Contemplative Haven

Oct 29 2007

Consecrated

Published by gabrielle at 9:06 am under Blessed Virgin, Happenings, Prayer

On Friday, July 13, 2007 I began a 33-day preparation for consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. My consecration day was Wednesday, August 15, 2007 – the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. What led up to it was a whirlwind of “coincidences” and promptings that could not be ignored.

A person who genuinely and sincerely consecrates himself/herself to Mary is promised particular graces, but the consecrated one also has requirements to fulfill and promises to keep. One of those promises is to make Mary’s heart more known, and right now I am in retreat-mode, in order to better discern how I may do just that. In “Bogoroditza”, Catherine Doherty wrote:

“There is no denying it, being consecrated to Mary gives me ideas; thousands of new ideas that come tumbling down into my mind, my soul, my heart, and fill them to overflowing until they spill all over the place…”

I have not forgotten JohnT’s questions and comments from discussions of Mary in previous posts, but I haven’t yet decided how best to explore them, whether here or on a dedicated site. I’m leaning towards the latter, though.

So my retreat is continuing. It’s all because I heard a Woman’s voice, and I have promises to keep.

Direct to YouTube: Mother Mary

40 responses so far

40 Responses to “Consecrated”

# gabrielleon 29 Oct 2007 at 9:09 am

I am leaving for work now, but will be responding to previous comments and making visits tonight, God willing. I’m keeping you all in my prayers.
# Annon 29 Oct 2007 at 11:07 am

…and miles to go before you sleep….
# kristinon 29 Oct 2007 at 12:02 pm

Keep Listening….
And know that you will be in my prayers….often.

Grace & Peace to you dear one.
# Gabrielleon 30 Oct 2007 at 12:48 am

Ann, yes, “the woods are lovely, dark and deep”, but I cannot stay in my own comfort zone now. This being a very personal and sacred experience, I had thought to keep it mainly to myself, and had only shared about it with JustMe in an email exchange near the beginning of my 33-day preparation, because of our “Mary conversations” at the time. How much strength her prayers gave me during this period I may never know this side of heaven, but I can surely guess, and I was blessed afterwards as well, with a special message given to me through JustMe. Many, many thanks, JustMe. But Mary does not want the beauty and sacredness of consecration to her Immaculate Heart to be kept hidden – she calls all of us who have consecrated ourselves to her to share about it with others. I witnessed this myself only a couple of weeks ago, when a speaker at my church shared about her own consecration preparation, and I realized that many of the women (lifelong Catholics) in the group didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. And if Catholics are not aware, how much more work there needs to be done, to help people of every religion and no religion understand that Mary is the Mother of all Peoples.

Kristin, thank you, as always. Your openness and encouragement continually warms my heart. Receptive hearts – He has allowed me to meet many here.
# lucyon 30 Oct 2007 at 1:50 am

blessings to you, friend. i look forward to hearing what you are called to share when the time is right for you.
# teresa_anawimon 30 Oct 2007 at 8:59 am

This is a sacred..a most sacred time for you in your journey, Gab.
I am so happy for you in your dedication to Our Lady’s Heart.
May She continue to use you in your apostolate of spreading God’s Love and Word, and may that apostolate grow in other areas also. You have been given a wonderful gift.
teresa
# Annon 30 Oct 2007 at 9:16 am

I’m curious to know more about the 33 day process towards consecration – if and when you are at liberty to tell, Gabrielle. People often say they’re in Third Orders but I haven’t come across any who have spoken of this consecration to Our Lady. Is it associated with a particular congregation of religious?
I’m very pleased for you, Gabrielle, and I’m sure Our Lady will find in you a very dear and willing servant.
# Judyon 30 Oct 2007 at 9:27 am

Dear Gabrielle,

May you be blessed on your retreat, and may your heart be filled with and by Our Lady. You will be in my prayers!
# JustMeon 30 Oct 2007 at 10:49 am

There’s something I want to say, but it’s not forming itself in words–I’ve said this as I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t reading. (And praying.) There is for sure one hell of a sly demon that does not want some of us closer to Mary.
# Gabrielleon 31 Oct 2007 at 1:51 am

Lucy, teresa, Judy: thank you all very much for your blessings and warm comments. It means alot to me to hear from you.

Ann, I am at complete liberty to tell anyone – there is nothing secret about consecration to Mary, and it’s not affiliated with any particular religious order. Many people have done the consecration as outlined by St. Louis de Montfort, but I personally was led to consecration specifically to the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which relates directly to the final reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Probably in another week or so I’ll be able to get another blog going, and explain this part of it right away, with links, etc.

