With Support of Parliament, Scotland Consecrated to Immaculate Heart of Mary http://www.ncregister.com/blog/joannabogle/with-support-of-parliament-bishops-consecrate-scotland-to-the-immaculate-he #NCRegister

‘We consecrate Scotland to you, all that we have, all that we love, all that we are.’

Joanna Bogle

Scotland has been consecrated to Our Lady, by the Scottish Bishops, with the full support of the Scottish Parliament. The consecration took place at the shrine of Our Lady at Carfin, in the Diocese of Motherwell, attended by a large crowd gathered from across Scotland.

This is an event unique in Scotland’s history, and comes at a time when there is a strong sense of honoring the nation’s history and identity.

A motion passed by the Scottish Parliament says:

That the Parliament recognises that Scotland’s Catholic bishops will consecrate the nation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on 3 September 2017; understands that the bishops will pray for Scotland at the Marian Shrine at the Carfin Grotto, near Motherwell, asking that Scotland be energised with a renewed desire to seek the truth, and understands that at the same time they will pray for all parliamentarians and government, so that they will play their part in building a true civilisation of love and strive to create a place where all people are valued, a place where poor, lonely and marginalised people are not forgotten, and a place where people are free to practise their faith.

Bishop John Keenan of Paisley said, “The Scottish Bishops are the successors of the Apostles in Scotland. Gathering as a College of Bishops in union with Peter, and in whom resides the spiritual authority over Scotland, they invoke this authority for our country to make recourse and intercession to our Mother Mary’s Heart, sure that she will not fail to come to our aid but will entrust us to the care of her beloved Son.”

The consecration is directly linked to Mary’s requests at Fatima. England — long honored as “Mary’s Dowry” following a dedication to her from pre-Reformation times — will be formally consecrated to her in two years’ time, and the English Bishops have proclaimed a period of prayer and preparation for this event.

The consecration prayer involved everyone, and addressed Mary under the title of her Immaculate Heart:

We consecrate Scotland to you, all that we have, all that we love, all that we are. To you we give our minds and hearts, our bodies and souls. We willingly place at your service our homes and our families, our parishes and schools: we desire that all that is in us and around us may belong to you, O Mary, and may share in the benefits of your motherly care.