Context of the Saint's quote:




In 1870, the Franco-Prussian war was heading towards its end, with the defeat of Napoleon III. However, the Prussian soldiers marching through northern France still posed a real threat and terrified the population.

Around 9 December, with the Prussians already on the outskirts of the department of Nièvre, whose capital is Nevers, the knight Gougenot des Mousseaux, went to visit the nun in the convent to ask her some questions.


His questions and the answers of St. Bernadette were recorded for posterity by Count Lafond, who, moreover, does not show great personal appreciation for the religious judging by the comment he writes about her:

” Sister Marie-Bernard … This sister is of no use and yet it is considered the treasure of Saint-Gildard. They look upon it as the bulwark of the episcopal city and ascribe it to salvation during the invasion of 1870; the Prussians were in all the neighboring counties and almost at the gates of Nevers . ”

The count continues his account reproducing the interview of Gougenot des Mousseaux to St. Bernadette:


“Have you received, in the grotto of Lourdes or later, some revelation concerning the future and destiny of France?” Did the Blessed Virgin leave you no warning or threat of danger to transmit to France?

 
– Not.


“The Prussian soldiers are coming.” Do not be afraid?

– Not.


“So there’s nothing to fear?”

“I’m only afraid of bad Catholics.”

“Are not you afraid of anything else?”

“No, nothing else.

Mortal sin is the gateway to perdition, through which “bad Catholics” descend.

The Church’s enemies use “bad Catholics” to wreak havoc in the world.

The schismatic conciliar episcopacy is an example of a collective of “bad Catholics”. 

 But there other “bad Catholic” laymen who have had an enormous negative impact on Christian social order.

These Baptized souls will suffer far more in Hell’s fire than non Catholic souls will.

So says, Mother Mary as transcribed through Bl. Maria of Agreda in the “Mystical City of God”.