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A remarkable yet possible plan of Heaven for today's world can be guessed at, if Orthodox Christianity is reviving within Russia in the manner described to me a few days ago in London by a Russian. His description corresponds to the impression brought away from Russia by an American friend visiting St Petersburg a few years ago - the average Russian has distinctly more spiritual substance in him then has the average spiritually wasted Westerner. Does this connect with Our Lady of Fatima...?

The Russian in London told me that the Orthodox Church in Russia is following rather than leading a revival of Orthodoxy amongst the people. Attendance at the Orthodox liturgy has increased by half over the last two years, and now 80% of Russians are at least calling themselves "Orthodox", i.e. believers. New parishes are springing up everywhere. Bibles are snatched up as soon as they come on sale. Religious literature is flourishing, whilst atheistic propaganda is dying. "Holy Russia" is rising from the grave in which Communism from 1917 to 1989 strove to bury it.

For when the Communist structures of the Soviet "empire of evil" (Pres. Reagan) collapsed in 1989, the Russians turned for an ideology to replace Communism not to Western Liberalism but to their national and religious roots in Russian Orthodoxy. What indeed had the decadent West had to offer to Russia's new needs in the 1990's ? In economics, the plundering of their wealth by capitalist vultures; in politics, the still on-going encirclement of their frontiers to ensure the United States' permanent global hegemony by the construction of a ring of military bases which are one, if not the real, reason for the disastrous occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan never to come to an end; in religion, the attempted push eastwards of Conciliar ecumenism, with which apparently the Russian churchmen want nothing to do - on the contrary, they are aware of the Traditional Catholic movement, and support it.

However, let us be under no illusion: Russian Orthodoxy welds together religion and patriotism in a not wholly godly mixture, and Orthodoxy is still schismatic by refusing the Papal Supremacy, and heretical by refusing a number of dogmas, so Russians do need to be converted to the truly Universal or Catholic Church. But if Our Lady of Fatima has singled out their country for the Consecration to her Heart, may it not be, not because the Russians are still wicked Communists but because the Russian people's huge sufferings from their 70 Babylonian years of Communist captivity are calling forth from the always religious depths of "Holy Russia" an upsurge of spiritual vitality which could save the true Church, presently wilting in the West, where Church Authority may still have large numbers but it has little Faith, whilst the Traditional remnant has the true Faith but little by way of numbers and less by way of Authority ? God knows how the Western Church also needs conversion !

May it then be Russia's smashing of the encirclement in a Third World War leading to its occupation of Europe, which will at last drive the Latin Pope to consecrate Russia to Our Lady's Heart, as she has so long been asking for in vain? Will at that moment the Russians' renewed religious vigor save our languishing Catholic Authority and Tradition, whose Truth will in turn cleanse their errors ? If so, then God will once again have "concluded all in unbelief, that He may have mercy on all...How incomprehensible are His judgments, and how unsearchable His ways... To Him be glory for ever" (Rom. XI, 32...36).

Catholics, mainstream and of Tradition, pray your hearts out for the Consecration of Russia to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God, or "Theotokos" as she is known in the Eastern Church.

Kyrie eleison.
+Williamson


London, England

*** End***

Anne-Marie

Sunday, 30. August 2009, 09:40

Reading the first two-thirds of your post... I though t thatwas you speaking!!!
I do wish you'd put Williamson's words in quotes!

I remember back in the 70s a priests telling me one day African would bring Christianity to Britain and Europe!
Such was his opinion even then of the state of our Faith!

Yes, Russia feels encircled - and rightly so.
But Russia is also using/allowing the U.S. to do the dirty work of trying to check Islam - Russia had its own nasty experience with that in Soviet days and feels rather threatened and encircled by that, too.

Who or what will bring about the re-Christianising of Britain/Europe is something I'm not sure I actually want to be around to see! Whether 3rd World War or otherwise, it might be a very unpleasant experience. (Even the Jews had a tough time claiming the Promised Land, with rather a lot of wars, exile, slavery.)
Meanwhile, I'll just do my bit....

O'Ratty

Sunday, 30. August 2009, 12:57

As you can guess, I have a few comments but I'll let them revolve in my head before committing them to cold print.

The "consecration of Russia" is by the blood of her Orthodox martyrs, not by the legalistic formulae of Latin bishops.

(Williamson repeats the Roman Church's reasons for regarding Orthodoxy as "schismatic" and "heretical"; it's important in the context to recognise that from the Orthodox point of view it is the Roman Church (and its dependents) which has separated itself by heresy from Unity, Catholicity and Apostolicity. I mention this not to be offensive or provocative - this is, after all, an RC forum on which I am merely a guest - but just so that we're all clear about where "the other" is coming from. There is a thread somewhere about "the Great Schism". I suggest that anyone wishing to explore Catholic/Orthodox controversy should do it there).

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this is, after all, an RC forum on which I am merely a guest - but just so that we're all clear about where "the other" is coming from. There is a thread somewhere about "the Great Schism". I suggest that anyone wishing to explore Catholic/Orthodox controversy should do it there).

Gerard

Sunday, 30. August 2009, 17:38

I have a friend who is Ukranian (athiest but Christian family background) and another who is an English (Evangelical) missionary in Russia. Both tell me that the Orthodox Church lost all credibility in that country by capitulating to/with the Government throught the communist period.

Gerry

Gerard

Sunday, 30. August 2009, 17:38

I have a friend who is Ukranian (athiest but Christian family background) and another who is an English (Evangelical) missionary in Russia. Both tell me that the Orthodox Church lost all credibility in that country by capitulating to/with the Government throught the communist period.

Gerry

John Sweeney

Sunday, 30. August 2009, 19:17

Is this Willimason the Nazi one? In any case, what are we to believe about this great Christian wave sweeping Russia? Is it in the example of the oligarchs who ripped gargantuan personal fortunes out of privatisation? Is it in the gangsters who enforce the oligarchs' will? Is it in the ongoing vicious wars in Chechnya and other subjugated areas? Is it in the --fairly minor transgression admittedly compared with the aforementioned crimes--the relentless Orthodox persecution of Catholicism? Is it in the blatant moves to cement one party--indeed one man--domination of politics and the ripping up of a constitution designed to prevent that?

John Sweeney

Sunday, 30. August 2009, 19:17

Is this Willimason the Nazi one? In any case, what are we to believe about this great Christian wave sweeping Russia? Is it in the example of the oligarchs who ripped gargantuan personal fortunes out of privatisation? Is it in the gangsters who enforce the oligarchs' will? Is it in the ongoing vicious wars in Chechnya and other subjugated areas? Is it in the --fairly minor transgression admittedly compared with the aforementioned crimes--the relentless Orthodox persecution of Catholicism? Is it in the blatant moves to cement one party--indeed one man--domination of politics and the ripping up of a constitution designed to prevent that?

I don't think we should be looking for salvation from them or from their benighted church.


John