Statutes

Consolatio Mariae

Private Association of Consolatio Mariae (“The Consolation of Mary”)

Founded on August 14, 2017

A private association of the faithful comprised of those faithful who strive to heed the words of Mary at Fatima, “Many souls go to hell because there is no one who prays or makes sacrifices for them,” and who thus pray and make sacrifices in their daily lives in order to help Mary save those souls and to console her Heart. This private association exists per canons 298 (this private association, Consolatio Mariae, exists to exercise the works of piety and charity as outlined in the document below, per canon 298) and 299, with due regard for the prescriptions of canons 300 (this private association, Consolatio Mariae, does not, nor will, use the name “Catholic” without the “consent of competent ecclesiastical authority,” per canon 300) and  301 (this private association, Consolatio Mariae, does not “set out to teach Christian doctrine in the name of the Church, promote public worship or aim at other ends whose pursuit by their nature is reserved to ecclesiastical authority” per canon 301).

Purpose

The goal of this association is simple and requires very little of those who join: First, to join it is recommended, not required, that one have made a total consecration to Mary. In addition to this, all that is added to one’s life otherwise is a bit more prayer, especially the Rosary, a bit more sacrifice, trying to go to Mass every day if possible, being invested in and wearing the Brown Scapular, and a few other things we as Catholics should be doing (or trying to do) anyway.

Of course, one can fulfill this request of Mary at Fatima on one’s own. Why then this group? The basic idea is that it is generally easier to do something if many people are doing the same thing, and so this group is a way for people to say, “I am doing this too, you are not alone!” Further, to join this association is an encouragement for other Catholics to also heed the words of Mary at Fatima, and still further, such an association is a witness of the Gospel to the world as member of this association put into practice in their individual lives key elements of the spiritual works of mercy: By simply belonging to this group a member, by his or her very life, is admonishing sinners in a passive manner; a member of this group is also comforting the afflicted by praying and sacrificing for those who live in the darkness of sin and which souls are thus most afflicted; and a member of this group is also praying for the living (physically) who are dead (spiritually) in sin.

In brief, this association is solely for the purpose of praying and sacrificing for souls per Mary’s request at Fatima and as an encouragement to others who are doing this or want to.

Members...

1 It is recommended, have made a total consecration to Mary (prior to joining), but this is not essential.  

The reason for the recommendation: In total consecration to Mary, one gives Mary all of one’s life, including prayers, good works, penances, sacrifices, merits and all temporal and spiritual goods (True Devotion, n. 123 and n. 124): “All his sufferings, all his thoughts, words, and deeds belong to Mary. She can then dispose of them in accordance with the will of her Son and for his greater glory” (True Devotion, n. 124). Clearly praying and sacrificing for sinners to save them from Hell is the will of her Son, since Mary speaks of this at Fatima as something Catholics ought to do. Because a person is consecrated to Mary he or she is thus able to fulfill her request at Fatima in a very deep way, since everything in one’s life is used by Mary for the good of souls, even when the person consecrated to her is not conscious of this in a particular moment of prayer, suffering or sacrifice.

2 Wear the Brown (or “Five-Fold”) scapular (if not invested in the Brown Scapular or Five-Fold Scapular ask a priest to enroll you).

3 Pray (or at least try to pray) a five-decade Rosary each day.

4 Try to pray the Rosary as much as possible in one’s state in life over and above those 5 decades. This has a double benefit: listening to music, watching TV, playing video games, etc must be put aside at times in order to pray the Rosary more, and this is a) a good sacrifice to offer for souls who are in danger of Hell and b) purifying for the soul of the one so sacrificing. These extra Rosaries or at least extra decades can be prayed in the car, prior to bed, in the middle of the night if one wakes up and can’t sleep, taking a walk, and so on. It does not mean totally giving up music, TV, etc, but in sometimes sacrificing those things to spend time with Mary and save souls with her. This may mean one five-decade Rosary and adding an additional 1 decade of whatever mystery one wants to pray. Or it may mean praying all 15 decades of the Rosary, or more.

5 Try to always carry a Rosary on one’s person, in a pocket, on one’s belt, in a purse, etc.

6 Try to spread devotion to the Rosary when possible, encouraging other Catholics to pray it or pray it more.

7 Try to go to Mass and Holy Communion every day, if possible.

8 Offer up other sacrifices/penances for others. They can be small or big: no sugar in one’s coffee; no salt on one’s food; not drinking in the night if you wake up thirsty; fasting on bread and water on Fridays if it won’t interfere with one’s work; etc.

