Catholic bishops in the Philippines will be joining Pope Francis when he consecrates Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25, hoping that the warring countries will settle their differences in peace.
“Even if Europe is relatively far from the Philippines, we have every reason to be apprehensive about these global developments,” read a circular released by Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, president of the bishops’ conference, on Thursday, March 17.
“In our own context in the Asia Pacific region, we can only hope that Russia’s sudden shift to an expansionistic geopolitical policy does not motivate any of its allies from doing the same thing on their neighboring countries,” it added.
The prelate noted that “the peace and security of some of our own national territories” have also become “among our major domestic concerns,” adding that in the West Philippine Sea “an ally of Russia has already set up its own military installations, despite all our protestations.”
Without mentioning China, Bishop David said the situation in the disputed territories in the Asian region “is now turning out to be the more important global context that should determine the way we will choose a new set of leaders for our country in the coming elections.”
The Philippines is set to elect a new set of leaders in May this year. “This too we must pray very hard for,” said the prelate of Kalookan.
The decision to join the Holy Father in consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Solemnity of the Annunciation was made during the meeting of the Permanent Council of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines on March 16.
In the Vatican, the consecration will take place during a penitential celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica presided over by the pope.
Msgr. Bernardo Pantin, CBCP secretary general, said the country’s bishops will carry out the same act of consecration the same day in their respective dioceses.
In a report, Vatican News said that in July 1917 in the central Portuguese town of Fatima, “Our Lady has asked for the consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart, stating that if this request were not granted, Russia would spread its errors throughout the world, promoting wars and persecution of the Church.”
The Fatima apparitions of 1917 are among the popular Marian apparitions of the Catholic Church, wherein three secrets were revealed by Mary through the appearances
The second secret was a statement that World War I would end, and a prediction of another war that would start during the reign of Pius XI, if people continued to offend God and if Russia was not consecrated to her Immaculate Heart.
After the Fatima apparitions, there were various acts of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Pope St. John Paul II consecrated the entire Church and the world to Mary three times during his pontificate.
“Each day that this war lingers on increases its potentials of escalating into a bigger and more serious conflict between Russia and its allies on the one hand, and the United States and its NATO allies in Europe and other nations of the world, on the other hand,” read the CBCP circular.
“It can lead to the fearful scenario of a Third World War,” said the Filipino bishops.
