Archbishop Christian Lépine of Montreal will consecrate the Archdiocese of Montreal to Mary, Mother of the Church, seeking her protection during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The special one-hour Mass will be celebrated “in camera” (privately) this Friday, May 1, beginning at 8 a.m., at Mary Queen of the World Cathedral and can be followed live here.

This Marian consecration, similar to those already carried out by other Episcopal Conferences throughout the world, is an initiative of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), in fraternal communion with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). This is a global effort to unite us in faith and prayer at this most difficult time.

“C’est le mois de Marie, c’est le mois le plus beau... (‘Tis the month of Mary, the most beautiful month…)”; older generations undoubtedly remember these lyrics, with nostalgia, from the French hymn traditionally sung at the beginning of the month. May is the preeminent Marian month, which concludes on the 31st with the feast of the Visitation, when Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth.

"Mary is the model of holiness, that is, the model to emulate in our relationship with Jesus and, therefore, with God, and our model for living according to God's plan. Through the simplicity of her life, we can contemplate God’s active presence in our life. Mary becomes a bridge, a channel between God and us. She prays with us and for us. Mary leads a simple life, but also a difficult one: Mary knows pain, and suffering. She is immersed in life and its difficult moments, and can, therefore, understand our trials and give us the strength to hold firm, to be faithful, to continue on our path," said Archbishop Christian Lépine of Montreal.

The celebration can also be viewed live on Salt + Light Television at the following link: https://seletlumieretv.org/messe