New Era World News

Intelligence

ABSTRACT

THIS PAST WEEK NEWERA provided two articles detailing President Trump’s unexpected release of his National Security Adviser and seemingly ludicrous request that Russia return Crimea to the Ukraine. This controversial and highly unexpected request was immediately rejected by Russian statesmen; as one Russian reporter noted: this will happen as soon as the United States gives California back to Mexico. Together, these controversial actions appear to signal a weakening of what looked like support for a rapprochement with Russia. After gathering relevant data from various and conflicting sources, breaking the data into component parts, comparing and contrasting the parts and determining veracity of the information (is there evidence that reported events really happened), considering the ideological motivations of news outlets and the web of relationships among the data points, comparison and contrast ended with propositional judgement  (is there evidence that events really happened as reported). This was a followed by a synthesis of the data involving not only historical, cultural, political and economic variables, but philosophical and theological variables as well as unexpected turn of events and discernible global patterns that indicate emerging trends and serve as catalysts to unexpected change. These methodological components are all necessary parts behind a robust Intelligence Report, which is further checked for its own logical validity followed by a forecast relevant to the events under scrutiny.

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CONCLUSION: President Trump’s actions can be understood as a practical rational response to internal pressures arising from the so-called “deep government“ (people who exercise a powerful influence on political affairs, but not necessarily elected officials (financiers, bureaucrats, corporate interests, and those who prefer to manipulate and, if possible, control events from behind the scenes). Newera prefers the term “shadow-government” to “deep government” because this “government” is operated by veiled doyens skilled at circumventing exposure, doyens and intelligence agents who avoid “transparency” by operating under a veil of darkness that casts a shadow over occurring events. Clearly, someone is leaking data detrimental to the Trump Team, not even the President of the United States, whom these intelligence officers supposedly work for, knows who they are – he is in a dim shadow because they are operating under cover of darkness. The only evidence of their operation, all that can be observed is a shadow, a shadow formed by the fact that light has been blocked out. No exposure of light is permitted, no cracked windows though which it might flow because there are no windows in this wall. This is how a strong shadow is formed, hence the term, “shadow government”, one unnamed massive wall of operatives, which President Trump is up against. The real question is whether or not Mr. Trump is up to a life and death struggle to reclaim America for All Americans thereby making  “America Great Again.”

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FORECAST: Despite the monumental bulwark known as the “shadow government’, the United States and Russia will continue down a path of rapprochement but not without significant interference from a ubiquitous shadow-government.  Because it is, or appears to be, “ubiquitous”, interference can be expected from all ends of the political and social-cultural spectrum. Constant, well orchestrated and confusing (shadows can be used to cast confusing and mixed messages) series of events can be expected as agents from both the left and right proceed to push confrontation to a boiling point. Nonetheless, in the long run, the shadow government will fail as it has consistently failed and been out maneuvered in its foreign policy initiatives for the past decade – we have no discernible reason to believe that this chain of events will cease unfolding. The shadow-government is being opposed by more than Mr. Trump – they are losing their grip on power, and they know it. Again the real question is what will Mr. Trump do? Will he continue down the road of his immediate predecessors, or be bold enough to set America on a new course?

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Full Intel Report Tomorrow, Monday, Feb. 20

Access Part One

New Era News limits itself to reporting and in-depth analysis/synthesis of breaking events.
Interpretation, Extrapolation and Forecasting are provided in Weekly Intelligence Reports released each Saturday

IN RECENT DAYS PRESIDENT TRUMP has engaged in some surprising behavior that has reporters and intelligence agents scratching their heads. Not only has his National Security Adviser resigned, President Trump has also indicated that he expects Russia to return Crimea to the Ukraine. This controversial and highly unexpected request came out of no where, as one Russian reporter noted: this will happen as soon as the United States gives California back to Mexico. Together, these executive actions might signal a weakening of what looked like support for a rapprochement with Russia.

