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"They will know what is the most sure, the most easy, the most short, and the most perfect means by which to go to Jesus Christ; and they will deliver themselves to Mary, body and soul, without reserve, that they may thus be all for Jesus Christ."
St. Louis de Montfort
Following the visit of the missionary image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we will begin leading parishioners through the Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary. We will complete the consecration on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12. If you have made the consecration before and would like to renew it, or if you have a desire to consecrate yourself for the first time, please join us on this journey.
Since its first publication in 1843, countless faithful Catholics have found the consecration through Our Lady to be a great help on their spiritual journeys. To consecrate yourself to Mary means to take her in a special way as your mother, and to entrust yourself entirely to her care. Like all proper devotions, this practice has the ultimate end of conforming, uniting, and consecrating the faithful to Christ. To learn more about the spiritual fruits of this devotion, please join us for the introductory meetings in October.
Looking for a virtual aid? Click below to access a digital version of each day's prayers.
Click here for daily prayers.
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Our timeline for the consecration brings us to the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Tuesday, December 12th.
To make the consecration, following the 33 days of preparation, you must say the consecration prayer found in the back of the True Devotion book. An online version can be found here.It is recommended but not required that you make a sacramental confession and receive the Eucharist before making the final consecration. The purpose of including the sacraments is to offer a final preparation so that those making the consecration can enter into it as freely as possible. However, it is not a liturgical event and these are not a requirement!
St. Monica will have a special Mass at 7:00 PM on December 12th. After this Mass, Father will bless consecration chains (read more about the chains here) and lead us in the consecration prayer. Following this, you are welcome to join us for a reception in the community building! Click here for event details.
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September-October: Introduction
Purchase a book or use the free PDF version online. Read True Devotion, if desired, and attend optional pre-consecration meetings where we will discuss True Devotion, schedule times to pray through the preparation together, and answer questions about Marian consecration and devotion. See the events list below for details.
November 9-December 11: 33-Day Preparation
Spend 20-40 minutes a day with the daily readings, reflections, and prayers. The volume and depth of daily content increases as the 33 days progress. These prayers may be said at any time throughout the day, either individually or in community.
For those interested in praying with a group, you have several options. First, make arrangements to pray with family or friends who are also making the consecration. We will also have a group saying the prayers together in the Church at the following times:Following the 8am daily Mass on Monday and Thursday
6pm on Friday and Sunday (in the Church)Tuesday, December 12: Consecration Day | Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Make a confession, attend Mass, and pray the consecration prayer following reception of the Eucharist. Although any Mass that fits your schedule is sufficient, we will celebrate the consecration as a community at a special 7:00 PM Mass at St. Monica. Following this Mass, we will have a reception and distribute consecration chains.
Chains will also be available after the 8:00 AM Mass in the vestibule and at the parish office.Post-Consecration
Once you have consecrated yourself through Mary, you remain consecrated through her for your entire life. It is recommended that you renew this consecration each year. Many choose to pray special devotional prayers and wear a consecration chain as a reminder.
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We will use Catholic Way Publishing's edition of True Devotion to Mary: With Preparation for Total Consecration. This book contains background information, St. Louis de Montfort's spiritual writing on devotion to Our Lady, his 33-day preparation for consecration, and all the prayers needed to make the consecration. Here are two ways to obtain a copy:
1) Purchase a book on Amazon ($5.51)
2) Download a free PDF from Catholic Way
Please contact us if you require help obtaining a book.
We strongly recommend reading the text of True Devotion (it ends on page 125) prior to beginning the preparation on November 9th.
If you prefer to use 33 Days to Morning Glory or any other preparation materials, please do so. While there's a difference in the readings and prayers, the spiritual effect of consecration to Jesus through Mary remains the same for all who sincerely offer themselves to Our Lady. You are still welcome to attend the consecration Mass and celebration on December 12th even if you complete a different method of preparation.
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We will record the introductory meetings and some explanatory videos as we get closer to the start date. Links will be posted here and on the St. Monica YouTube channel.
Click here if you missed the introductory meetings.
Click here for daily prayers.
Click here to listen to Deacon Lucas's October 14th homily where he provides more context for the consecration at St. Monica. (The homily starts with St. Paul's letter to the Philippians.)
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FAQs
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Entrusting one's whole self to Mary is known as the most sure and safe path to holiness. The purpose of this consecration is to unite the believer to Christ through the work and intercession of His Mother. The goal is not to worship Mary but to be led by her example and perfected by her intercession, and to honor her as the most beloved of all creatures. True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort, which we will discuss in preparation for this consecration, explains the place of Marian devotion in relation to the true worship and adoration owed only to God.
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Absolutely! All preparation can be completed independently. The meetings and set prayer times are optional opportunities for those making the consecration to walk together through this process, but they are not essential for completion. Even if you follow the full preparation on your own, please join us for the Consecration Mass and reception on December 12th. We may set up some videos or livestream opportunities for those praying at home and you are welcome to join our Facebook group dedicated to the consecration!
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While it's strongly encouraged that you receive the Eucharist and make a confession on the day of your consecration, we realize that simply is not possible in all cases. If you cannot make the 8am or 7pm Mass at St. Monica, and you cannot make another parish's daily Mass on Tuesday the 12th, you can still make the consecration!
To do so, simply pray the consecration prayer on December 12th whenever you are able. If you can go to confession in the week or two before the consecration, that is still a wonderful way of preparing yoruself, but know that the consecration is not a sacrament or a liturgical event and these elements are simply aids in preparation.
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If you intend to follow the same steps as the whole group, please use the Catholic Way edition of de Montfort's consecration (free versions are available). Due to variation in translations and different methods of preparation, we highly encourage you to use the same edition so that everyone praying together is on the same page.
If you choose to complete the preparation independently, feel free to use a different form of the consecration. There are several methods of preparation that lead to the same beautiful consecration! The Mass on December 12th is open to everyone, regardless of the form used or previous attendance at optional events. Please join us if you are able.
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The only requirements to make the consecration are to complete the 33 days of preparation and say the consecration prayer. Ordinarly, it is expected that you also attend Mass and make a sacramental confession on the consecration day. All of this can be done privately without attending any of the additional events or meetings.
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It is possible to commit to this consecration any time before the 33 days of preparation begin on November 9th. If you've missed our meetings in October you may still make the consecration on December 12th, provided that you feel you've had enough time to prepare yourself. Please reach out if you have questions.
If you desire to make the consecration after the November 9th start day, you will unfortunately need to postpone until another feast day. However, there are many Marian feast days coming up! Check out this page to find the next opportunity to begin the consecration. Please let us know if you're still interested in a group consecration. If there is enough interest, we may schedule another opportunity!
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Events
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Tuesday, December 12, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
The consecration will follow a special Mass in honor of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. After Mass, we will gather in the community building to distribute blessed consecration chains and celebrate!Read More
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Contact Us
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Bridget Hahnbhahn2nd.eduEcho Parish Apprentice -
Michel MillerMichel.Millerstmonicakzoo.orgWebsite, Volunteer Coordinator
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