"Mary's Comeback"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

A very interesting article in Zenit today:

ROME, SEPT. 6, 2012 (Zenit.org).- “Through this Year of Faith, in the new evangelization of the Church, Mary is the mother who is also the leader of evangelization” – these are the words of Father James Phalan, president of the Mariology Society of America, and a participant in this year’s conference “Mariology since Vatican II,” hosted by the Pontifical Antonianum University and currently under way in Rome…

ZENIT: Perhaps there was a time of "silence" about Mary after Vatican II. How has Marian devotion developed in this post-conciliar period?

Father Phalan: It's true; for those of us who lived through the years after the Second Vatican Council, there was a collapse of Marian reflection in the Church for a variety of reasons. As I said, there was a shift in the methodology, but then there were also other things going on in the world. In brief, the implementation of Vatican II collided with the very disjointed intense social change that was happening in the late 1960s.

There was this collapse in reflection and devotion, particularly in developed countries, less so in the developing world. In South America and Africa, Christianity was still very new; the Philippines remain very strong.

Speaking about the "developed" world, there was a marked decline in Marian devotion, and this still is the case. Marian devotion is not at all what it was 60 years ago in the Catholic Church in the United States, Canada and Europe. But we can see the signs of new growth. There is lots of rebirth in interest in the rosary. There's lots of desire to understand who Mary is. There are a lot of new movements within the Church that are rediscovering the importance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, prayer of the rosary, and her place in family prayer especially.

There is still a long ways to go. A part of it is that there is not a whole lot of preaching about Mary that people hear in their local parishes. There needs to be a deepening of Mariological reflection embraced by the whole Church, and particularly by the clergy. In many seminaries, the clergy hasn't studied much about the Blessed Virgin Mary. Hopefully an event like this -- this international Mariological congress, and through other events -- there will be a lot of promotion of Marian devotion through the Year of Faith. Hopefully those will be moments that will help people again to rediscover who Mary is in the Church.

Paul VI declared Mary "Mother of the Church" at the end of the Vatican Council. Mary is the one who is waiting for us now, as we want to help people rediscover their faith. Through this Year of Faith, in the new evangelization of the Church, Mary is the mother who is also the leader of evangelization. This is a time that we can hopefully rediscover this more, and help these new shoots of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary to keep blossoming forth...

Full interview (from which the title of this thread originated) is [HERE](http://www.zenit.org/article-35475?l=english)

Any comments? Thanks.

 

[Jeanne_S]

When I was in grade school,I attended the same Catholic school my Mom attended.Our Lady of Lourdes.We actually had a grotto in the vestibule of the church.Devotion to Mary was very much a part of my Catholic upbringing. May processions and altars.I have always loved our BlessedMother,I have a beautiful statue of Mary ,placed in an niche right outside my bedroom. I am happy to see that Mary is experiencing a comeback!

 

[RemRam]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

A very interesting article in Zenit today:

Full interview (from which the title of this thread originated) is [HERE](http://www.zenit.org/article-35475?l=english)

Any comments? Thanks.

" the Philippines remain very strong."
– yes we are.

 

[akka]

Even the late Pope John Paul II’s coat of arms express the important of Mary.
(Which I have found out just today)

 

[MariaChristi]

When I was in grade school,I attended the same Catholic school my Mom attended.Our Lady of Lourdes.We actually had a grotto in the vestibule of the church.Devotion to Mary was very much a part of my Catholic upbringing. May processions and altars.I have always loved our BlessedMother,I have a beautiful statue of Mary ,placed in an niche right outside my bedroom. I am happy to see that Mary is experiencing a comeback!

Dear Jeanne,

Thanks so much for your reply. Your upbringing was similar to mine, but I am really concerned about young persons today, who seem to lack manyy of the opportunities to grow in devotion to Mary. We have been trying to begin a Junior Legion of Mary, in my present parish but I can’t seem to get parents interested or involved. I haven’t given up hope, however. I pray that the “comeback” described in the article is a true and solid one!

