Consecration and entrustment to Mary For centuries, Marian devotions among Roman Catholics have included many examples of personal or collective acts of consecration and entrustment to the Virgin Mary, with the Latin terms oblatio, servitus, commendatio and dedicatio having been used in this context.[2] Consecration is an act by which a person is dedicated to a sacred service, or an act which separates an object, location or region from a common and profane mode to one for sacred use.[3] The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments clarifies that in this context, "It should be recalled, however, that the term "consecration" is used here in a broad and non-technical sense: the expression is use of 'consecrating children to Our Lady', by which is intended placing children under her protection and asking her maternal blessing for them".[2] Consecration to the Virgin Mary by Roman Catholics has taken place from three perspectives, namely personal, societal and regional; and generally in three forms: to the Virgin herself, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to the Immaculata. In Catholic teachings, consecration to Mary does not diminish or substitute the love of God, but enhances it, for all consecration is ultimately made to God.[4] Pope Leo XIII, specially encouraged everyone to make acts of consecration to the Virgin Mary based on the methods of Saint Louis de Montfort. Pope Benedict XV also provided The Blessed Virgin Mary as the strong support for Marian consecration. Virgin of Mercy venerated as The Virgin of the Navigators, 1531–36, Early in the 20th century, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, called the "Apostle of with her protective mantle covering Consecration to Mary", began a vigorous program of promoting consecration to the those entrusted to her.[1] Immaculata.[5] Theologian Garrigou-Lagrange designated personal consecration to Mary as the highest level amongMarian devotions. Pope John Paul II's motto, Totus Tuus (totally yours), reflected his personal consecration to Mary. He consecrated the entire world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.[6] Contents History and development Personal consecration Montfort's total devotion and consecration Immaculate Heart of Mary The Immaculata Societal consecration Consecration of locations and regions Consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Countries consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Cities consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Dioceses consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Holy See North-America United States Canada Europe Italy Netherlands Portugal England Scotland France Spain Germany Austria Finland South-America Mexico Venezuela Colombia Uruguay Brazil Oceania Australia New Zealand Samoa Asia India Africa Angola Prayers of consecration See also Further reading References Sources External links History and development The beginnings of the notion of "belonging to Mary" can be seen in the writings of Saint Ephrem the Syrian in the 4th century, and a form of personal consecration to Mary dates back to the 5th century, where its practitioners were called "servants of Mary" and the practice was sometimes referred to as "holy servitude". However, the first consistent and repeated use of the concept of consecration to Mary was perhaps by SaintIldephonsus of Toledo in the 7th century, and Pope John VII also referred to it in the 8th century.[7] The notion that consecration to Mary is linked with consecration toChrist and has an ultimate Christocentric goal was already present in the 7th century writings of Ildephonsus, when he wrote: "What is delivered up to the Mother rebounds to the Son; thus passes to the King the honor that is rendered in the service of the Queen."[7] In the 8th century, Saint John Damascene continued the theme of consecration to Mary, and when he wrote "to you we consecrate (anathemenoi) our minds, our souls and our bodies, in a word our very selves" he used the Greek term anathemenoi which indicates "the setting aside for sacred use".[7] By the 9th century, being a "servant of Mary" was practiced in Ireland. The act of consecration of cities and regions dates back at least to the 9th century, when Abbo Cernuus of Saint-Germain-des-Prés composed a poem in which he attributed the failure of the Vikings in the Siege of Paris (885–886) to the consecration of the city to the Virgin Mary, and her protection over it.[8] During the Medieval period, abbeys, towns and cities began to consecrate themselves to the Virgin Mary to seek her protection. In the 12th century Cîteaux Abbey in France used the motif of the protective mantle of the Virgin Mary which shielded the kneeling abbots and abbesses. In the 13th century Caesarius of Heisterbach was also aware of this motif, which eventually led to the iconography of the Virgin of Mercy.