JustMe, as always, we are living our lives in this profoundly paradoxical world. You, the one who prayed for me during my consecration period and beyond, struggle with the whole idea. I may be wrong, but I don’t think it is always the case of a sly demon (not that it couldn’t be in some cases though). I think there is at the bottom of many people’s delicately balanced relationship with Mary (accepting, loving, but perhaps kept at a distance) a profound love of Jesus, and a fear somehow of hurting Him, abandoning Him, or betraying Him in some way. This is one reason why I want to devote more time to it online, so that I can try to help explain Mary’s true heart and purpose.
# JohnTon 31 Oct 2007 at 4:05 am

Gab

Sometimes when I have doubts about sharing “secret” things, I think about the opening lines to The Life Of St. Mary Of Egypt.

“It is good to hide the secret of a king, but it is glorious to reveal and preach the works of God” (Tobit 12:7). So said the Archangel Raphael to Tobit when he performed the wonderful healing of his blindness. Actually, not to keep the secret of a king is perilous and a terrible risk, but to be silent about the works of God is a great loss for the soul. And I (says St. Sophronius), in writing the life of St. Mary of Egypt, am afraid to hide the works of God by silence. Remembering the misfortune threatened to the servant who hid his God-given talent in the earth (Mat. 25:18-25), I am bound to pass on the holy account that has reached me. ”

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Life_of_St._Mary_of_Egypt
# Piaon 31 Oct 2007 at 11:32 am

(((Gabrielle)))
# terryon 31 Oct 2007 at 11:52 am

“I think there is at the bottom of many people’s delicately balanced relationship with Mary (accepting, loving, but perhaps kept at a distance) a profound love of Jesus, and a fear somehow of hurting Him, abandoning Him, or betraying Him in some way.”

Gabrielle,

I have prayed the rosary consistently through good and bad with a joyful, grateful heart and a troubled, alienated, even sinful heart also. But it has been the foundation of all my prayer and of my spiritual journey.

During the past couple months I have felt myself challenged by an inner voice to consider my relationship with Mary and what it should be beyond what it already is. I’m not sure what that means but whenever I begin to center on Mary as a focus of my prayers I find guilt creeps in as you stated and I quoted above.

Something is going on here and I will let it unfold and I will be reading your reflections about the consecration to Mary with the same interest and appreciation as with your writings about mysticism.

Your timing (and the Lord’s) are perfect.

Thanks.
# JustMeon 31 Oct 2007 at 12:01 pm

You may well be right, G, about it being a matter of over-caution, tho’ the quickness with which I shut down sometimes kinda spooks me. And it might be that I felt my own earthly mother had too much power over me, for she did break my spirit more than once; I won’t easily give that to anyone again. (I loved her, and she was a good woman, but she did not realize that I wasn’t an extension of her.) But I must say from within the praying part of me presently in a Holy Face novena, that yesterday when I checked an account I rarely open, I found an in-depth email attachment regarding St. Mary Margaret Alacoque (Sacred Heart) from someone who usually only sends me the worst news in the wholedam world; and while thinning out a box kept near the computer (a telephone pole fell down 2 hrs. ago on this street and ripped out my electricity while I was making a heavy-duty comment to Rob’s Scripture blog, so I had to do something lol), what did I come across but a little “Christ’s Sacred Heart” pamphlet. And last night while hungering for what I particularly hunger for, I reread Charles Cingolani’s “In the Wheat” which is now a link, and I was amazed at how closely I feel to every word he wrote of Him.. the Sacred Heart of all humanity Who loves.. Who truly loves, Who attracts with that love.

So I suspect that you are praying for us more than we know.

(Thank you.)
# gabrielleon 01 Nov 2007 at 2:02 am

JohnT, thank you so much. Wonderful quote, and that is what I had begun to realize as I re-read the daily meditations and guidance in my consecration booklet over the last month or so. I think I will be reading them for the rest of my life, and always gaining more and more insight each time I do so. It would be a great loss to my soul, and perhaps to other souls that might be touched by knowing about something I could at least begin to share with them. I consider it a holy obligation now, but one I will do with joy, yet knowing it may not be easy at times.

Pia, thanks for the hugs. We can never get enough hugs, or so they say.

Terry, I understand completely, and was going through a very similar thing for a good number of months before it came to a head with this whirlwind of coincidences and promptings I mentioned. I believe Mary is calling us all now; I truly believe she will be working faster and faster, and that we will all sense this in our own ways.

