How to develop my devotion?

[system]

Hello, I’ve been on these forums for awhile now, but this is the first question I really had to ask. I am a 15 year old sophomore in highschool. I am Eastern Catholic (Maronite) and have had a vocation to the priesthood since I was 8 years old. I have heard countless times that a great way to enhance your vocation is to develop a devotion to Mary.

I’m all for Mary, I believe in all of the Catholic doctrine about her…It’s just that I can’t seem to bring myself to develop a connection with her. I pray the rosary, a lot. But what is a good way to start developing a good devotion to her? Whether it be a book, a certain prayer, or a contemplation/meditation idea.

I want to develop a personal connection with a saint really badly, so I think Mary would be an amazing place to start.

Any help is appreciated, God Bless!!!

 

[rom422]

Dear Deangelo,

We are humans, so naturally we want an affection that we can feel. But true affection can exist even if you don’t feel it. Affection is in our will more so than in our feeling.

Take me for example. I know I love God with all my heart. But honestly, I don’t feel that affection in the same way, for example, as when I love a woman. I don’t write emails to God or give Him flowers. Yet, I feel angry when I see God being blasphemed; I feel happy when I see non-catholics returning to the Church; I am ready to defend our faith when our faith is being challenged; I forgive those who have hurt me, just because I know that God wants me to do so. So, you see, these are my signals by which I know that I truly love Him more than my feelings reveal.

I think that you are on the right track when you wanted to have a devotion to Mary. But please don’t think that you are not loving her truly just because you don’t feel your devotion to her. It is not easy to pray the rosary, but you said you pray the rosary a lot. That alone tells me that you love her more than you know. And she knows it, too.

That being said, I still recommend that you also stop a few times during the day to think of Mary. Get a good book on Mary, and read a page or two every day. If you can develop little habits like this, you will be able to connect with Mary in more ways than you think possible. The end result of your devotion to Mary is greater closeness to Christ our Lord.

I’ll pray that you may keep your vocation alive. I think that you will be a good priest. And when you become a priest, I think you will preach on Mary and her rosary in an extraordinary way.

God bless!

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

Hello, I’ve been on these forums for awhile now, but this is the first question I really had to ask. I am a 15 year old sophomore in highschool. I am Eastern Catholic (Maronite) and have had a vocation to the priesthood since I was 8 years old. I have heard countless times that a great way to enhance your vocation is to develop a devotion to Mary.

I’m all for Mary, I believe in all of the Catholic doctrine about her…It’s just that I can’t seem to bring myself to develop a connection with her. I pray the rosary, a lot. But what is a good way to start developing a good devotion to her? Whether it be a book, a certain prayer, or a contemplation/meditation idea.

I want to develop a personal connection with a saint really badly, so I think Mary would be an amazing place to start.

Any help is appreciated, God Bless!!!

Well, I have had a devotion to Mary for a very long time, and she has helped me with my vocation to the Priesthood in ways that I won’t be able to comprehend until I am in Heaven. The Rosary is a very good place to start, but also pray three Hail Mary’s to her every night, asking her to help you grow a deep relationship with her. Also, read a book on Saint John Vianney. Reading this book amazon.com/Cure-Ars-Vianney-Patron-Priests/dp/0895554186/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319168058&sr=8-2 helped me in amazing ways to have a devotion to her, as well as have a devotion to him, the Patron Saint of Parish Priests, and an inspiration for all of us who aspire to become Priests.

I would also recommend the advice he gave a woman that couldn’t understand Mary’s love for us, which is to pray a Novena to Mary of just ten Hail Mary’s for nine days, asking Mary to help your relationship with her to grow. If it doesn’t work at first just like the woman, do it again, and again, until it finally works like it did for her. There are also many great official Novenas and prayers to Mary as well.

 

[Monica4316]

Hello, I’ve been on these forums for awhile now, but this is the first question I really had to ask. I am a 15 year old sophomore in highschool. I am Eastern Catholic (Maronite) and have had a vocation to the priesthood since I was 8 years old. I have heard countless times that a great way to enhance your vocation is to develop a devotion to Mary.

I’m all for Mary, I believe in all of the Catholic doctrine about her…It’s just that I can’t seem to bring myself to develop a connection with her. I pray the rosary, a lot. But what is a good way to start developing a good devotion to her? Whether it be a book, a certain prayer, or a contemplation/meditation idea.

I want to develop a personal connection with a saint really badly, so I think Mary would be an amazing place to start.

Any help is appreciated, God Bless!!!

You might be interested in the book “True Devotion to Mary” by St Louis de Montfort it’s not an easy sort of book, but it definitely tells us how to have a very strong devotion to Mary. (in essence it’s - going closer to Jesus through Mary). You might also like “Glories of Mary” by St Alphonsus Liguori (might be better to read this one before True Devotion…).

God bless!

 

[system]

Thanks to all! I have ordered all of the books you requested, and to rom422- thank you, I never really thought of it like that. Maybe she really is helping me already. Thanks everybody!!!