On May 13, the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, Colombia renewed its devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary with a call to work together “on that national project for which we yearn.”
The Mass of consecration, celebrated as part of the fourth National Rosary, took place in the Primateal Cathedral of Bogotá and was introduced by the President of the Colombian Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Francisco Javier Munera.
Before the ceremony, the more than 600 faithful present in the cathedral participated in the recitation of the Holy Rosary, accompanied by a statue of Our Lady of Fatima and a demon in the form of the “deformed Christ” (armless as if mutilated), to which the Blessed Sacrament was exposed.
Celebrating with Munera were the Bishop Emeritus of Ocaña, Jorge Enrique Lozano Zafra, as well as priests from religious communities such as the Franciscans, Dominicans and the Catholic Apostolate Congregation, as well as the Maronite Exarchate and the Archdiocese of Bogotá.
In his sermon, the Archbishop of Cartagena also said that dedicating oneself “to the Immaculate Heart of Mary allows us to unify our life, our Christian life, because it presupposes and embodies the devotion to Christ received from baptism.”
He said, “The Immaculate Heart of Mary, an immaculate, most pure Heart, connects us closely to the Heart of her Son, so that, transformed by the One who is gentle and meek, we may be able to transform our personal and social relationships with the world as well.”
The Bishop reminded that like the wedding feast at Cana, Mary invites people to do what Jesus asks of them: “To be humble to change for the good of all that we are, with our potential and our weaknesses as a nation.”
He said, “Her maternal presence opens us to hope and enables us to restore faith in each other. We are brothers and sisters; we are citizens of this beloved motherland. It is true that we have differences, we are diverse.”
However, he clarified that “We may be adversaries, but never enemies.”
He called on those engaged in politics to always exercise prudence for the common good, “so that we can work towards the national project for which we yearn, which is characterized by justice, equality and solidarity, and above all, the pursuit of truth. We must not fear; the truth will set us free.”
He affirmed that the consecration also serves as a prayer for “those hearts that open bridges, that mend relationships, that forge new bonds, all at the service of others, all at the service of their motherland, through the great service of a politics that promotes and protects the dignity of all people, especially the most vulnerable; that promotes and protects life in all its manifestations and stages; and that promotes truth and justice.”
“Therefore, we can conclude by saying: Give us a heart like yours, like that of Mary, for the heart of Mary leads us to the one who is gentle and meek at heart: Christ, our peace,” the archbishop prayed.
Prayer for the Consecration of the Nation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Before concluding the Mass, Munera approached the statue of Our Lady of Fatima to renew the consecration of the country with the following prayer:
O Most Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church! God has chosen you so that His Son, Jesus Christ, God of life and peace, may live among us, shining the light of truth and love.
Oh, Mother of Grace! You know our history: our wounds, our tears, our hopes, our struggle between light and shadow, and the times when we have chosen to ignore God in the building of our nation, relying entirely on our human abilities and through sin wounded the heart of God, our Father, who wants us to be His children and brothers and sisters.
Oh, dearest mother! You know that the love that we Colombians express to you through various expressions of Marian devotion fills us with joy and hope in the fulfillment of the promise you made at Fatima: “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.”
Oh, mother of tenderness! Today we remember the words of your Son Jesus when he said to you as you stood at the foot of the cross, beside your beloved disciple: “Behold, this is your Son” (John 19:26), and thus entrusted us all to your maternal care. Then, you were entrusted with the responsibility of our filial care, when the disciples and in him, addressing us all, he declared: “Behold, your mother” (v. 27).
Oh, Mary, Queen of all creation! Today, once again, we dedicate to all of you Colombians, both at home and abroad; We want to remain yours always. We dedicate ourselves to your Immaculate Heart, so that the bond between God and us, celebrated in Holy Baptism, may live forever, and we may walk the path of freedom, justice, love, forgiveness, reconciliation and peace.
O mother of mercy! We ask you to protect and cultivate this garden of God called Colombia. May peace flourish which is the gift of the Holy Spirit and the workmanship of our fraternal co-existence with justice and equality, which seats us at the table as brothers and sisters so that we may eat the bread that God extends to all. Dear Mother, bless our cities with their industries, our mountains with their crops, and our rivers and seas with the life within them.
Oh, Mary, Almighty in prayer! United with your most holy spouse and powerful intercessor, St. Joseph, intercede for us. In these difficult times for Colombia, bring to the Throne of God the prayer that Christ put on our lips: “Our Father, deliver us from evil. Amen.”
this story was first published By ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language affiliate of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
