I am puzzled and saddened that we never see articles about the Fatima message in the WCR. I'm amazed that some priests I've spoken to seem to think they are free to ignore that message and regard it as a matter to accept or discard according to one's whim.

Yet this message was authenticated by four popes. Our popes all seem to have a deep and genuine devotion to Mary. Pope John Paul II went to Fatima to dedicate his papacy to the Blessed Virgin.

Are we really free to discard an intervention by the Mother of Jesus? Mary gave repeated warnings about the consequences of not heeding the request that the pope and the bishops of the world consecrate Russia to her Immaculate Heart.

Her first request was in 1917 but she returned to speak to Lucy in 1929 in Tuy and then again in 1952.

In Rianjo, Spain, in 1931, Jesus spoke to Lucy about the wars and persecutions that would result from not heeding Mary's request. Can the hierarchy of the Catholic Church ignore her request and the warnings of immense tribulations for all of humanity?

What have they got to lose if by a remote chance the consecration is done as requested and nothing happens? Would they lose face? Aren't they losing face at the present time with the persecutions of Christians in many countries and the mockery in mainstream media?

Shouldn't all members of our Catholic congregations be made aware of Mary's message? In three years' time we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of Mary's apparitions to the three children. Wouldn't we be mocking Mary if we celebrate it without having obeyed her?

We should be thinking about this and begin to plan how we to deal with this.

Editor's Note:

While the WCR has on occasion published articles about the Fatima events, any "revelations" contained in such private revelations are not part of the teaching of the Church.

In 1982, bishops around the world as requested by Pope John Paul in accord with the Fatima message, consecrated the world to Mary.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states in part, "Throughout the ages, there have been so-called 'private' revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith. It is not their role to improve or complete Christ's definitive revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history" (n. 67).

Those who wish to know about the limitations of private revelations, even those recognized by the Church, would do well to read Father Benedict Groeschel's A Still, Small Voice as well as the writings of St. John of the Cross.