1
SUPPOSE ...
for a moment
Suppose ...
there werea means of achieving worldpeace that involved nothingmore complicated than a briefpublic religious ceremonywhereby a particular countrywas especially blessed andconsecrated.
Suppose ...
this ceremo-ny would be perhaps fteenminutes’ duration, conducted by Pope Benedict XVI (or hissuccessor) and the bishopsof the Catholic Church andsimultaneously broadcast tothe world.
Suppose ...
there washard evidence that this pub-lic Consecration would in factproduce spectacular benets,not just for Catholics, but forthe world at large, both be-lievers and nonbelievers.
Suppose ...
this Consecra-tion would involve absolutelyno expense or inconvenienceto yourself, but could produceincalculably good returns foryou and your loved ones.
Suppose ...
on the otherhand, that you and your lovedones were faced with the pos-sibility of catastrophic lossesif the Consecration were notperformed — including theloss of your liberty, and ulti-mately your life.
Would You NotAgree ...
That even if you, yourself,might doubt the eectivenessof this Consecration, therewould be nothing to lose andeverything to gain from thePope and bishops performingit?Precisely such a Consecra-tion is prescribed in what iscommonly known as the Mes-sage of Fatima.The Message of Fatima wasauthenticated by God throughHis spectacular public miracle,witnessed by 70,000 people. Itwas reported in newspapersaround the world, includingthe
New York Times
. WarnerBrothers even made a movie based on the events at Fatimacalled
The
Miracle of Our Ladyof Fatima
.Among the apparitions ap-proved by the Catholic Churchare the appearances of the Vir-gin Mary at Fatima, Portugalfrom May-October in 1917.Pope Benedict XVI refers tothem as the “most propheticrevelations of the 20th Cen-tury”.Even many non-Catholicsare aware that the Message ofFatima was approved by theCatholic Church as worthy of belief.The Church’s approval is