The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1958-08-15
JOSEPH BREIC-
Cold War
Viii End

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Often of late / have been asked why | am so
very optimistic about the worlds future. Let me try
once more to explain.
Forty-one years ago, in 1917, three children in
Portugal reported that the Virgin Mary was appearing
and giving them messages for mankind.
Their accounts never varied, no matter how
often they were questioned. Singly or together. And
yet they were very young, and could neither read
nor write.
THIRTEEN YEARS of investigation by a Church
commission. convinced the bishop that the Virgin
indeed had appeared to the youngsters, SIX times
in all, and had prophesied to them.
In 1912, Pope Plus XII publicly made the bishops
Judgment his own by broadcasting a message to
pilgrims assembled at Fatirna, where the apparitions
had taken place. RI
Before and since, miracles at the Fatima shrine,
together with the immense spiritual good accruing.
have given overwhelming evidence OF the authenticity
of the visions and messages.
Travel mentally with mt back to 1917.
World War I was raging, But it was the war
to end war. So everybody thought. This war would
make the world safe for democracy" in President
Wilson's words.
THE CHILDREN of Fatima, aged nine, seven
and six. said otherwise.
soon would end, but Unless mankind stopped
offending God, an even more terrible conflict would
soon follow.
Note what astounding predictions issued from
these little ones as they reported the warnings Ct
Russia will spread her errors through the
world" they said.
RUSSIAN Why, Russia was PROSTATE, smashed
by German arms. What influence could Russia have
on the immediate future of the world?
America, France, England-these were the
powers. So it seemed.
But the children went on quoting the Lady.
Russia's errors would give rise to wars and insurrec-
tons.
Religion would be prosecuted. Good men and
women would be martyred.
So dreadful would be the upheavalS that some
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Everything the children predicted has come true
except one thing | have not yet mentioned.
RUssIA's ERRORS have spread: We have had
World War II, Korea, Indochina, the bloody conflicts
in Spain and Greece, and all the rest. ~.s
Soviet imperialism has enslaved many countries.
Communism has seized China. And some nations
literally have been destroyed. The Russians deported
the people of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, and
sent in new populations from remote places in the
Soviet Union. e r
But the children said something more.
I'm the end, they quoted the Virgin Mary, my
Immaculate Heart will triumph; Russia will be con-
verified, and an era Of peace will be granted to man
kind" 49,
WE KNOW, therefore, that God is going to col
lapse the very foundations of the tyranny behind the
iron curtain-of what the West Germans call the
Empire of Satan. y
That blasphemous, anti-God despotism has been
built on the terrible, passive sufferings of the Rus
sian people. But Russia is going to return to God.
With that return, communism will fall IN chaos.
The iron and bamboo curtains will splinter. The cold
war will end. Human dignity and freedom will rise.
IAN era of peace will be granted to mankindN-and
God grant that mankind does not forget whence the
peace came; from God.
THIS FINAL PROMISE of the Virgin to the children
was unconditional. The conversion of Russia is GER
tain. AZ -
A few years ago, Pope Plus XII, walking in the
Vatican garden, was given the same vision OF the
miracle Of the sun which was seen by the Fatina
children and by thousands of others after the Virgins
final appearance in October 1917.
Now, on the feast of the Virgins Assumption
into Heaven, we have completed a worldwide novena
called by this same Pope. Is it optimism or realism
which causes me to hope for a great gift from God
through Mary to mankind-soon? s