Catholic Devotion: A Beginner's Guide to Holy Consecration

Catholic Devotion: A Beginner's Guide to Holy Consecration

 

Consecration: The What, Why, and How of this Catholic Devotion 

I had heard of Saint Louis de Montfort’s consecration to Mary on and off throughout my life, even attempting it a few times; those attempts often resulted in a missed morning that led to abandoning it completely. This past April, I began it in earnest, for the Marian feast day the consecration was set to end on was Our Lady of Fatima, who has been a specific intercessor for me in the past few years. 

As the 33 days wore on, I felt a change working its way through my heart, in my words, thoughts, and actions. Through readings and an increased desire to imitate Our Lady, I looked with greater fervor to Christ. 

Catholic consecration is a life-long offering of oneself to God. It can be personal or for whole communities, through devotion to the Trinity, Mary, Saint Joseph, etc., all in pursuit of communion with God.  

A Helpful Book for Praying the Rosary Every Day: The Beads: Rosary Meditations Guided by the Saints

Formal Prayer and Catholic Devotion

The Catechism of the Catholic Church views prayer in a threefold manner: as God’s gift, covenant, and communion. Prayer allows for a personal and intimate relationship in which we can meet Christ. Through the proper ordering of our hearts in prayer, our lives follow suit. The catechism acknowledges “the heart (as) our hidden center” (CCC 2563). Our hearts then must rest and be entrusted to God. In Catholic devotion, all thoughts, words, and actions are meant to be ones for the glory of God, and thus our hearts must be ordered first to His glory. 

Our lives, of course, are meant to be entrusted to God regardless, though through certain formal elements, such as consecration, we can do so with aid from those in Heaven or with specific intentions in mind.  

 

What is Catholic Consecration? 

Merriam-Webster defines the verb consecrate as “to make or declare sacred.” Thus, consecration is to make oneself sacred for the Lord through Catholic devotions and asking for divine aid. Prayer is inherently an act of faith, and consecration is a promise to respond with faith to what God calls us to do. 

The Catholic devotion of consecration entails entrusting oneself, one's family, or even one's country into the care of a Blessed in Heaven or one of the divine persons. In the same way that spouses vow to care for each other, through consecration, you vow to dedicate yourself, and in turn, you are given guidance and protection that leads you ultimately closer to God.  

There are multiple different consecration prayers, though the one you may be most familiar with is St. Louis de Montfort’s 33 Days to Morning Glory. Many of the popes have spoken about Marian consecration and were vocal advocates for it. Consecration to Mary allows those in her care to be held close to her and, therefore, Christ. Pope Pius XII explained that such consecration “tends essentially to union with Jesus, under the guidance of Mary.”   

Related: The Essential Catholic Guide to Meditation

The Depth/Importance 

All of Heaven awaits our arrival. Constantly, our guardian angels are interceding, our rosaries are brought before God through Mary, and our prayers fall upon the merciful persons of the Trinity.  

Consecration places our hearts into a sacred place, to be specifically watched over, for we have promised to be faithful through the process of consecration. 

When you are confirmed, you choose a saint to be your guide and companion. In a similar way, if you choose to consecrate yourself, you are asking for lifelong intercession and companionship. Consecration to Jesus through Mary, or Saint Joseph, or any number of consecrations, is ultimately about growing closer to God. Though the routes may be different, they all end in a strengthened union with Christ. 

We do not stand alone! The Heavenly Court hopes eagerly for us to call upon them to assist us in living and speaking God’s Word.  

Why and How to do it? 

Some reasons to perform an act of consecration are as follows: 

1. Imitation 

• Formal devotion aids in greater imitation of virtues. 

2. Intercession  

• True Catholic devotion involves confidently entrusting our prayers and petitions, knowing that we have heavenly intercessors for us and who will aid us in obtaining the graces we need for our spiritual journey. 

3. Transformation 

• As previously mentioned, the heart is the hidden center of man. Through love and devotion, we are shaped; the object of love must form us more like the image of Christ. An act of consecration to Mary, the Trinity, or a saint forges our hearts closer to God. 

 

How to approach consecration: 

Some consecrations are a matter of a singular prayer, while others, such as Saint Louis de Montfort’s devotion, require a preparation time to be ready to “cleanse oneself of the spirit of the world.” 

• To undergo consecration, it is necessary to renounce one’s own will to the Lord’s through prayer and examination. 

Related: Plenary or Partial Catholic Indulgences: A Concise Walkthrough

Some consecrations to look into: 

• 33 Days of Consecration to Jesus through Mary 

Saint Louis de Montfort wrote True Devotion to Mary in 1712, a devotion that he believed to be the surest path to true discipleship of Christ. The basis of this consecration is found in the understanding of Mary’s role in salvation, as our intercessor and spiritual mother. 

• Consecration to Saint Joseph 

Jesus and Mary entrusted themselves to Saint Joseph to lead and care for them. We can follow their example and seek to imitate him through consecration to grow closer to Christ. 

• Consecration of Family to Sacred Heart 

Through the nature of our existence, by right, humanity belongs to God, but to fully devote ourselves to Christ is a greater glory. When a family devotes itself to the Sacred Heart, they acknowledge the supremacy of God to reign over their lives and should then try to live in a manner devoted to pleasing Him. 

• Act of Consecration to Saint Michael 

In Revelation, Saint Michael leads the charge against Satan. This consecration places the individual and their household under the protection of Saint Michael, asking for aid and defense from evil. This consecration is a singular prayer, which could be prayed once, but frequent repetition could only help. 

Bonus: Download free PDF Guide to Praying the Rosary with English and Latin Paryers and short Meditations!

 

Grander Scheme 

When someone decides to run a marathon, they don’t just roll out of bed and breeze through 26.2 miles. They train, change their routines, and seek assistance from more experienced runners. We have that same race before us!  

If we prepare for Heaven and live our lives according to faith, should we not also be calling on those who have already run the race and run it well? Inevitably, we will stumble and have setbacks, but having those in Heaven cheering for us, because we personally sought them out, is quite a gift that lies easily within our grasp. 

Totus Tuus 

Saint John Paul II kept the motto “Totus tuus” throughout his life, which demonstrated his devotion to Jesus through Mary. The motto derives from a letter that Saint Louis de Montfort sent, “Tuus totus ego sum, et omnia mea tua sunt.” This translates to “I am all yours, and all that I have is yours, O most loving Jesus, through Mary, your most holy Mother.”  

“Totally yours.” That is what we all are: totally belonging to God, and we should live our lives accordingly. Consecration aids us in that, for we can ask those fully in union with Christ to be our guides in exchange for our devotion. 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Isabel Storey is a rising junior in college, majoring in English Literature and Language. She is first and foremost a Catholic, seeking to restore all things in Christ. She originates from Charleston, South Carolina, and is seeking to pursue a career in journalism grounded in all that is true, good, and beautiful.  Visit her LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/isabel-storey