JustMe, our Mary does not wish to break our spirits; she wants to give us her spouse, the Holy Spirit. She wants to give us her heart, which is united as one with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She wants to gather us up, and present us to God the Father. She knows how our hearts and spirits have already been broken, many times over; she doesn’t want to break, she wants to heal.
# Anonymouson 01 Nov 2007 at 7:55 am

This made me so happy to read. **Hugs**
# Swede1875on 01 Nov 2007 at 7:56 am

And that anonymous guy running around and giving you hugs, was me.
# Annon 01 Nov 2007 at 8:50 am

Gabrielle, I’m sure you and quite a few of your readers are familiar with John Pridmore the former London gangster who now travels the world spreading and re-telling the the good news of his conversion and doing charitable works. He is the author of ‘ From Gangland To Promised Land’.
By an amazing coincidence his story is in today’s Irish News, in anarticle by Joseph Fitzpatrick……and you’ll never guess the path which John is taking as I write? The 33 day consecration to Mary, writen bySt Louis Marie de Montfort.
A coincidence….hmm, I’m not so sure anymore.
Wouldn’t it be marvellous if a great wave of Marian devotion swept the world off its feet and straight into the arms of the baby she holds so tenderly?
I’m looking forward to seeing the other blog/ section when it’s up and running, Gabrielle….meantime I know you’ll be busy…
# DorothyGaleon 01 Nov 2007 at 2:49 pm

I’d read of John Pridmore a while back, Ann. An amazing story, his.. as is that of Father John Corapi of SOLT (Society of Our Lady of the Trinity, I believe). They’ve tamed his tale a bit since it first came out, but it’s still amazing.

Is there such a thing as coincidence? For I was just reading what a Cleveland Ohio priest-blog’s commenter said of their present Bishop who was auxiliary nearer us a couple years ago — at Mass, he quoted Frank Duff on the definition of a saint. So, naturally, I Googled “Frank Duff” which sounded awfully familiar– and saw that he was of the Legion of Mary. When I saw the name “Edel Quinn,” I had to chuckle, for I’d read of the Legion of Mary eons ago– I’m quite certain I put up the link somewhere back then.. then I was looking at some of the Dublin folks and thought I recognized a name..

Anyway, I don’t believe in coincidence. Not a bit.

I look forward to your new site, Gab, and to Pia’s, and am enjoying some quietness– tho’ all of you aren’t, for it’s rather full-throttle from me in comments; my wick will burn down a bit soon. Meanwhile, prayers for all who post here.
# Piaon 01 Nov 2007 at 3:46 pm

Do you still have your ruby slippers on, Dorothy? And please, don’t let Toto out of your sight, you never know what trouble he might get into.
# kathrynthereseon 01 Nov 2007 at 4:37 pm

I’ve not commented here for quite some time, but I cannot refrain from joining this conversation about Mary!

Two quick thoughts that came to mind:
1) It has often occurred to me that devotion to Mary has to be lived in order to be understood. Standing on the outside of the thing and looking in, it looks a bit overdone, a bit fanatical, a bit misplaced, almost bordering on idolatry. Our devotion to Mary seems to eclipse the adoration due to God Himself. BUT. From the inside, from the place where you submit yourself to her as to the Queen Mother, from within her mantle where she protects you from all that would make your soul something unfit for her Son, it looks just right. Because once you are near her, you cannot forget that Jesus is already there. He loved her first, and He will not be offended if we love her too. And always, she says, “Do whatever HE tells you.”

2) Mary always points to Jesus. She takes us to Jesus. She gives us Jesus. Because of her FIAT, Love became incarnate. We are nourished by the Fruit of her womb.
She has given herself to us as Mother. Why do we hesitate to give ourselves to her?

I’d elaborate, but comboxes are not good for that. And I am still working on putting all those blog posts from last spring into book form. But this is a good conversation to have.

Because these Two Hearts will triumph!
# gabrielleon 01 Nov 2007 at 7:18 pm

Thanks, Joakim! More hugs! I must be getting close to my weekly minimum quota, thanks to my European, demonstrative friends!

Hi, Ann. I had not heard of John Pridmore, so I looked him up. Amazing story. Here is a link for anyone else who doesn’t know of him: John Pridmore, in which he does in fact mention his consecration preparation and St. Louis de Montfort. He also mentions the upcoming launching on Nov 6th of his new book, “Gangsters Guide to God”, at which Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor will be present. Thanks so much for letting us all know about him.

DorothyGale, I heard Fr. Corapi give his own amazing testimony/history one time on an EWTN show I was watching via the Internet. He is a powerhouse, to say the least. (((Enjoy your quiet time))). But commenting full-throttle is okay too!

