Ruth, Tricia's & Tina - Notes to start Week 1 (From last fall's program at church)

When we started this consecration in our parish, our pastor held a weekly meeting to briefly go over what we had read and would be reading.  He also tried to highlight the life of a saint each week, a saint who had a deep marian devotion.  I will post my notes and the notes of one or two friends.  Neither of us took these notes with the idea of posting them so they might be quite inadequate but maybe they will help someone.   Here is my first posting of the notes.

Ruth's Notes to start Week 1:

This Total Consecration is for a conversion of heart and growth in holiness.

This commitment will be at least one rosary a day and the readings which will take about a half hour to 1 hour  (of the 24 given to us by the Lord).

You are entrusting your life to Jesus under the care of His mother that she may bring to safely to her SON.

Preparation opens us for totally giving ourself to Jesus through Mary.

Make daily Mass as often as possible.    (If you can't make it to church you could always watch it on TV and make a spiritual communion....but best to get to daily Mass if you can)

Father talked about making a General Confession when we get to that section.   It is very important to take the time to make a good examination of conscience (provided in the book) and then make a good Confession. Make your Confession when it is not a busy time for the priest. You might want to make an appointment with Father for the General Confession so that you have the amount of time needed. It you call for an appointment tell the priest that you want to make a General Confession as they take longer.  It is OK to write down you sins or circle them in pencil in your book and bring that to confession with you.  You don't want to be rushed.  (General Confession is reviewing your entire life, reconfessing serious sins with greater repentance of heart. If you have already made a General Confession you can just start at that point for this one.)

Each day and week is divided the same way.

Week 1 Prayers

Week 1, Day 1 Meditation 1

                           Meditation 2

   Meditation 3

   Meditation 4

Week 1, Day 2 (1-4 more meditations)

etc.

Week 2 Prayers   (they change each week but you always also say a rosary)

Week 2, Day 1 Meditation 1

etc.

It will make sense when you start using the book.

Father also went over St. Louis de Montford's life.  You can get that on the internet.

Father Parker said if it is too overly burdensome for whatever reason to do all the day’s meditations, try to do at least one meditation well and the prayers..

Tricia's notes:

Week 1

John Paul II consistently prayed the spirituality of Monfort. He believed Mary brings us closer to Christ and leads us to Him. JPII was just one of many who followed Montort's spirituality. This is a spirituality that is fully approved by the Church.

Montfort's life:
apposed Jansenism-extremists about not receiving Eucharist because of "unworthiness"
touched by God at a very young age
college with Jesuits
a brilliant man
at a young age, Mary revealed his vocation to him
on his way the the seminary, (walked the entire way) he gave away everything he had--showed up in rags, looking like a poor
beggar
believed the Soul should breathe Mary as the Body breathes air

Primary purpose of the Consecration: conversion of heart and growth in holiness

First week: fast, give alms, and ask Mary for help you know and weed out faults

Here are Tina's Notes:

Here is some of what Father Parker talked about tonight:

He gave a little back ground about St. Louis de Montfort – one of 18 children, of whom 3 became priests and 3 others (maybe 4) other entered religious life. Very intelligent, knew from a very young age that he had a calling. Mary told him he would be priest. Not much money in his family w/18 children but he knew and he trusted that he would become a priest since Mary told him. A rich lady saw his holiness and intelligence and told him she would pay for his studies in Seminary.

His True Devotion manuscript was unknown for over 100 years when it was found in an old trunk. (Had been in manuscript form after he wrote it, ready to publish but then the French Revolution erupted and his manuscript was buried to save it from being burned by the revolutionaries. After it was over, the manuscript was unearthed but put in the old trunk and forgotten about. St Louis himself predicted that the unpublished manuscript would be hidden for a long time after his death.

Purpose of the Consecration –      Conversion of our hearts

                                                Growth in Holiness

We will prepare with these readings, meditations and prayers for 5 weeks, the on December 8^th we will have a Mass and after Mass Father will expose the Blessed Sacrament, set up a kneeler at the front. Each one of us will come up and sign our written Consecration in front of Jesus – that we are giving ourselves totally to Jesus through Mary.

There may be terms mentioned that you may wonder about – like “Holy Slavery” – that refers to us giving ourselves over totally to Jesus though Mary.

If you have questions about any terms or anything .... (ask on the blog.)

He suggested trying to go to Mass daily, or at least more frequently during the week than just on Sunday.

He also said that we are being called specially to make this Consecration, not everyone is called. And, because we are going to make this Consecration and because Satan and the demons don’t like it we may find that we have all kinds of crap (my word) thrown at us from the devil, so if it seems that all kinds of stuff is starting to happen to you to make it difficult or all kinds of temptations occur to throw you off track, don’t let it upset you. Father Parker will be praying for us and asks us to pray for him during this time as we all prepare for the Consecration. Father Parker gave us a special blessing and included those who also were going to be making the Consecration but were unable to be at the meeting in the Blessing.

There is a VERY thorough Examination of Conscience in this Consecration; in fact there is an ALL DAY examination on page 90 (Week 2, Day 2 – which would be November 11^th. (Father Parker suggested going to Confession (at the time it is in the preparation program) and also right before Feb. 11 when we make our Consecration.) He said we may want to make little  check marks in our books next to all that applies to us and bring it to the confessional with us in order to make a thorough confession. 

When you start Father suggested taking a pencil and marking each week’s day with the date, like Week 1, Day 1 is Jan. 9th. (I wrote the date for each day) We will be praying daily the suggested prayers for the week, (Week 1’s prayers are found on page 18 and 19) then the 1^st meditations for week 1, Day 1. Try to say the prayers suggested before or after each meditation for the day – as suggested in the book.

Week 2’s prayers are found on page 74 and following. Note that you don’t have to say each prayer before each meditation for these he suggests saying each prayer daily if possible; if not, then at least one prayer each day, etc. He adds more to the weekly prayers each week.

Week 3’s prayers are on page 145 and following. Then notice page 205 for Week 3 and through page 270…

Week 4’s prayers are on page 274 and following.

Hope this helps!

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