from The Discernment Research Group:
“Europe, the Holy Father recalled, had had its eras of greatness when a common faith had animated the hearts of its peoples. Europe, he urged, could have its geopolitical greatness again, refurbished and burnished anew, if it could create a new heart. Europe, he intimated, could again forge a supernal, common and binding faith.
“Inwardly, the [six foreign] ministers winced. Pius [XII] had pointed to the greatest difficulty facing the EEC [European Economic Community] upon the day of its birth [March 25, 1957]. Beneath his words lay the warning that neither democratic socialism nor capitalist democracy nor the prospect of the good life nor a mystic ‘Europa’ of the humanists could provide the engine to drive their dream [for a new world order based on a unified Europe]. Practically speaking, their new Europe lacked a glowing center, a superior force or principle to bind it together and drive it forward. Practically speaking, their Europe lacked what this Pope had. Lacked what he was.” – Malachi Martin, Windswept House
Unfolding Biblical Eschatology*
The Bible paints quite a clear picture of the major events that precede the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth. While many of the smaller details may be difficult to interpret, the major events concerning the world’s religious, economic and political future are evident in Revelation, chapters 13, 17 and 18.
The False Prophet
A world religious figure will rise to prominence. He unites all the world’s religions into one universal religion. This religious leader looks like a man of God. He performs miracles and even looks similar to Jesus Christ (Revelation 13:11; 5:6). But, he receives his power from the Antichrist and, ultimately from Satan. He is known as the False Prophet (Revelation 19:20).
The Beast or Antichrist
A second figure comes on the scene. Whereas the first world leader is religious and unites all people under a single world religion, the second man is political and unites the world’s people under a single world government. We commonly know him as the Antichrist. The Antichrist does not only unite the world under one political system, but he establishes a single world monetary system which abolishes all private or individual business transactions that are not part of the global system (Revelation 13:17).
Strange Bedfellows
The relationship between the False Prophet and the Antichrist is an interesting one. The Antichrist (political) empowers the False Prophet (religious). But ultimately the False Prophet causes the whole world to worship the Antichrist (Revelation 13:12). The False Prophet also encourages the people of the world to subscribe to the world financial and economic system and to receive the mark of the Beast (Antichrist) which gives them access to the financial system. Thus the global economy, political authority and religion become intertwined. This all happens in the name of a unity which sounds good but is not. It is a bad unity because it is man-centered and is a unity that plots against the Lord and His Anointed. As the Psalmist asks, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” (Psalm 2:1-6)
How do we move from a world of separate economies, religions and governments to a single planetary system? This will not happen by military might, but as individual governments cede their sovereignty to become part of a one-world government. Three factors will dictate this to happen:
•First, world citizens will seek peace from terrorism through unity.
•Second, the nations will be deceived into believing that the Antichrist holds the key to the world’s prosperity, that he will solve the world’s political and financial woes. And
•Third, this unity will happen because of God’s plan: “For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled” (Revelation 17:17).
The G20 Summit
Practically, the world’s leaders will realize that their individual economies are so intertwined and the only way to solve the ever-increasing financial crises is to bring all the separate economies under one roof. Those informed regarding world affairs will recognize there exists an ever-increasing number of influential leaders who have begun to promote the idea of a global economy. The most significant of these is the G20 which in recent years has made several statements advocating such a global economy.
The Vatican
But the most startling statements were recently made in a 41 page “note” by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, published in several languages on October 24, 2011. Speaking for Pope Ratzinger, the Council’s document is filled with legal verbiage and complicated language, but is an amazing document to read. It is amazing because almost word-for-word, it bears upon the prophecies of Revelation 13, 17 and 18, and places Rome at the center of the prophetic drama! . . . . . . .
read the full article here.
True Discernment 
Good luck with this. From what I gather from the article, “Rome” appears to think that it would be the one to take up the mantle of world leadership. For one thing, the United States, the nation currently at the top of the heap, has historically exhibited great antipathy to any notion of another body superceding its power (many Americans immensely distrust their own government, never mind one wherein they individually would have even less influence); for another, “Rome” represents Christianity, and in particular Catholicism, which at this point is not the world’s representative faith by a long shot, nor will it be in anything resembling a foreseable future for many reasons, not the least of which are historical enmities; for a third, without some form of “rep by pop”, with the administration responsible and accountable to the electorate in a constitutional framework, it would be an extremely hard sell to that part of the world that currently enjoys democracy. Politics, while it may operate globally, begins locally.
Furthermore, the Church has shot itself in the foot with a bazooka over it’s handling of those internal problems it does have, i.e. sexual scandals. The track record it’s developed on this file would leave any seriously thinking individual with grave doubts as to the probability of the fair and equitable administration of governance and justice should it be solely in charge of world affairs.