Consecration of a Child to Our Lady

Blessed and happy Mother's Day to all mothers, both physical and spiritual! Spiritual motherhood is the main component of any motherhood--leading one's children to love God and His Saints, and to aspire to holiness and Heaven. Several stories in the Eucharistic Adoration and Spiritual Motherhood for Priests booklet highlight the great influence "family mothers" have over their children, such as St. Monica with her unceasing prayer for St. Augustine, and the mothers of the tiny Italian village of Po whose prayers for their children's vocations were answered "a hundredfold" by Our Lord.One devotion we like to share with our friends and family is consecrating one's children to the Blessed Virgin Mary. God chose to send us Jesus through Mary, and Jesus Himself entrusted all His disciples to Mary's motherhood by entrusting to her St. John, His beloved disciple, at the foot of the Cross. All the graces we receive from God pass through Our Lady's maternal hands. This happens whether we consciously advert to it or not. Many saints have taught, however, that the best, quickest, and shortest way to holiness is to entrust ourselves purposefully to Our Lady's care, in order to belong more fully and totally to Jesus and be united to His Will.Consecrating a child to Our Lady is a gesture of love for God, our Blessed Mother, and the child, since by entrusting the little one to Our Lady the parents express their faith and confidence in the role of the Blessed Virgin in God's plan, and in her tender and loving care for their child.To print out the Consecration holy card, use the "booklet" print setting and print front and back.  Then cut in fourths, and fold.  This will yield four copies, for you and to share.Today is also World Day of Prayer for Vocations.  Please pray that many young men and women will have the patience to hear and the courage to follow God's call.