Q. 1. What does it mean to be consecrated to Mary?

A. 1. In summary, when one consecrates himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he promises to become dependent on her in all things: to offer all his prayers and oblations to God through Mary, and to seek every gift from God through Mary. Catholics do this with the greatest confidence. Since Mary is our mother, she knows our needs better than we; and since she is Queen of Heaven, she has immediate access to the infinite treasury of graces in the Kingdom of her Divine Son.

The process of Total Consecration to Mary was introduced by Saint Louis de Montfort in the early part of the 18th century. The heart of Montfort's classic work "True Devotion to Mary" is a formal act of consecration to Mary, so through her, one can be consecrated to Christ.

The Vatican's guidelines for Marian consecrations state: "Louis Grignon de Montfort is one of the great masters of the spirituality underlying the act of "consecration to Mary". He proposed to the faithful consecration to Jesus through Mary, as an effective way of living out their baptismal commitment." ["Consecration and Entrustment to Mary", § 204, Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, Vatican.]

Montfort's process of Total Consecration has seven elements and effects:

• knowledge of one's unworthiness,
• sharing in Mary's faith,
• the gift of pure love,
• unlimited confidence in God and Mary,
• communication of the Spirit of Mary,
• transformation into the likeness of Jesus,
• and bringing more glory to Christ.

A number of different prayers may be used as part of the consecration to the Virgin Mary. The "Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary" appears in the official Raccolta book of indulgenced prayers.

The prayer originally composed by Saint Louis de Montfort is as follows:

Today, I, a faithless sinner,
renew in your hands my Baptismal vows;
I renounce Satan forever,
his pomps and works;
and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ,
the Incarnate Wisdom,
and will carry my cross after Him all the days of my life,
and will be more faithful to Him than I have ever been.
With the entire heavenly court as my witness,
I choose you this day for my Mother.
I deliver and consecrate myself to you,
my body and soul, myself,
both interior and exterior,
and the worth of my good actions,
past, present and future;
leaving to you the total right of disposing of me,
and all that belongs to me,
according to your wish,
for the greater glory of God in time and in eternity.