Making Friends for Our Lady (33-day consecration to Jesus through Mary) Catholic Caucus

Catholic Exchange ^ | May 28, 2007 | Susan Brinkmann

[NYer]

In the middle of World War II, a young factory worker named Karol Wojtyla picked up a copy of a book by St. Louis Marie de Montfort titled, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He couldn't put it down. In fact, he read the book so often he memorized entire pages. That book would have a profound impact on the rest of his life, and especially on his papacy as Pope John Paul II.

The late, beloved pope was only one among millions to have been profoundly influenced by the 33-day consecration to Jesus through Mary, recommended by the humble parish priest who died in 1716. People all over the world report the same, astonishing results in both their spiritual and their temporal lives. 

One mother, who recently completed the consecration, credits the Blessed Mother with protecting her daughter in a high-speed, head-on collision. Everyone on the scene said no one should have survived such a crash. "By rights, she should have been propelled through the windshield," the mother wrote. "My daughter was under the veil of Our Lady's protection."

Another report comes from a priest who credits the consecration for saving his vocation. He was considering leaving the priesthood, but after completing the consecration, he suddenly felt renewed in his vocation. 

Those reports come to us from an apostolate known as the Friends of Our Lady, which is dedicated to spreading the devotion worldwide. It was born when two men, Anthony Mullen, a Drexel Hill businessman, and Richard Sohm, a retired civilian manager for the Department of the Army in Washington, D.C., had a chance meeting on-line in 1999.

Earlier, Mullen had decided to make his consecration to Jesus through Mary after watching the steady decline in church attendance. He felt the decline was the sign of a need for a more active laity. "With a college degree from a Catholic college, and an advanced degree from Drexel, I felt that I had an obligation to do more because I had received more," Mullen said. 

By the early 1990s, he felt he could respond to that call. "Finally, I was in a position where I was able to sell the main business that I had. Even though I still have to work for a living, it gave me a year to be able to give back," he said. "It was during that period of time that the Lord wanted me to start this effort." Mullen began an apostolate known as the Children of the Father Foundation, which distributes Catholic literature for use in evangelizing Catholics. Included on his book list was the de Montfort consecration. For him, the consecration is the perfect antidote for the world's problems. "God made the sun spin out of control at Fatima to show us that the answer to our problems is to consecrate ourselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary," he said. 

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., Sohm was coming to the same conclusion. He credits the de Montfort consecration he made in 1995 for ending a seven-year battle with diabetes complications, and for snapping him out of a long period of lukewarm Catholicism. He came to believe in the consecration so strongly that he began promoting it himself. "There's no easier way to get to Jesus, to be closer to Him, and to be prepared for our salvation, than to go through Mary," Sohm said. "She's going to help us. She's going to protect us. She's going to be with us all the way through," he said. "Why should we break our backs trying to do it by ourselves, when Our Lady is ready, willing and able to help us, if we just ask her?"

By 1999, Sohm was distributing about 90 copies a year of the de Montfort consecration by advertising on a popular Catholic Web site, the same site where Mullen was advertising. One day, they spotted one another's ads, and got in touch. With the Jubilee Year looming, they decided to team up to co-found the Friends of Our Lady apostolate and try to collect 1,000 consecrations for Our Lady as a Jubilee gift. It was an ambitious goal, but the favor of heaven was on them. By the end of the year, they had mailed out 3,212 consecration packets, three times more than they planned. Those numbers convinced them to keep going. 

That was six years ago. To date, they have sent more than 46,000 packets to people in 94 countries. More than 300 people around the world have become apostolate members, with 15 others promoting the Friends of Our Lady in key areas such as the Catholic media, prisons, and the Knights of Columbus. 

They've also received several special endorsements and blessings. The first came from Pope John Paul II, who imparted an apostolic blessing on all apostolate members in March 2003. Three years later, Cardinal Justin Rigali sent a letter to all the priests in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia recommending the de Montfort consecration to their parishioners and them. 

Father Joseph Gleason, director of spiritual formation for the theology division of  St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, promotes the devotion among seminarians. "We really take this seriously here," he said. "It's an important aspect for the priesthood to have a close relationship with the Blessed Virgin, in order to deepen that relationship with Jesus Christ." Every year on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the vast majority of seminarians either renew or make their consecration for the first time. 

It is a practice among priests that Sohm and Mullen are hoping to spread. From now until October 1, they are conducting an outreach to clergy and seminarians in every diocese in the country, to invite them and their parishioners to consecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary. "We're trying to get the bishops, clergy and seminarians, in the United States and anywhere in the world, to begin the cycle of prayers beginning on Nov. 5 and ending on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception," Sohm said. "We will provide any bishop with enough prayer books for his chancery, his diocese, his priests, and any of his parishes. The books are free, and there's no charge for shipping. All they need to do is contact us, tell us what they need and where to send it."

That will be a special labor of love for Catholic clergy. "All you have to do is read the newspaper and you know our priests need Our Lady's protection," Sohm said. "Mary can give them the extra help they need in these troubled times. In addition to protecting our bishops and priests, our objective this year is to strengthen the vocations of our clergy, and increase the ordination rates within our seminaries," Sohm added.

Of course, everyone could use extra help from the Blessed Mother. Mary offers us the shelter of her immaculate heart, and unites us in a common mission to bring souls to Jesus. The combination of her protection and our willingness can make exciting things happen. Mullen and Sohm attest to that. "There's no reason in the world why I ever would have met Dick Sohm, unless the Lord brought us together," Mullen said.

