Mota vocibus vestris et falsis opinionibus vestris, quaerit a Deo ut exiguitatem dierum suorum annuntiet sibi, et invenit Dominum dixisse: Ecce ego vobiscuм sum usque in consummationem saeculi. [Mt 18,20] Hic vos dicitis: De nobis dixit; nos sumus, nos erimus usque in consummationem saeculi. Interrogetur ipse Christus, cui dictum est: Exiguitatem dierum meorum annuntia mihi. Et praedicabitur, inquit, hoc Evangelium in universo orbe, in testimonium omnibus gentibus; et tunc veniet finis [Mt 24,14]. Quid est quod dicebas: Hoc certe fuit et periit? Dominum audi annuntiantem exiguitatem dierum meorum. Praedicabitur, inquit, hoc Evangelium. Ubi? In toto orbe terrarum. Quibus? In testimonium omnibus gentibus. Quid postea? Et tunc veniet finis. Non vides adhuc esse gentes in quibus nondum est praedicatum Evangelium? cuм ergo necesse sit impleri quod Dominus dixit, exiguitatem dierum meorum annuntians Ecclesiae, ut praedicetur hoc Evangelium in omnibus gentibus, et tunc veniat finis; quid est quod dicis iam perisse Ecclesiam de omnibus gentibus, quando ad hoc praedicatur Evangelium, ut possit esse in omnibus gentibus? Ergo usque in finem saeculi Ecclesia in omnibus gentibus;
[...]
Non ergo blandiantur sibi contra me haeretici, quia dixi: Exiguitatem dierum meorum, quasi non permansuram usque in finem saeculi. Quid enim addidit? Ne revoces me in dimidium dierum meorum. Noli, quomodo haeretici loquuntur, sic mecuм agere. Usque in finem saeculi me perduc, non in dimidium dierum meorum;

Moved by your [the Donatists] voices and your false opinions, she [the Church] asks God to let her know the fewness of her days and discovers that the Lord has said: Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the age [Mt 28,20]. Here you say: He has said it of us; we exist, we will exist until the consummation of the age. Let's interrogate Christ himself, whom she asked: Let me know the fewness of my days. And this gospel of the kingdom, says he, shall be preached in the whole world, for a testimony to all nations, and then shall the consummation come. [Mt 24,14]. What did you say: The Church surely once was and has perished? Listen to the Lord who makes me know the fewness of my days. This Gospel, says he, will be preached. Where? In the whole world. Why? For a testimony to all nations. And then? Then shall the consummation come.
Do you see not that there are still nations among whom the Gospel has not been preached? Since then it is needful that what the Lord spoke shall be fulfilled, declaring unto the Church the fewness of my days, that this Gospel be preached in all nations, and then that the consummation may come, why is it that you say that the Church has already perished from among all nations, when the Gospel is being preached for this purpose, that it may be in all nations? Therefore the Church remains unto the consummation of the world, in all nations;
[...]
Let not therefore heretics flatter themselves against me, because I said, the fewness of my days, as if they would not last down to the end of the world. For what has he added? O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days Psalm 101:24. Deal Thou not with me according as heretics speak. Lead me on unto the end of the world, not only to the middle of my days;

Chapter 77. Of the Harmony Subsisting Between the Three Evangelists in Their Narratives of the Discourse Which He Delivered on the Mount of Olives, When the Disciples Asked When the Consummation Should Happen.

147. [...] We have now, therefore, to examine this lengthened discourse as it meets us in the three evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. For they all introduce it in their narratives, and that, too, in the same order. Here, as elsewhere, each of these writers gives some matters which are peculiar to himself, in which, nevertheless, we have not to apprehend any suspicion of inconsistency. But what we have to make sure of is the proof that, in those passages which are exact parallels, they are nowhere to be regarded as in antagonism with each other. For if anything bearing the appearance of a contradiction meets us here, the simple affirmation that it is something wholly distinct, and uttered by the Lord in similar terms indeed, but on a totally different occasion, cannot be deemed a legitimate mode of explanation in a case like this, where the narrative, as given by all the three evangelists, moves in the same connection at once of subjects and of dates.