Flynn was one of a few that was open to reset with Russia and a proponent of Trump’s retreat from Neocon Global Intervention (the highly vaunted American Moment), an intervention that involves the US military spread thin across the globe and involves the United States in broad international agreements brokered by international agencies involving many countries that the US must abide by. Trump prefers non-intervention, unless American interests are directly a stake, and bi-lateral agreements brokered by the United States itself. He has even indicated that he might support Russia’s acceptance of Crimea, and that the issue is a European not an America problem, but now his National Security Adviser has resigned and Trump is alleging that Putin “TOOK” Crimea from Ukraine and that Obama was “too soft” on Russia and he wants it given back to the Ukraine. What is going on?

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President Trump indicated opening to Russia Nonintervention and possible acceptance of Crimean Referendum – What has happened?

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National Security Adviser First

Earlier this week Michael Flynn resigned as President Trump’s National Security Adviser. Previously, he was head of military intelligence in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also served as Director of intelligence for the U.S. Central Command and was Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, a position from which he was removed by President Obama following Flynn’s Congressional testimony in which he stated, contrary to President Obama’s wishes, that ISIS did not constitute a “major threat” and therefore could not be used as a justification for prolonged engagement in the Middle East.

Mr. Flynn resigned from the Trump team due to pressure for withholding information from Vice President Pence, information regarding a phone conversation that took place before inauguration (December, 29, 2016) with the Russian Ambassador, Sergei Kislyak. During that conversation Flynn responded to questions from the foreign ambassador about US sanctions imposed on Russia (on the same day that thirty-five Russian diplomats were expelled from the US), which he later left out of his report to the Vice President

Others report that sanctions were not part of the conversation.  Recalling his conversation with the Russian Ambassador, Flynn himself stated:

“It wasn’t about sanctions. It was about the 35 guys who were thrown out…. So that’s what it turned out to be. It (the conversation) was basically, ‘Look, I know this happened. We’ll review everything.’ I never said anything such as, ‘We’re going to review sanctions,’ or anything like that.”

Either way, the Vice President was not fully informed (either about the sanction conversation [if it did occur] or the expulsion of the 35), which might be interpreted as the Vice President was “misled.” According to the President’s Counselor, Kelly-Anne Conway: “Misleading the vice president really was the key here.”  Flynn continues to assert that he “crossed no lines” in his conversation with the Russian ambassador:

“If I did, believe me, the FBI would be down my throat, my clearances would be pulled. There were no lines crossed.”

In his final interview before resigning, Flynn indicated that he  “was most concerned” about classified information being leaked by people with security clearances; he was (and is) more concerned about information leaks than he is with his own resignation.

“In some of these cases, you’re talking about stuff that’s taken off of a classified system and given to a reporter. That’s a crime,”

 

“We have to wonder that people who work for our government, who are entrusted with classified information, decisional-based materials are leaking that information out. That, I do believe is a big story,” he said voicing serious concerns about the “politicization of intelligence.”

The “politicization of intelligence” (a euphemism for illegal leaks of information so highly protected that it is above “top-secret” [that is, it is off of the charts]), politicization of intelligence is a big story indeed, but not even Flynn knows where the leaks are coming from. The intelligence community was monitoring the National Security Adviser himself – that is how the information about his private conversation with the Russian ambassador made it to the desk of President Trump and then into the press. Flynn simply does not know where the information is coming from:

 “One has to wonder, ‘Are they coming out of people in the National Security Council? Are they coming out of people in the intel community? Or State? Or Defense?’”

Not even the President of the United States knows how information regarding statesmen on his administrative team is being leaked.  President Trump tweeted that

“The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N. Korea etc?”

In other words, the intelligence community that works for the president is spying on the president.  Events such as this leave us wondering, who is in charge here?

According to Eli Lake writing for  Bloomberg:

“Normally intercepts of U.S. officials and citizens are some of the most tightly held government secrets….Selectively disclosing details of private conversations monitored by the FBI or NSA gives the permanent state the power to destroy reputations from the cloak of anonymity. This is what police states do.”

