(Eph 6:12) “For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.”
China’s growing hostility towards Taiwan, Iran’s nuclear ambitions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine all mean the world has never “been closer to World War III than we are now” Donald Trump said in August 2024. The recent escalation of hostilities between Iran and Israel are poised to engulf the Middle East in a comprehensive regional conflict, which may subsequently intensify into a global confrontation, casting the entire world into profound darkness and widespread suffering.
Alicja Lenczewska (†2012), a contemporary Polish mystic and stigmatic, indicates the XXI century as the time when the foretold chastisement and great renewal of the Church will occur.
Are we then on the brink of World War Three?
Even if the answer is affirmative, what does an intelligent person do? They do not build a fallout shelter in their backyard. They do not pack their bags and fly to the safest places in the world, such as Fiji or South Africa. Nor do they stockpile enormous quantities of food in their home. Instead, they dust off the Rosary hanging from their rearview mirror and pray it daily, and by all means strive to remain in a state of sanctifying grace.
“The grave challenges confronting the world at the start of this new Millennium lead us to think that only an intervention from on high, capable of guiding the hearts of those living in situations of conflict and those governing the destinies of nations, can give reason to hope for a brighter future.
The Rosary is by its nature a prayer for peace, since it consists in the contemplation of Christ, the Prince of Peace, the one who is “our peace” (Eph 2:14). Anyone who assimilates the mystery of Christ – and this is clearly the goal of the Rosary – learns the secret of peace and makes it his life’s project.” (Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginius Mariae, John Paul II)
Although the Virgin Mary did not mention the Rosary in her messages delivered in Fatima, Gietrzwałd, Kibeho or Lourdes, the mere fact that she held it in her hands would suffice as a testament to the value of this prayer and an invitation to recite it. This act would undeniably demonstrate how much the Virgin Mary desires us to implore her through this prayer, for through it she can bestow upon us the most abundant graces. This fact would also reassure us that, among all prayers offered to her, there is none more pleasing and precious to her than the Rosary.
All readers must have heard of the victorious Battle of Lepanto (1571), the survival of four German Jesuits who lived near the epicenter of the atomic bomb explosion in Hiroshima (1945), and the miraculous withdrawal of the Soviets from Austria (1955). However, no one has ever read about the Divine Intervention in the small town of Chełmno (1939), in remote Poland. This story was recounted by Fr. Grzegorz Strączyński, OFMConv on TV Niepokalanów, on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Chełmno, a town situated on the Vistula River in the region of Kujawy, is regarded as a town of miracles. On September 3, 1939, German and Polish forces faced each other here. A terrible, uneven battle took place. Not only soldiers but also civilians lost their lives. Many of the wounded found refuge in a makeshift hospital located in the monastery.
The sick, the elderly, children, and those who had sought shelter in the town at that time prayed continuously, reciting the Rosary and many other prayers, pleading with the Creator for help. And God did not abandon them. The Immaculate, the Heavenly Guardian, watched over the monastery and the city, over which German bombers circled throughout the day. From the other side of the Vistula, where the fierce battle was unfolding, enemy artillery shelled the town, especially the monastery buildings situated on the opposite hill. The city suffered almost no damage, and not a single window in the monastery was broken. Many testimonies about those events have been preserved, but let us present one, from Mr. Rediger, a resident of Chełmno:
‘On the day the Germans entered Chełmno, that is, on September 5, 1939, in the morning, I went out in front of the house to see what was happening… Suddenly, a German car came around the corner of the street. I was startled and wanted to run, but it was already too late. There were two German officers sitting in the car. They asked me for directions to Toruń. I began to explain to them… but one of them said, “Get in the car and show us the way, otherwise we’ll get lost, and we are in a hurry.” I hesitated. They noticed this and started to reassure me. They said that I shouldn’t be afraid, that they wouldn’t do anything bad to me. As soon as they got on the right road, they would drop me off, and I could return home safely. I had no choice…
On the way, one of the officers asked me about the buildings situated on the hill by the Vistula. I replied that it was probably the monastery, next to which there was a church, and the buildings were surrounded by a defensive wall, which was part of the city walls encircling Chełmno. The German officer responded, “Yes, it looks like a monastery! Interesting, we shelled that building with artillery several times, but every time the order for cannon fire was given, a Woman would appear over those buildings, and with her covering, something like a cloak, she would wave over the monastery, shielding it from the bullets.” At these words, the officer unbuttoned his coat and showed how the Woman did this, then added, “We were very surprised that despite heavy fire, despite perfect visibility and a short distance, our shells did not hit, and we were unable to cause any damage to the buildings. We all confirmed this, and after several failed attempts, we ceased the attack. I am very curious about what that was because it was truly an extraordinary thing.”‘ (according to Fr. Józef Orchowski, “Zwyciężyłeś – Zwyciężaj” (2), “Królowa Rózańca Świętego” No. 3/2015 – there you can find the full account).
