I think we should see the Conversion of Russia from the ecclesiological perspective outlined in my Fatima (5) piece. And, for those unfamiliar with this, I allude also to the willingness of that great Pope S Pius X to envisage communicatio in Sacris between Catholics and Orthodox in Russia (facts in my piece of 22 November 2014).
When our Lady at Fatima contingently foretold the Conversion of Russia, I do not think that she meant that every single Russian would automatically become a a faithful and sacramentally regular worshipper (as I do not think that her promise about the preservation of the Faith in Portugal was falsified by the referendum vote of 2007 to admit abortion). That, this side of the Eschaton, is not the sort of place we are in. Nor, I think, did she mean that Patriarch Cyril and all Russians would immediately come into full juridical communion with the See of S Peter. What she did mean, surely, is something which can embrace (but is not exhausted in) the revival currently going on within the post-Soviet Russian Patriarchate, as well as in the other parts of the former Soviet bloc, such as the Ukraine.
[Incidentally, I have been told (was I misinformed?) that, during Patriarch Cyril's recent visit to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Russian Orthodoxy in this country, the Anglican incumbents of Canterbury and London (Chartres presumably proudly wearing his enkolpion) were present, and a Coptic bishop, but not the Archbishop of Westminster. I imagine an invitation did go to Westminster and that probably a representative was sent. This would suggest a more nuanced and tactful approach to Ukrainian sensitivities than Pope Francis was able to manage at that bungled meeting in Cuba! I wonder if Eparchial Bishop Hlib had a quiet word with Vin ... ]
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I believe I saw the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Mennini, sitting immediately behind Justin Welby. A much more appropriate Catholic representative, in that the Diocese of Sourozh whose Cathedral was being consecrated, covers not only the territory of England & Wales, but also Scotland (and indeed, Ireland) He can be seen on the video published here: https://www.rt.com/news/362966-russian-patriarch-uk-service/
These especially honoured guests are shown at 6.00 minutes into this 3 hours long video.
Likewise, watching the video coverage I did not see the Archbishop of Westminster amongst the honoured guests, although there were two Catholic eminences I was not able to recognise.
I must respectfully disagree, Father. I think Our Lady meant what she said regarding the conversion of Russia. That conversion, following its consecration done according to the precise formula requires by Heaven, would have been followed by a period of peace. The consecration was supposedly done in March 1984. If that was it, and the gradual "re-Christianization" of Russia is a fruit of that conversation, where is the promised period of peace? The undubitable fact that there has been no period of peace since 1984 is proof that the consecration in 1984 did not fulfill Heaven's conditions and consequently what we see happening in Russia is not yet the promised conversion. While Our Lady did not indicate any time frame for Russia's conversion and the subsequent period of peace following the consecration, surely more than enough time has passed to render judgment on the efficacy of that 1984 consecration.
We had the period of peace at the end of the Cold War. We squandered it. It wasn't the Pope's fault, or Our Lady's fault, that we don't use our opportunities.
There was no "period of peace" and has never been one subsequent to the downfall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Here's a sampling of wars since 1991: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_1990–2002.
The First Gulf War and Rwanda Genocide (where millions were hacked to death) happened around this time. What period of peace are you talking about?
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