Watch as England was Re-Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary - Now you can Pray at Home with the Official Prayers
On Sunday, March 29th, 2020 at 12pm noon, England was re-dedicated to Mary. Although the faithful could not be at their churches, there were and still can be part of the virtual congregation at home.
You can join, anytime, Virtually with the prayers below.
Why is England called the Dowry of Mary?
On the Feast of Corpus Christi 1381, King Richard II dedicated England to Mary in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey in thanksgiving for his kingdom being saved at the time of the Peasants’ Revolt.
England received the title ‘Mary’s Dowry’; meaning that England was ‘set aside’ as a gift – a dowry – for Our Lady under her guidance and protection.
Watch and take part… Pray the Re-dedication
You can join to pray the Angelus Prayer and the Act of Entrustment with Cardinal Vincent Nichols. Subtitles and signed version also available (BSL).
Today we’re invited to take part in the Re-dedication of England as Mary’s Dowry and to make a personal Act of Dedication. Let us unite in prayer and join Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
Our film has subtitles and, if you can read British Sign Laguage (BSL) we have a version of the Cardinal praying the re-dedication between the two prayers below.
The Angelus Promise
The Angelus Promise is a spiritual exercise created to assist us to embrace the message of Our Lady, as expressed in the Angelus. It invites us to ‘share in the joy of the Annunciation’ by following Mary’s openness to God’s call, through her faith-filled ‘yes’. Through our own faith-filled ‘yes’, the Lord will work wonders in our lives.
R: The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary
V: And she conceived by the Holy Spirit
V: And she conceived by the Holy Spirit
As God once chose Mary to become the Mother of his Son through the message of an angel, so he chooses me this day, and invites me through the ministry of the Church or the example of another, to seek and do his will at this moment in my life. Hail Mary full of grace…
R: Behold the handmaid of the Lord
V: Be it be done unto me according to thy Word
V: Be it be done unto me according to thy Word
Mary’s response to her invitation, ‘let it be done to me according to your Word’, opened her heart to God’s grace and all things became possible. Let my ‘yes’ today take away fear, as I embrace God’s will, and like Mary ‘ponder these things in my heart’. Hail Mary full of grace…
R: And the Word became flesh (Bow or genuflect)
V: And dwelt among us
V: And dwelt among us
At a moment in history, Mary’s faith-filled ‘yes’ conceived him, first in her heart, which then led to the birth of our Saviour. Through accepting him in my heart, enable me to recognise my role in bringing Christ to my sisters and brothers today. Hail Mary full of grace…
R: Pray for us most holy Mother of God
V: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ
V: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ
Let us pray: O Holy Mother of God, pray for us, and assist us as we dedicate ourselves this day. Your ‘yes’ at the Annunciation brought our Saviour Jesus into the world, and you invite us to contemplate the great mystery of the Incarnation, sharing your joy in announcing that ‘the Word was made flesh and lived among us.’ May our yes, this day, open our hearts to serve our sisters and brothers in this your Dowry, that they too may share our joy in the Good News that God walks among us. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Act of Entrustment Based on Prayer of Erasmus 1532, Dedication of England to the Mother of God 1893, Prayer for England, Cardinal Griffin’s Act of Consecration 1948, Act of Consecration St John Paul 1982.
PrayerO Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England thy Dowry and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in thee.
ResponseWe your faithful people assembled here offer you this country in which we live. Once it was yours, all its children were your children and you were honoured throughout England as its Protectress and its Queen. Again do we consecrate it as your Dowry, and entrust it to your maternal care.
PrayerBy thee it was that Jesus our Saviour and our hope was given unto the world; and he has given thee to us that we might hope still more.
ResponseTo you we entrust the Church, which invokes you as Mother. On earth you preceded her in the pilgrimage of faith. Comfort her in her difficulties and trials. Make her always the sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of the whole human race. To you, Mother of the human family, and of the nations, we confidently entrust the whole of humanity with its hopes and fears. Let it not lack the light of true wisdom. Guide it to seek freedom and justice for all. Direct its steps in the ways of peace. Enable all to meet Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life.
PrayerPlead for us thy children, whom thou didst receive and accept at the foot of the Cross, O sorrowful Mother.
ResponsePray, O Holy Mother of God, for the conversion of heart of the people of England, restoration of the sick, consolation for the troubled, repentance of sinners, peace to the departed. Queen of Peace, pray for us and give to the world the peace for which all peoples are longing, peace in the truth, justice and charity of Christ. Give peace to the nations and to the souls of all, that in peace, the Kingdom of God may prevail.
PrayerIntercede for our separated brethren, that with us in the one true fold they may be united to the supreme Shepherd, the Vicar of thy Son.
ResponseMay your prayers bring back this country to the fullness of its ancient faith. May your intercession lead us to a closer union with your divine Son. We offer you all the people of this land, especially those who know you so little or not at all. May all in our country know Christ, the light of the world and its only Saviour.
PrayerPray for us all, dear Mother, that by faith fruitful in good works we may all deserve to see and praise God, together with thee, in our heavenly home.
ResponseMay we who follow your Son, be fruitful in the good work of building a culture of life in our world, where all human life is treasured and the gift of God’s creation is respected and cared for, so that all may share the fruits of Gods generous love.
V: Pray for us O Holy Mother of God: That we may be made worthy of the Promises of Christ.
O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and our most gentle Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England, thy Dowry, and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in thee. By thee it was that Jesus, our Saviour and our hope, was given unto the world; and he has given thee to us that we might hope still more. Plead for us thy children, whom thou didst receive and accept at the foot of the cross, O sorrowful Mother, intercede for our separated brethren, that with us in the one true fold they may be united to the Chief Shepherd, the Vicar of thy Son. Pray for us all, dear Mother, that by faith, fruitful in good works, we may all deserve to see and praise God, together with thee in our heavenly home. Amen.
Signed version (BSL)
Shell Rocha from the Caritas Westminster Deaf Service has kindly produced a British Sign Language (BSL) version of the Cardinal’s re-dedication prayers.
Source: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/
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