 

[MariaChristi]

" the Philippines remain very strong."
– yes we are.

Dear RemRam,

Yes I have heard that from some in our parish who are from the Philippines, and who are themselves very devoted to Mary. I pray that devotion remains strong, and that the Philippines will continue also to be Pro-Life!

 

[MariaChristi]

Even the late Pope John Paul II’s coat of arms express the important of Mary.
(Which I have found out just today)

Dear akka,

The coat of arms of Blessed John Paul II contains the words “Totus Tuus” (“All Yours”) taken from St. Louis de Montfort’s Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. If you have never read his small book, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, there is an online copy HERE.

Today is the Feast of the Nativity of Mary, and many of us who have made De Montfort’s Act of Consecration will be renewing it today. Another form of Consecration which is also very beautiful and similar to the one Bl. John Paul and many of us have prayed, is this one by St. Maximilian Kolbe:

Prayer of Total Consecration
By St. Maximilian Kolbe

Immaculata, Queen of heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you. I, N…, a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet humbly imploring you to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to yourself as your possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases you.

If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you: “She will crush your head,” and, “You alone have destroyed all heresies in the world.” Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever you enter you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise you, O sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against your enemies.

For St. Maximilian’s explanation of this prayer, see HERE

 

[Christine85]

Hello, Mary is the mother of Mercy. Sometimes people feel God is angry at them doesn’t love them etc, or that he is simply unapproachable, but when you think of Mary you know she is always gentle and as some Saints have said she is full of mercy and you will never be rejected. Mary will care for and help even the most hardened sinners. She is our gentle loving Mother who will always show the way to Jesus. What I mean about the above is that people may fear approaching God themselves. St Louis de Montfort teaches that she adorns what we give her with her own merits to present it to Jesus, thus, it can make things such as prayer more effective.
I personally did the St Louis de Montfort consecration on the Feast of the Annunciation this year. I have never regretted it, the only thing I sometimes regret is that I feel I don’t live it out to the best of my ability. I highly recommend people do this consecration… It’s amazing the doors that begin to open up after it
Jesus, Mary, I love you, save souls

 

[HillbillyHermit]

Hello, Mary is the mother of Mercy. Sometimes people feel God is angry at them doesn’t love them etc, or that he is simply unapproachable…

Reading St. Faustina’s diary actually strengthened my devotion to Mary in the process of getting rid of some unhealthy (and wrong) beliefs of what God is like. And when Jesus, from the cross, told the beloved disciple, “Behold, your mother!” (Jn 19:26-27)… Wow! Words fail me at the moment. Those words, I feel, were meant for all of us. The power of that statement alone is one thing, but Jesus said that from the cross! I’ll probably ponder that one for the rest of my life and still not even grasp a drop of the love and mercy shown in it. I hope there is a strong comeback of devotion to Mary. We all would do well to follow her example, especially this one IMO:
[BIBLEDRB]Luke 2:19[/BIBLEDRB]

 

[MariaChristi]

Hello, Mary is the mother of Mercy. Sometimes people feel God is angry at them doesn’t love them etc, or that he is simply unapproachable, but when you think of Mary you know she is always gentle and as some Saints have said she is full of mercy and you will never be rejected. Mary will care for and help even the most hardened sinners. She is our gentle loving Mother who will always show the way to Jesus. What I mean about the above is that people may fear approaching God themselves. St Louis de Montfort teaches that she adorns what we give her with her own merits to present it to Jesus, thus, it can make things such as prayer more effective.
I personally did the St Louis de Montfort consecration on the Feast of the Annunciation this year. I have never regretted it, the only thing I sometimes regret is that I feel I don’t live it out to the best of my ability. I highly recommend people do this consecration… It’s amazing the doors that begin to open up after it
Jesus, Mary, I love you, save souls

Dear Christine,

Yes, I renew my Consecration, as taught by St. Louis de Montfort each March 25, and also on major Feast Days such as the Nativity of Mary, which we just celebrated on Sept. 8, last Saturday. The Consecration is a life changing grace, and we spend our lives growing in God’s Will for us as Mary did. Though she was Immaculate from the first moment of her conception, yet she continued to grow in Faith Hope and Charity as we are called to do each day on this earth.

