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The Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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The Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
“On Friday 25 March , during the Celebration of Penance at 17.00 in St Peter’s Basilica, I will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Pray together.”
Pope Francis
“Yaroslavl the Wise, the grand prince of Kyiv, dedicated his lands to Mary in 1037 and she has been known since then as Queen of Ukraine. Pope Francis used the title in his Angelus address on March 6, saying : ‘Let us pray together, as brothers and sisters, to Our Lady, Queen of Ukraine.’
Before the revolutions of 1917 that overthrew the Russian Empire and led to the creation of the Soviet Union, Russia was colloquially known as ‘House of Mary’ because there were more shrines and churches dedicated to Our Lady than any other country at the time.
During the Fatima apparitions in 1917 ... Our Lady asked for ‘the Consecration to my Immaculate Heart ... 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.’
In a letter to the Pope, the Ukrainian bishops wrote to him, ‘in these hours of immeasurable pain and terrible ordeal for our people...we humbly ask Your Holiness to publicly perform the act of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Ukraine and Russia, as requested by the Blessed Virgin of Fatima.”
In 1984 Pope St John Paul II performed this consecration to the satisfaction of one of the three visionaries of Fatima, the late Sister Lucia.”
From the Vatican website Angelus
Many years ago I was painting/writing an icon of one of the other Fatima visionary’s,
St Francisco Marto for my dear cousin Kathi Hart’s son, Billy. Kathi most kindly named him for me, and he asked me to be his Confirmation sponsor so I decided to give Billy Hart the Icon as a Confirmation gift. I had already created this icon of the Immaculate Heart of Mary as a response to studying the apparitions for years. I read almost everything I could and came up with this image of Mary’s Heart as stronger even, than the nuclear war threatening the entire world. Now, in these days, I see so many people are writing about the possibility of a disastrous world war.
Recently I decided to watch the 1943 film “The Song of Bernadette” with my friend Kenny Greer, because he was born on 11 February, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, and the International Day of Praying For And With the Sick. I had seen the film several times and knew that Jennifer Jones won the Oscar that year for her portrayal of Bernadette.
But this time, we both noticed something in the film which thrilled us, gave us tremendous Hope. There is a scene where the Officials at Lourdes desperately want to close the grotto of the apparitions down, and make it illegal to go there and try to take home some of the healing waters. They succeeded in closing it to pilgrims and only the Emperor of France can open it, which they are positive will never happen. Then Our Lady quietly yet firmly “steps in.” The son of the Emperor gets a fever and his wife, the Empress sends his governess to collect some healing water. She is arrested, along with all the disobedient pilgrims, and ... you can guess what happens next. The Emperor orders the grotto to be opened. It’s delightful to see how God can get through any man made opposition, and this scene shows that, the Gospel way, or the simple way of Heaven can conquer anything. We can never have too much hope in God. I wait with all humanity again, to see how Heaven conquers another monstrous human made demonic disaster.
“...It is not merely a military operation, but a war which sows death, destruction, and misery...The use of atomic energy for the purposes of war is immoral, just as the possession of atomic weapons is immoral...War is like a cancer that grows, expands and feeds on itself. It is an adventure with no return, to use the prophetic words of St John Paul II...
Forgive us, if we continue like Cain to pick up the stones of our fields to kill Abel. Forgive us, if we continue to justify our cruelty with our labors, if we legitimize the brutality of our actions with our pain. Forgive us for war, O Lord. Forgive us for war, O Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, we implore You! Hold fast the hand of Cain! Illumine our consciences; May our will not be done; abandon us not to our own actions! Stop us, O Lord, stop us! And when You have held back the hand of Cain, care also for him. He is our brother. O Lord, put a halt to the violence! Stop us O Lord!
Amen “
Pope Francis
Fr William Hart McNichols 💮 March 2022