tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post7015947828174069206..comments2024-03-05T11:44:26.154-08:00Comments on The New Theological Movement: What is the Total Consecration of St. Louis de Montfort?Father Ryan Erlenbushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-74977904543901206452013-05-05T22:01:39.442-07:002013-05-05T22:01:39.442-07:00Hey Father!
In my quest to understand the nature...Hey Father! <br /><br />In my quest to understand the nature of the vow we make in DeMontfort's Consecration I ran across this:<br /><br />"This consecration has the characters of a vow: because it is a most solemn and eternal dedication. It is more than an ordinary promise - which is not binding under penalty of sin; but it is less demanding that the solemn vows, which one would make to become a professed religious. Still, the effect of this consecration, properly made, is irrevocable. Once a person understands the nature of this consecration, he understands that he is entirely abrogating any of his natural spiritual rights to dictate where the merits of his good actions might be applied. (http://www.newjerusalem.com/conditions.htm)<br /><br />Would you agree with those statements? Thanks you!George Henrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-24374431570505030592012-03-06T08:12:03.653-08:002012-03-06T08:12:03.653-08:00@Bobby B,
I think we need to read this in a broade...@Bobby B,<br />I think we need to read this in a broader perspective ... <br /><br />1) The Total Consecration is only a private vow (if even that), hence it is not as binding as religious vows or other public vows.<br /><br />2) Still, if we do wish to stop the practice of the Total Consecration, it would be good to mention it in confession and ask the priest to release us from this practice.<br /><br />3) It is not clear to me that this vow would bind under pain of mortal sin ... in fact, I am quite certain that it does not usually.<br />Thus, since only mortal sin can send us to hell ... etc.<br /><br />4) Nevertheless, if we do go to hell and we had made the Total Consecration, the demons will torment us with special hatred, because they so hate our Lady.<br /><br />5) All that being said, de Montfort states that the Total Consecration is the easiest means of attaining to heaven ... thus, I do not think he wants us to be fearful and afraid as we embark.<br /><br />Well, I hope that this helps a little bit and gives some peace.<br /><br />Consider this: Receiving Communion puts us in a much greater obligation before God ... and thus, in one way, means that we increase our risk of offending God ... and yet, clearly, it is better to receive (when in the proper dispositions) ... because God is glorified and we are sanctified.<br />Similarly with the Total Consecration. <br /><br />God bless you in this work. +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-67742565054951628822012-03-05T14:17:15.261-08:002012-03-05T14:17:15.261-08:00Hi Father.
I am currently preparing myself for th...Hi Father.<br /><br />I am currently preparing myself for the total consecration, and I must admit that even in this early stage I believe that this is one of the best decisions if not the best decision I have ever made in my life, but something in "The Secret of Mary" has me a little worried. Perhaps I am not understanding it correctly, which is why I seek your opinion. Above, you quote de Montfort as saying<br /><br />"I have met many people who with admirable zeal have set about practising exteriorly this holy slavery of Jesus and Mary, but I have met only a few who have caught its interior spirit, and fewer still who have persevered in it."<br /><br />In the introduction to The Secret of Mary (paragraph 1), de Montfort also says <br /><br />"Under no circumstances must you let this secret make you idle and inactive. It would then become harmful and lead to your ruin."<br /><br />Given the fact that only a few have caught the practice's interior spirit and that even fewer have persevered in it combined with the fact that if we become idle and inactive that it leads to our ruin, it seems like the consecration would lead to many soul's ruin since, according to de Montfort, very few souls persevere in the practice. I suppose here that I am thinking of "catching the interior spirit" and "persevering in it" as the opposite of "becoming idle and inactive." We either grow or we retard; there is no staying stagnant in the interior life.<br /><br />I don't "plan" to be a soul who makes this consecration and then becomes idle and active (as clearly no one making the consecration would), but probabilistically according to de Montfort, I will become idle and inactive. Is this a risk that I should be taking? I hope I am misunderstanding these two passages because I desire to continue, but it if means that I greatly increase the risk of offending my Lord, then I think it would be better not to.Bobby Bambinohttp://www.jillstanek.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-65171386577715591652012-03-04T19:25:08.173-08:002012-03-04T19:25:08.173-08:00@Anonymous,
1) Please use a pseudonym.
2) Only th...@Anonymous,<br />1) Please use a pseudonym.<br /><br />2) Only those who feel so called should make this total consecration ... not everyone has to do it.<br />I am convinced that it is the easiest and safest path to salvation, but it is certainly not absolutely necessary.<br />Of course, love of Mary is necessary, but not specifically the Total Consecration of de Montfort.<br /><br />3) And this consecration has nothing to do with "divinization" of Mary ... that is a silly and even blasphemous thing to say (since you are accusing a Saint of the Church of idolatry).<br />If I always go to a king through his messenger, I am not saying that the messenger is the king ... I am simply respecting the wish of the king, who always comes to me through that messenger.<br />So too, if I always go to Jesus through Mary, I do not say that Mary is Jesus/God, but only respect my Savior who came to me through Mary.Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-70210001996010433912012-03-04T17:17:31.432-08:002012-03-04T17:17:31.432-08:00What?
“We must never go to our Lord except through...What?<br />“We must never go to our Lord except through Mary, using her intercession and good standing with him. We must never be without her when praying to Jesus.”<br /><br />Praying with the BVM is a wonderful idea and can be a source of inspiration and consolation, but to say that we must go through Mary to the Lord. I am a practicing, not a liberal Catholic, but I believe that we can go to the Lord through the merits of Christ, Mary's intercessions not withstanding. This all comes perilously close to the 'divinization' of Our Lady.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-53749999062500225552012-03-02T08:56:32.416-08:002012-03-02T08:56:32.416-08:00Grazie.
Ave Maria!Grazie.<br />Ave Maria!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-3694046657913282892012-03-01T06:05:33.252-08:002012-03-01T06:05:33.252-08:00St. Louis offers a wonderful insight that when we ...St. Louis offers a wonderful insight that when we adhere to Mary's will, we adhere to the Father's own will.James Zahlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02424492133524217606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-71609880679248715702012-03-01T05:11:31.977-08:002012-03-01T05:11:31.977-08:00Dear Father,
Thank you for the excellent summary ...Dear Father,<br /><br />Thank you for the excellent summary of the Secret of Mary! I'm trying with the help of Jesus and Mary. There is no room for fear, or any sinful temptation when I stay close to Our Lady. God bless you, Father.Michelangelonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-67997057846274009822012-02-29T13:25:51.503-08:002012-02-29T13:25:51.503-08:00Thank you. As a priest I can, and others, so easil...Thank you. As a priest I can, and others, so easily be tempted settle for good enough, to think of parishioners or ourselves as good Catholics, simply because others are more of a disaster. This blog and this entry help us to reach for holiness not just "good enough."Riversidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14003319517645605870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-3488722617652542802012-02-29T03:51:15.330-08:002012-02-29T03:51:15.330-08:00Thank you so much for this. I am trying to do it, ...Thank you so much for this. I am trying to do it, though I am not confident in my ability to persevere. I am getting old and forgetfull and I lead a very busy life (not my choice). But Our Blessed Lady is the best of mothers, so as a mother myself I know she understands her children when the spirit is trying to be willing despite the horrible weakness of the flesh. Yesterday, my 3 year old grandson flew into a terrible rage, but I was so proud of him when he made a big effort (for the first time) to control himself. She will help us to do this consecration if we try.ellennoreply@blogger.com