[NYer]

For a free de Montfort Total Consecration package, visit www.ourlady33.com, or write to Friends of Our Lady Apostolate, 1748 Heather Lane, Frederick, Maryland 21702, or call 610-853-9801. Be sure to provide your name and postal mailing address.

[NYer]

This thread is posted as a Catholic Caucus. All are welcome to read and comment if they can refrain from posting the usual attacks on Catholics and the Mother of God.

And in case it is still not clear to visitors, Catholics do not pray to Mary. They ask for her intercession. Our Lord loves His Mother and respects her wishes, as we all know from the Wedding feast at Cana.

[AnAmericanMother]

This is a major step before which I am hesitating.

[trisham]

Isn’t Pope Benedict also very devoted to Our Lady?

[AnAmericanMother]

"To support me in this promise, I invoke the maternal intercession of Most Holy Mary, in whose hands I place the present and future of my person and of the Church."

- Pope Benedict XVl

[trisham]

Thanks! :)

[AnAmericanMother]

Beautiful picture!

[trisham]

Thanks. Over the centuries, there have been some truly beautiful, inspiring and inspired representations of Our Lady. I found this one through Google. :)

[Salvation]

Already posted here:

Making Friends for Our Lady {Catholic/Orthodox Caucus}

Several of us have sent for the materials. Please join us and then we can set a date to do the prayers. Salvation

[AnAmericanMother]

Amazing what Google turns up. I've found some real beauties.

[trisham]

Beautiful.

This is from a search of "Our Lady".

[Talking_Mouse]

I’ll send for mine on Monday. Please keep me updated when we will start the prayers together.

[AnAmericanMother]

Guys, give me a pep talk.

I want to join you, but I'm anxious because if I commit, I will commit with my whole heart, and as a worldly sort of person I wonder where it will lead. This is a big step.

[Talking_Mouse]

I understand and appreciate that you know this will be a big step. However, think for a moment, who desires your good most, you or God? While you want your own good God wants it much more -- He was willing to die so you would not be separated from Him. Do you think that He will not give you satisfaction, pleasure, and enjoyment even when He is calling you to do something hard? As hard as it is for us, here on earth in the midst of distractions, temptations and sin, to see and believe but God really loves us. He wants our highest good.

I have been listening to Fr. Corapi's CD on Purgatory. The term "pay Me now or pay Me latter" keeps coming up. I would much much rather come as close to being perfected (mature is one of the synonyms of this word) here on earth, than have to be any more perfected in the next life. Imagine that you die, and you see the Trinity. You understand, in an instant, physically as well as both intellectually and emotionally, how much God LOVES you and how much you love God.

Then, because you still are not perfect(you must be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect to stand before the Living God), you can't be with the Lord. You know that God wants you with Him, and it hurts Him that you two have to be separated. At that time you would give anything, do anything to shorten the time it takes to get you perfect. This total consecration will help shorten that time.

Think of exercising, I don't know about you, but it takes me working out for a while before I can enjoy the workout, and sometimes I only enjoy the fact that I have worked out. I work out so I feel better over all. The reward of working out is better than the pleasure of goofing off.

You are a mother. You understand getting kids to do things that they may not want to do right then. You would not let your child over eat candy and cake and desserts. You know that your child would be sick latter. Do you think that Mary wants to hurt you? She is a your Mother. She wants you to be happy and fulfilled here on earth, but she also knows that you will be most happy, fulfilled and satisfied if you truly follow her Son.

Hope this helps.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

Several of us have sent for the materials.

Is there a way to download the materials you are referring to?

Please join us and then we can set a date to do the prayers.

Please ping me on this. It looks like November 5th is the traditional start date so that it finishes up on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

[AnAmericanMother]

Thanks. That helps! Keep me pinged.

[baa39]

The materials comprise two books, you might be able to download somewhere but I would not advise. The materials from Montfort Publications, which is what everyone uses and what these nice folks are making available, are beautifully organized and designed to be easy to use. You need the format of the “Total Consecration” booklet, the prayers are listed in certain order, for each of the four sections fo the program, etc. And you probably want to read St. Montfort’s “True Devotion to Mary” beforehand or while doing.

Also, there are several “start dates” all designed to have your Consecration occur on a Marian feast day. The next day to begin is July 13 so you finish on August 15, feast of the Assumption. this is perfect because it gives us time to get our materials, familiarize with the ideas, etc.

I have given more detailed info about this per request on the other (duplicate) thread.

[baa39]

Well, not a ‘pep talk’ but I’ll tell you when our little group started doing this some people felt as you do. Questions like: What is is, will it take too much time, what if I don’t believe all of it, understand all of it, can’t finish the book, etc.

You don’t have to do anything, you really don’t even need to make a commitment. Just go one day at a time. Some people have started and quit and then picked it up and done it completely in another cycle.

If you are even REMOTELY INTRIQUED, and sounds like you are, get the materials and just begin, and trust you’ll be lead in the best direction. If you decide to wait, you have the books and they will attract you at the right time for you.

I’m not a very “holy” person or religious myself, the article makes this sound like something almost mystical, and for some it could be, but it will be just exactly what you need for who you are. It’s a very personal process, it’s mostly prayers, and so Mary touches each person as needed for his/her individual path to more deeply know Christ.

[AnAmericanMother]

I have all the spiritual sensitivity of a cast-iron Clydeside boiler . . . but I knows my duty.