Rapture... Tribulation?

[DesiringMore]

If Catholics don't believe in the rapture or tribulation, what do they believe?

[Adeodatus]

The idea of the "Rapture" comes from John Nelson Darby (1800-1882), the founder of the Plymouth Brethren. The Rapture, when the "saints" will be taken up alive into heaven, happens just before the Tribulation, the time of trouble and testing. Mixed up in all this is a literal thousand year reign of Christ on earth (the "millenium").

The Catholic Church is decidedly amillenial. There is no literal thousand year reign on earth by Christ before the end of the world etc. This is not part of the apostolic teaching. And there is no Rapture---that is a misreading of Scripture! See this article: Rapture

The Catholic position is that we do not know when the end will be. Before the end, 'all Israel' will recognise the Messiah (Catechism, 674). The Church will pass through a final trial (Catechism, 675) and the Antichrist, a pseudo-Messiah, will be revealed. The faith of believers will be shaken.

The Church rejects millenarianism as a falsification of the true teaching on the Kingdom to come, and even considers it part of the Antichrist's deception taking shape already. The Church will follow the steps of her Lord through passion, death and resurrection. The end will come, and Christ will come in glory to judge the nations, and establish His everlasting Kingdom.