Q&A: Does consecration to Mary mean we are not to pray directly to Our Lord at least during Mass?
Father Roger Charest, SMM
Question submitted from a member from Houston, Texas
This question resembles a host of others that keep coming our way. People ask: ”How does a slave of Mary say the ’Our Father”? “What about the Act of Contrition? The Gloria Patri, etc.?”
Montfort’s True Devotion insists that we approach God through Mary. This in no way implies that the ”Our Father” should be said to Our Lady. But how can we say the Our Father through Mary? Simply by asking our Blessed Lady to help us in saying it, by begging her to say it with us. Is there anything so strange in this?
A child will often beg his mother to help him with his prayers. He makes this childish request because he is not too sure of the words. The slave of Mary expresses a similar request because he feels his own personal unworthiness as he contrasts this with the holiness of the Omni-potent Suppliant.
Montfort writes in the Secret of Mary: ”Beware of believing that it is more perfect to go straight to Jesus, straight to God” (S.M. 50). Should this be interpreted to mean that all prayers should be re-written and given a Marian tone? When someone reminds himself before a prayer, that he belongs to Mary and that it is as her slave that he addresses God, he prays through Mary. When someone assisting at Mass begs Our Lady to kneel at his side, and while offering up the sacrifice in union with the priest at the altar he remembers the part that Mary fills in every Mass, then he is praying directly to God through Mary.
Christ: Painter: Ary Scheffer: 1851
But how can we say the Our Father through Mary? Simply by asking our Blessed Lady to help us in saying it, by begging her to say it with us. Is there anything so strange in this?
We encourage you to also re-read the question: Can’t I Just Pray to Jesus?
