33-Day Preparation for Total Consecration to Mary

St. Louis Marie de Montfort

Pope St. John Paul II, the Great, in his brilliant encyclical on the holy Rosary, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, speaks of the transformative, spiritual and theological profundity of St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort’s explanation and promulgation of Marian consecration, both in general terms, and specifically, in his own life experience: “This is the luminous principle expressed by the Second Vatican Council which I have so powerfully experienced in my own life and have made the basis of my episcopal motto: Totus Tuus.  The motto is of course inspired by the teaching of Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, who explained in the following words Mary’s role in the process of our configuration to Christ: “Our entire perfection consists in being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus Christ. Hence the most perfect of all devotions is undoubtedly that which conforms, unites and consecrates us most perfectly to Jesus Christ. Now, since Mary is of all creatures the one most conformed to Jesus Christ, it follows that among all devotions that which most consecrates and conforms a soul to our Lord is devotion to Mary, his Holy Mother, and that the more a soul is consecrated to her the more will it be consecrated to Jesus Christ”. (Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Pope St. John Paul II), (True Devotion to Mary, de Montfort).

The original prayer, or “act,” of Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, composed by the great St. Louis Marie de Montfort, may be preceded by a 33-day preparation for consecration, broken down into four weeks or stages.  The original 33-day preparation was created by de Montfort himself, and may be accessed entirely free of charge by clicking here.  This preparation, while beneficial, is not absolutely necessary, and / or may be modified in content, structure, duration, et cetera, to accommodate the individual/s making said consecration.  That said, it should be noted that if one is making this act of consecration for the first time, it most sincerely would be of tremendous benefit, to the soul, to engage in some formal period of preparation.  Very recently, Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC, of the Marian Fathers (who are the custodians of the National Shrine of Divine Mercy, located in Stockbridge, Massachusetts) wrote a best-selling book on preparation for total consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Gaitley has done a tremendous service to the Church in creating an up-to-date compilation of some of the best theological and spiritual resources that serve as an eminently readable, highly informative, extraordinarily user-friendly consecration companion.   His book, 33 Days to Morning Glory, has done so well and has become so popular that it in now available entirely free of charge, online, and may be obtained simply by clicking here.

The only thing necessary for the individual who wishes to consecrate him/herself to Jesus through Mary is that the individual be sincere in his/her desire to entrust all that he/she is and all that he/she has to Jesus through Mary, to the point of desiring earnestly to be entirely, everywhere and always, Mary’s full and complete slave, possession ad property.

There may be some reading this who are scratching their heads, asking themselves, “Who, in their right mind, would ever want to voluntarily subject one’s self to slavery, even if it is to Christ, through the Blessed Virgin Mary?”  Considering that this entire weblog is devoted to answering that question, I will refrain from providing any explanation here, yet I will readily refer the reader to the single most comprehensive and outstanding explanation to this question that exists.  That explanation is contained, in full, in St. Louis de Montfort’s masterwork, which is entitled, Treatise on True Devotion to Mary, which may be read in it’s entirety simply by clicking here.

Both de Montfort and Kolbe have composed marvelous prayers of Total Consecration to Mary, and both are reproduced below. For those wishing to perform the original 33-day preparation in accord with St. Louis de Montfort’s plan of consecration, de Montfort suggests that one choose a Marian feast day on which to officially make the act of consecration, and begin the 33-day preparation exactly 33 days prior to the day on which the individual wishes to make the official act of consecration. An additional resource (also entirely free of charge), consisting of not only complete text but also audio files of the full 33-day preparation, including all of the recommended spiritual readings and prayers may be accessed, in full, and entirely free of charge, by visiting www.rosaryarmy.com, or simply by clicking here.

May you find your true home and lasting peace in the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Marian Feast Days on Which to Make / Renew One’s Total Consecration to Mary

January 1	—	Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God *
January 8	—	Our Lady of Prompt Succor
February 2	—	Presentation of the Lord
February 11	—	Our Lady of Lourdes
March 25	—	Annunciation
May 13	—	Our Lady of Fatima
May 31	—	Visitation
June 27	—	Our Mother of Perpetual Help
August 15	—	Assumption *
August 22	—	Queenship of Mary
September 8	—	Birth of Mary
September 12	—	The Most Holy Name of Mary
September 15	—	Our Lady of Sorrows
October 7	—	Our Lady of the Rosary
November 21	—	Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8	—	Immaculate Conception *
December 12	—	Our Lady of Guadalupe

* Holy day of Obligation

Totus Tuus Ego Sum, et Omnia Mea Tua Sunt!

