Parish-Wide Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary

Frequently Asked Questions About Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary

What is Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary?

Total Consecration to Jesus is a beautiful exercise to increase your spirituality and ability to truly serve our Lord Jesus Christ. The basic premise set forth by Saint Louis Marie de Montfort is simply that Jesus came into the world through Mary and in order to grow closer to Jesus, closer than ever before, we should go through Mary. Certainly, at this time of great challenge for our Church, we all need to grow closer to Our Lord and Savior.

Saint Louis de Montfort (1673-1716) proposed a course of preparation for Marian consecration that lasts 33 days, with the consecration occurring on the 34^thday. It is traditional to make the consecration on a Marian feast day, with the preparation beginning 33 days prior to that date.The Basilica of Saint Mary will begin the preparation on Monday, November 5 and make the consecration as a parish during the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Masses on Friday, December 7 (Vigil) and Saturday, December 8.

Why do this?

Initially, this idea may seem strange to some. Why consecration? And why consecration through Mary? What does that even mean? Consecration means to set aside for a sacred purpose. Mary’s life was set aside for the sole purpose of serving Our Lord. By following her example, we can also completely give ourselves to Christ in a fundamental way that consecrates us to Him. We give our lives to Him in service and love.

We consecrate ourselves in order to be more devoted to the Lord and His Blessed Mother. It helps us grow in holiness and increase our faith, hope and love. It is a prayerful and focused method of drawing closer to Jesus than ever before.

How does it work?

Consecration consists merely of a 33-day period of prayerful preparation followed by the actual act of consecration itself.

33-day preparation

The 33-day preparation includes a preliminary period of 12 days during which we endeavor “to free ourselves from the spirit of the world.” This initial 12 days is followed by a second period of three weeks. The first of these three weeks is devoted to the knowledge of ourselves, the second to that of the Blessed Virgin and the third to that of Jesus Christ.

How Do I Make the Consecration?

While the traditional method of making the consecration involves a series of prayers which lengthen each week, but a newer and more accessible method of making the consecration authored by Fr. Michael Gaitley has been chosen for our Parish consecration.

In the book 33 Days to Morning Glory, Father Gaitley offers a preparation for Marian consecration that is an experience of spiritual reading and prayerful pondering. Each day’s reading draws on the writings of Saint Louis de Montfort, as well as Saint Maximillian Kolbe, Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Saint John Paul II. The reading is followed by a short prayer that is intended to help us ponder each day’s lesson. The consecration is made on the 34^thday. The Basilica will provide free copies of this book, with a limit of one per family.

33 Days to Morning Glory Weekly Video Series with Fr. Gaitley

Father Michael Gaitley, author of 33 Days to Morning Glory, has a weekly lecture that corresponds with his book on FORMED. Log in with your account or sign up with our parish code 7M63PY to view the videos.