The Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima asked that the Roman Pontiff consecrate Russia to her immaculate heart. From Fatima.org:

“I shall come to ask for the Consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart…If people attend to My requests, Russia will be converted and the world will have peace.”

In the apparition of July 13, Our Lady warned the three seers that if people did not stop offending God, He would punish the world “by means of war, hunger and persecution of the Church and of the Holy Father,” using Russia as His chosen instrument of chastisement. She told the children that “to prevent this, I shall come to ask for the Consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart” and promised that, by this single public act, Russia would be converted and peace would be given to the world.

The Mother of God cautioned that if Her requests were not granted, “Russia will spread its errors throughout the world, raising up wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer and various nations will be annihilated.”

Pope Saint John Paul II consecrated Russia to the immaculate heart of Mary in 1984. Even though this was not an explicit consecration of Russia, since Russia was not mentioned per se, the Pope later confirmed that Russia was in his intention. Sr. Lucia of Fatima later stated that this consecration was accepted by Heaven. In the latter half of the 1980’s, Russia underwent a process of change, leading to a democratic government beginning with the election of Boris Yeltsin in 1991, and the end of the Soviet Union (USSR) on the exact date of Christmas 1991. The dissolution of the USSR resulted in 14 independent nations taking their place among the nations of the world, alongside the nation of Russia.

On March 25th of 2022, in a few short days, the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis, plans to consecrate humanity, especially Russia and the Ukraine, to the immaculate heart of Mary in order to obtain peace for the world from God. He has asked all the Bishops of the world to join him in this consecration, which will occur about 6:30 Rome time, after a 90-minute or so celebration of the Sacrament of Penance.

Some commentators are saying that the consecration of Pope Saint John Paul II was not effective, as it did not adhere exactly to what the Blessed Virgin Mary requested. And they are also saying that the planned consecration by Pope Francis will also fail to be effective, due to this same failure to adhere to the exact understanding of the consecration in the minds of these commentators. But my opinion is different from theirs.

Does the Blessed Virgin Mary act and speak as if she, in Heaven, has authority over the Roman Pontiff, who is the Vicar of Christ, her Divine Son? No, she does not. Mary does not regularly or occasionally appear to each Pope to give him orders, nor does she appear to Ecumenical Councils or to the Bishops dispersed in the world to give them teachings and rulings. She does not take such a role. And so, when she asks the Supreme Pontiff to consecrate Russia to her immaculate heart, she leaves the exact nature of the consecration to his supreme judgment. For she knows that “Christ and His Vicar constitute one only head” of the one Church [1]. The Church does not have “two heads, like a monster”, but only one head [2], with Christ and the Roman Pontiff in mystical union as one head of the one body of Christ. It is for the Roman Pontiff to decide the exact form of this consecration, and God accepts this decision of the Vicar of Christ, as does Mary herself.

The consecration of Pope Saint John Paul II was accepted by Heaven, and had its good effects. But perhaps this consecration was not as full as it might have been, since it was implicit. The consecration of a nation is a consecration first and foremost of its people. Therefore, I believe that the consecration of Russia should be repeated, again and again, especially at least once for each generation of its people.

Given the above considerations, I expect that the consecration by Pope Francis will be effective, just as the implicit consecration of Russia, without even mentioning the nation, was effective. We should also not attribute to this consecration, no matter how well it is done, too much of an effect. The Church offers the world teachings on faith and morals, the Sacraments, prayer, as well as graces and blessings of many kinds. We cannot speak as if a consecration from an approved private revelation were everything. The possible benefits of the consecration are limited, and it is itself most effective when combined with the prayers, sacrifices, Sacraments, and treasury of merits of the universal Church.

Those who say that the consecration will fail if it is not done according to their judgment are Pharisees, who give excessive weight to points of exterior form, and who exalt themselves and their judgment above the Vicar of Christ and the body of Bishops with him. These are some of the same persons who resist Pope Francis, who reject Vatican II, and who make themselves judges over Popes and Councils. God is judge over the Pope, and the Pope is the supreme judge over the Church on earth.

