A Cynical Age Desperately In Need Of Hope, Rejects It When It Comes

Pope Francis' Announcement That He Will Consecrate Russia & Ukraine To Mary's Immaculate Heart is Met With Suspicion & Cynicism

[This post has been UPDATED from the original, I hastily published with a few errors.]

Here is Pope Francis’ announcement through the Vatican Press Office.

On Friday 25 March, during the Celebration of Penance at which he will preside at 17.00 in Saint Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The same act, on the same day, will be carried out in Fatima by His Eminence Cardinal Krajewski, Apostolic Almoner, as envoy of the Holy Father.

The immediate response to this in some “Traditional” catholic circles isn’t bell-ringing or shouts of “Deo gratias!”, instead its:

Well, some grifters who’ve made bank on novelty and outright clownish behavior from Catholic church-men, gonna grift. Some have valid concerns based on past history. The former will grab the sensational headlines and more eyes, the latter, more contemplative sets of fewer eyes.

Meanwhile, my friend Hugh Owen, founder of the Kolbe Center For The Study And Defense of Creation, has what I believe is a more appropriate response for Catholic Knights and Duchesses:

If you know anyone who has any influence with his local Ordinary or with any other Ordinary, please ask them to ask the Ordinaries to ask the Pope to invite Pope Benedict XVI and all of the Bishops of the world to join him in the consecration on the 25th "to avert a Third World War."  It would be very easy for Pope Francis to send an invitation to all of the Bishops of the world, inviting them to join him in making the Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  But time is short.

That’s how we should receive this news, methinks, with good old fashioned hope; entrusting this to God’s providence through The Immaculate Conception’s intercession. I asked my friend and philosophy mentor, Brother André Marie for comment and because of technical glitches, just now received it and am including it now.

Going by the statement posted by the Vatican Press Office, the act to take place on March 25 is evidently not the consecration of Russia that Our Lady asked for. That consecration was to be collegial (the bishops of the world with the pope, their head) and there was no mention of Ukraine by the Blessed Virgin. However, depending upon the particular formula the Holy Father uses, it may well bring upon the world signal graces that could avert an escalation of the present war into a much more catastrophic global conflict. We should all offer fervent prayers for Russia's conversion, for peace, and that the Holy Father will be given the grace to heed the Blessed Virgin's specific request so that those ends may be achieved.

Let us pray for that.

Its a time for Knights, folks, not soy-men crying into their unholy grails filled with Starbucks decaf. In fact, with The Paraclete in mind, I wonder if maybe thats’s the point of the Biden Regime & Global Cult of Death Cabal’s now public and expedited controlled demolition of the modern world they helped create: to raise that army of Catholic Knights and religious saints that brings an end to every diabolical surge that looks to be the death-knell of Christendom.

I believe we are in that very peculiar moment, right now. It might be worth re-hearing St Bernard of Clairvaux during a similar era when ascendent Islam was ransacking the Continent and The Holy Land.

Go forth confidently then, you knights, and repel the foes of the cross of Christ with a stalwart heart. Know that neither death nor life can separate you from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ, and in every peril repeat, "Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's." What a glory to return in victory from such a battle! How blessed to die there as a martyr! Rejoice, brave athlete, if you live and conquer in the Lord; but glory and exult even more if you die and join your Lord. Life indeed is a fruitful thing and victory is glorious, but a holy death is more important than either. If they are blessed who die in the Lord, how much more are they who die for the Lord! - Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, In Praise of The New Knighthood

In my own soy-influenced cynicism I am tempted to predict that the Holy Father will, ohhh, I don’t know, add some intro prayer to the Pacha Mama, refuse to invite the world’s bishops and generally make a novel dumpster fire of the whole event.

But it’s Lent and if that happens, I’ll joyfully continue sharpening my sword and reinforcing my shield and say to God.

Thank you God, may I have another!?

Gentlemen of the ‘Murican continent. Be a Knight for Our Lady and The Faith not a ninny for cynicism.

The world, literally, is watching. Show them that Catholic men. REAL, Catholic men, are back!