Fr Culleton’s book “was originally published in 1951 by the Academy Duplicating Service, California”, and was reprinted by TAN Books in 1974 (Goodreads; Internet Archive). That is about 75 years ago. The book itself quotes older writers, which may explain the impression of greater age.
Sources
Bottom line
The episode’s reading is a sober reflection on St Paul’s warnings, and Stine leaves listeners to draw their own conclusions. But an imprimatur clears a book of doctrinal error without vouching for its predictions, and the book he read from dates from 1951, not from over a century ago.
The original
This content is embedded for purposes of commentary, criticism, and news reporting. TradWatch is not affiliated with Return to Tradition. Views quoted are those of the speaker.
Open on YouTubeSources
- 1.Primary sourceCited in statement 1
Apostasy, The Mystery Of Iniquity And Antichrist According To Prophecy
Return to Tradition (podcast) · October 10, 2026
podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/anthony-stine/episodes/Apostasy--The-Mystery-Of…
- 2.Official Church sourceCited in statement 1
CIC cann. 824, 830 — Code of Canon Law, Book III
Holy See (vatican.va)
vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib3-cann822-833_en.html
- 4.
Corrections & updates
No corrections have been made to this brief. Spotted an error? Request a correction.
We invite the people and outlets discussed here to respond. Submit a response and we’ll publish it alongside this brief.
Help us keep the record straight
If we’ve made a mistake, tell us — we correct errors openly and log every change. People and outlets we write about can respond, and we publish their replies here.
More analysis
- Young Catholics and the Latin MassBishop Mutsaerts said “go where the liturgy is in order”, Novus Ordo included, not only the Latin MassReturn to Tradition says Bishop Rob Mutsaerts told Catholics to abandon bad parishes for the traditional Latin Mass, and that “all the data” show Novus Ordo parishes about 20 years older. He did advise leaving, but named the Novus Ordo too, and the survey data are less precise. · 3 min read
- Synodality and the Synod on SynodalityNo new Code of Canon Law: Return to Tradition misreads a synod commission’s proposalsReturn to Tradition says the Vatican has announced a “diabolical” new Code of Canon Law. The synod’s Canonical Commission published a working document proposing amendments. Its canon 749 text restates Vatican II, and the seminary consent it describes belongs to a council of priests. · 6 min read
- Synodality and the Synod on SynodalityReturn to Tradition’s Amoris meeting claims fall short, and name the wrong cardinalA Return to Tradition episode says Leo XIV's instructions were "totally ignored" at the Amoris Laetitia meeting and that Cardinal Reinhard Marx launched the push for Communion for the remarried. The evidence for the first is an outside essay; the second names the wrong cardinal. · 5 min read