148. Again, what Matthew states in this form, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the consummation come," is given also in the same connection by Mark in the following manner: "And the gospel must first be published among all nations." Mark has not added the words, "and then shall the consummation come;" but he indicates what they express, when he uses the phrase "first" in the sentence, "And the gospel must first be published among all nations." For they had asked Him about the end. And therefore, when He addresses them thus, "The gospel must first be published among all nations," the term "first" clearly suggests the idea of something to be done before the consummation should come.

Three evangelists report about the disciples' question asked on the Mount of Olives: When should the consummation happen?

St. Augustine says that these passages are exact parallels and must not be read in antagonism with each other:

With respect to the question concerning the final consummation one finds

Mt: Quod signum consummationis saeculi?
Mc: Quod signum erit, quando haec omnia incipient consummari?
Lk: Quod signum cuм fieri incipient?

Mt: What shall be the sign of the consummation of the age?
Mc: What shall be the sign when all this begins to be consummated/fulfilled?
Lk: What shall be the sign when all this begins to come to pass?

Luke 13:3 relates that Our Lord was asked by Peter, James, John, and Andrew. Following the instructions given by Augustine, we can assert that the consummation of the age corresponds to the fulfillment of all this, i.e. a series of announced events coming to pass. The question ask for the sign signalling the beginning of the events constituting the consummation.

When do the announced events begin to come to pass?

The announced events coming to pass during the consummation are those events mentioned by our Lord after he says et tunc veniet consummatio (Mt 24:14, and then shall the consummation come). The consummation begins, when we see the abomination of desolation in the holy place (Mt 24:15), after the gospel has been preached among all nations (Mt 24:14).

Luke summarizes what this consummation is about: For these are the days of vengeance, that all things may be fulfilled, that are written. (Lk 21:22)


Conclusion: The consummation of the age is not a point in time or a literal day, but rather a span of time, the time of great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be (Mt 24:21) as announced in (Dan 12:1), a span of time during which false prophet's try to deceive (if possible) even the elect (Mt 24:24).


References:

The Harmony of the Gospels, Book II, Chapter 77
De Consensu Evangelistarum, Libri Quatour, Liber Secundus
drbo.org

[22] And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.
Et nisi breviati fuissent dies illi, non fieret salva omnis caro : sed propter electos breviabuntur dies illi.
http://www.drbo.org/drl/chapter/47024.htm

22] For if thy people, O Israel, shall be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them shall be converted, the consumption abridged shall overflow with justice.
Si enim fuerit populus tuus, Israel, quasi arena maris, reliquiae convertentur ex eo; consummatio abbreviata inundabit justitiam.

[23] For the Lord God of hosts shall make a consumption, and an abridgment in the midst of all the land.
Consummationem enim et abbreviationem Dominus Deus exercituum faciet in medio omnis terrae.

http://www.drbo.org/drl/chapter/27010.htm

14] Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, who rule over my people that is in Jerusalem.
Propter hoc audite verbum Domini, viri illusores, qui dominamini super populum meum, qui est in Jerusalem.
[15] For you have said: We have entered into a league with death, and we have made a covenant with hell. When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come upon us: for we have placed our hope in lies, and by falsehood we are protected.
Dixistis enim : Percussimus foedus cuм morte, et cuм inferno fecimus pactum : flagellum inundans cuм transierit, non veniet super nos quia posuimus mendacium spem nostram, et mendacio protecti sumus.
[16] Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will lay a stone in the foundations of Sion, a tried stone, a corner stone, a precious stone, founded in the foundation. He that believeth, let him not hasten.
Idcirco haec dicit Dominus Deus : Ecce ego mittam in fundamentis Sion lapidem, lapidem probatum, angularem, pretiosum, in fundamento fundatum; qui crediderit, non festinet.
[17] And I will set judgment in weight, and justice in measure: and hail shall overturn the hope of falsehood: and waters shall overflow its protection.
Et ponam in pondere judicium, et justitiam in mensura; et subvertet grando spem mendacii, et protectionem aquae inundabunt.
[18] And your league with death shall be abolished, and your covenant with hell shall not stand: when the overflowing scourge shall pass, you shall be trodden down by it.
Et delebitur foedus vestrum cuм morte, et pactum vestrum cuм inferno non stabit : flagellum inundans cuм transierit, eritis ei in conculcationem.
[19] Whensoever it shall pass through, it shall take you away: because in the morning early it shall pass through, in the day and in the night, and vexation alone shall make you understand what you hear.
Quandocuмque pertransierit, tollet vos, quoniam in mane diluculo pertransibit in die et in nocte; et tantummodo sola vexatio intellectum dabit auditui.
[20] For the bed is straitened, so that one must fall out, and a short covering cannot cover both.
Coangustatum est enim stratum, ita ut alter decidat; et pallium breve utrumque operire non potest.
[21] For the Lord shall stand up as in the mountain of divisions: he shall be angry as in the valley which is in Gabaon: that he may do his work, his strange work: that he may perform his work, his work is strange to him.
Sicut enim in monte divisionum stabit Dominus; sicut in valle quae est in Gabaon irascetur, ut faciat opus suum, alienum opus ejus : ut operetur opus suum, peregrinum est opus ejus ab eo.
[22] And now do not mock, lest your bonds be tied strait. For I have heard of the Lord the God of hosts a consumption and a cutting short upon all the earth.
Et nunc nolite illudere, ne forte constringantur vincula vestra; consummationem enim et abbreviationem audivi a Domino Deo exercituum, super universam terram.
http://www.drbo.org/drl/chapter/27028.htm