St. Louis Marie de Montfort’s Prayer of Consecration

O Eternal and Incarnate Wisdom! O sweetest and most adorable Jesus! True God and True Man, only Son of the Eternal Father, and of Mary ever Virgin! I adore Thee profoundly in the bosom and glory of Thy Father during eternity; and I adore Thee also in the virginal bosom of Mary, Thy most worthy Mother, in the time of Thine Incarnation.

I give Thee thanks, that Thou hast annihilated Thyself taking the form of a slave, in order to rescue me from the cruel slavery of the devil. I praise and glorify Thee, that Thou hast been pleased to submit Thyself to Mary, Thy holy Mother, in all things, in order to make me Thy faithful slave through her. But alas! Ungrateful and faithless as I have been, I have not kept the promises which I made so solemnly to Thee in my baptism; I have not fulfilled my obligations; I do not deserve to be called Thy child nor yet Thy slave; and as there is nothing in me which does not merit Thine anger and Thy repulse, I dare no more come by myself before Thy Most Holy and August Majesty. It is on this account that I have recourse to the Intercession of Thy most holy Mother, whom Thou hast given me for a Mediatrix with Thee. It is by her means that I hope to obtain of Thee contrition, and the pardon of my sins, the acquisition and the preservation of wisdom. I salute Thee, then, O Immaculate Mary living tabernacle of the Divinity, where the Eternal Wisdom willed to be hidden and to be adored by Angels and by men. I hail thee, O Queen of heaven and earth to whose empire everything is subject which is under God.

I salute Thee, O sure refuge of sinners, whose mercy fails no one. Hear the desires which I have of the Divine Wisdom; and for that end receive the vows and offerings which my lowness presents to thee.

I, [name], a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy hands, O Immaculate Mother Mary, the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before.

In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee as Thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past present and future; leaving to you the entire and full right of disposing of me, and of all that belongs to me, without exception, according to Thy good pleasure to the greatest glory of God, in time and in eternity.

Receive O gracious Virgin, this little offering of my slavery, in honour of, and in union with, that subjection which the Eternal Wisdom deigned to have thy Maternity, in homage to the power which both of you have over this little worm and miserable sinner, and in thanksgiving for the privileges with which the Holy Trinity hath favoured thee. I protest, that I wish, henceforth, as thy true slave, to seek thy honour, and to obey thee in all things.

O admirable Mother, present me to thy Dear Son, as His eternal slave, so that as He hath redeemed me by thee, by thee He may receive me.

O Mother of mercy, get me the grace to obtain the true Wisdom of God, and for that end place me in the number of those whom thou lovest, whom thou teachest, whom thou leadest, and whom thou nourishest and protectest, as thy children and thy slaves. O Faithful Virgin, make me in all things so perfect a disciple, imitator and slave of the Incarnate Wisdom, Jesus Christ thy Son, that I may attain, by thy intercession and by thy example, to the fullness of His age on earth, and of His glory in heaven. Amen.

St. Maximilian Kolbe and Consecration to Mary

To receive the plenary indulgence attached to the making of this particular Act of Consecration to Mary, simply follow the simple steps outlined below:

1. Consciously renounce all attachment to sin (including venial sin);
2. Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation;
3. Attend Holy Mass;
4. Receive Our Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist;
5. Recite prayers for the Holy Father and his intentions (an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be will suffice);
6. After Mass/Holy Communion, recite the Prayer of Consecration to Mary below, composed by St. Maximilian Kolbe;
7. Piously wear the Miraculous Medal around ones neck, and promote devotion to Mary, Marian Consecration and the Miraculous Medal;
8. Enroll yourself in the Militia Immaculata, choosing a Marian Feast Day on which to make your official consecration.

Prayer of Consecration to Mary Immaculate, Composed by St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe

O 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 thee. I, (name), a repentant sinner, cast myself at thy feet humbly imploring thee to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to thyself as thy 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 thee. If it pleases thee, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of thee: “She will crush your head,” and, “Thou alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world.”

Let me be a fit instrument in thine Immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing 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 thou enters, one obtains the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through thy hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise thee O Sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against thy enemies.