I remember several years ago listening to an exorcist priest, Fr. Chad Ripperger, at a conference in Birmingham. He told us of cases he had experienced where people were particularly harassed by the Evil One and his minions, where their health, their businesses, their families and home lives were under attack and nothing ever seemed to be improving despite their best efforts. He said that in such cases he would recommend those suffering to consecrate all that they are and all that they have to Our Blessed Lady and Her Immaculate Heart, the purpose of the consecration being that She would then defend all of these things as Her own, and with that mighty power that God has given to Her as His Mother protect them and deliver them from the onslaught of the Enemy.

I can’t help but think that this would be the perfect time for us to make or even renew such a consecration, since this is Mary’s Day – Saturday. (I’ve just looked on the internet and found out that today is also the Feast of Our Lady of Castelbruedo, in Catalonia, Spain – an interesting story – https://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/our-lady-of-castelbruedo.html) which also relates to the Solemnity of the Annunciation.

Mary is our Mother in the order of redemption, our spiritual Mother, our Advocate, our dearest friend and companion on this journey of life, and She is one who stood at the foot of the Cross and suffered an unbloody martyrdom as Her soul was pierced with the sword, just as Simeon had prophesied in the Temple. She also spent Her time in silent prayer, experiencing the desolation that came after Good Friday, waiting on Holy Saturday in silence and mourning, in quiet contemplation and above all in hope, despite Her Lord and Her Son being in the tomb. Is She not with us now in our desolation, is She not with us now in our separation from the Eucharistic Lord, is She not mourning with us the loss of the One we hold so dear? She is! And She gives us hope, the hope that soon, very soon, we will see Him and be with Him again. But until then we must seek Her company, and join with Her in prayerful and silent waiting. The Church and the world is currently being allowed to experience the Passion of Our Saviour, a Passion that is not fruitless or pointless when we see it and embrace it with Faith, and when we stand in union with Our Blessed Mother.

As She has always done, and as She continues to do in her many approved apparitions, the Blessed Mother calls us back to Her Son ; See what He has done for you, She says to us, See how much He loves you, She implores. Turn to Him with your whole heart! Do whatever He tells you! The Mother loves the Son more than anything, the Mother loves us for the sake of the Son, She wants us to love Him like Her, with the entirety of our being. She knows that He is our salvation, our hope, our peace, and She wants us to share in that joy and union that She has with the Lord which is more precious than anything this world has to offer. She is determined to crush the head of the ancient serpent who seeks to lure us away from Our Lord and Saviour, but She needs our co-operation. When we consecrate ourselves to Her, when we confess our sins and repent of them, and tell Her that we want to love Jesus more than anything, will She not help us? Of course She will! And She will help us in ways we cannot begin to imagine. The Mother is calling us, is calling the whole world to come back to the Son, back to the One through whom all things were made.

Below I will post an act of consecration that I would encourage you to use, either individually or together in your families, try to make that act of consecration today, on Our Lady’s Day. Make a good examination of conscience, make a firm and sincere act of contrition, make a spiritual communion, perform the act of consecration and then, try to say the Holy Rosary – give yourselves and your loved ones to the maternal care of Our Blessed Lady. I will also post a video of the Stabat Mater a beautiful Lenten hymn that was traditionally sung during the Stations of the Cross. God bless you and keep you, and may the Holy Mother of God, our Mother, pray for you and yours and protect you from all harm!

Fr. Martin

An Act of Consecration

O Blessed Mother Mary, Help of Christians, Comforter of the Afflicted, we come before you in praise of your faith and your trust in Almighty God.

The Heavenly Father chose you before time to bear His Son, and to be the worthy Mother of both the Redeemer and of all the redeemed. Today we entrust ourselves to you completely, and implore your motherly prayers and protection, as we offer you ourselves and all that we have; our families, and this parish of St. James and St. Matthew.

We ask you to pray for, and to protect, in the name of your Divine Son, every individual, every family, home and place of work within it. Through your prayers and motherly guidance may we live and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus with love and enthusiasm, seeking always to praise and magnify God’s Holy Name in all that we do, and loving God above all else may we turn away from all sin.

Inspire within us a deeper faith, an ardent hope and a more selfless love, so that we may serve Almighty God and the Church your Son has founded and work with Him for the salvation of all.

O Mother of Divine Love, O Cause of our Joy, O Help of Christians, Sovereign Mistress of the Angels, hear the prayer we offer you, and make of us a fitting gift to your Most Holy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!