We posted that the day after the Latin Rite Catholic bishops of Ukraine sent an urgent appeal to Pope Francis, asking him to consecrate Russia and Ukraine "as requested by the Blessed Virgin in Fatima", to bring an end to Russia's war against Ukraine and grant us the period of peace promised by Our Lady.
Here, as reported today by LifeSite News, is the text of the bishops' letter.
Holy Father! In these hours of immeasurable pain and terrible ordeal for our people, we, the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Ukraine, are spokesmen for the unceasing and heartfelt prayer, supported by our priests and consecrated persons, which comes to us from all Christian people that Your Holiness will consecrate our Motherland and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Responding to this prayer, we humbly ask Your Holiness to publicly perform the act of consecration to the Sacred Immaculate Heart of Mary of Ukraine and Russia, as requested by the Blessed Virgin in Fatima. May the Mother of God, Queen of Peace, accept our prayer: Regina pacis, ora pro nobis!
I confess to being one of those who have written and spoken ill of Pope Bergoglio, to the point of expressing doubt about whether he is really the pope, the Vicar of Christ. It was my guess that Francis, like all the post-Vatican II popes, would stop short of doing the Consecration of Russia in the manner Our Lady requested in 1917 and again in a private revelation to Sister Lucia in 1929.
Some Catholics have contended that the Consecration has taken place. They refer to an "entrustment consecration" of the world [sic] to the Immaculate Heart of Mary made by Pope John Paul II on 25 March 1984. Sadly, since the Vatican's "Ostpolitik" of those days said we must try to make peace with our Communist enemies, John Paul deliberately avoided mentioning Russia explicitly, "because the Vatican diplomats had urgently asked him not to mention this country because otherwise political conflicts might perhaps arise."
The late Fr Gabriele Amorth, former chief exorcist of Rome, noted some time ago that the Consecration had not been performed as requested, saying "a specific consecration has not yet been made."
Now... perhaps... we hope and pray... Pope Francis is finally going to do it! In an announcement released today, Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office announced: On Friday 25 March, during the Celebration of Penance at which he will preside at 1700 in Saint Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The same act, on the same day, will be carried out in Fatima by His Eminence Cardinal Krajewski, Apostolic Almoner, as envoy of the Holy Father.
No further details were provided. LifeSite News says "it remains to be seen if Pope Francis will make the consecration of Russia in union with the bishops of the world, as outlined by Our Lady in 1929."
In 1917, Our Lady of Fatima told three seers, "If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world."
Our Lady of Fatima repeated the request in 1929, when she appeared to Sister Lucia saying: "The moment has come for God to ask the Holy Father to make, in union with all the bishops of the world, the Consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart. By this means, He promises to save Russia."
Let us pray for... and with... Pope Francis, that he will at last do as Our Lady of Fatima asked, and in this way bring us peace to the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment