Tightening the Vise

by Christopher A. Ferrara

        It was so simple - as simple as the peace of Heaven itself. At Fatima, only weeks before the Russian Revolution convulsed Russia, the Mother of God requested the Consecration of that nation to Her Immaculate Heart, promising Russia’s conversion and a period of peace for mankind if Her simple request were granted.

        But it has not been granted. Eighty-five years later, the Vatican apparatus of Cardinal Angelo Sodano, aided by "useful idiots" (as Lenin would call them) in the neo-Catholic establishment, continues to expend thousands of words explaining why one word - Russia - could not be uttered in the various ineffectual consecration ceremonies we have seen over the years, ceremonies in which everything but Russia has been mentioned.

        And now the regime of Vladimir ("the practicing Christian") Putin is steadily tightening its grip on the miniscule Catholic community of Russia. Over the past several months we have read of the Practicing Christian’s expulsion of Bishop Mazur and two key priests of the embattled Catholic hierarchy from Russian territory. The latest news, reported by CNS on August 10, 2002, is that "A Slovakian priest has become the latest foreign missionary to have his visa revoked in Russia. Father Stanislav Krajnak, 29, said he was given no explanation on Aug. 2 when Foreign Ministry officials refused to grant him a new one-year visa. He had worked in Russia for the past three years, two of them in the city of Yaroslavl."

        Shortly after he received the news that his visa had been revoked, Father Krajnak spoke to CNS: "I've got all my things ready to give to another priest for safekeeping and to leave here. I've got only a few days left." According to CNS, "through a contact at the Foreign Ministry, Father Krajnak said he learned that his name was on a blacklist maintained by Russia's Federal Security Service, the domestic intelligence agency that has taken over many of the duties of the Soviet-era KGB."

        So, the new version of the KGB - essentially the old version with a new name - maintains a Soviet-style black list of Catholic clergy. And (obviously) with the full knowledge and consent of the Practicing Christian - himself a "former" KGB agent - the FSB is now expelling Catholic bishops and priests from Russian territory. That is, the Practicing Christian is systematically forestalling the conversion of any significant number of Russians to Catholicism by deporting any members of the Catholic clergy perceived to be a threat to Orthodox hegemony and leadership.

        But the dupes of Fatima revisionism continue to nod their heads like little dashboard dolls when Cardinal Sodano, Archbishop Bertone and his collaborators insist that the consecration of Russia is a closed subject. Tell that to the miniscule minority of Russian Catholics, whose endangered priests and bishops are in the vice of state oppression. And the man who is turning the handle on that vice is the same man the Fatima revisionist dupes are foolish enough to call a Practicing Christian.