CONSECRATION PRAYER ATTACHED: ARCHBISHOP GOMEZ INVITES THE FAITHFUL TO JOIN POPE FRANCIS FOR CONCECRATION OF RUSSIA AND UKRAINE TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, MARCH 25
March 23, 2022  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

In a video message published today, Archbishop José H. Gomez is inviting the faithful to join him and Pope Francis in a special moment of prayer on Friday, March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, when the Holy Father will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, entrusting their peoples to Our Lady’s maternal care and protection, and for the end of the war and violence.

“Friends, we are all deeply disturbed by the war in Ukraine, and the unconscionable attacks on innocent men, women, and children in their homes and neighborhoods,” said Archbishop Gomez in his video message.

“In this time when our world is weighed down under the shadow of war, I invite you to enter into this solemn moment of prayer with the Holy Father. Together with him, let us ask our Blessed Mother to turn her eyes of mercy towards all her children. Let us ask her to intercede with her Son, to deliver her children from evil and grant us peace,” said Archbishop Gomez.

The Archbishop today also invited the priests of the Archdiocese to lead their parish and school communities to take part in the consecration by:

• Watching the live stream Consecration with Pope Francis beginning at 5:00 PM (Rome time), 9:00 AM (Los Angeles time).

• Celebrating a Mass with their parish or school community with the intention of praying for peace in our world, in particular for the people of Ukraine and Russia.

• Reciting the Prayer of Consecration (see attached Prayer) with their parish and school community.

• Ringing their parish bells at 9:00 AM to announce the Consecration and invite the community to participate in the prayer. Bells may toll 29 times to mark the 29 days since the invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.

• The faithful are also encouraged to engage in an act of charity by donating to the special collection handled by the Missions Office of the Archdiocese: https://lacatholics.org/ukraine-donations/.

The first consecration of Russia to Our Lady’s Heart happened for the first time in the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima on July 13, 1917. After the apparitions of Fatima there have been several acts of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, when Pope Pius XII consecrated the whole world on October 31, 1942, and when he consecrated Russia on July 7, 1952. He specifically consecrated Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary through the Apostolic Letter Sacro vergente anno, when Christians were forced to live in an atheistic communist regime. Pope St Paul VI in 1964, and Pope St John Paul II in 1981, 1982, and 1984 renewed this consecration of the whole human race.

The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord refers to the time when the Angel Gabriel visited the Blessed Virgin Mary to tell her she would be the mother of the savior. Solemnities in the Catholic Church are relevant celebrations. During this day, the faithful are called to help pregnant women. The Hail Mary prayer was created based on the Annunciation of the Lord.

For more information and to view the Archbishop’s video, visit https://lacatholics.org/prayforukraine/.

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