9 Strive to know and love Mary more and more and ask Jesus for this grace for oneself and others. Try to be like Mary by living with her and imitating her virtues, sweetness, and love of souls, and try to be like Jesus--and no one is more like Jesus than Mary.

10 Optional, but a good thing to do in that this keeps one conscious of Mary’s request to pray and sacrifice for sinners and as a good example to others and to encourage others to heed Mary’s request: Wear when possible or practicable a shirt, sweatshirt, or hooded sweatshirt with insignia of the group; again, optional since buying a shirt is a cost and joining and remaining in the group costs nothing. Any color shirt available may be chosen, but all shirts must be absolutely modest and have the same insignia of the group, though there is a slightly modified version for an embroidered version. These two insignia are seen at the top of this document.

To order such a shirt one only has to find a shirt printing or embroidery company that one feels comfortable purchasing from. On such companies’ websites there will be an option to upload a logo from one’s own computer files. Simply save and upload the picture file of the insignia. The usual placement of the insignia is on the left shoulder area, though usually other options are available: right shoulder, back, etc. Placement is optional according to what one wants. Members could also have this insignia put on any suitable object (backpack, a coffee mug, etc). The two forms of the insignia will be available on Facebook at the Consolatio Mariae Facebook group or at the Consolation Mariae website (in the process of being created).

Obtaining a shirt in this way allows that neither the Association of Consolatio Mariae, as an association, nor any members, including the founder, receive any money or remuneration for these shirts or use of the insignia. Indeed, this association has nothing to do with making money in any way, shape or form. Consolatio Mariae is solely a spiritual association of individuals.

Wearing the insignia is meant to be a sign of membership and is reserved to those who are members (keeping in mind of course that if a person, for example, only has one jacket to wear, and that jacket contains the insignia, there is no prohibition; the prohibition of using the insignia if not a member is only prohibited if it’s reasonable to avoid it. In any case, in regard to number 12 above, none of this binds under any sin—this prohibition is simply requested; only using the insignia for any deliberately deceitful or immoral purpose would be sinful inasmuch as deliberate lying and immorality are objectively sinful for anyone in any case).

11 There are no meetings. Each member tries to carry out Our Lady’s request in his or her own life, hopefully encouraged that others are doing the same thing and hopefully by their lives encouraging others also to heed Our Lady’s request.

12 Obviously none of the above binds under any sort of sin in any regard; to be a member of this association is a completely voluntary undertaking and one may withdraw or rejoin at any time if one wishes to.

13 To join, and in regard to the statutes 1-13, one need simply desire to join and put into practice in one’s life the statutes as outlined above; make an act of the will. However, members are encouraged to submit their name, if possible, so that some record of how many people are involved may be kept. Submitting one’s name may be done by joining Consolatio Mariae via the association’s presence on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1902231673430874/?ref=group_header) or by sending one’s name to the moderator at the following email (again, name only; further, this account is not meant for replying to people) to mariavirginediligote@gmail.com. Of course it is possible that the email could change, become defunct, the Facebook presence could be lost, the current moderator could die, etc, hence the option to join by a simple act of the will. Given this, while there is a membership role, it likely will not reflect the complete count of members.

14 This group belongs totally to the Blessed Virgin Mary and is a gift of love to her from myself, the undersigned, and from every single member of this private association.

In sum

Aside from this group, I know of no other association of the faithful, confraternity or other group that has been established for the sole purpose of praying and sacrificing for the salvation of souls per Mary’s lament and request at Fatima. Mary is able to use our prayers and sacrifices to save souls from Hell, and thus we console her, who so loves each soul that she willingly offered her Son on the Cross for each of us that we may be with her in Heaven. Hence the name of this group: Consolatio Mariae, “The Consolation of Mary.” And since it is generally easier to do something if many people are doing the same thing, as previously mentioned, this group is a way for people to fulfill Our Lady’s request at Fatima, or would like to, or would like to do it better, and in joining to say, “I am doing this too, you are not alone!” In this way we are each encouraged. All individual members, as unique human persons and as a group, are thus presented to Mary as a balm for her Heart, bringing her consolation and joy, and not only to her, but to her Son, in this time of grievous trial for the world.