“…we freely and willingly, moved only by love, offer ourselves and all our goods to Mary and through her to Jesus Christ.”
Constitutions SSVM, #83
Throughout this year our religious family has been making various pilgrimages and processions to many Marian shrines around the world. In honor of our fourth vow and the consecration millions of souls have made to her, we offer all the love and respect that is due to our heavenly Mother. It is at the heart of this consecration that we should seek to imitate her, for she is the best way to follow and imitate the Incarnate Word. Since she had been found to have won “favor with God.” (Luke 1:30) and was “full of grace”, we can reflect on the depths of this her fiat. Our Directory of Spirituality tells us that “This…shows us that she was not a mere passive instrument, but instead she freely cooperated in the work of human salvation through faith and obedience.” (Directory of Spirituality #18).
Christian pilgrimages are known to be filled with manifestations of song and joy. For this is the greatest expression of our faith, that we should become a witness to love and joy of the Resurrection of Christ. She has been visited by her sons and daughters with great joy in more than 10 countries in this month already! Faithful pilgrims in countries such as Ukraine, Argentina, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, Ecuador, USA and many others, have joined in celebrating the Mother of God around the world.
In Georgetown Guyana, four brothers from the Institute of the Incarnate Word have consecrated themselves to Mary through the method of “True Devotion” by St. Louis Marie de Montfort.
During the feast of Our Lady of the Swan in Ecuador, the IVE novices were also able to consecrate themselves to Mary within the celebration of the Holy Mass. We pray that they may grow in deeper love and fidelity to Our Blessed Mother.
In Lujan, Argentina, our Religious Family along with many lay faithful and members of our third order, we able to visit the patroness of our Institutes. The day started with a procession with the image of our Lady through the streets of the city leading to the Basilica of Our Lady, followed by the celebration of the Holy Mass and ending with an outdoor lunch with songs and hymns to our Lady.
SSVM novices and postulants, in the USA, made a walking pilgrimage during the month of the Rosary to the historic church Most Holy Rosary in Rosaryville, Maryland.
Apostolic sisters from the same province pilgrimed to the national shrine of our Lady of Czestochowa in Pennsylvania, the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in DC, and to Our Lady of Izamal in Yucatan, Mexico.
Many of our sisters from the byzantine rite in Ukraine were able to join in honoring our Mother as they visited the Basilica of the Mother of God in Zarvantysia, Ukraine.
In Santiago, Chile our religious family along with many of the men and women from our houses of mercy were able to join in with the pilgrimage made in Lujan, as they visited various images of the Immaculate Conception. The pilgrimage consisted of walking rosary along with the celebration of the most Holy Eucharist.
As we conclude this month of the Most Holy Rosary, we beg for the grace to be ever faithful sons and daughters to our most Blessed Mother. Renewing with great zeal and fervor, the intention to imitate Her in all things.
We entrust all our missions, vocations and our lives in the hands of the pure and immaculate Mother of God.
“One must seek to live always, through Jesus and Mary, with Jesus and Mary, in Jesus and Mary, and for Jesus and Mary.” (Constitutions #89)
