I'm so pleased to announce that Canada's Catholic Bishops will consecrate Canada to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on July 1st, Canada's 150th birthday! Consecrations will be done individually by each bishop of his own diocese, and collectively by all of Canada's Bishops in Ottawa during their plenary assembly in September.
Yes indeed, we sure do need her Rory! I was so excited when I heard the news, I couldn't wait to share it with you all. I'm heading up to a grotto this morning with my fellow Legion of Mary soldiers, to pray the Rosary for the 13th of the month Fatima anniversary.
It was great at mass this morning to have us all pray the concsecration in union with all the bishops. Assuming all masses throughout the country are doing this it will be a powerful grace at a time our country really needs it. Prayer for the Consecration of Canada to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 1 July 2017 Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church, when the first Christian believers came to these shores, they planted a Cross made of the fresh timber of the New World as a sign of their faith in your Son and the power of his Resurrection, placing their lives under your maternal protection and venerating you as the Immaculate Conception. You show us how to live a life free from sin in Christ Jesus and, by our baptism, we hope to share fully with you in the freedom of the glory of the children of God. You have accompanied us on our path through history, in times of peace, conflict, and reconciliation, and as we arrived at a greater sense of unity and nationhood. With full confidence we come before you today giving thanks to God on the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Gathered in the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we place ourselves completely in the sanctuary of your Heart and commit the past, the present and the future of Canada to your maternal care. For this reason, I, N., Arch/Bishop/Metropolitan/Eparch of N., commend to your Immaculate Heart the portion of the People of God entrusted to me. Together with the other Archbishops, Metropolitans, Bishops and Eparchs of Canada, I also consecrate the people of our country to your maternal Heart which teaches us to trust in God’s loving plan. Immaculate Mother of God, we find ourselves at a crossroads in our history; we are grateful for advances in science and new discoveries, yet we know the human heart is tempted by selfish interests and false ideas about the human person and freedom. Help us, as Catholics, to live in peace with all people of good will and to dialogue with respect and friendship. Loving Mother of Our Lord, help us to uphold religious freedom in Canada, and the natural rights of parents and families; inspire us to protect the unborn, to help the poor, the marginalized, and to give support to the infirm and elderly. Weighed down at times by our concerns, but hopeful for the future, we turn to you, the new Eve, Mother of all the living, for help and for strength. Your Son is the beginning of God’s New Creation and you are his Masterpiece: intercede for our Churches, for all our people, especially the Indigenous Peoples, the first stewards of this land of Canada, and all who come here to live, take refuge, or visit. All together May the Cross of your Son, planted on Canadian soil and in Canadian hearts, be known as the Tree of Life, whose fruit is visible and available to all in the garden of this world. Mary our Mother, we place our country Canada in the sanctuary of your Holy Heart for we know that there we will find Jesus, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. Let us now ask the intercession of Our Lady according to the titles with which she has been especially honoured in Canada: Litany for Canada Holy Mary, pray for us. Holy Mother of God, pray for us. Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us. Mother of Christ, pray for us. Mother of the Church, pray for us. Sacred Heart of Mary, pray for us. (St. François de Laval) Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us. (Jesuits dedicated their mission to the Immaculate Conception) Star of the Sea, pray for us. (The Acadians) Our Lady of Roc Amadour, pray for us. (Jacques Cartier) Our Lady of Recovery, pray for us. (Samuel de Champlain) Our Lady of the Cape, pray for us. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Our Lady of Good Help, pray for us. (St. Marguerite Bourgeoys) Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us. Our Lady of Good Counsel, pray for us. Our Lady of the Snows, pray for us. Our Lady of the Prairies, pray for us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. (Patroness of the Americas) Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us. Our Lady of Canada, pray for us.
My Parish also did the consecration prayer at all the Masses this weekend. It was so beautiful to hear all the voices of the parishoners praying the consecration prayer together.
