在加拿大日長週末,加拿大主教們將他們的教區奉獻予聖母無玷聖心。他們是應加拿大天主教主教團(CCCB)的邀請藉此來紀念加拿大建國150週年。
在渥太華,聖母大殿主教座堂,普倫德加斯特總主教(Terrence Prendergast)指出,奉獻不僅與加拿大建國有關,也同時為慶祝渥太華教區成立170週年、1947年舉行的聖母大會70週年紀念(當年也是教會首次奉獻加拿大於聖母)、以及花地瑪聖母顯現100週年紀念。
總主教在講道中表示:「我們有幸能居住在這美麗的國家和擁有這樣忠實的人民真是有福!然而,現在比以往任何時候的加拿大更需要從我們基督徒身上聽到福音信息,這是我們的傳教使命。」
在紐芬蘭的聖約翰斯總教區總主教馬爾定‧威廉‧柯爾(Martin Currie) 在2017年7月1日的平日彌撒中奉獻了該教區予聖母。
當天,柯爾總主教讀出由加拿大天主教主教團撰寫的奉獻禱詞:「至愛的天主之母,求妳幫助我們維護加拿大的宗教自由,以及家長和家庭的自然權利; 激勵我們維護未出生的嬰孩,去幫助窮人及邊緣人士,並為弱小者和老年人給予支持。」
在溫哥華,總主教若望·彌額爾·米勒(J. Michael Miller)於7月2日(主日)則主持了特別的奉獻彌撒。
在愛民頓,總主教Richard Smith也於7月1 日的黃昏彌撒中奉獻了該總教區予聖母及在教區首座聖母像前祈禱。
在卡加利,威廉‧麥格拉坦主教(William McGrattan)於7月1日奉獻了該教區予聖母。
天主教加拿大軍中教長區主教 Scott McCaig也奉獻了在遠方教區的人民予聖母。主教在電郵中說:「奉獻不僅僅是奉獻,而是恩典的真正發動。 現在我們必須對應這個恩典。」
身在羅馬工作的多倫多總教區總主教多默‧哥連士樞機,也於7月1日在聖母無玷聖心像前以奉獻禱詞祈禱。
其他教區將在其他日子奉獻其教區予聖母無玷聖心。例如三河城教區會在8月15日聖母升天節,滿地可教區則在10月7 日聖母玫瑰瞻禮日。
奉獻加拿大予聖母無玷聖心禱詞
長式
Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church,
when the first Christian believers came to these shores,
they planted a Cross made of the fresh timber of the New World
as a sign of their faith in your Son and the power of his Resurrection,
placing their lives under your maternal protection
and venerating you as the Immaculate Conception.
You show us how to live a life free from sin in Christ Jesus and,
by our baptism, we hope to share fully with you
in the freedom of the glory of the children of God.You have accompanied us on our path through history,
in times of peace, conflict, and reconciliation,
and as we arrived at a greater sense of unity and nationhood.
With full confidence we come before you today
giving thanks to God on the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation.
Gathered in the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
we place ourselves completely in the sanctuary of your Heart
and commit the past, the present and the future of Canada to your maternal care.For this reason, I, N.,
Arch/Bishop/Metropolitan/Eparch of N.,
commend to your Immaculate Heart
the portion of the People of God entrusted to me.Together with the other Archbishops, Metropolitans, Bishops and Eparchs of Canada,
I also consecrate the people of our country to your maternal Heart
which teaches us to trust in God’s loving plan.Immaculate Mother of God, we find ourselves at a crossroads in our history;
we are grateful for advances in science and new discoveries,
yet we know the human heart is tempted by selfish interests
and false ideas about the human person and freedom.
Help us, as Catholics, to live in peace with all people of good will
and to dialogue with respect and friendship.Loving Mother of Our Lord, help us to uphold religious freedom in Canada,
and the natural rights of parents and families;
inspire us to protect the unborn,
to help the poor, the marginalized,
and to give support to the infirm and elderly.Weighed down at times by our concerns, but hopeful for the future,
we turn to you, the new Eve, Mother of all the living, for help and for strength.Your Son is the beginning of God’s New Creation and you are his Masterpiece:
intercede for our Churches, for all our people,
especially the Indigenous Peoples, the first stewards of this land of Canada,
and all who come here to live, take refuge, or visit.[All together]
May the Cross of your Son, planted on Canadian soil and in Canadian hearts,
be known as the Tree of Life,
whose fruit is visible and available to all in the garden of this world.Mary our Mother, we place our country Canada
in the sanctuary of your Holy Heart
for we know that there we will find Jesus,
who lives and reigns with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
forever and ever.Amen.
Let us now ask the intercession of Our Lady according to the titles
with which she has been especially honoured in Canada:Litany for Canada
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of the Church, pray for us.
Sacred Heart of Mary, pray for us. (St. François de Laval)
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
(Jesuits dedicated their mission to the Immaculate Conception)
Star of the Sea, pray for us. (The Acadians)
Our Lady of Roc Amadour, pray for us. (Jacques Cartier)
Our Lady of Recovery, pray for us. (Samuel de Champlain)
Our Lady of the Cape, pray for us.
Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
Our Lady of Good Help, pray for us. (St. Marguerite Bourgeoys)
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.
Our Lady of Good Counsel, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Snows, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Prairies, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. (Patroness of the Americas)
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
Our Lady of Canada, pray for us.短式
Mary our Mother,
may the Cross of your Son,
planted on Canadian soil and in Canadian hearts,
be known as the Tree of Life,
whose fruit is visible and available to all
in the garden of this world.We place our country Canada
in the sanctuary of your HolyHeart
for we know that there we willfind
Jesus, who lives and reigns
with the Father in the unity
of the Holy Spirit, one God,
forever and ever.Amen.