Question

Dear Father Angelo,

I’m taking advantage of your kindness and promptness in responding to my questions for the second time to ask you for two clarifications:

1) Regarding the miracle of the sun at Fatima, I read that the Virgin Mary foretold it to the shepherd children, saying, “I will perform the miracle…”

How should this statement be interpreted, since miracles are performed by God alone?

2) I wear the Miraculous Medal around my neck (the way I received it, I see Mary’s hand in it), and in my pocket I carry a rosary blessed by my spiritual director, which I recite every evening. All this makes me feel the Virgin’s presence ever more strongly beside me, and to further deepen this bond with her, I’ve read the Treatise on True Devotion to Mary by Saint Louis-Marie Grignon de Montfort. Reading it, I felt a strong desire to consecrate myself to Jesus and Mary, offering myself entirely, as the author suggests. But I wonder: what do you think? Should I think about it a bit before doing it, and perhaps discuss it with my spiritual director? And then, since I also offer all my prayers, will I have to stop praying for myself? And will I no longer be able to ask the saints for protection? In short, how would my prayer life change?

Thank you, and I gladly remember you in the Holy Rosary.

Nicolò

Priest’s Response

Dear Nicolò,

1. On the first point, we should examine the exact words spoken by Mary.

In any case, the expression can be understood as follows: Our Lady asks for the miracle and performs it.

In this sense, we can say that She performed the miracle.

Moreover, we also say: this or that saint performed a great miracle. It is understood that he invoked it and performed it, because the principal author of the miracle is God alone.

2. I am pleased with the tangible bonds you wish to have with the Blessed Virgin Mary, such as carrying her image with you in the so-called miraculous medal and carrying the rosary.

These are bonds of affection and a constant invocation of protection.

But at the same time, they are also a tribute you wish to pay her: because you want Mary to be present always and everywhere, also with the image and the instrument of prayer that She herself gave to humanity.

3. I would like to remind our visitors that whoever carries the blessed rosary, and even more so whoever recites it, receives three graces: that of ever-increasing fervor; that of being protected always and everywhere from visible and invisible enemies; and that of meriting, at the end of our days, to be presented before the tribunal of God by the Blessed Virgin herself.

These three graces are expressly mentioned in the ritual of blessing the rosaries.

4. To consecrate yourself to Jesus and Mary, that is, to place yourself totally at their service, the opinion of your spiritual director is not in itself necessary.

However, you can ask for it in order to carry out this consecration in the best possible way, with due preparation, and to perform it—if he consents—in his hands.

5. Consecrating yourself to Mary and placing all your works, desires, and prayers in her hands does not mean you can no longer do anything to honor this or that saint, or to benefit one cause or another.

You will continue to do all this, but placing everything in Mary’s hands, so that she may dispose of it and make it bear fruit to the fullest.

In this way, you will continue to pray for yourself and invoke the protection of the saints with the best of resources: in communion with Mary, the Mother Jesus gave you, and who directs you to entrust yourself to this or that saint for this or that cause. You can be sure that her instructions are infallible.

To honor Mary, any saint will bend over backwards and willingly intercede for you before God.

Your life, lived day by day, by your consecration to Mary, can only change for the better.

Thank you for the question you asked.

I remember you to the Lord and to his most holy Mother and I bless you.

Father Angelo

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