But in what temple?  [...]

But some say that neither Jerusalem nor the temple will ever be rebuilt, but that their desolation will last until the consummation and the end. And even some Jєωs believe this. So this text is explained to mean in the temple of God, i.e., in the Church, since many from the church will accept him. Or according to Augustine, he sits in the temple of God, i.e., he rules and governs as though he himself with his messengers were the temple of God, as Christ is the temple with his adherents.

St. Augustine basically says that the Lord's own answer to Declare unto me the fewness of my days is behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the age. Since furthermore the consummation does not come before the gospel of the kingdom has been preached to all nations, and there still are nations among whom the Gospel has not been preached, the Church cannot have fallen into apostasy and have perished (yet).

Hence, Augustine implicity allows for a possible great apostasy when the consummation of the age comes.

So Struthio, are you saying the gates of hell did prevail against the Church at Vatican II, and justifying it by saying Vatican II was "the consummation of the world"?  Just trying to understand your position.

With respect to the gates of hell, see the second part of Reply #12 of this thread. The Council of Trent says what that means.

The point of this thread is that the Vatican Council says that there will be shepherds and a Pope up to the consummation of the age, which by some is understood as the literal last day when Our Lord returns, but rather may be a longer time span, beginning with the time of the great tribulation during which Antichrist reigns.

As an aside: Some Fathers allow for the possibility that Antichrist may be a hosts of heretics usurping the Church.

If the Church no longer has shepherds and teachers it lacks an essential characteristic of the true Church, which means the Church has defected.

Catholic Encyclopedia: "Among the prerogatives conferred on His Church by Christ is the gift of indefectibility. By this term is signified, not merely that the Church will persist to the end of time, but further, that it will preserve unimpaired its essential characteristics. The Church can never undergo any constitutional change which will make it, as a social organism, something different from what it was originally. It can never become corrupt in faith or in morals; nor can it ever lose the Apostolic hierarchy, or the sacraments through which Christ communicates grace to men. The gift of indefectibility is expressly promised to the Church by Christ, in the words in which He declares that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. It is manifest that, could the storms which the Church encounters so shake it as to alter its essential characteristics and make it other than Christ intended it to be, the gates of hell, i.e. the powers of evil, would have prevailed." https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03744a.htm

Since in reality only those reach heaven who die in the state of justification or sanctifying grace, all these and only these are numbered among the predestined, strictly so called. From this it follows that we must reckon among them also all children who die in baptismal grace, as well as those adults who, after a life stained with sin, are converted on their death-beds. The same is true of the numerous predestined who, though outside the pale of the true Church of Christ, yet depart from this life in the state of grace as catechumens, Protestants in good faith, schismatics, Jєωs, Mahommedans, and pagans. Those fortunate Catholics who at the close of a long life are still clothed in their baptismal innocence, or who after many relapses into mortal sin persevere till the end, are not indeed predestined more firmly, but are more signally favoured than the last-named categories of persons.

https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12378a.htm