Archdiocese of Los Angeles
BLUE ARMY OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA
Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary
Jesus told Sister Lucia of His desire that devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary be spread throughout the world and be placed alongside devotion to His Sacred Heart. How could anyone be more devoted than to surrender virtually everything to her in a spirit of holy slavery through Total Consecration to Jesus Christ through Mary? In Sister’s book “Calls” From the Message of Fatima we find numerous hints at this Divine invitation.
The Traditional de Montfort Approach
St. Louis de Montfort is credited with developing a 33-day preparation for total consecration to Mary. This is the method that St. John Paul II used to make his consecration, and was the genesis of his papal motto – Totus Tuus – I am totally yours!
St. de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary book consists of emptying oneself of the spirit of the world and filling oneself with the Spirit of Jesus Christ, which unfolds in three steps:
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One week dedicated to coming to a more profound knowledge of ourselves during which we wish to become truly aware of our tendencies to sin and to acquire a spirit of genuine humility.
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One week dedicated to coming to a more profound knowledge of the Virgin Mary during which we wish to more fully open our lives to her presence.
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One week dedicated to coming to a more profound knowledge of Jesus Christ in which we seek to permit the light of our knowledge of ourselves and of Mary to illuminate our relationship to Jesus, so that we may participate more fully in His life and mission.
A New Approach to Marian Consecration
Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC penned the book, 33 Days to Morning Glory – A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in preparation for Marian Consecration. Gaitley refers to this method as a “retreat” rather than a preparation, and it consists of four weeks + five days in review – 33 days in all.
He refers to St. Louis de Montfort as the first great apostle of Marian consecration who gathered and synthesized the teachings of the best experts in Marian spirituality of his time, and suggests that, were he alive today, he would present the teaching of our contemporary Marian experts. St. Maximillian Kolbe, Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta, and St Pope John Paul II are the three contemporary Marian giants who Father believes have most dramatically added to the beauty and richness of consecration spirituality. For this reason he has included reading about and comprehensive contemplation of their spirituality along with that of St. Louis de Montfort in the retreat.
We invite you to visit the Marian Consecration section of our online gift shop where you can obtain everything you need for your Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary.