Consecration to Mary- Can I still pray for intentions?

[chopstocky]

During my journey through de Monfort’s Total Consecration to Mary I feel I have understood most except one thing: Can I still pray for intentions like the Souls of Purgatory/ deceased members of family/ filling out novena cards for people still living? The Consecration calls for giving EVRYTHING to Mary, our will, our merits and allowing Her to use us as She needs. Does this mean I can’t pray for any intention? What about praying to St. Joseph as a patron of the Church or my family? How do I go about this?

 

[Dorothy]

Yes, you can still pray for special intentions. Consecrating yourself to our Blessed Mother is a generous thing to do, and she will not be outdone in generosity!

Another good book with wonderful insights about our Lady is “33 Days to Morning Glory”. Besides the insights of St. Louis de Montfort, there are insights by Blessed Mother Teresa, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and Saint John Paul II. It explains the same thing I mentioned above.

 

[bobballen_18]

I agree with Dorothy. Just to elaborate a small bit, yeah we can still mention our intentions, but at the same time we must trust that Mary will intercede for us as she sees fit - which may mean using our prayer requests for the good of someone other than our intention. At least that is my understanding of it. But I do remember reading that if we consecrate ourselves to Mary, as Dorothy mentioned, Mary will not be outdone in generosity, and we can be sure that however Mary uses our prayers, she will always keep the intentions of our heart in consideration and be provided for as she sees fit!

 

[godisgood77]

I agree with Dorothy. Just to elaborate a small bit, yeah we can still mention our intentions, but at the same time we must trust that Mary will intercede for us as she sees fit - which may mean using our prayer requests for the good of someone other than our intention. At least that is my understanding of it. But I do remember reading that if we consecrate ourselves to Mary, as Dorothy mentioned, Mary will not be outdone in generosity, and we can be sure that however Mary uses our prayers, she will always keep the intentions of our heart in consideration and be provided for as she sees fit!

This is the issue I have with the whole idea of consecration to Mary. We are supposed to submit to the divine will not anyone else’s. This baffles me…

 

[Dorothy]

This is the issue I have with the whole idea of consecration to Mary. We are supposed to submit to the divine will not anyone else’s. This baffles me…

When we learn to surrender to the will of God in all things (as our Blessed Mother) then something wonderful happens.

That unselfishness and desire to do God’s will is rewarded. The Lord, (and our Blessed Mother) also hears the deepest yearnings of our spirit and takes care of that! There is nothing lost, and much to gain!

Father Michael Gaitley explains that so well in his book “33 Days to Morning Glory”.

 

[godisgood77]

Mary will not be outdone in generosity, and we can be sure that however Mary uses our prayers, she will always keep the intentions of our heart in consideration and be provided for as she sees fit!

This seems tragically flawed. First, she will be outdone by Jesus in generosity and has been and continues to be by a very, long long distance, correct? Second, are intentions considered and provided for as Mary sees fit of as God sees fit. If you could clarify on these two fundamental points, that would be very helpful.

 

[Seth]

I have heard that if those who consecrate themselves to Mary repeat Luke 11: 27 - 28 and Mark 3: 31 - 35 once a day and mediate on them they will be especially blessed!

 

[HelenRose]

This is the issue I have with the whole idea of consecration to Mary. We are supposed to submit to the divine will not anyone else’s. This baffles me…

Mary’s will is to always follow the will of her Son.
Mary’s will is to always follow the will of the Father.
Mary’s will is to always follow the will of the Holy Spirit.

Mary’s will is to show her children the divine will of God.

 

[godisgood77]

Mary’s will is to always follow the will of her Son.
Mary’s will is to always follow the will of the Father.
Mary’s will is to always follow the will of the Holy Spirit.

Mary’s will is to show her children the divine will of God.

I’m not challenging what Mary’s will is… I have no doubt that Mary is aligned to God. My desire is to do the same … Align my will to God’s will. No one else’s.

 

[HelenRose]

I’m not challenging what Mary’s will is… I have no doubt that Mary is aligned to God. My desire is to do the same … Align my will to God’s will. No one else’s.

That is good.

It was God’s will to give us to Mary to protect and love us. He knows we need the maternal love of His Son’s Mother. I try to see Christ through the eyes of Mary who loves Him more that any other person who ever lived. To love Christ as Mary love’s Her Son is a goal impossible to attain but loving her and aligning myself with her love I can at least strive for that perfect love.

How can I explain. Perhaps it is like holding hands when we pray together. She holds my hand and prays with me. I ask her to pray for me like I ask a dear friend to pray for me. She loves Jesus with a perfect love and perhaps, if I listen, she can teach me to do the same.

 

[HelenRose]

I’m not challenging what Mary’s will is… I have no doubt that Mary is aligned to God. My desire is to do the same … Align my will to God’s will. No one else’s.

Mary is a gift. You do not have to accept this precious gift from Christ if you can not understand. He will understand your reservations. He gives fully without strings attached. He knows if you did understand your heart would be full of gratitude for the gift of His Mother’s love.

 

[godisgood77]

Mary is a gift. You do not have to accept this precious gift from Christ if you can not understand. He will understand your reservations. He gives fully without strings attached. He knows if you did understand your heart would be full of gratitude for the gift of His Mother’s love.

I think it is very presumptuous of you to imply that I do not have love or gratitude for the Mother of God. I have said nothing that takes away from her… If I have, please let me know where or what I said. Mary is an incredible creature and God blessed her infinitely.

I think that it is quite sad that all too often some folks will attack another’s piety based on having a different personal devotion than oneself…

 

[HelenRose]

I think it is very presumptuous of you to imply that I do not have love or gratitude for the Mother of God. I have said nothing that takes away from her… If I have, please let me know where or what I said. Mary is an incredible creature and God blessed her infinitely.

I think that it is quite sad that all too often some folks will attack another’s piety based on having a different personal devotion than oneself…

I didn’t mean to imply that at all. I am trying to explain that Catholics are not aligning themselves separately from God by aligning themselves with Mary. It is one and the same.

I also meant. That if someone does not believe the same way as Catholics do about Mary, Catholics do not believe that they are disobeying God’s will. Mary is a gift. Not a “have to”.

Mary is an incredible creature. A beautiful creation of God. God’s wonderful Mother. Our Mother.

 

[godisgood77]

I didn’t mean to imply that at all. I am trying to explain that Catholics are not aligning themselves separately from God by aligning themselves with Mary. It is one and the same.

This is the crux of my point … They are NOT one in the same… In fact, not even close. God is God is God… No one is the same as He.

I also meant. That if someone does not believe the same way as Catholics do about Mary, Catholics do not believe that they are disobeying God’s will. Mary is a gift. Not a “have to”.

Mary is an incredible creature. A beautiful creation of God. God’s wonderful Mother. Our Mother.

For the record, I am Catholic and I believe the point I’m making is in line with Catholic teaching… I know many Catholics that hold the same view. Seems like your saying that what I’ve said is not Catholic…

 

[Dorothy]

I didn’t mean to imply that at all. I am trying to explain that Catholics are not aligning themselves separately from God by aligning themselves with Mary. It is one and the same.

I also meant. That if someone does not believe the same way as Catholics do about Mary, Catholics do not believe that they are disobeying God’s will. Mary is a gift. Not a “have to”.

Mary is an incredible creature. A beautiful creation of God. God’s wonderful Mother. Our Mother.

Let us pray that many more will come to realize what a gift our Lord Jesus Christ gave to us at the foot of the cross. She magnifies the Lord for us!

 

[HelenRose]

This is the crux of my point … They are NOT one in the same… In fact, not even close. God is God is God… No one is the same as He.

For the record, I am Catholic and I believe the point I’m making is in line with Catholic teaching… I know many Catholics that hold the same view. Seems like your saying that what I’ve said is not Catholic…

We are probably saying the same thing but expressing it in ways that get our lines crossed.

Devotion to Mary is a personal devotion. I hope that I did not imply that your approach to Mary is wrong. My devotion to Mary takes a different form. Neither approach is incorrect only different.

 

[bobballen_18]

This seems tragically flawed. First, she will be outdone by Jesus in generosity and has been and continues to be by a very, long long distance, correct? Second, are intentions considered and provided for as Mary sees fit of as God sees fit. If you could clarify on these two fundamental points, that would be very helpful.

Well, I probably shouldn’t have made that first post, since it’s been so long since I actually read about Marian Consecration and was kind of just going on what I thought I remembered.

I think the whole issue revolves around the belief that Mary will always, without exception, lead us to Jesus. She is mediatrix - God bestows graces upon us through her and her intercession. Anything she does is for God’s greater glory. I am not good at explaining that, and I can honestly understand your reservations about my previous post, but I think that this point is very important to remember on the subject of Mary. I suppose that in certain cases, one could be making Mary an idol, but I strongly believe that in the vast majority of cases, one can never ask too much for Mary’s intercession.

Obviously God’s will prevails over anyone else’s - so to answer your second question, I would say intentions are considered and provided for as God sees fit - but then I would say that sometimes God sees fit only to answer prayers of ours if we pray in a certain way, and praying for Mary’s intercession would be one way.

 

[godisgood77]

We are probably saying the same thing but expressing it in ways that get our lines crossed.

Devotion to Mary is a personal devotion. I hope that I did not imply that your approach to Mary is wrong. My devotion to Mary takes a different form. Neither approach is incorrect only different.

Thank-you and may God bless you!

 

[godisgood77]

I think the whole issue revolves around the belief that Mary will always, without exception, lead us to Jesus. She is mediatrix - God bestows graces upon us through her and her intercession. Anything she does is for God’s greater glory. I am not good at explaining that, and I can honestly understand your reservations about my previous post, but I think that this point is very important to remember on the subject of Mary. I suppose that in certain cases, one could be making Mary an idol, but I strongly believe that in the vast majority of cases, one can never ask too much for Mary’s intercession

Thanks Charles.

Question… Would it also be true to say that all saints would, without exception, lead us to Jesus? And that anything a saint does is for God’s greater glory? Or would the saints point to someone else or glorify someone else? Just to play devil’s advocate for a moment… Why is total consecration to, say, John the Baptist more popular?

 

[Rubia]

I didn’t mean to imply that at all. I am trying to explain that Catholics are not aligning themselves separately from God by aligning themselves with Mary. It is one and the same.

I also meant. That if someone does not believe the same way as Catholics do about Mary, Catholics do not believe that they are disobeying God’s will. Mary is a gift. Not a “have to”.

Mary is an incredible creature. A beautiful creation of God. God’s wonderful Mother. Our Mother.

Please pray for me to the mother of God because my faith is falling. I believing in her intercessory power. And I agree that those who challenge consecration to her on the basis that we are to align with Gods will and not others will are misunderstanding totally the consecration. The church would not recommend it so much, so often if there were opposition between consecrating oneself to Mary and aligning to God’s will. The church recommends it because the former is a secure path of doing the latter. Consecration to Mary is consecrating oneself to God through a more secure path than going it alone. Mary is a safeguard against straying from God’s will. She is not in competition with God’s will. She makes our aligning with God’s will surer, safer, quicker than if we went it alone. Please tell her to rush to my aid as she has to her children these 2000 years.