Before jumping to the conclusion that Eli Lake is accusing Trump of running a police state, it is necessary to be cognizant of the fact that Lake is not referring to a police state run by President Trump – unless Trump is the one ordering the monitoring and making the leaks or ordering them too. In this case, apparently, not even the President knows what is going on. Which state is in charge, the duly elected one or the so-called “deep-state” controlled by people opposed to the president? To support this contention that the police state referred to by Lake is not one overseen by Trump, Trump himself thanked Lake for his reporting. Responding to this Article, Trump Tweeted:

“Thank you to Eli Lake of The Bloomberg View — ‘The NSA & FBI…should not interfere in our politics…and is’ Very serious situation for USA.“

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According to Devin Nunes (R), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence:

“There does appear to be a well orchestrated effort to attack Flynn and others in the administration,” he said. “From the leaking of phone calls between the president and foreign leaders to what appears to be high-level FISA Court information, to the leaking of American citizens being denied security clearances, it looks like a pattern.”

Retired Col. James Williamson, told The Daily Caller that,

“What is illegal is that Flynn has his conversations eavesdropped on.”

The fact is Flynn did not violate any laws; he was asked to resign for failing to fully inform the VP, which is not a criminal act.  As reported and concluded by NBC News:

“There had been no finding that Flynn did anything illegal.”

Related to this incident, it has been widely reported that there are many unanswered questions regarding Trump’s connections with Russia. This could be the key to unraveling this story; it could also involve an attempt to purge Flynn before he helps the President purge the intel community:  According to Bloomberg, Flynn:

“…has cultivated a reputation as a reformer and a fierce critic of the intelligence community leaders he once served with when he was the director the Defense Intelligence Agency under President Barack Obama. Flynn was working to reform the intelligence-industrial complex, something that threatened the bureaucratic prerogatives of his rivals.”  Flynn also “joined the crowd at the Republican National Convention from the dais calling for Hillary Clinton to be jailed.”

Asked by Richard Pollock (The Daily Caller Reporter) why he was calmly avoiding confrontation, Flynn responded:

“I haven’t been fighting back because I’m not that kind of guy. I’m behind the scenes. I’ve always been behind the scenes. But this is ridiculous. It’s so out of control. I’ve become an international celebrity for all the wrong reasons.”

Will Flynn continue to work as a highly placed “behind the scenes” intel officer?  This is a question that Newera is not prepared to approach until a thorough Intel analysis of our own has been conducted. Two safe presumptions can be made at this juncture, viz., the Neocons will do everything they can to assure (1) that one of their members is pegged to replace Flynn and (2) that hostilities with Russia reach a boiling point.

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Acces Part Two

Therefore, Moldova is a global hot spot; the EU globalists cannot afford to let the dominoes keep falling, they must stop here!

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WHAT  CARDS CAN THE EU BE EXPECTED TO PLAY?

Moldova is already a member of NATO and aspires to join the EU. The strongest card the EU has in Moldova is the large number of people still in favor of EU integration including foreign embassies, think tanks, NGOs, media outlets, political beneficiaries and common men and women who have benefited from EU subsidies and economic advantages. Perhaps the globalist’s greatest advantage is the continued existence of the EU-leaning Prime Minister and Parliament. Moldova, moreover is a member of the World Trade Organization, which hand in hand with the EU could cripple or promote its financial sector and economic well being.

Interestingly, Moldova also has several Russian media outlets and news agencies, has a strong Russian cultural influence, 93% of its citizens are members of the Orthodox Church with many having strong ties to the Russian Orthodoxy, nearly 20% of the population declares Russian as their native tongue, Moldova imports over 90% of its energy from Russia; and 54% of its population is of Ukrainian and Russian Slavic descent. Moldova was also once part of the Soviet Union and is also a member of the Russian led Commonwealth of Independent States and thus in the Russian ambit as well.

