Act of consecration by an enclosed nun

BASILICA DI S. PIETRO, VATICANO (C.1753). GIUSEPPE VASI. LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART.

Act of consecration by an enclosed nun

The following reflections by an enclosed nun were composed on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, February 2018. At her request they have been edited by her spiritual father, to whom they were entrusted.

This nun is convinced that the whole Catholic Church is confronted by a very serious doctrinal crisis, precipitated by the teaching and actions of Pope Francis. One immediate result of this crisis is a felt disunity within Catholic communities. Some people of good will instinctively take sides for the person of the holy Father, as successor of St Peter and guarantor of the Church’s Unity. Others stand for the received truths of the Catholic Faith, which they perceive this Pope to be undermining, or even attacking, in a disastrous way. She wrote:

“On the feast of the Presentation of the Lord – the World Day of Consecrated life – I received a strong inspiration, or experienced a strong desire, to offer up my life for the Church amid this crisis. I have had this desire already for some years. But now I felt an urge to do this in a concrete fashion, and in union with other nuns, monks, priests and consecrated persons in the Church who feel as I do. I feel an urge to return to the very foundations of our monastic/ religious vocation. I want to live it to the full; to be faithful to our Holy Rule and Constitutions, and to my Holy Vows; to do penance; to be very faithful in observance; to live in continual prayer and love; to keep holy silence as our Rule requires, etc. This is our duty anyway, but also it is something we can do together in order to help in this situation which is so very serious. I know that, by ourselves, we cannot do anything. But we can and must, through the holiness of our lives, implore the Lord and Our Lady to intervene.”

There follows a prayer of sacrificial offering which she desires to see spread among other religious persons who share the same concerns, resulting in a crusade of prayer in convents and monasteries throughout the whole Church. For this initiative she has the blessing and permission of her religious superior, and also of her spiritual father.

Act of consecration for religious: Holy Mary, Mother of the Church: I feel an urgent necessity to give myself to You for the sake of the Church. In this hour when the very foundations of our Holy Catholic Faith are questioned, even at the highest levels of the hierarchy, I want to live and die for the Church’s unity, and in support of those few faithful shepherds who defend our Faith.

I am already consecrated to You, and I have already given You everything. Still, if this accords with Your plan, I want, in union with other consecrated men and women in the Church, to give you my religious life, the observance of my Holy Vows, Rule and Constitutions, my praise, my sacrifices, my penances, my sufferings and joys, my whole monastic observance, for the restoration of the Church. I wish to do this, inspired by the example, in particular, of St Francis of Assisi and St Teresa of Avila.

If You want, You may use me for this purpose. For my part, I promise to live my religious life faithfully, and to give You as much love and sacrifice as I can. I know that to be faithful in little things is very important, and therefore I promise You to do little everyday things with as much love as I can.

I promise You to keep always before me the first precept of my Holy Rule: to live in continual prayer, in union with Jesus Christ, through You, with You, in You and for You, Holy Virgin Mary.

I consecrate to You, Holy Mother of God, my Community, and I ask You to unite us in this same desire and fervor. Spare us in this difficult time and protect us in Your Immaculate Heart. Send us vocations who share in this zeal and love for the Church.

I know that this is nothing and that I can do nothing of myself – if I am not united with Jesus. But in union with Him everything is possible. I therefore ask You to unite me so closely with Your Divine Son that it is no longer I who live but He Who lives in me. Only in that way can this offering bear fruit in new life for the Church.

Holy and Immaculate Virgin, defend the Church and Her Faith. Uphold and strengthen those few good Shepherds who now fight and suffer for the Truth. Receive my offering as a gift, and give me the grace to be faithful in my holy vocation. Dissipate the darkness that has penetrated the Church, and send your Angels to help us in this battle. Amen.

A version which can be used by lay people: Holy Mary, Mother of the Church: I feel an urgent necessity to give myself to You for the sake of the Church. In this hour when the very foundations of our Holy Catholic Faith are questioned, even at the highest levels of the hierarchy, I want to live and die for the Church’s unity, and in support of those few faithful shepherds who defend our Faith.

I consecrate myself totally to You, and I give You everything. And if this accords with Your plan, I also want, in union with other men and women in the Church, to give you my life for the restoration of the Church. Let everything in my life – my prayer and my praise, my penances, my sacrifices, my sufferings, my joys and my work – bear fruit for the Church in this difficult time. I wish to make this offering inspired by the example, in particular, of St Francis of Assisi and St Teresa of Avila.

If You want, You may use me for this purpose. For my part, I promise to live my Catholic Christian life faithfully, and to give You as much love and sacrifice as I can. I know that to be faithful in little things is very important, and therefore I promise You to do little everyday things with as much love as I can.

I promise You to strive to live in continual prayer, in union with Jesus Christ, through You, with You, in You and for You, Holy Virgin Mary.

I consecrate to You, Holy Mother of God, my family and all those whom I love, and I ask You to unite us in this same desire and fervor. Spare us in this difficult time and protect us in Your Immaculate Heart. Send people in my way who share this fervor for the Church and let us together be at Your service and help and support one another. Form an innumerable crowd who want to fight under the banner of Your Immaculate Heart.

I know that this is nothing and that I can do nothing of myself if I am not united with Jesus. But in union with Him everything is possible. I therefore ask You to unite me so closely with Your Divine Son that it is no longer I who live but He Who lives in me. Only in that way can this offering bear fruit in new life for the Church.

Holy and Immaculate Virgin, defend the Church and Her Faith. Uphold and strengthen those few good Shepherds who now fight and suffer for the Truth. Receive my offering as a gift, and give me the grace to be faithful in my holy vocation. Dissipate the darkness that has penetrated the Church, and send your Angels to help us in this battle. Amen.