[7] Although previous saints had discussed the notion of consecration, it was only in 11th century France that Saint Odilo at the Cluny Abbey began to spread the formal practice of personal consecration to Mary.[9] In the 12th century, the Cistercian orders began consecrating themselves to Mary, first individually and then as a group, and this practice then spread to the Benedictines and the Carmelites.[10] The 17th century also saw the adoption of the custom of consecrating the month of May to the Blessed Virgin.[10] The practice of consecration to Mary continued among Catholics and in the 18th century was further promoted by Louis de Montfort. Montfort's concept of consecration was influenced by Henri Boudon's book Dieu seul: le Saint esclavage de l'admirable Mère de Dieu, (Only The consecrated God, the Holy Slavery of the admirable Mother of God). By reading Boudon, Montfort concluded that being sheltered under any consecration is ultimately made to "God Alone", for only God merits the loving servitude of man. the protective mantle Later, "God Alone" became the motto of Montfort. Montfort's approach followed Boudon very of the Virgin, Ravensburg, c. 1480. closely, but differed on one element: while Boudon's consecration was founded on the Queenship of Attributed to Michel Mary, Montfort approach was based on the divine maternity.[11][12] Erhart During the 18th and 19th centuries the traditions of Marian consecration grew and by 1860 first communion in France included an act of consecration to the Virgin Mary.[13] By this time Marian consecrations had spread beyond continental Europe and in England Father Frederick Faber (a follower of John Henry Newman) had composed a hymn of consecration to the Virgin Mary which included a petition to her motherly role.[14] Since the 19th century, devotions and consecrations to the Immaculate Heart of Mary have been encouraged by several popes including Pius IX, Pius XII and John Paul II.[15] Personal consecration Theologian Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, a professor at the Angelicum (where he taught the future Pope John Paul II, then 26 years old) studied and analyzed various forms and stages of Marian devotions. He designated personal consecration to Mary as the highest level among these devotions. In his theological analysis, Marian devotions are categorized into stages, from beginner to advanced, as follows:[16] Occasional prayer, e.g. praying the Hail Mary from time to time. Regular and daily devotion, e.g. the devout recitation of theRosary on a daily basis. A formal act of consecration to Mary, and living in habitual dependence on her, as a means of uniting with Christ. The theology of personal consecration to Mary was further explained by Pope John Paul II in Redemptoris Mater where, building on John 19:27, he stated that the word "home" refers to the spiritual and inner life of believers, and "to take Mary into one's home" Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC signifies a filial entrustment to her as mother in every aspect of life. John Paul II preaches on the subject of personal Marian consecration. suggested Saint John as an example of how every Christian should respond to the gift of the spiritual motherhood of Mary.[17] Montfort's total devotion and consecration The process of Total Consecration to Mary was introduced by Saint Louis de Montfort in the early part of the 18th century. The heart of Montfort's classic work True Devotion to Mary is a formal act of consecration to Mary, so through her, one can be consecrated to Christ. The Vatican's guidelines for Marian consecrations state: "Louis Grignon de Montfort is one of the great masters of the spirituality underlying the act of "consecration to Mary". He proposed to the faithful consecration to Jesus through Mary, as an effective way of living out their baptismal commitment."[2] For Montfort, the goal of consecration is "holiness": the renewal of the baptismal promise and continued search for unity with God. In his view, people are often unaware that the soul is clouded by sin and self-love, and consecration begins a gradual process of sanctification in which a person's focus turns away from self-love and towards God through Mary. Relying on the assertion that "Mary is full of grace", he argued that in order to find grace with God, one must first discover Mary. Pope John Paul II echoed the same sentiment when he stated that as a young seminarian he had read and reread Montfort many times and "understood that I could not exclude the Lord's Mother from Louis de Montfort. Church of [18][19] Saint-Honoré, Paris my life without neglecting the will of God-Trinity". Montfort's process of Total Consecration has seven elements and effects: knowledge of one's unworthiness, sharing in Mary's faith, the gift of pure love, unlimited confidence in God and Mary, communication of the Spirit of Mary, transformation into the likeness of Jesus, and bringing more glory to Christ.[20] Montfort's practice of consecration to Mary has both internal and external components.