Pia, have just read your recent posts and visited your new site. My heart is full…

KT, “these Two Hearts will triumph”. Amen! I’m so pleased to hear you’ll be putting your May Marian posts into book format!
# DorothyGaelon 01 Nov 2007 at 9:25 pm

Amen, Mary always both points and leads to Jesus indeed. I don’t question that she was given us from the Cross, but until flesh enters into it, I don’t have the heart-knowledge. I guess I am one who will have gone through Jesus to Mary, as well as vice versa. I don’t think either one of them minds, as long as I just quit sinning someday.

My quiet time really has been quiet.. I’ve so appreciated it, and it has culminated in a most explosively deep Mass. But on my way out, you’ll never guess, Gab, which icon was out in the parish hall under an arch. I’ve never seen an icon in person, not larger than 1.5 inches tall– until her. Boy, talk about a conspiracy! I’m sure folks were wondering why I was smiling.

Pia, dang it! They were supposed to be ruby?? No wonder I keep ending up here in the Northeast!!
# kathrynthereseon 01 Nov 2007 at 10:15 pm

As I am working on collecting my writings and organizing them, I had thought to begin posting again about Mary on the blog… But maybe I will wait and see what you do first, Gabrielle.
Or maybe twin discussions would be okay.

The cospirazione might lose its fire if I don’t post something soon, though!
# Piaon 02 Nov 2007 at 6:14 am

The Cospirazione will never lose its fire KT. I visit every time I log on; I am very patient, and I’m sure everybody else is, too. Take your time, and yes, I think twin discussions would be ok.
# JustMeon 02 Nov 2007 at 10:37 am

I hope there could not be any conflict in revealing facets of pierced love, for surely that is what we all are come to do.
# Gabrielleon 02 Nov 2007 at 11:43 am

DorothyGael of the ‘we don’t know what colour shoes’, everything will be in Jesus’ and Mary’s own good timing if we keep our ears, minds and hearts open. Individual paths as unique as snowflakes, yet all part of the whole.

KT, please go ahead and post on Mary, any and every facet of Mary – whatever you are moved to share with us – my Marian library is small (von Speyr and Houselander mainly) so my Marian posts have mostly been limited to these two sources on this blog. I’m just setting up a new blog now, so I’m not sure where I’m going yet! But I think I’ll be starting with basic consecration info. And as Pia and JustMe have said, we’re all patient because we know what a juggling act this life can be, and we are all in this together, to help “reveal facets of pierced love”.
# kathrynthereseon 02 Nov 2007 at 2:24 pm

>
I love you people.

Every once in a while, I am almost overwhelmed with gratitude that God allows us to find each other and support each other and converse with one another about the real things. To form a conspiracy of truth and beauty. To reveal facets of pierced love. To encourage one another through our hesitations. To witness one another taking in our breaths by halves at the sight of Absolute Meaning.

To pray for one another.
Speaking of which, if I may impose myself on your prayers (again!), I have two very special intentions – one is a delicate matter I must address, and the other is my next visit with our retired bishop next Thursday; I will be bringing the finished text of the Scriptural Stations for him.

Grazie mille!
# Gabrielleon 02 Nov 2007 at 3:11 pm

Ah, gratitude, filling the heart, yes. How many times all of you, and everyone in my blogroll actually, and others, have lifted me out of discouragement, strengthened my faith, helped me to grow, and gained goodness knows what for me through your prayers that I will never know in this life. Your intentions will be in my prayers, kt.
# JustMeon 03 Nov 2007 at 12:28 am

In mine, too.
# Piaon 03 Nov 2007 at 3:25 am

Anch’io
# marieon 06 Nov 2007 at 11:28 pm

Gabrielle how wonderful:) I hope you will keep all us ‘Catholic bloggers’ in your daily prayers.

Catherine Doherty wrote:

“There is no denying it, being consecrated to Mary gives me ideas; thousands of new ideas that come tumbling down into my mind, my soul, my heart, and fill them to overflowing until they spill all over the place…”

I absolutely LOVE Catherine’s writings and have a few of her books. They are so hard to come by and many are now out of print:(…I wonder if her cause for Beatification has begun? Do you know?

