Make your “first” First Saturday after the Consecration

In the wake of the historic consecration of Russia/Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we could be tempted to think First Saturday devotions are no longer necessary for the conversion of souls. Our Lady will take care of things from here, right?

On this April Fool’s Day — said to have originated with Pope Gregory XII’s calendar that moved the beginning of the year from the Spring Equinox* (around April 1) to January 1, creating much confusion among people accustomed to the old schedule (consider what we’ve gone through with the “Spring forward” and “Fall back” rituals of our time) — let us not be hoodwinked into thinking First Saturdays have been erased from our datebooks.

Tomorrow, April 2, 2022, is the “first” First Saturday since the March 25 Act of Consecration. This monthly act of reparation for offenses and blasphemies committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary is as urgently needed today as ever in a world hell-bent against the authentic Catholic faith. Consider the secretive meeting between “selected” bishops and theologians that took place in Chicago, strangely (or strategically?) timed to occur on March 25. One wonders whether these bishops took time out to join in the Act of Consecration.

The purpose of the clandestine meeting? To “understand” us Catholics who haven’t quite embraced Vatican II. God help them, they cling to the idea that we are the outliers, the old ones soon to be replaced by generations who will finally appreciate Vatican II’s reformation of Catholicism into just another Christian sect — another social services agency serving not God, but man. (Conversely, young people do not buy into this madness, as evidenced by the demographics of the typical Traditional Latin Mass community.)

Our Lady must shudder at the thought. She specifically called for the consecration of Russia to prevent the spread of Communism, which mocks Catholicism as The One True Faith and compels us to place our faith and trust in man, not God. In addition to the consecrartion of Russia, she asked for First Saturday devotions to to prevent “war, hunger and persecution of the Church and the Holy Father.” 

Yet, First Saturday devotions are discouraged, judging by the dearth of First Saturday Masses. It’s a supply and demand thing. Outside of Traditional Latin Mass Catholics, relatively few participate, so why add another Mass to the typical pastor’s already full weekend schedule? Besides, how does this further the mission of Vatican II, which sidelined our Blessed Mother in order to be more welcoming to the protestant world?

Let us turn this around. Resolve to attend your “first” First Saturday Mass since the Consecration and make it our monthly commitment. If you are new to the devotion, it’s not difficult to start. Go to confession, attend Mass, pray the Rosary, and devote 15 minutes to meditating on any of the mysteries of the Rosary.

Might I suggest this month, given the apparent mindset of "selected" bishops, we ardently meditate on the third mysteries of the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous decades of the Holy Rosary:

Joyful:  The Nativity of Our Lord, in which we pray for both our and our bishops’ detachment from the world in deference to the Word Incarnate.

Sorrowful:  The Crowning of Thorns, in which we pray for both our and our bishops’ humility in the face of our oppressors.

Glorious: The Descent of the Holy Ghost, in which we pray for both us and our bishops to receive the gifts of Wisdom, Counsel, Knowledge, Understanding, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord.

Luminous: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of Heaven and Call to Conversion, in which we pray for both us and our bishops to do the same.

Finally, let us pray for increasingly packed pews on April 2 and on First Saturdays in the months ahead!