By
NADIA POZO
CS&T Staff Writer
In
an historic event, the United States of America was
consecrated to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary by
the U.S. bishops on Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Basilica of the
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
It was
the first time the country has been consecrated specifically
to the Sorrowful and Immaculate heart of Mary, according to
Michael La Corte, the executive director of the World
Apostolate of Fatima USA, who requested that the papal
nuncio, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, celebrate the Mass of
consecration.
“According to the message of Fatima
the answer is not just a human approach,” La Corte said. The
quest for peace also calls for a spiritual response and
divine help, he said.
The Blessed Mother, in her
Fatima apparitions, requested more devotion to her
Immaculate Heart, specifically through the First Saturday
devotions [See page 35 for more on First Saturdays] in
reparation for sins, and she repeatedly noted that through
the rosary peace would come to the world, La Corte said.
That’s why, the World Apostolate of Fatima USA, a
lay association dedicated to spreading the message of
Fatima, especially the First Saturday practice, sponsored
and coordinated the Consecration Mass held in the nation’s
capital.
Bishop David Rickens, the bishop of
Cheyenne, Wyo., led the consecration prayer in the name of
all the U.S. Bishops.
The consecration prayer was
originally written by the U.S. bishops in 1959, when they
blessed the national basilica and took that opportunity to
consecrate the United States to the Immaculate
Conception.
The same prayer was used and the country
was reconsecrated to the Immaculate Conception this month,
and two additional invocations were used to consecrate the
nation to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary as
well.
“When a consecration occurs it is to set aside
something for a sacred purpose,” Father Mark Moretti,
president of the World Apostolate of Fatima USA, told the
congregation. “Through the consecration today, our nation
has been set aside, and so have each one of you.” In a
special way, he urged the young people to seek holiness and
purity.
“The late Pope John Paul II said Fatima is
more important today than it was in 1917,” said Franciscan
Friar of the Renewal Father Andrew Apostoli, during his
homily.
Pope John Paul made that proclamation after
his assassination attempt in May 13, 1981, on the feast of
Our Lady of Fatima. He credited the Blessed Mother with
saving his life.
As he lay in his hospital bed
following the shooting, he asked for all the documents on
Fatima, and thoroughly studied them before making his
prophetic statement. He was even more sure of that after he
spoke with his would-be assassin, who assured the pope that
he was a professional assassin and that he never missed,
Father Andrew continued.
“Mehmet Ali Agšca asked
whose feast day they were celebrating that day, because
whoever it was saved him,” Father Andrew said.
Pope
John Paul made a visit to Fatima a year later, on May 13,
1982 to personally thank Our Lady of Fatima. He brought with
him the bullet that missed his major internal organs, and
placed it in her crown.
Pope John Paul II knew that
the message of Fatima holds the answer for peace in the
world today, Father Andrew said.
“The times we live
in are crucial to our country, and our Church,” he said. “We
have the war in Iraq, conflict in Afghanistan. … [and] here
in the United States, the sacredness of life is no longer an
inalienable right.”
Marriage and family life are
under attack; abortion has taken the life of 40 million in
this country since 1973; infanticide is legal through
partial birth abortion; medical testing is available to
determine whether a fetus has disabilities so a woman may
abort the child; euthanasia, or assisted suicide, which is
legal in Oregon and Texas with other states in pursuit, is
eliminating persons with disabilities and the
elderly.
Quoting the late Catholic apologist,
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, he said: “‘If we don’t stop the
destruction of life, we’ll come to midnight. That is nuclear
war, in which there will be a total disregard for
life.’”
Father Andrew added, “We can’t stop this. We
need the protection of Mary. We need her to put her mantle
around our country.”
Add to that the immorality
plaguing the United State — and which the U.S. exports
through its entertainment industry — and it is obvious that
the need for a conversion of heart is
crucial.
Divorce, cohabitation, gay pride,
pornography, the scandal in the priesthood, rampant
secularism that has even entered the Church, and an
indifference and ignorance of the faith among Catholics, are
all hurting the Church and the world, Father Andrew said.
“We are being called to a renewal.”
That renewal will
come through Mary and through true conversion, prayer,
fasting and devotion to the rosary, he said.
“Mary
suffered spiritually all that Jesus suffered — she bore
the stigmata in her heart,” Father Andrew said. “She is
truly sharing in the role of redemption. That’s why we call
her Co-Redemptrist.”