Peace & blessings to you Gabrielle:)

Marie
# Annon 07 Nov 2007 at 2:59 am

Gabrielle, Abbot Joseph at Word Incarnate has a beautiful post including a prayer that can be used in the consecration of un-born babies to the Immaculate Heart.
# Gabrielleon 07 Nov 2007 at 8:52 am

Marie, thank you, and I do try to keep you all in my prayers – generally, specifically, and for special intentions. I love Catherine’s writings as well; I have many of her books. They are easy enough to get here, because I live just a few hours away from Madonna House in Combermere, and the Catholic bookstore at one of our local parishes usually always has some of her books too. Or you can order them online, as well as other things, like Christmas cards, CDs, etc. There is a link to Madonna House in my sidebar, where you could see contact info, etc., if you wish. Here is a link also, so you can read more about her Cause for Canonization.

Ann, thanks for letting us all know! I will scoot over very shortly to see!
# psFromJustMeon 07 Nov 2007 at 10:54 am

This page about the consecration unto Mary may help.

Also, I noticed that KT has begun a thread about what the Cospirazione is up against. I was thinking one night how it is that those who seek the contemplative, get a taste of what they’ve also wondered about, perhaps — that of how it might be in a convent or an abbey during social time.
# gabrielleon 07 Nov 2007 at 11:25 am

Thanks, JustMe. I will have to double-check to see if that is the same link I found before; if not, I will put both in my sidebar on the new Mary site. I have to catch up at kt’s and elsewhere – I’ve been reading such wonderful posts lately as I’ve had time to visit people. So many gifts; so much being shared.
# JustMeon 07 Nov 2007 at 4:05 pm

It seems to be the same one, for if one scrolls down, the timetable is the same.. but oh gosh.. did I miss a link here again?? I’m sorry. Some days, I am as useful as a double-dunked teabag.

Oh, so much is being shared indeed. It’s a time one is very glad not to have missed after all. How kind everyone is to share their joys, sorrows, fears, hopes, dreams, and love.

I look forward to the new ‘blog. You’ll be half-killing yourself to get it put up, but it’ll be worth it all, Gab.
# gabrielleon 07 Nov 2007 at 8:10 pm

Oh, it wasn’t a link I have here I was referring to; you didn’t miss anything. It was a link I thought I had sent to you, if I remember correctly, back in July, but I’ll check it out, in any case.

I’m a double-dunker, depending on the size of the mug. Ms. Frugal, doncha know.
# Carolon 12 May 2008 at 9:18 am

Dear Ms. Frugal,

I clicked on the link to this entry while I was at Consecrated to Mary. After a few minutes’ reading, I realized I was at Contemplative Haven and my eyebrows went into Puzzle Mode — “Hmm, I thought I was at her other blog..” (*sigh.. can’t blond hair turn sagely silvery a little more quickly?) Anyway, it was good to re-read this, but I just wanted to addendum something I’m going to do with the trees in my yards, per the holy Fruit trees vision shown St. Gertrude the Great.

I looked up the 7 virtues we prayed for 33 days for consecration preparation (yes, I had to look them up.. sigh..), and contrasted them with the 9 or 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit, and I came up with a combination of all of them which seemed to cover all the bases in the least amount of trees; but then changed my mind when I re-read the beginning of the Consecration to Jesus through Mary’s Immaculate Heart. It said that Mary was holding a pink and gold chaplet.. and right there it nailed me, because a friend in Ohio had made me a chaplet 2 yrs ago, and it’s pink and silver.

I just recently had draped it over my rearview mirror, as there are times I’m stuck in traffic or waiting for someone and it is nice to raise one’s eyes and see both the Crucifix and the Miraculous Medal, and I keep a little prayer booklet in the car.. Well, I will replace that with the Little Flower’s 24-(Glory Be)bead chaplet, and will take this pink and silver one to the trees which shall be dedicated (perhaps husband will saw up some little signs for daughter to letter-carve) to the 7 virtues expressly prayed for, in the Consecration preparation. (A very large stone out there will begin the wee journey with the Creed, and a tiny flower garden will serve to jog forth the Angelus.) And maybe more of the signs with wee Consecration instruction book printed out will show up at the Christmas bazaar tables. Maybe.

Anyone have any additional ideas on all this? Or perhaps even simpler ones?
# Gabrielleon 12 May 2008 at 10:54 am

Carol, for now let me just say I am blown away by your comment, in more ways than one.

As I quoted from Catherine Doherty: “There is no denying it, being consecrated to Mary gives me ideas; thousands of new ideas that come tumbling down into my mind, my soul, my heart, and fill them to overflowing until they spill all over the place…”

This is what happens after consecration to Mary. One may or may not “feel” anything huge on the Consecration Day, but over the following months a multitude of ideas develop, all towards the end of living the consecration, sharing the consecration, teaching of the blessings…

I want to just savour your comment and ideas for a while.