St. Maximilian Kolbe and total consecration to the Virgin Mary

Courtesy photo/MI-USA / Used with permission.

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St. Maximilian Kolbe is shown in Niepokalanow before 1930.

Donna Masek

Special to the Intermountain Catholic

At the heart of the spirituality of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, OFM Conv, is Total Consecration to God through Our Lady, whom St. Maximilian called “The Immaculata.”

The word consecration comes from the Latin “con-sacrare” or “to set aside for a holy purpose.” It is an action by which a person or community makes a gift of self to God for God’s exclusive use. Although it applies first and foremost to our relationship with God, it has been extended to include our relationship with God’s mother. Thus, consecration to God through Mary is foundationally a faith-relationship that we have with them both and with the whole Church by reason of our baptismal consecration.

Marian consecration goes back to the foot of the Cross when Our Lord said to John, “Behold your Mother,” and to Our Lady, “Behold your son,” and the disciple took her into his home.  (cf. John 19:25-27).  In the 13th century, St. Francis of Assisi entrusted his entire order to Our Lady. In the 19th century, we have St. Louis de Montfort promoting Marian consecration. In the beginning of the 20th century, the foremost promoter of the Total Consecration was St. Maximilian Kolbe. Shortly thereafter, in 1978, Pope John Paul II chose as his papal motto “Totus Tuus,” and St. Theresa of Calcutta herself became an MI member in 1991.

The consecration prayer to the Immaculata in the spirit of St. Maximilian Kolbe can be divided into three steps: The first is to acknowledge her role in salvation history. This is established at the beginning of the prayer with the words “O Immaculata, Queen of heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you. …” God, in his goodness, has given us a spiritual mother to intercede for us and whose intercession he never opposes.

In the second step, the soul recognizes its need for a spiritual mother: “I, a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet, humbly imploring you to take me with all that I am and have as your possession and property. …” Knowing our imperfections, we ask her to help us grow in holiness.

Finally, we embrace a call to evangelize in her name: “… Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls and thus extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.” With this portion of our consecration prayer, we endeavor to invite others to know and embrace the reality of their spiritual mother. She, in turn, will lead them to a closer relationship with her son.

As we approach the month of May, which is dedicated to her, consider making or renewing your consecration to the Immaculata. It will surely bear much fruit both in one’s spiritual journey and ultimately within the Diocese of Salt Lake City.

Information on the Knights at the Foot of the Cross can be found at https://militiaoftheimmaculata.com/knights-at-the-foot-of-the-cross/, or by contacting Donna at miutah.stmary@gmail.com. Donna Masek is a Volunteer of the Immaculata and coordinator with the Utah Immaculata Villages, which serves both the English and Spanish communities.