I just finished Ten Dates Every Catholic Should Know. It's fantastic. The author is a Catholic historian and not only does she know her stuff, she knows how to present it as well. I was enthralled. Every time things look impossibly bleak God takes care of his people. He corrects, and comforts. I was especially moved by the description of the last days and death of little Prince Louis Charles, son of Louis and Marie Antoinette. The cruelty metted out to this little innocent is horrifying and I found myself wishing that I could somehow step into history and comfort him. I was glad that he had one kind person near him at the end.
This was sad and the fall of France stems directly from the rejection of Our Lord's Sacred Heart. The section on Fatima was sobering. I wish that Russia could've been unambigusously consecrated ((a lot of good, and yes, sensible Catholics still doubt that the consecration ever happened) but apparently Mary did accept what was done. However, the book reminds us that Mary's requests were not just for the pope. She asked the people for daily recitation of the rosary and pennance. How many of us are doing that and if you look at Western society how soon will another great chastisement come?