Middle schoolers consecrates themselves to Mary (II)

On December 12, 2024, seventy children from a Michigan school consecrated themselves to Mary. The experience has also allowed the students to grow closer as a school community:

“We are starting to see the way it is bearing fruit in the kids; they are drawing closer as a community because they are sharing time in fellowship and having these meaningful conversations,” Kerwin said. “They really have drawn more closely to the Blessed Mother. I see the Holy Spirit moving more through our community as they dive into their faith, as they entrust themselves more to the Blessed Mother. She is leading them to that, and so that’s been really incredible to witness because they are just naturally witnessing their faith to one another as they grow in it.”

Although Fr. Kurt led parishioners in a separate Marian consecration, Kerwin said many of the students read the book alongside their parents and reported back that they were spending more time in prayer with their families.

Eighth-grader Sophia Toma completed the consecration alongside her younger brother and her mother.

“We would all do it together at night — we would all talk about it and pray together, and it was a great way to grow closer to Mary as a family,” Sophia told Detroit Catholic.

Sophia said she has always loved Mary and was excited to grow closer to the Blessed Mother and become a better person through the process.

"I feel like I’ve been consecrated now, and I feel like I really have a mission,” Sophia said. “My mission is to pray to Mary every day, to always be closer to her, to always act like she wants me to act, to always remember that she is my spiritual mother, and just to do good deeds on earth.”

On the feast day, Fr. Kurt gathered the students in the chapel to kneel before the Blessed Sacrament and an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Before they read the consecration prayer and placed roses before her image, Fr. Kurt reminded students that Mary is, in fact, a mother to each of them.

“Mary will come and comfort you with the comfort that only a mother could give," Fr. Kurt told the students. "She will comfort you and tell you that her son Jesus, who makes all things new, will make everything OK. Today, on your consecration day, we thank God for giving us such a loving mother.”

Fr. Kurt encouraged the students to continue talking about Mary and handed out consecration renewal prayer cards and miraculous medals.

Kerwin expressed how proud she is to have watched her students grow in their faith and witness to one another. Students who did not participate this year have repeatedly asked if they will have a chance to do so next year, she said.

“Your lives are different now; you are not who you were yesterday,” Kerwin told the students. “So think about how you are going to witness this as people of faith.”

Gabriella Patti, December 13, 2024

Adapted from www.detroitcatholic.com