Total Consecration to the Immaculate

1. What is Total Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary?

“According to the traditional definition Consecration to Mary consists in “offering oneself entirely to Mary, in order, through Her, to belong totally to Jesus. This consecration implies a complete and never-ending dedication of ourselves to the Blessed Virgin (all that we are and have) and a generous and total dependence on Her.” (Fr. Luigi Faccenda, “One More Gift: Total Consecration to the Immaculata According to the Spirituality of St. Maximilian Kolbe”,West Covina, CA: Immaculata Press, P. 31)

2. What does it mean to give oneself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate?

When we give ourselves to Our Lady, it means “we offer to Mary our soul with all its powers and faculties: affections, memory, intellect, will and freedom. We offer to Her our material goods, both present and future. We give Her our spiritual goods which means our merits, virtues, and past, present and future good works.” (Faccenda, p. 32)

3. How does Total Consecration relate to the ordinary duties of a Catholic?

When we were baptized, we renounced Satan and all his evil works (through our godparents) and consecrated oyrselves to Jesus Christ. Through both Baptism and Confirmation, we promised to live according to the Commandments and the teachings of the Church. Jesus told us:”You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt. 5:48) St. Paul reminds us: “For this the will of God, your sanctification.” (Eph. 1 :4)

When we totally consecrate ourselves to the Immaculate we are able to live out these baptismal vows more perfectly. In trustingly and lovingly becoming Her instruments, allow her to guide us every moment of our lives in order that She may mould us more and more into the image of her first-born son.

4. What dispositions are needed on the part of those who consecrate themselves to Our Lady?

According to St. Maximilian Kolbe anyone who consecrates oneself to Our Lady should be a “docile instrument” in Her hands. They should recall from the “Solemn Act of Consecration” that they are her “property and possession”. They should be willing to sacrifice themselves for Her as did St. Maximilian when he invited his friars to come to the missions with him for Our Lady: “Come with us to die of hunger, of fatigue, of humiliations, and of suffering for the Immaculate!”

5. What does it mean to be the “property and possession” of the Immaculate according to St. Maximilian in his prayer of Consecration?

To be the “property and possession” of the Immaculate it means that we belong entirely to Her as Her possession. We are Hers, according to St. Maximilian, even more so than a slave; a slave has rights. We have given her ourselves, all the “powers of soul and body”, our “whole life, death and eternity,” and “whatever pleases You.” In return, Our Lady will take us as Her “property and possession” and make sure that all our works, prayers, and virtues are pleasing to God. Because She is our Mediatrix with Her Son Jesus, all that we do for Her will be increased to the maximum for Her glory and the salvation of “many strayed and indifferent souls” for the spread of the “Kingdom of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.”

6. According to St. Maximilian Kolbe, what is the end of having so many souls consecrate themselves to the Immaculate?

St. Maximilian knew that as soon as the Immaculate was known to all hearts, the Kingdom of the Sacred Heart would reign in the world. The reason why the world does not recognize Jesus Christ as King is because it does not know the Immaculate. It’s commonly said “No Mary, No Jesus; Know Mary, Know Jesus”.

7. How is Total Consecration a fulfillment of Our Lady’s requests at Fatima?

Our Lady told the children: “Pray, pray, very much, make sacrifices for sinners. Remember that many souls are lost because there is nobody to pray and to make sacrifices for them” (Fatima Apparition of August 19, 1917). By offering up our prayers and sacrifices in Total Consecration to Our Lady, we give Her everything we do for the salvation of souls and to win all souls for Christ the King for all eternity.

8. What preparation should be done before the “Solemn Act of consecration?”

Before the day of Consecration, one should say the Holy Rosary faithfully, go to daily Mass frequently and make a good confession. On the day of Consecration, it is highly recommended to receive Holy Communion.