Marian Consecrations allow Catholics to follow the path of the Church’s canonized by honoring Mary as “Mother of Mercy”

 

Embracing the universality implied by their name, Catholics across the world, and especially in the United States, unite in a similar pursuit: living a life dedicated to Mary. Prompted by the upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy, Catholic faithful have begun to join in the thriving spiritual practice of Marian consecration.

Beginning on December 8, this Holy Year of Mercy corresponds with the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Pope Francis described his reasoning for choosing this date, saying, “After the sin of Adam and Eve, God did not wish to leave humanity alone in the throes of evil. And so he turned his gaze to Mary, holy and immaculate in love. … God responds with the fullness of mercy.”

Since Marian consecration is a personal decision and not one required by the Catholic Church, objections to making such a commitment have been raised.

Pope Pius XII explained the reasoning for this devotion, however, as “a total gift of self, for the whole of life and for all eternity; and a gift which is not a mere formality or sentimentality, but effectual, comprising the full intensity of the Christian life—Marian Life.” To define the practice more concisely, the pope called it “union with Jesus, under the guidance of Mary.”

The process of consecrating oneself to Mary involves a preliminary period of personal, spiritual formation. This usually involves reading a brief meditation and daily prayers. There are three standard methods or forms of this personal preparation for making the consecration. Saints Louis de Montfort and Maximilian Kolbe each constructed a system of preparation, which differ in the wording and extensiveness of the prayers. In 2011, Father Michael Gaitley, MIC, wrote the third method in the form of a book entitled 33 Days to Morning Glory.

Using Gaitley’s form, Archbishop Kevin Rhoades of the diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend became the first bishop to lead his diocese in a Marian consecration in the summer of 2014. An estimated 12,000 of the faithful joined with the bishop in reading the prayers and meditations on famous Marian saints found in this book. For 33 days, the participants explored the lives of faithful such as Pope St. John Paul II, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, all of whom had intense devotions to the Blessed Mother.

Stories like these inspire many to join the ranks of such holy men and women in making a Marian consecration.

Michael Wick, the current executive director for the Institute on Religious Life, reflects on his own reasoning behind consecrating himself. “I had a faith but desired a greater level of devotion and strength, so I decided to follow the way of the saints,” he said. For Catholics like Wick, making a Marian consecration is a concrete link to the lives of the saints and proven way to a life of holiness.

While the process of consecration to Mary is an individual decision, many choose to do it alongside others in their community. In addition to dioceses, colleges and student groups are participating in this spiritual commitment. Thomas More College in Merrimack, New Hampshire, recently invited all of its students and faculty to join in making a Marian consecration in anticipation of this Year of Mercy.

Here at the University of Notre Dame, over 50 undergraduate and graduate students are currently in preparation to join others around the world in making their consecration to Mary on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8. The student-run club, the Militia of the Immaculata, provided information sessions and personal testimonies regarding consecrations.

Sophomore Evan Holguin, who attended one of the meetings, will be making his consecration alongside his fellow classmates at the university. When asked why he chose to consecrate himself to Mary, he said, “I’m making a Marian consecration as a way of strengthening my prayer life. Not only does the 33-day preparation get me in the habit of prayer, but by consecrating myself to the Blessed Mother, I unite my prayers with hers to be presented faithfully to the Father through her Son.”

By choosing to make a Marian consecration, Notre Dame students join Catholics like Pope St. John Paul II and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta in invoking the name of Mary, Our Mother of Mercy.

Molly Weiner is a sophomore studying theology and Italian. She is an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and is currently suffering from P.B.S.D (Post Baseball Season Depression). To help find a cure or join in her misery contact her at mweiner@nd.edu.