To the extent that Russia can continue to promote Christian and family values while it slashes away at the amoral cultural tentacles of liberalism and simultaneously provide economic benefits and trade stimulus to Moldova while propping up its infrastructure through investments from Russian-Chinese sponsored financial institutions, it might be able to counterbalance the effect of western liberal propaganda, especially at a time when EU institutions are experiencing unprecedented and severe cultural and political pressures that are wrenching them apart along with the significant financial burden of supporting Mediterranean nations states relying on the European Central Bank in Germany to sustain their failing economies.

Despite EU tribulations, they cannot afford to loose this region to the Russians. Either way, with two pro-Russian presidents and large segments of their populations favorable to increased relationships with Russia along with aid from the EU, economic and trade relations between Transdniestria and Moldova can be expected to improve. The two countries can also be expected to increase cultural ties as globalists continue attempts to acculturate Transdniestria and Transdniestria to influence Moldova. Most importantly, a rapprochement with Russia and Moldova can be expected.  This time it is voluntary and, assisted by cooperative efforts between President Dodan and President Krasnoselski, it should proceed further than before.

As the United States moves to disengage itself from over-extension in foreign affairs thereby leaving a failing to fend for itself militarily at a time when its economies are reeling and social -cultural dissatisfaction is at an all time high, less essential Eastern European nations will receive less economic help. Since it is unrealistic to expect the larger Eastern European nations, such as Poland, will assume responsibility for the economic challenges and mange the economic needs of their poorer neighbors, further anti-liberal Russian influence can be expected.

New Era World News

This series is being written because of the immense importance of Fatima for the modern world.

THIS YEAR THE CHURCH IS CELEBRATING the centenary of the appearance of the Mother of God at Fatima, Portugal in 1917. Since that time Fatima has become the world’s most prominent center of Marian devotion, a place that John Paul II referred to as the “Marian capitol of the world.”  Given the fact that the Our Lady of Fatima precisely foretold the outbreak of World War II, the rise of communism and the persecution of the Church, Her other prophecies concerning the conversion of Russia to be correlated with an “Era of Peace” are of especial relevance since, unlike the former that have already occurred, these prophesied events are in  the process of occurring.  Any impartial observer of global events can discern the Hand of God at work in the world as Russia is being converted and the nations of the world are one by one in the process of rejecting global liberalism while many are reasserting their Christian patrimonies (Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Poland, France, Asia, Argentina, Middle East).

While New Era has been reporting on these changes since its inception, secular and liberal pundits have also begun to observe the many changes occurring world-wide.  They are, however, misinterpreting, and thus misrepresenting, them as a political movements, movements referred to as “Populist“, when in fact these are primarily moral, cultural, spiritual and religious movements. Unlike other populist movements that have focused on economic and social justice, equal rights for the little guy etc. this new “populist movement” differs from previous populist movements because of its global scope and because it is characterized by moral and spiritual dimensions including the frothy rejection of liberalism that, all taken together, indicate or hint at its religious nature.  Although the movement has profound political ramifications, it is not political in essence. At its core, the populist movement sweeping the globe is related to Our Lady’s promises made at Fatima, promises pertaining to the “Conversion of Russia” and a corollary “Era of Peace“. This highly unusual global movement has a religious or theological etiology that intersects with politics, what New Era refers to as theo-politcal or “Theopolitcs“.

It behooves everyone, Catholic, Protestant and non-Christian to know the Fatima Message due to the import of its contents, contents that are unfolding in front of our eyes on a daily basis.  The current spiritual movement was foreseen by St. Louis Marie de Montfort. De Montfort is a highy significant saint for our times. His evangelical work is so exceptional, that another saint, Saint John Paul II, exhorted the “apostles of today” to draw inspiration from his life and work:

“Now that the need for a new evangelization has become imperative in most parts of the world, Fr de Montfort’s zeal for the Word of God, his solicitude for the very poor, his ability to make himself understood by the simplest folk and to stimulate their piety, his qualities for organizing, his initiatives to sustain fervour by founding spiritual movements and to involve the laity in the service of the poor, all that, with practical adaptations, can inspire the apostles of today” (Letter on 50th anniversary of de Montfort’s canonization).