Please let us continue to pray for one another and for all those in most need of His Mercy that we may love god more each day, through and with Mary our Mother. Thanks for your reply and for your devotion to Jesus through Mary.

 

[MariaChristi]

Reading St. Faustina’s diary actually strengthened my devotion to Mary in the process of getting rid of some unhealthy (and wrong) beliefs of what God is like. And when Jesus, from the cross, told the beloved disciple, “Behold, your mother!” (Jn 19:26-27)… Wow! Words fail me at the moment. Those words, I feel, were meant for all of us. The power of that statement alone is one thing, but Jesus said that from the cross! I’ll probably ponder that one for the rest of my life and still not even grasp a drop of the love and mercy shown in it. I hope there is a strong comeback of devotion to Mary. We all would do well to follow her example, especially this one IMO:
[BIBLEDRB]Luke 2:19[/BIBLEDRB]

Dear HillbillyHermit,

Thanks for your reply. The gift of Mary to all of us from Jesus on the Cross, is a grace we continually can grow in and appreciate more every day of our lives on this earth, and into eternity. I also hope there is a very strong “comeback” of devotion to Mary, especially in the United States – a country dedicated to her under her title of “Immaculate Conception”. May Catholics all over the world “wake up” from the drowsiness of secularism and live the life of holiness to which we are called.

O Jesus, living in Mary,
come and live in thy servants,
in the spirit of thy holiness,
in the fullness of thy might,
in the truth of thy virtues,
in the perfection of thy ways,
in the communion of thy mysteries.
Subdue every hostile power
in thy spirit,
for the glory of the Father.
Amen.

 

[Christine85]

Hi everyone , MariaChristi- do you do the whole 33 days to renew your consecration?

 

[MariaChristi]

Hi everyone , MariaChristi- do you do the whole 33 days to renew your consecration?

Dear Christine,

Usually, I do the 33 Day preparation only in preparation for March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation. When I renew my Consecration on other major Feast Days, I simply pray the long form of St. Louis de Montfort’s Act of Consecration, after Holy Communion if I am able to participate in a Mass on that day - December 8 for instance. When I am unable to participate at Mass on one of her “minor Feast Days” then I pray the Act of Consecration in my room at a time when I can be quiet and truly recollected.

The short form of Consecration: “O Mary, my Queen and my Mother, I am all yours, and all that I have is yours. Keep me. Guard me as your property and possession”, I try to pray everyday and several times a day, as the Holy Spirit moves me to do.

 

[Christine85]

Thanks for sharing!! I actually really try pray the full consecration prayer daily , it helps me feel I’m living it. I forgot until recently when member “wheels” posted on my group The Association of Mary Queen of all Hearts, to say the short form when we remember during the day. On that note, have you joined the Association?You are kept in the Montfortian family prayers etc if you join
Do you try and take Communion in the recommended fashion?I try but there’s so much to remember. At this point I ask Mary to lend me her heart, and the same for the Trinity, then I say though I am not worthy. Then I say the short formula of consecration. Then I stay silent until after " Lord I am not worthy that you enter under my roof" where I pray Hail Mary’s usually until I receive Communion. I think I’ll look at the instructions again for Holy Communion as there’s a lot to remember.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks for sharing!! I actually really try pray the full consecration prayer daily , it helps me feel I’m living it. I forgot until recently when member “wheels” posted on my group The Association of Mary Queen of all Hearts, to say the short form when we remember during the day. On that note, have you joined the Association?You are kept in the Montfortian family prayers etc if you join
Do you try and take Communion in the recommended fashion?I try but there’s so much to remember. At this point I ask Mary to lend me her heart, and the same for the Trinity, then I say though I am not worthy. Then I say the short formula of consecration. Then I stay silent until after " Lord I am not worthy that you enter under my roof" where I pray Hail Mary’s usually until I receive Communion. I think I’ll look at the instructions again for Holy Communion as there’s a lot to remember.

