Marian (re)Consecration, anyone?

Let's face it, who can resist her?

And so, on this feast of St. Louis de Montfort (also feast of St. Peter Chanel, feast of mama St. Gianna Molla, and vigil of the feast of the great Dominican St. Catherine of Siena) - anyone want to join me and Marcel for a 33 day immersion into preparation to consecration to Jesus through Mary?

Wow, that was a mouthful, but this is quite an idea that a dear friend suggested to me today. It turns out that if we start today (and what better day than St. Louis' feast?) we will end and consecrate ourselves (or re-consecrate ourselves) on the Feast of the Visitation!! That is May 31, a Sunday this year, and - HOLY MOLEY!!! - actually Pentecost!!! And the next day? Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church! So....do you feel it? That breath of the Holy Spirit? Do you hear it? That small voice that is Wisdom? And do you sense it? A push in the small of the back - that is usually St. Therese, in my experience, but may be your guardian angel....

So in the interests of Love, I'm going to share a letter I wrote to friends on this topic and have been sending around this morning (without the crazy fun news of Pentecost right in there and Our Lady hiding behind the Holy Spirit, just where she is happiest). And then I'm going to share the words of Our Lady of Guadalupe to us (through St. Juan Diego) because, as two friends reminded me on Our Lady of Good Counsel day: Don't forget who butters your bread!

Actually they said it in other words entirely, but what I understood from their two sweet messages (one with a gorgeous hand-painted image of Our Lady of Guadalupe attached!) is that my trying to set Our Lady's True Image aside - as expressed on Juan's tilma and preserved perfectly to this very moment - well, that would be like forgetting my mama altogether! So welcome back, dear Mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and please shower us with even more Castilian roses than ever! 

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Today is the feast of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, and a dear friend in Carmel just wrote and mentioned that it is also a great day to start a 33 day consecration because this would end on the Feast of the Visitation (May 31).

WOW!

I am thinking I could really use to renew my consecration to Mary.
My original consecration date is December 8, in honor of the Immaculate Conception, but golly, the Visitation!? How about asking Our Lady and little Jesus in her womb to grant all the necessary miracles to end social distancing (because they end the plague)?!

Anyhow, I do know that in this time I need Our Blessed Mother to guide me and be in charge of me (and mine) more than ever....so if you would like to join me, let's start our 33 day preparation for Consecration to Mary! 

I love Fr. Michael Gaitley's 33 Days to Morning Glory as a guide (and I know many of you do too) and I will use that - which I happily just discovered already on my kindle! (I am not at home with all my books!)

Here are a couple links if you want to order either the ebook or paperback of this book if you don't have it but want to use it for the consecration (and preparation):

On amazon, for kindle e-reader (this is instant gratification!) - if you don't have a kindle, you can click on that page, right under the box that says "kindle" and the price - click on "Read with our Free App" and you can easily download the kindle app onto your phone or your computer (amazon will show you how if you click that):

33 Days to Morning Glory for kindle

Or you can buy the paperback on amazon here:
33 Days to Morning Glory paperback

May your guardian angel (and Padre Pio's angel) inspire and accompany you through these next 33 days, whether you are preparing to consecrate yourself to Jesus through Mary, renew your consecration, or just count His blessings and rest in Our Lady's love for you during plague time!

with much love,
Suzie

p.s. Oh! Here are some other preparation books that you might like to try instead of Fr. Gaitley's, if you want something else:

This one includes St. Louis' masterpiece True Devotion to Mary and costs only 99 cents on kindle or kindle app!
True Devotion to Mary and Preparation for Consecration included - ebook (for kindle or kindle app)

Here's one that works through the Rosary!! What a great idea, and the priest-author is wonderful:
Total Consecration through the Mysteries of the Rosary

This one looks great "for little ones"! -
Consecration to Mary for Little Ones
 
Here's another one for children, this one from TAN:
Marian Consecration for Children

If you decide to buy one of these, be sure you are buying the right edition - ebook or paperback....

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It's always good to know who it is to whom you're about to dedicate all you have and are, so here are the words from Our Lady that most express (for many of us) her truest identity - that of our mother. As she spoke them to St. Juan Diego, but for all of us:

Hear and let it penetrate your heart, my dear little one:
Let nothing discourage you, nothing depress you.
Let nothing alter your heart or your countenance.
Am I not here who am your Mother?
Are you not under my shadow and protection?
Am I not your fountain of life?
Are you not in the folds of my mantle?
In the crossing of my arms?
Is there anything else that you need?
Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain.

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Sending lots of love from Marcel-land, and if you are reading this, please say a tiny prayer (maybe, "Mary, help!") for my interview with Michael Lichens at Catholic Exchange - this will be a podcast I'll share with you when it's posted. And I'm pretty silly to ask for a prayer, because Michael is so much fun to talk to that it will be a blast - for us, and I hope for you later! But hey, prayer is always good! A sigh, a glance, a smile, or how about our own from little Therese:

Draw me, sweet Jesus in Mary; we will run!!!
Lots of love!!!!