# A Glorious New Morning: My Day of Consecration to Mary
*2017-05-13*

> Bill Young celebrates the culmination of his 33‑day “Morning Glory” retreat by making a personal consecration to the Blessed Virgin, offering practical tips and reflections on living that consecration.

## Preparing for the Consecration

Before today’s consecration, I recommend three simple preparations. First, go to confession; if that’s not possible, make a sincere act of contrition and plan to confess as soon as you can. Second, print or write out the consecration prayer, sign and date it, and keep a small reminder—perhaps a medal or a card—in your wallet. Third, if possible, attend Mass and receive Holy Communion before reciting the prayer, though this is not strictly required.

## The Prayer of Consecration

Here is the prayer I used, adapted from the 33‑day Morning Glory booklet by Fr. Michael Gately. Feel free to personalize it with your own name.

“I, Bill Young, a repentant sinner, renewed today in your hands, O Immaculate Mother, reaffirm the vows of my baptism. I renounce Satan and resolve to follow Jesus Christ more closely than before. Mary, I give you my heart; set it ablaze with love for Jesus. Keep my heart pure so that I may love Jesus and cherish His Body. I entrust to you my body, soul, goods, interior and exterior life, and all my actions. Make of me whatever you will, that I may be an instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for the greatest glory of God. If I fall, lead me back to Jesus. Wash me in the blood and water flowing from His side, and help me never lose trust in His love and mercy. With you, O Immaculate Mother, who always does the will of God, I unite myself to the perfect consecration of Jesus, who offers Himself to the Father for the salvation of the world. Amen.”

## Living the Consecration

A consecration is not a one‑time event; it calls us to ongoing renewal, a Marian attitude, and concrete devotion.

• Renewal: St. Louis de Montfort urges us to renew our consecration at least yearly on the same day, and many saints, including Pope John Paul II, renewed daily. A short renewal can be as simple as, “Mary, my Mother, I give myself totally to you as your possession; make of me whatever pleases you.”

• Attitude: The saints teach that we should live “with Mary, through Mary, and for Mary,” always seeking to act in union with Jesus. This interior dependence does not require constant conscious thought; it becomes a habit of turning to Mary in prayer and allowing her to guide us to Christ.

• Devotion: The Rosary is the primary prayer that forms this habit, placing the mysteries of Christ’s life at its center while the Hail Marys keep us in Mary’s presence. Other Marian devotions—novenas, icons, pilgrimages, and feast‑day celebrations—also deepen our reliance on her intercession.

## Practical Ways to Grow

Keep a small Marian medal or prayer card with you as a reminder. Participate in group retreats or Marian conferences when possible; I’ll be attending a Marian Eucharist conference at Ave Maria University in Florida, May 20‑22. Such gatherings often provide the resources—books, DVDs, companions—to deepen the retreat experience.

Even simple acts, like wearing a brown scapular, can foster a quiet, ongoing connection to Mary. The key is openness: whenever God places you in a conference, pilgrimage, or even a daily routine, be ready to receive the grace that Mary offers.

*Consecrating ourselves to Mary opens a lifelong path of renewal, dependence, and joyful devotion that leads us ever closer to Christ.*