De Montfort’s facund treatises on the Virgin Mary are so exceptional that John Paul II (in his Encyclical Redemptoris Mater) recommended de Montfort’s Marian spirituality to all the faithful:

“Marian spirituality, like its corresponding devotion, finds a very rich source in the historical experience of individuals and of the various Christian communities present among the different peoples and nations of the world. In this regard, I would like to recall, among the many witnesses and teachers of this spirituality, the figure of Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, who proposes consecration to Christ through the hands of Mary, as an effective means for Christians to live faithfully their baptismal commitments”.

One of the main reasons for De Montfort’s contemporary relevance is his perspicacious understanding of the role of the Virgin Mary in the “End Times”, times which we are entering.

How do we know we are entering the end times?  One complex and difficult way is the study of sacred scripture especially eschatological literature.  A more simple approach is the fact that Jesus promised to be with His Church until the end of time:

“Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world” (Matt 28:20)

And that the Holy Trinity would reveal to the Church all that was going to happen:

“I have yet many things to say to you: but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak of himself; but what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak; and the things that are to come, he shall shew you” (John 16: 12-13).

Then, years after His Ascension, Jesus appeared to Saint John on the island of Patmos and He has continued to appear to His saints at special times throughout history.

“And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks: And in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, one like to the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. And his head and his hairs were white, as white wool, and as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, And his feet like unto fine brass, as in a burning furnace. And his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars. And from his mouth came out a sharp two edged sword: and his face was as the sun shineth in his power.”

“And when I had seen him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying: Fear not. I am the First and the Last, And alive, and was dead, and behold I am living for ever and ever, and have the keys of death and of hell. Write therefore the things which thou hast seen, and which are, and which must be done hereafter” (Revelation 1: 12-19).

In the 20th century Jesus revealed Himself to a highly regarded Polish saint, Saint Faustina Kowalska, a poor Polish nun to whom He appeared prior to World War II.  Among other things, He confided to her His love for humanity and His desire to bless the world with an outpouring of Divine Mercy before His final coming as “Just Judge”.  He also revealed His special love for the nation of Poland from which He said would come the “spark” that would prepare the world for His Second Coming.

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Saint Faustina Divine Mercy Message and the End Times

The Divine Mercy Message and Devotion is based on revelations given by Jesus Christ to Saint Faustina  who recorded the revelations she received about the Mercy of God in a voluminous diary, which contains the Message of Divine Mercy (PDF), mercy that God intends for all humanity, especially for those most steeped in sin. Thanks to the love and work of Saint Faustina, Devotion to the Divine Mercy has spread throughout the world.

(c) Knights of Columbus Supreme Council

Devotion to Divine Mercy has gained the highest approbation of the Catholic Church. It has been placed on the universal liturgical calendar of the Church as the Feast of Divine Mercy celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter, also the day on which Pope John Paul II, the “Pope of Mercy” breathed his last breath as the Vicar of Christ and “Apostle of Mercy.”

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“I bear a special love for Poland, and if she will be obedient to My will, I will exalt her in might and holiness. From her will come forth the spark that will prepare the world for My final coming” (Diary, 1732).

Russia is being converted as promised at Fatima, but Poland has stepped forward igniting the flame of love promised by Jesus. From Poland is coming forth the spark of spiritual renewal, of life giving and cleansing mercy, that flows from the Heart of Christ the King.

Jesus told Saint Faustina that Poland would be the instrumental “spark” that would prepare the world for His “final coming”. Images of that spark that is igniting a fire across Europe and beyond can be viewed in the video below (be sure to activate English subtitles by pressing “CC”).

