Image Credit: The Annunciation, Alexander Murashko, shamelessly pinched from here.
On this solemnity, when the Holy Father, in union with bishops around the world, will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart and beg for peace, a Ukrainian Annunciation.
Read the text of the announcement and you'll see he is consecrating all humanity, and Russia & Ukraine in particular. Don't know about you, but I could certainly use the boost.
In my diocese e'rrbody is getting in on the act. I received at least 14 announcements of this from various entities yesterday alone. So I'm sure you can find a place to join in in your neck of the woods. But if not, here's the prayer, which everyone will say at approximately 6:30 pm Rome time, 1:30 pm EST.
As a pious daughter of the Church, I welcome this act of faith and worship and sincerely believe it will bring much-needed grace into the world. The Father knows how to give good gifts to his children.
As an on-line Catholic, I trust this peace-making act will bring about the cessation of hostilities over John Paul II's consecration of Russia in the '90s. Now we can begin arguing about this one! Oh, and P.S., it's a rare "Meat Friday," where the joy of the solemnity overtakes the mandatory Lenten abstinence.
Update: Here is the Holy Father's homily for today. It's a good one!
