So if you’ve been around awhile and been paying attention to the Catholic stuff, you may or may not have noticed that I’ve tried to consecrate myself to [Jesus through] Mary several times and I’ve never actually completed it. Until last month, that is. I’m pretty sure that I have gone through the normal prayers of consecration at LEAST 3 times. The first time, I forgot to go to Confession so I nixed it. The second I missed a day of preparation and the third time, well, I don’t even remember now.
This time around, however, instead of using the normal de Montfort consecration prayers that I’d done the other three times, I used 33 Days to Morning Glory: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Marian Consecration. Like I said, I’ve gone through the motions of preparation THREE times prior to this so I’m no stranger to how it is set up.
Using 33 Days to Morning Glory, however, made it so much easier and much more understandable. For each of 3 weeks, Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, walked through a better understanding of what and how to consecrates one’s self to Jesus through Mary by concentrating on three great saints (or saints-to-be) who worked tirelessly on the devotion — St. Louis de Montfort, Pope John Paul II, and Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta. The 4th week is review of the previous weeks and preparation for consecration.
I have to say that reading these daily devotions and contemplating them brought me much closer to that weeks goal than saying the old prayers ever did. Granted, some of those old prayers I love! Even so, there were a LOT of prayers — I want to say that it took 25 minutes for me to get through them all each morning.
Fr. Gaitley also made it much more attainable and approachable than the old system I had been using. I perceived it to demand such perfection from me that I would need to be saint just to be consecrated in the first place.
If you have read True Devotion to Mary, and have felt called to consecration but are intimidated or overwhelmed by the process, PLEASE read 33 Days to Morning Glory. It really clears up many questions and really deepens the whole process. Even if you decide not to become consecrated, it’s a very good look at the role of Mary in Catholic faith. Excellent, excellent book!
This post is linked to the Monthly Round Up at Catholic Bloggers Network.
Disclaimer: This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on 33 Days to Morning Glory. The Catholic Company has great gift ideas for all seasons of the liturgical year, be sure to check out their Advent selection and Catholic Christmas Gifts.
Sarah
16 January 2013 at 9:09 AM (12 years ago)Thanks for the post, Jen! I, too, had read de Montfort’s “True Devotion to Mary”, and even made the consecration based on his formula. But I didn’t really understand the beauty and depth and breath of consecrating myself to Jesus through Mary until I read “33 Days to Morning Glory”. It was amazing and my relationship with Mary has a joy and vibrancy it never had, and I understand her role as my spiritual mother so much better.
One thing though, in “33 Days to Morning Glory”, the only prayers you have to say and ponder each day are the one sentence invocations at the end of each day’s reading. For example, on Day 1, your prayer to ponder throughout the day is: “Come Holy Spirit living in Mary, help me to make this retreat with generosity and zeal.” That’s it! And that’s how it is with each day — you simply ponder that day’s invocation throughout the day. You don’t have other prayers to say. I think you may have been referring to the Appendix One, which features a list of Marian prayers. Those are provided as a resource to the reader, but they’re not part of the “33 Days to Morning Glory” consecration preparation, which is great, because, like you said, it would take 25 minutes! The whole goal of the book is to get us to ponder the Marian message of the “Marian giants” de Montfort, Kolbe, Mother Teresa, and John Paul II, so we’re not just thinking about it in our heads, but bringing it into our hearts. Amazing!
Thanks again for your review and God bless you for all you do!
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