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As an active, Consecrated Marian Catechist under the direction of His Eminence, Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, I begin to prepare for my upcoming annual Consecration Renewal on May 4. Entering my 13th year, I can say with confidence that the Apostolate has been the source of a solid, fruitful and joy-filled journey in seeking, loving and serving our Lord.
This year, the Holy Spirit has again provided a path for my preparation. I received the following invitation from His Eminence to every Catholic in the world to join him in a nine-month novena and consecration to Our Lady of Guadalupe for her intercession for the state of our world. I pray you will join me, beginning March 12 and ending December 12, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
My friend,
Our Lord has not called us to fear. No matter the darkness of our age, men and women of faith are not without the truth and love of Christ, nor the faithful care of His mother.
It was during an age much like our own when Our Lady first appeared to Saint Juan Diego some 500 years ago. Then, too, the world wrestled with famine and disease, and war in the Holy Land threatened to reduce that beautiful and tortured region to chaos. Then, too, poisonous confusion from within the Church corroded the faith of Christians the world over.
And then, too, we saw the forces of sin retreat before the presence of Our Lady. Through Saint Juan Diego’s humble and courageous cooperation with grace, Our Lady claimed the New World for Christ, drawing nearly nine million new souls into the Church by the time of Saint Juan Diego’s death in 1548. It is this same maternal care and protection that we seek today—a care and protection that she will grant us, should we earnestly ask for it.
To this end, I am calling on all Catholics, especially those in the Americas, to join me in praying a nine-month novena seeking Our Lady’s intercession beginning on March 12.
ANSWER THE CALL!
This immense spiritual undertaking will culminate in a consecration to Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, her Feast Day. Those who take up this great spiritual cause can expect short video reflections from me each month to help guide you, in addition to regular written reflections and prayers.
The conversion of our hearts unfailingly transforms our world: let us never lose trust in Our Lady’s care for us, and let us never lose faith in the truth and love of Christ.
The darkness of sin seems so great. But Our Lord has not called us to fear! Evil cannot approach the power of God’s grace. Sin cannot prevent Our Lord’s healing mercy from reaching those who repent and seek it. And nothing can diminish the care and protection of Our Lady for us, which remain as strong today as they were 500 years ago.
Yours in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and in the Purest Heart of Saint Joseph,
Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke
Watch the Cardinal's message here:
Blessed Lent!
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Tichvon is a Catholic writer and Consecrated Marian Catechist under the Direction of His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke. Always faithful to the Magisterium, she spreads and defends the Catholic faith as a true witness of Christ, confessing the name of Jesus boldly, never ashamed of the Cross.
Elizabeth became aware of the need for the New Evangelization while in the two years of her formation as a Marian Catechist and wrote over 200 published meditations on Sacred Scripture from the daily Liturgy of the Word for various Catholic websites, and following Jesus' example, now teaches through her own parables so that by sharing her stories through social media, might bring others closer to the heart of Christ. She is currently a regular columnist at Catholic365 and as a Marian Catechist, her spiritual life is the foundation of her writing.
She completed UCLA's Graduate Program With Honors and worked as a Paralegal for 32 years before retiring from Chrysler's Office of the General Counsel in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
Elizabeth's website may be found at elizabethtichvon.net
