Bishops Renew Consecration of U.S. & Canada to Our Lady

This is so exciting! 🙌

Abp. Jose Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced last week that the USCCB, along with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, would renew the consecration of both nations to Our Lady under the title, “Mary, Mother of the Church.”

Abp. Gomez invited all U.S. Bishops to join him in the consecration at 3 pm ET on Fri., May 1. ChurchPOP streamed the brief liturgy on Facebook.

“This will give the Church the occasion to pray for Our Lady’s continued protection of the vulnerable, healing of the unwell, and wisdom for those who work to cure this terrible virus,” Abp. Gomez said in a statement.

The Church traditionally asks for Mary’s special intercession every year during the month of May.

“This year, we seek the assistance of Our Lady all the more earnestly as we face together the effects of the global pandemic,” Abp. Gomez added.

However, the bishop said this consecration does not replace the consecration to Our Lady as patroness of the United States. Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore was the first bishop to consecrate the United States to Our Lady in a 1792 pastoral letter. It was the first of several consecrations throughout U.S. history.

“This prayer reaffirms and renews previous Marian entrustments, and unites us in solidarity with our Holy Father, who recently established the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, as a source of protection and strength,” the USCCB press release states.

The release adds that this is a “reminder to the faithful of the Blessed Mother’s witness to the Gospel and to ask for her effective intercession before her Son on behalf of those in need.”