Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Will Mary Now Put the "Holy" Back in "Holy Mother Russia"?

 

UPDATE 3/17/2022: The bishops' conference of the Philippines has announced that they will join in the consecration.  Also:  The bishops' conference of England and Wales has announced that they will join in the consecration.

UPDATE 3/16/2022: The Latin American bishops' conference has announced that they will join in the consecration

There has been a firestorm of negativity and cynicism on social media about the announced consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary that Pope Francis will perform on the 25th inst.  This is rather sad, and reflects the extreme distrust of the present authorities in Church as well as in state.  Although the cynics will not be entirely free of sin on their part, nevertheless it cannot be denied that the authorities have done all they can to earn the ill opinions, especially over the last two years.

I am among the "Fatima fundamentalists" who believe that the collegial consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary has never been done as our Lady asked.  I used to accept the party line that it was done in 1984, but my view has changed.  It's true that this and earlier consecrations were not without good effects, but what about the conversion of Russia and the period of peace that was promised?  It is a fact that the Soviet Union fell after 1984; but it is also a fact that the same interlocking directorate of pervs and psychopaths that were ruling the world then are not only still ruling the world, but are bolder than ever in their wickedness.  Is oligarchy a mark of the period of peace promised by our Lady?  Yes, Russia is more openly Orthodox; but the Orthodox communions, as such, are schismatic and not the true Church.  The idea that Orthodoxy is good enough was inadmissible before the novelties of Vatican II.  

Why is Pope Francis doing this consecration?  Russia and Ukraine are the biggest things going on in the world at the moment, number one.  Number two, it may be no more complicated than that the besieged bishops of Ukraine have asked him to do so.  When the Pope came out a few weeks ago with his decree that the muddy Traditiones custodes does not affect the FSSP and other, similar traditionalist congregations, it cannot be a coincidence that this followed on the heels of audiences with a delegation from the FSSP and the superior general of the SSPX.  Even if Pope Francis does not operate on principles, it does appear that the personal touch works on him.  It's a lot harder to say no to somebody when you're looking them in the face.  

Although many simply will not believe that Pope Francis, of all people, will actually do this consecration, I have long said that Pope Francis is precisely the man for the job.  He is ruthless enough to compel the bishops to join him in the act.  Plus, since he is the last man on earth anyone would expect to do it, God will get all the credit.  Whether Pope Francis himself believes in it or not is completely beside the point, just as the state of soul of a priest who celebrates Mass makes no difference for us in the pews: that is strictly between him and God.  Venerable Pope Pius XII used to say that he, as a man, Eugenio Pacelli, was nothing.  He understood that the office was all.  It is the Pope as such who needs to do this, and it does not matter who that is, as long as it is done as asked.

BUT: what if Pope Francis is not really the Pope?  Taylor Marshall makes a good point: if this is done as asked, with all the bishops, including Benedict Ratzinger, that solves that problem -- if the problem in fact exists.  Still, those who have made the case against Pope Francis their life's work need to beware of finding themselves actually hoping that this upcoming consecration doesn't work, lest they be proved wrong.  

Time will tell if this is actually the fulfillment of Fatima, and the long-awaited collegial consecration that our Lady did promise would in fact be done, albeit late.  Contrary to what some are saying, this is a Piece of Good News, and this consecration will be A Good Thing, even if it is not The Thing We Have Been Waiting For.  We should focus on that, leaving the rest to God, continuing with our daily Rosaries and Five First Saturdays, and not worrying about the fact that the consecration is being done by somebody we don't like.

6 comments:

  1. My first thought when I saw the headline about this upcoming consecration was, "Huh?" It still is. I'm not sure it's "demonic" as AB says, but it's certainly weird. Trust in "news" has moved from zero to minus zero. For years I've been saying, "Let God sort it out - it's not my job."

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  2. Wasn't the original message that all the bishops of the whole world had to take part in the consecration at the same time?

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    1. Yes. It's not clear that they have been asked to do so, but some have announced that they are going to do so. Hopefully we will hear many more such announcements in the days ahead.

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    2. Can we still refer to the Orthodox as “schismatic” in light of the Doctrinal Note, “On the Expression ‘Sister Churches”’

      12. Finally, it must also be borne in mind that the expression 'sister Churches' in the proper sense, as attested by the common Tradition of East and West, may only be used for those ecclesial communities that have preserved a valid episcopate and Eucharist…

      Can Catholics under certain circumstance receive Sacraments in Orthodox churches if the are “schismatic?”

      “Ut unam Sint”, “Slavum Apostili” and “Dominus Iesus” all avoid the term, “schismatic” when referring to our Orthodox “Sister Churches.”

      I’ll stick with Church teaching as opposed to personal opinion.

      One last comment, what is Russia to be converted to? Roman Catholicism”?

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  3. Respectfully.
    After the "reforms" of the Mass atVatII, one could justifiably ask "who are the actual" Schismatics"
    Roman claims of True Church through Papal Autocracy whilst behaving in a manner that makes even Luther look a conservative don't really cut the mustard anymore.

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