Four Facts

       Because so many politicians and Churchmen are today so preoccupied with the very real danger of annihilation by nuclear holocaust it is necessary to note the following facts:

       Firstly, that the world has been living in the shadow of 'the balance of terror' ever since the super-powers have had the capacity to engage in mutual extermination. If it is arguable that the balance has become somewhat more delicate since Soviet SS 20 Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) have been offset by Cruise and Pershing intermediate range missiles, it is nevertheless most significant that there was no frenzied anti-SS 20 argumentation when Moscow alone had deployed its new generation of intermediate range missiles.

       Secondly, if a nuclear holocaust is unleashed it will clearly be a consequence of sin, which both Scripture (St. James Chapter 4, Verse 1) and Our Lady of Fatima¹ declare to be the cause of war.

       Thirdly, if it is true that a nuclear holocaust would result in unprecedented destruction of both life and treasure, it is no less true that today the world is weighed down by a greater burden of sin than ever before. For today we must reckon not only with personal sins but also with the social and structural sins deriving from moral permissivism which, in defiance of the laws of God, have inscribed a 'right' to kill unborn children in the very constitutions of states. This is true not only of all Communist states, but also of most 'democratic' states.

       Therefore, if one believes in God, it must surely be obvious, since wars are a consequence of and a punishment for sin, that the continued existence of legalized abortion is much more likely to provoke God's wrath and to unleash a nuclear chastisement than the mere number and variety of missiles in the armories of the super-powers.

       Fourthly, this being so, it is obvious to anyone who believes in God and takes Scripture seriously that if a nuclear holocaust is to be averted this will be achieved only by prayer, penance and a complete change of heart. In his message for the World Day of Peace (January 1, 1984), the Holy Father made this clear when he said: 'Unless man has a true change of heart, a re-establishment of peace can only be brief and illusory.' In saying this, Pope John Paul was merely reminding us of what Our Lord had already told us (Luke 13:3) '... Unless you shall do penance you shall all likewise perish.'

       It therefore follows, as night follows day, that if we would avert the threatening nuclear chastisement, and, at the very least, save our immortal souls should the chastisement come, we must do everything possible in terms of prayer and penance that we may indeed have 'a true change of heart'.

       But this in turn means that all Churchmen who are really concerned about peace and the salvation of souls must make it their first priority to call on their flocks to pray and do penance to atone for the sins of the contemporary world and to effect its conversion. For without 'a true change of heart' it is futile to think in terms of progress towards disarmament and peace.

       The primary need for prayer, penance and conversion would be manifest to any believing Christian even if the Mother of God had not come to Fatima. In fact, however, She did come and Her Message proved to be world-shaking, not only because of what it said, but also because of 'the Miracle of the Sun' by means of which Heaven chose to authenticate Her promise that Russia would be converted and that there would be lasting peace, given Russia's collegial consecration to Her Immaculate Heart by the Pope and all the Bishops of the universal Church. But She also made it clear that this would happen only if a sufficient number of the faithful complied with Her demands, and in particular, by doing the penance of fulfilling the mundane duties appropriate to their state in life. Be it noted, moreover, that the basic Message of Our Lady of Fatima was given to three illiterate peasant children in 1917, before the Bolshevik Revolution, at a time when Kerensky's Russia was still being hailed as the most democratic state in the world.

The Pope and Fatima

       By following his predecessors in consecrating the entire world (but not alas! Russia specifically) to Mary's Immaculate Heart on two separate occasions - on May 13, 1982 at Fatima, and on October 16, 1983, in the presence of the Synod Fathers - and by now asking all the Catholic Bishops of the world to join him in again consecrating the world (but alas not Russia specifically) on March 25, 1984 - Pope John Paul has shown that he is thinking continually in terms of the collegial consecration. However the fact that he has not yet dared to order the Bishops of the universal Church to effect the consecration OF RUSSIA in the specific manner demanded by Our Lady² would appear to indicate two things: firstly, that, having to contend with 'material schism' almost everywhere, and being 'afraid of a formal schism³, he cannot yet bring himself to do what Our Lady demands: and, secondly, that 'a sufficient number' are not yet complying with the message of Fatima. For, as Sister Lucia has said, it is only when 'a sufficient number' do so that the grace of the collegial consecration of Russia to Mary's Immaculate Heart will be permitted by God.

       The logic of all this therefore demands that, in addition to doing everything we can to promote compliance with the message of Fatima, we must also petition our Bishops, asking them not only to call for prayer and penance but also to assure the Holy Father of their personal willingness to join with him in effecting the collegial consecration upon which so much depends. For in a hierarchical Church it is only the Bishops who can effectively mobilize the flock and at the same time facilitate effective government of the Church by the Sovereign Pontiff.

When completed the "Petition to Your Catholic Bishop" should be photocopied. THE ORIGINAL SHOULD BE SENT TO THE BISHOP OF THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNED THE PETITION; a copy should be sent to HIS HOLINESS POPE JOHN PAUL II, VATICAN CITY, ROME; and yet another copy should be forwarded to the Petition Organizer, Father Nicholas Gruner, c/o The Fatima Crusader (See addresses below). You may if you wish send your original to Father Nicholas Gruner and he will forward copies to the appropriate persons.

U.S.A.

c/o Servants of Jesus and Mary 17000 State Route 30, Constable, NY 12926

CANADA

The Fatima Center 452 Kraft Road, Fort Erie, ON L2A 4M7

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