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| Fr. Michael Gaitley |
MADISON — Men’s apostolates from across the state have joined together to consecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary. It is also their way of becoming “medics” for the Church after a recent interview with Pope Francis where he called the Church a “field hospital after battle.”
Groups such as the Knights of Divine Mercy in the Madison area, Esto Vir in Green Bay, Men of Christ in Milwaukee, and others are joining together and going through a “revision” of St. Louis de Montfort’s Preparation for Total Consecration.
The work the men are using is Fr. Michael Gaitley’s 33 Days to Morning Glory: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Marian Consecration. The 2011 book revises and simplifies St. Louis de Montfort’s consecration, which is ideal for “busy people,” according to Fr. Rick Heilman, founder of the Knights of Divine Mercy and pastor of St. Mary Parish in Pine Bluff and St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Mt. Horeb and Perry.
They are using a parish program, based on the book, in the form of a six-week retreat.
Father Gaitley’s book uses the writings of St. Louis de Montfort, as well as St. Maximilian Kolbe, Blessed Mother Teresa, and Blessed Pope John Paul II.
All of them “had a great love for the Blessed Mother,” said Tim Virnig, national director of the Knights of Divine Mercy, who is participating in the retreat.
Men’s groups participate
Meet Fr. Michael Gaitley |
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| • Friday, Nov. 1, Bishop O’Connor Center in Madison. • Event begins with Mass at 5:30 p.m., followed by Eucharistic Adoration. • Father Gaitley’s presentation at 7 p.m.; reception follows. • Sponsored by the Knights of Divine Mercy at the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis for the Diocese of Madison. • Everyone is invited to attend. |
About 40 men from the different apostolates across the state are currently taking part in the 33 Days to Morning Glory retreat.
Some of the men start their day with it.
“Father Gaitley’s book is so easy to use and has great stories,” said Virnig. “Every day, you do a little tiny reading and then the purpose is, through the day, to meditate upon it. As you’re going about your day, you sort of reflect on the reading of the morning.”
“There’s so many graces from the Marian consecration,” Virnig added. “People really experience a renewed love of the faith, a new dedication to the sacraments and prayer.”
To connect the men from all across the state, participants have been having a weekly “webinar” over mobile technology. It allows the men to communicate and discuss with each other, while being in the comfort of their own homes and, in some cases, hundreds of miles away from each other.
“It helps to get together with the group and discuss ‘what have you been meditating on?’, ‘what has the Holy Spirit been saying to you?’, ‘what have you learned from the readings?’, and talk to other people and get a feeling for what they’re experiencing, what the Holy Spirit is teaching them,” said Virnig.
The men will be completing their consecration on Sunday, Oct. 13, with a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, east of Green Bay.
That is also the same day Pope Francis will be consecrating the whole world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
‘Becoming a saint’
For those who’d like to learn more about Father Gaitley and his books, he will be speaking in Madison on Friday, Nov. 1.
A poster promoting the event reads: “Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary truly is ‘the surest, easiest, shortest, and the most perfect means’ to becoming a saint!”
The event will take place at the Bishop O’Connor Center. It will be hosted by the Knights of Divine Mercy and the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis for the Diocese of Madison.
The evening will begin with Mass at 5:30 p.m. along with Eucharistic Adoration and Confession at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., Father Gaitley will give his presentation, with a reception to follow at 8 p.m.
Father Gaitley’s talk will serve as a push and “kickoff event” to get everyone in the diocese to take part in the 33 Days retreat to consecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary.
Father Heilman is inviting all interested parishes of the Diocese of Madison to share in his parishes’ retreat to start the week of November 3, with consecration on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Sunday, Dec. 8.
For interested parish groups, the 33 Days to Morning Glory parish retreat is a six-week program that meets once a week. It’s called a retreat because it provides an opportunity for reflection. The 33 Days to Morning Glory book and the accompanying group retreat materials provide a format for reflection, discussion, and learning. The meetings include DVD lessons, discussion, review of the retreat companion, and prayer.
For more information or to order materials, contact Kim Neumaier at [email protected] or 608-212-6524.