Three years after he became the first bishop in the United States — heading a sprawling diocese that encompassed the entire nation — Baltimore Bishop John Carroll consecrated the young nation to Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception.
Meeting at the Baltimore Basilica in 1846, the nation’s bishops unanimously chose Mary under that title as the patroness of the country.
Now, Archbishop William E. Lori will join bishops across the country in offering prayers to renew the consecration to Mary May 1, under the title “Mother of the Church.” The bishops of Canada will also consecrate their nation to Mary under the same title.
Archbishop Lori’s consecration prayers will be streamed from the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland at 3 p.m. on the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Facebook page and its online Mass page here.
Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, will lead prayers from Los Angeles that same day, for the intention of asking the Blessed Virgin Mary’s intercession during the coronavirus pandemic.
“This will give the church the occasion to pray for Our Lady’s continued protection of the vulnerable, healing of the unwell and wisdom for those who work to cure this terrible virus,” said Archbishop Gomez in a letter to the U.S. bishops.
Each year, the church seeks the special intercession of the Mother of God during the month of May, a month during which Pope Francis asked Catholics to pray the rosary.
According to the U.S. bishops, entrusting the country to Mary, Mother of the Church, during the pandemic does not change the fact that the official national patroness is Mary, under her title of the Immaculate Conception. The national patronal feast day for the United States is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation for Americans, Dec. 8.
Archbishop Lori encouraged the faithful of the Archdiocese of Baltimore to pray with him during the May 1 event. The prayer of consecration incorporates language used in consecrations of Pope Pius XII, St. John Paul II, and Pope Francis, and also from prayers from Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
To follow the consecration order of worship in English, click here. To follow in Spanish click here.
