Within the Catholic Church, there are various devotional traditions with which you can consecrate yourself and your family to God, invoking the special intercession of a saint. One of the most popular consecration prayers is that of the “Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary” promoted by St. Louis de Montfort.
Read more:
How to make a consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
A consecration prayer essentially places your soul (and the souls of your family members) in the spiritual hands of a heavenly helper. This invokes their spiritual assistance and develops a close relationship with a particular saint.
Besides consecrating oneself to Jesus through Mary, many people throughout history have performed a consecration to God through St. Michael the Archangel. This is a special consecration that invokes his aid against all spiritual enemies. For example, shortly after Pope Francis was elected he consecrated the entire Vatican to St. Michael.
Below is an ancient consecration prayer that some sources say is connected to the shrine at Monte Gargano, one of the oldest Christian sites dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. It is a prayer that can be used as a home consecration prayer, entrusting your entire family to the protection of the holy Archangel.
Oh most noble Prince of the Angelic Hierarchies, valorous warrior of Almighty God and zealous lover of His glory, terror of the rebellious angels, and love and delight of all the just angels, my beloved Archangel Saint Michael, desiring to be numbered among your devoted servants, I, today offer and consecrate myself to you, and place myself, my family, and all I possess under your most powerful protection.I entreat you not to look at how little, I, as your servant have to offer, being only a wretched sinner, but to gaze, rather, with favorable eye at the heartfelt affection with which this offering is made, and remember that if from this day onward I am under your patronage, you must during all my life assist me, and procure for me the pardon of my many grievous offenses, and sins, the grace to love with all my heart my God, my dear Savior Jesus, and my Sweet Mother Mary, and to obtain for me all the help necessary to arrive to my crown of glory.Defend me always from my spiritual enemies, particularly in the last moments of my life.Come then, oh Glorious Prince, and succor me in my last struggle, and with your powerful weapon cast far from me into the infernal abysses that prevaricator and proud angel that one day you prostrated in the celestial battle.Amen.
Read more:
The demonic vision that inspired the St. Michael Prayer
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Prepare for St. Michael’s feast with this special novena