I believe that there is nothing wrong with the proposal of Pope Francis, to consecrate humanity to the immaculate heart of Mary, with the stated intention to include especially Russia and Ukraine. Why would Mary object to this? Would she say, “Please, no! Don’t consecrate humanity to my immaculate heart!” How ridiculous. Of course, she would approve of all humanity being consecrated to her immaculate heart. But the Pharisees of today replace seeking the will of God with pontificating their own will.

Now we must consider what will happen in future generations, if Russia is not repeatedly consecrated, so that each generation benefits from this consecration to Mary’s immaculate heart.

[Daniel]
{7:5} And behold, another beast, like a bear, stood to one side, and there were three rows in its mouth and in its teeth, and they spoke to it in this way: “Arise, devour much flesh.”

My eschatological interpretation of Daniel is that the bear is Russia, and that in the 2100’s Russia will annihilate many nations by incorporating them into itself and will spread its errors throughout the world. The three rows are its three branches of the military: air force, army, navy. Russia devours much flesh by devouring many nations, just as formerly the USSR devoured nations and incorporated these into itself. This occurs because Russia will not be repeatedly consecrated in each generation. However, this is only my opinion, which is speculative and fallible.

[Daniel]
{2:32} The head of this statue was of the finest gold, but the breast and the arms were of silver, and further on, the belly and the thighs were of brass;
{2:33} but the shins were of iron, a certain part of the feet were of iron and another part were of clay.

The statue represents successive kingdoms, from the kingdom of the great Catholic monarch in the 21st century, to the kingdom established by an aggressive Russia in the 22nd century (that of brass), to the other kingdoms represented by the shins, and by the feet. As the centuries progress, the world becomes more and more sinful, and the most dominant nations lead that sinfulness, becoming worse and worse. This leads eventually to the kingdom of the ten kings, which becomes the kingdom of the Antichrist hundreds of years from now.

As for the consecration by Pope Francis, I believe that it will be effective, ending the war in Ukraine and restraining Russia for many years. I also think that the Warning of Garabandal will likely occur on Good Friday (April 15th) of this year, only days after the consecration of Russia. So the consecration is not the only blessing that affects Russia and brings peace.

Even so, we must not expect that the mere consecration of Russia, however well done, can be all-powerful. The benefits of this consecration are limited. The other benefits that flow from the one Church, the body of Christ, must also be brought to bear against the problems of the world. If people do not repent from their serious sins, if Christians and especially Catholics continue to live secular lives, if Catholics continue to oppose the Popes and Councils, and if the world does not convert at the Warning and Miracle (if these do occur this year, as I think), then peace will not be given to the world. Do not expect too much from the consecration. We must repent and follow Christ, in order for true peace to be given to the world.

Notice for my End Times articles:

1. Please note that my predictions are speculative and fallible, and that my writings on the future have erred many times in the past. My eschatology is presented for the readers’ consideration, and should not be treated as certain or absolute.

2. The End Times is divided into two parts: the first part is for this generation, then there is a long respite of a few hundred years, and finally the second part of the End Times occurs with the Return of Christ.

3. This first part of the End Times (or “tribulation”) does not include the Antichrist, nor the Return of Jesus Christ, nor the general Resurrection. Those things occur much later.

4. Do not believe what the news and entertainment industry says about the future, nor about religion. Do not listen to claimed prophets, visionaries, and the like, when they interpret current events or predict the future, especially when they are celebrated by the media. Do not listen to those who accuse any Pope or Ecumenical Council of grave errors or grave failings of faith. The Church will never fail or go astray. Never.

5. I anticipate that I and my writings on the future will be subject to distortions, lies, and false accusations. Do not believe the mass media, various prominent speakers or commentators, or internet rumors about what I supposedly wrote, said, or predicted. Instead, obtain my words and ideas from my websites or my books.

[Matthew]
{24:6} For you will hear of battles and rumors of battles. Take care not to be disturbed. For these things must be, but the end is not so soon.

by
Ronald L. Conte Jr.
Roman Catholic theologian and translator of the Catholic Public Domain Version of the Bible.

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1. Pope Pius XII, Mystical Body of Christ, n. 40.
2. Unam Sanctam.