The permanent lack of food affecting civilian populations during times of war or local conflicts appears to be almost a normal occurrence. Those who do not trust in God, or simply do not believe, may easily fall into despair in such circumstances. Still, for a Christian who believes that God not only cares for the salvation of mankind but also provides for their sustenance and clothing (Mt 6:25), such a perspective allows for a profoundly different outlook on the surrounding reality.
“She said, “As the LORD, your God, lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a few sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die.”
Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid. Go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Afterwards you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says: The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.” (1 Kings 17:12-14)
God has not changed. It is people who have changed their perception of Him. God remains the same as He was in the time of Elijah.
In the region of Karaganda, the Soviet regime established a labor camp whose area was comparable to that of France. Within its confines were individuals from over twenty nations, among whom were also Poles. By the decree of Joseph Stalin, thousands of Poles were forcibly relocated from the territories of present-day Ukraine to the northern steppes of Kazakhstan. In June 1936, they founded a small village, Oziornoje, situated approximately 150 kilometers from Petropavlovsk.
They gathered for prayer under the cover of night, with windows carefully obscured, as they had to conceal their religious practices. Most often, they recited the Rosary and sang religious hymns. For the exiles, the Rosary was their sole weapon. It sustained their faith for 70 years until the collapse of the Soviet Union. Through this prayer, they encountered God, as there were no priests, no opportunity for confession, nor participation in the Eucharist.
The climate of Kazakhstan is characterized by extremely hot summers and very harsh, frigid winters. The winter of 1941 was particularly severe. Additionally, the ongoing war led to a situation where the inhabitants of the village faced the threat of starvation. Yet, they did not cease their daily recitation of the rosary, imploring the Blessed Virgin Mary for help. Divine Providence did not turn a deaf ear to their pleas.
On the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25th, a sudden thaw occurred. The surplus of water that emerged filled a lakebed that had been dry for years. Within less than a month, a reservoir was formed with a shoreline stretching as far as six kilometers. Equally unexpectedly, the lake became teeming with fish, which not only saved the lives of the village inhabitants but also aided many others. Eyewitnesses recounted that the fish were so abundant that the locals were able to scoop them out with bowls, selling them in such quantities that vehicles from the surrounding regions flocked to collect them.
In commemoration of this event, on June 24th, 1997, a statue of the Blessed Virgin holding a net full of fish was erected on the lake’s shore, and it quickly became a site of veneration for the faithful. The statue was consecrated by Pope John Paul II.
In 1990, a large church dedicated to Our Lady, Queen of Peace, was constructed there, marking it as the only Marian shrine in Central Asia. Pilgrims from Kazakhstan and around the world journey to this site. Since 1996, the church has maintained uninterrupted perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. (According to „Różaniec” No. 10/2009 ; „Królowa Różańca świętego” No.3/2016)
“Oziornoje is a place chosen by the Blessed Virgin herself. When we look at the history of popular Marian shrines such as Lourdes, Fatima, or La Salette, we see that the Blessed Virgin chose and distinguished places that were unknown. It is the same in Kazakhstan. The national sanctuary is located in a place that, fifty years ago, no one had heard of,” said Archbishop Tomasz Peta.
In 2007, Polish Discalced Carmelite sisters from the Carmel in Częstochowa arrived in Oziornoje.
“Responding to the missionary call of Jesus, we are learning about Asia every day, learning to love the people who live here, their mentality, their differences. They welcomed us as their own and are very kind to us. Even a young Muslim Kazakh woman showed great interest in our way of life and asked for a rosary,” they said in an interview with Nasz Dziennik.
The fact that October—the month dedicated to the Rosary— just ended does not imply that we should wait until next year to turn to this prayer once more. On the contrary. Instead of spending several minutes each day scrolling through national and international news on your phone, devote that time to reciting the rosary in silence, even if it be meditating one, two, or even three decades. You will see the fruit soon enough. Spiritual conflicts and evils are intensifying all around us. Consider also the possibility that your prayer might delay, even by a week or a month, the impending chastisement looming over humanity. There is no doubt that you hold a deep affection for your Country, be it Australia, the United States of America, Canada, or Ireland. You earnestly wish prosperous development for it and that its citizens may never have to endure the horrors of war.
Queen of the most holy Rosary, ora pro nobis!