Every year, the Church seeks the special intercession of the Mother of God during the month of May. This year we seek the assistance of Our Lady all the more earnestly as we face together the effects of the global pandemic. In that spirit, plans are underway for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) to consecrate the nation of Canada to the care of our Blessed Mother on May 1, 2020.
Based on discussion with the leadership of the CCCB, the Executive Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) met and affirmed the fittingness of May 1, 2020, as an opportunity for the bishops of the United States to reconsecrate our nation to Our Lady and to do so under the title, Mary, Mother of the Church, doing so on the same day that our brother bishops to the north consecrate Canada under the same title.
On that basis, I am pleased to invite you to join me in a prayer of reconsecration of our nation to the protection of the Blessed Mother on May 1. This will give the Church the occasion to pray for Our Lady’s continued protection of the vulnerable, healing of the unwell, and wisdom for those who work to cure this terrible virus.
I will lead this prayer of reconsecration at 12 pm PDT / 3 pm EDT. I invite you to join at this time in your diocese as you are able, or to choose another opportune time on May 1 so that we can together reconsecrate our nation to the Blessed Mother. The Secretariat for Divine Worship at the USCCB will be providing the liturgical direction and resource for this occasion. The Office of Communications of the USCCB will be providing logistical information for virtual connection for the ceremony of reconsecration itself and promoting this event by social media in the coming days, but I wished to offer this invitation to you as soon as I could for planning purposes. As we prepare for this event, please have your communications staff consult and scroll the Conference social media channels (https://twitter.com/USCCB, https://www.facebook.com/usccb/, and https://www.instagram.com/usccb/?hl=en) and Catholic News Service to advance the invitation to the faithful for their articipation.
In this Easter Season we continue to journey with our Risen Lord that among the graces of this time may be healing and strength, especially for all who are burdened by the many effects of the COVID pandemic.
Wishing you every blessing in this Easter Season, I remain Fraternally in Christ,
Most Reverend José H. Gomez
Archbishop of Los Angeles
President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