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https://youtu.be/dpC2_BUCTS0

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We are living in or about to enter into the “Hour of Mercy”, the time preparatory to Christ’s final coming, a time foreseen by St. Louis Marie de Montfort, a time, in his words, when

 “…great men filled with the Holy Spirit and imbued with the spirit of Mary” …will destroy sin and establish the kingdom of Jesus Christ.”

“They are the “great souls filled with . . . zeal” (True Devotion 48), “superior to all creatures by their great zeal” (True Devotion 54). The action of the “true apostles of the end times” (True Devotion 58) consists of spreading “the fire of divine love” everywhere; they are themselves “a flaming fire” (True Devotion 56). In the battle against evil and the enemies of God, these great saints “will become, in Mary’s powerful hands, like sharp arrows,” and they will leave “an odor of death” among the worldly (True Devotion 56). Their work will not be limited to reforming the Church, but will include extending it to “the idolators and Muslims” (True Devotion 59).

De Montfort wrote of the Second Coming of Christ to “reign over all the earth and to judge the living and the dead”. Prior to His coming, he foresaw “great men filled with the Holy Spirit and imbued with the spirit of Mary”, men whom he said will “destroy sin and establish the kingdom of Jesus Christ.”  Poland has already taken the first steps in bringing this eschatological vision of De Montfort to fruition.  As of November 1, 2016, Jesus Christ is the King of Poland.

“These great souls filled with grace and zeal will be chosen to oppose the enemies of God who are raging on all sides. They will be exceptionally devoted to the Blessed Virgin. Illumined by her light, strengthened by her spirit, supported by her arms, sheltered under her protection, they will fight with one hand and build with the other.”

De Montfort concludes:

“Towards the end of the world … Almighty God and His holy Mother are to raise up saints who will surpass in holiness most other saints as much as the cedars of Lebanon tower above little shrubs….Mary scarcely appeared in the first coming of Christ….

“But in the second coming of Jesus Christ, Mary must be known and openly revealed by the Holy Spirit so that Jesus may be known, loved and served through her.”

All the above provide strong reason to believe that the world is entering (or has already entered) into a graced moment of sacred history, a time that Jesus, Himself, said was preparatory to His final coming, a time that has been confirmed by the highest authority in the Church, a time in which the Virgin Mary’s Fatima prophecies pertaining to the conversion of Russia and a corollary Era of Peace are being fulfilled. Since there is strong reason to believe what Our Lady foretold at Fatima is upon us (during this 100th anniversary year of Her 1917 appearances), it is through this “Fatima Lens” that we can correctly discern what is happening around the globe – the so-called global populist phenomenon is a prodigious phenomenon related to Fatima and the coming Christian renewal during an Era of Peace prior to the final onslaught by the anti-Christ at the end of the world.

It is the purpose of this “Fatima Series” to  familiarize the reader with the Fatima Message beginning with the three visits by the archangel Michael in 1916, followed by six visits of Our Lady in 1917 and other visits to Sister Lucia at Tuy and Pontevedra, Spain and Rianjo.  The series will also include an article on the Three Secrets of Fatima and another about the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart.  This later article will conclude the series; it is also the most contentious issue in Fatima circles. There are many strong Catholic traditionalists who argue that the consecration requested by Our Lady has not been fulfilled because She specifically asked for the consecration of “Russia”, but John Paul II, who made the consecration in 1984, did not mention Russia.

Specifically, instead of “Russia”, John Paul II consecrated “individuals and nations” and the “world” but not Russia.

“In a special way we entrust and consecrate to you those individuals and nations which particularly need to be entrusted and consecrated.”

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“In entrusting to you, oh Mother, the world, all individuals and peoples, we also entrust to you this very consecration of the world, placing it in your motherly Heart.”

Because he did not mention “Russia” specifically, many have wrongly concluded that the consecration is invalid – even though affirmed by every pope since John Paul II and by Sister Lucia herself.

