Suffering With Joy

Consecration to the Immaculate Heart

March 25, 2010

Bishop James Vann Johnston

Update: 4/5/10

St. Mary’s Cathedral was packed with people from all over the diocese.  Considering that folks that live at the western end traveled 5-7 hours to reach the Cape, this was a priority for many.  Look for growth in faithfulness to the Christian vocation and leadership in Christian living from southern Missouri.  Some of the graces will remain hidden as always in God’s work, but I am confident that Our Lady will obtain much for us that will help us visibly witness to the love of God and bring others to Jesus.

Our bishop gave us a theologically sound prayer of consecration that speaks of his fatherly concern for all people living in the diocese.  For those who are familiar with this diocese, this consecration is a major, really big thing, and a sign of much good to come.

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Today Bishop James Vann Johnston is consecrating the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Many of us had written to him requesting this, so we are overjoyed that he chose the solemn feast of the Annunciation, the beginning of the Incarnation to formally put the diocese under Our Lady’s protection.

Today all parishes of the diocese prayed the consecration prayer and the bishop’s ceremony takes place this evening after the 5:15 Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in the Cape.

This is the consecration prayer:

O Most Holy Trinity: Our Father in Heaven,

You chose Mary as the fairest of Your daughters;

God the Son, You chose Mary as Your Mother;

Holy Spirit, You chose Mary as Your spouse;

in union with Mary, we adore Your majesty

and acknowledge Your supreme, eternal dominion

and authority.  Most Holy Trinity.

we place the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau

into the hands of Mary Immaculate in order that

she may present this diocese to You.

Immaculate Queen of Heaven and Earth, refuge of sinners

and our most loving Mother Mary, we humbly cast

ourselves at your feet, consecrating to your Immaculate

Heart all peoples and parishes of the Diocese of

Springfield-Cape Girardeau.  Protect the bishop of

this diocese and all his priests and deacons.

Protect the consecrated religious of this diocese.

Protect the families of this diocese.  Draw forth the

precious gift of many vocations to the priesthood and

religious life.  Look after sinners, the sick, the poor, the

tempted and upon all who are in need of your intercession.

O Mary, Immaculate Virgin, we ask that you draw

all of us closer to your Son’s Eucharistic Heart.

Let all of us be fit instruments in your immaculate and

merciful hands for introducing and increasing God’s glory

to the maximum in all the many strayed and

indifferent souls.  Help us as far as possible to serve the

advancement of the blessed kingdom of the

most Sacred Heart of Jesus.  For wherever you enter

you obtain grace of conversion and growth in holiness,

since it is through your hands that all graces come to us

from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us

who have recourse to you!

Tags: Blessed Virgin