Dear Christine,

Living the Consecration, seems to me, not a matter of “saying specific prayers” although i agree they can be helpful. St. Teresa of Avila wrote that the test of our prayer is in the way we live. Each of us is a unique and unrepeatable creation of God and called to holiness. If we do not become the saint each of us is called to be, no one can do that for us. We cannot be exactly like any saint, not St. Louis de Montfort or St. Therese or even Our Lady. We can learn from them but we need to be as God wills us to be.

Each day, like Mary, we learn what the Will of God is for us, individually and as Church. Each member must build up the Body of Christ in love with the unique gifts God gives to each person. (Ephesians 4). Love needs to be our aim (1 Cor 14:1); and learning how to love takes a lifetime of growing in our relationship with God. St. Therese defined love as the “willingness to suffer” and I believe that when we contemplate Jesus and Mary on Calvary we learn the extent to which we are called to love.

Yes, I try to receive Holy Communion according tot he method which St. Louis de Montfort describes in True Devotion and I love to do that. I do not think St. Louis intended us to imitate his words exactly so much as to receive Jesus in the spirit with which Mary received Him and then to live in Him throughout our lives. Please let us continue to pray for one another and for all God’s children that we become the saints He inteded us to be in creating us.

 

[Christine85]

I totally agree, there’s no point in saying prayers if you dont live by what you think God wills

 

[nuntym]

Today is the Feast of the Nativity of Mary, and many of us who have made De Montfort’s Act of Consecration will be renewing it today. Another form of Consecration which is also very beautiful and similar to the one Bl. John Paul and many of us have prayed, is this one by St. Maximilian Kolbe:

For St. Maximilian’s explanation of this prayer, see HERE

The Consecration to Mary by St. Maximilian Kolbe is a bit different from St. Louis’ in that once you are consecrated you become part of the Militia Immaculata,whose mission is “personal sanctification, the conversion of Church opponents [especially Freemasons] and ultimately the universal reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” consecration.com/default.aspx?id=8

“Membership in the Militia means
complete dedication to the Kingdom
of God and to the salvation of souls
through Mary Immaculate.” Pope John Paul II

Here is the Nine-day preparation for the Total Concecration to Mary Immaculate: consecration.com/default.aspx?id=210

At the bottom is where you can be enrolled into the official MI registry.

 

[Christmastwin]

When I was in grade school,I attended the same Catholic school my Mom attended.Our Lady of Lourdes.We actually had a grotto in the vestibule of the church.Devotion to Mary was very much a part of my Catholic upbringing. May processions and altars.I have always loved our BlessedMother,I have a beautiful statue of Mary ,placed in an niche right outside my bedroom. I am happy to see that Mary is experiencing a comeback!

I was just thinking about this yesterday! I, too, loved Mary very much. I remember as a child building a grotto in my yard. I was fascinated with the story of St. Bernadette and took her name for confirmation. I wanted to be a nun.

Then came the teenage years and peer pressure, etc., etc. and falling away from my faith. :imsorry: I’m back now. Couldn’t be happier.

 

[Christine85]

Nuntym- I love your signature picture and the quote!!!

 

[nuntym]

+JMJ+

Nuntym- I love your signature picture and the quote!!!

Thanks The picture is the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, who has a very large following in the Philippines.

Here is the website of the shrine of Our Lady in Baclaran, Metro Manila, the Philippines: baclaranovena.org/ Look at the pictures, then at the mass schedule. I think “the Philippines remains very strong” is kind of an understatement, doncha think?