New Era will demonstrate the erroneous nature of this false contention. Using the formal Fatima literature accepted by both parties (those who accept and those who reject the validity of John Paul II’s 1984 consecration) it will be demonstrated that Pope John Paul II’s 1984 Act of Consecration accurately fulfill’s Our Lady’s requests and that the far-right Fatima detractors are not only disobedient but also in gross error.

In fact, for the first time it will be shown from the Fatima documents themselves that it was the “world” not “Russia” that should have been consecrated  In other words, John Paul II after studying the literature brought to him in Gemelli Hospital (where he was treated and recovering from assassin’s wounds) acted correctly: The “world” not just “Russia” needed to be consecrated.  The pope was not derelict in his papal duties; he was not hemmed in by diplomatic agreements (ostpolitik), nor did he suffer from fear of Communist retaliation as maintained by many ultra-traditionalists.  John Paul II acting in his role as Supreme Pontiff understood the Fatima Message and its cultural and historical contexts, the contexts in which it was given in 1917 and in which the Church was living in 1984.  After conducting an exhaustive and prayerful study of the documents, graced by wounds he united to the blood of Christ, he purposefully worded the consecration the way it was delivered because it was the correct prayer formula as requested by both Our Lord and Our Lady as will be shown.

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UNDERSCORING THE IMPORTANCE OF FATIMA FOR THE MODERN WORLD

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Beginning with Pope Pius XII, every modern pope has either pointed out the importance of Fatima, visited  Fatima, or consecrated “humanity”, the “world”, or “Russia” to Our Lady of Fatima. Modern papal consecrations include:

• Pope Pius XII October 31, 1942  consecrated all of humanity over Vatican radio in Portuguese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
• Pope Pius XII December 28, 1942 repeated the consecration at St. Peter’s
• Then on July 7, 1952, the same pope consecrated all the people in Russian lands to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
• Pope Paul VI November 21, 1964 renewed in the presence of the Fathers of the Vatican Council (but without their participation) the consecration of  Russia to the Immaculate Heart.
• Pope John Paul II May 13, 1982 on a trip to Fatima to thank Virgin for miraculous recovery,  consecrated the world to the Mother of all Peoples.
• Then on March 25, 1984, Pope John Paul II conducted a worldwide collegial consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at St. Peter’s Square before statue of Our Lady of Fatima flown in from Fatima.

Later Sister Lucia, the last survivor of the three children to whom Our Lady appeared in 1917, confirmed the validity of the March 25 consecration made by Pope John Paul II.

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WHERE IS FATIMA AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?

Fatima is situated in the foothills of the Serra de Aire Mountains about one hundred miles north of Lisbon, Portugal.  It has become a worldwide pilgrimage destination and international shrine visited by every modern pope as a place of human spiritual and social renewal. Saint John Paul II referred to Fatima as the, “Marian capitol of the world.” Fatima was once a little known Portuguese village, until a series of three angelic apparitions prepared the way for a visitation by Blessed Virgin Mary to three small children thereafter drawing more than four million visitors annually to the site. Fatima is of such contemporary importance that one of the first actions taken by newly elected Pope Francis was to consecrate his entire pontificate to Our Lady of Fatima. This was followed by World Youth Day in Rio de Janero, which he also entrusted to Our Lady of Fatima. Then, on Oct. 13, 2013 he entrusted the entire world to Our Lady of Fatima followed by conversations with Vladimir Putin relevant to Christianity in the modern world and the role of Russia in defending Christians in the Middle East as will be detailed in this series of articles on Fatima.

The first apparition of Our Lady took place on May 13, 1917, just prior to the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.  On this date the Mother of Jesus appeared at Fatima to three shepherd children, Lucia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto.  She came to turn the nations embroiled in world war back to God and to make an appeal for world peace.

Thereafter, she visited the children on the 13th of every month for six consecutive months making a number of prophecies now popularly known as the “Three Secrets of Fatima.” According to the official Catholic interpretation, the three secrets involve Hell, World War I and World War II, and the attempted assassination by gunshot of Pope John Paul II. The apparitions culminated with the unprecedented “Miracle of the Sun,” which she performed before a gathering of some 70,000 pilgrims and skeptics (including atheists and Free Masons) on October 13, 1917 as she had said she would so that “all might believe”.

