Finally we came to the important subject of the second July secret, of which so many different and conflicting versions have been published. Lucia made it plain that Our Lady did not ask for the consecration of the world to Her Immaculate Heart. What She demanded specifically was the consecration of Russia.
She did not comment, of course, on the fact that Pope Pius XII had consecrated the world, not Russia, to the Immaculate Heart in 1942. But she said more than once, and with deliberate emphasis: ‘What Our Lady wants is that the Pope and all the bishops in the world shall consecrate Russia to Her Immaculate Heart on one special day. If this is done, She will convert Russia and there will be peace. If it is not done, the errors of Russia will spread through every country in the world.’
‘Does this mean, in your opinion, that every country, without exception, will be overcome by Communism?’
‘Yes.’1
Professor Walsh continued:
It was plain that she felt that Our Lady’s wishes had not yet been carried out. People must say the Rosary, perform sacrifices, make the Five First Saturday Communions, pray for the Holy Father.
In this interview with Professor Walsh, Sister Lucy again set forth the precise requirements for the Consecration of Russia, performed in accordance with Our Lady’s request: the Pope, together with all of the world’s bishops, must publicly and solemnly consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Also, it is telling that Sister Lucy did not comment on Pope Pius XII’s 1942 consecration of the world: by her silence on the subject, and by once again repeating the specific requirements for the Consecration, she affirmed that a consecration of the world would not suffice to fulfill Our Lady’s request.
Notes:
- William Thomas Walsh, Our Lady of Fatima 4th printing, (1947) p. 226.