Mary assisted in the role of
redemption, he said. Mary’s faith moved Jesus to perform
that first miracle at the wedding at Cana, and by doing so
sent Jesus to the cross. But she also followed.
“She
continues to obtain graces for us, and we need grace to do
what she last says in Scripture: ‘Do whatever he tells
you.’”
Noting the presence of the papal nuncio for
the consecration, Father Andrew said it signified the deep
love Pope Benedict XVI has for Fatima and the United States,
recalling the Pope’s own words in closing his homily: “Learn
the message of Fatima, study the message of Fatima and live
the message of Fatima.”
The papal nuncio added his
own sentiments, describing his devotion to Mary from the
beginning of his priesthood.
“I decided to become a
priest under the eyes of the Blessed Mother called the Lady
of All Graces,” Archbishop Sambi said at the close of the
Mass. “I would like to entrust to you a confidence. Every
day of my life, I have felt upon me the love of the Blessed
Mother. Not a single day of my life have I lost hope in the
Blessed Mother.”
He recalled his years of service in
the Holy Land, where he spent countless hours in prayer at
the Church of Golgotha, contemplating the Passion of Christ
in the very place where it took place.
“I understood
that the Blessed Mother belongs to me, and that I belong to
her,” the Italian Archbishop said. “I say to you, Mary will
guide you to Jesus Christ.”
Thousands of people
joined Archbishop Sambi and Bishop Rickens in thanking the
Blessed Trinity for the gift of Mary, and placing the
country in her hands. Millions more joined the consecration
by viewing a live EWTN broadcast on television and the
Internet.
The Knights of Columbus led the
procession, and the basilica’s choir provided angelic songs
of prayer. Pilgrims from all over the country, including
various religious communities and diocesan priests, were in
attendance, and prayed the rosary together before the Mass.
Many were visibly moved by the celebration.
Most U.S.
bishops were not present because of prior engagements,
including the scheduled bishops’ conference meeting, but
more than two-thirds signed the consecration prayer with
more signatures still arriving.
“There’s no doubt
the consecration is going to bring so many graces,” Father
Andrew said, echoing the sentiments of those
present.
And looking at the history of national
Marian consecration’s, there is good reason for such
hope.
During World War I, Francis Cardinal Bourne,
the Primate of England, consecrated that country to the
Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, in hopes of bringing
peace. He claimed — and many others as well — that it
stopped World War I.
The Armistice for the First
World War was signed after the consecration on Nov. 11. It
was, incidentally, the same day the papal nuncio chose to
officiate the Mass for the United States. Portugal was
also consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary before
World War II, and it was protected from the
war.
“My prayer is that this consecration opens
the door for Our Lady to come in and change the hearts and
minds of people … and bring an era of peace,” La Corte
said.
“This has been one of the most glorious Masses
I’ve ever been at in my life,” Father Moretti said in his
closing remarks. “It makes you be proud to be
Catholic.”
CS&T staff writer Nadia Pozo can
be reached at npozo@adphila.org or (215)
965-4614.
Prayer for Renewal of Consecration
to Our
Patroness of the United States of America, the Immaculate
Conception
Most
Holy Trinity: Our Father in Heaven, who chose Mary as the
fairest of your daughters; Holy Spirit, who chose Mary as
Your spouse; God the Son, who chose Mary as Your Mother; in
union with Mary, we adore Your majesty and acknowledge Your
supreme, eternal dominion and authority.
Most Holy
Trinity, we put the United States of America into the hands
of Mary Immaculate in order that she may present the country
to You. Through her we wish to thank You for the great
resources of this land and for the freedom, which has been
its heritage. Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy
on the Catholic Church in America. Grant us peace. Have
mercy on our President and on all the officers of our
government. Grant us a fruitful economy born of justice and
charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor.
Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the precious
gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession
of our Mother, have mercy on the sick, the poor, the
tempted, sinners — on all who are in need.
Mary,
Immaculate Virgin, Our Mother, patroness of our land, we
praise you and honor you and give our country and ourselves
to your sorrowful and immaculate heart. O Sorrowful and
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pierced by the sword of sorrow
prophesized by Simeon, save us from degeneration, disaster
and war. Protect us from all harm. O Sorrowful and
Immaculate Heart of Mary, you who bore the sufferings of
your Son in the depths of your heart, be our advocate. Pray
for us, that acting always according to your will and the
will of your divine Son, we may live and die pleasing to
God. Amen.
Lord, teach us to
pray.