The Virgin Mary told the children that Holy Mother Russia, the bastion of Orthodox Christianity, would become a communist nation and that it would lead a world-wide persecution of the church and that various nations would be annihilated.

She also told the children that in the end Russia would be converted if and when the pope in union with all the bishops of the world consecrated Russia to her Immaculate Heart.

After much stalling, intrigue and diplomacy, as mentioned above, Pope John Paul II finally made the requested consecration on March 25, 1984. He was moved to do this for several reasons, chief among them the would-be assassin’s bullets that struck him landed on May 13, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima, which he was celebrating in Rome.  In his own words,

“It was a mother’s hand that guided the bullet’s path and in his throes the Pope halted at the threshold of death” (Pope John Paul II, Meditation from the Policlinico Gemelli to the Italian Bishops, 13 May 1994).

While recovering in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital he had the Fatima texts removed from the Vatican Archives and personally presented to him. Lying in the hospital, prayerfully studying the Fatima dossier, he recognized himself as the pope “dressed in white” spoken about in the “third secret”, the pope whom Our Lady referred to when she told the children that the “holy father” would have much to suffer, implicitly at the hands of the communists.

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Pope John Paul II Recognized Himself as the Pope Dressed in White in the Third Secret of Fatima

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Subsequently, he had the bullet removed from his body sent to Fatima to be placed in the crown of the Virgin statue. Then, on March 25, 1984, he proceeded to consecrate the world to Our Lady of Fatima in union with the bishops. Following that collegial act he then also decided to publicly reveal the much guarded “Third Secret of Fatima” for the first time since it was given to the children in 1917.

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Pope John Paul II Consecrating the World to Our Lady of Fatima

Following the 1984 papal consecration, as promised, communism was toppled, the Solidarity movement gained momentum in Poland, the Berlin wall came down and one after another the nations behind the “Iron Curtain” were given political and then religious freedom – Russia was being converted as Our Lady of Fatima had promised.

The granting of religious freedom in Russia was followed by an increasing number of significant events including the removal of the communist flag from over the Kremlin for the last time on Christmas day, December 25, 1991 thereby symbolizing the end of atheistic communism and foreshadowing the return of Russia as a world power to its ancient Christian patrimony—the rebirth of Christianity on Christmas day.

A new spring-time was occurring in the North. Russia had reemerged as a sovereign nation granting religious freedom to Christians and other world religions. and then Vladimir Putin committed Russia to the protection of Christians throughout the Middle East. On June 1, 2010, President Dmitry Medvedev signed a new law commemorating July 28 as a national holiday thereby officially recognizing the founding of Russia as a Christian nation with the baptism of Prince Vladimir in Kiev in 988.  Speaking at the annual celebration commemorating the “Baptism of the Russ,” he said:

“The continual work of the Russian Orthodox Church will affect the revival of Christianity in our nation. Thanks to the Orthodox faith, Russian culture through the years, has acquired Biblical values on which the system of moral ideals for our nation is built” (US Department of State, 2010).

It is the purpose of this “Fatima Series” to familiarize the reader with Fatima beginning with the three visits by the archangel Michael in 1916, followed by six visits of Our Lady in 1917 and other visits to Sister Lucia at Tuy and Pontevedra, Spain and Rianjo. In all there were 14 apparitions and locutions: Three angelic apparitions prior to the six consecutive appearances of Our Lady in 1917. These were followed by five more post 1917 apparitions/locutions to Sister Lucia from 1925 through 1931 and several important communications between Sister Lucia and her spiritual director that are essential to the Message of Fatima.

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NOTE

The following articles will focus on the essential communications that took place on each of these dates. Description of the apparitions are borrowed from Sister Lucia’s Memoirs: “Fatima in Lucia’s Own Words”  (2007), Fatima, Portugal.