OUR LADY OF CONSOLATION

Our Lady of Consolation
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There are several versions of the image of Our Lady of Consolation. The original one is in Turin at the Shrine of the Consolata. We were not able to obtain permission to use that image from the distributor in the US which only licenses images. One of the other images can be viewed HERE. There is another in the UK, HERE. Our Lady's headdress is almost always ornate, or where not, there is an icon like resemblance to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The star on her shoulder is a hallmark of almost all the images.

The history of devotion to Our Lady of Consolation is briefly thus:

For centuries, going back into antiquity pious Catholics have had a devotion to Our Lady as consoler. Sometimes she was given the express title of Consolation. But the practice had never been formalized. Then, immigrants from northern Italy who were seeking better conditions for work and family life brought with them their devotion to Our Lady as the mother of consolation. The devotion to her under this title spread. In 1901 the rector of the Shrine in Turin established a religious institute to spread Marian piety through this title. He was the nephew of Saint Joseph Cafasso, the priest of the gallows and who was also from Turin. Saint Joseph Cafasso wrote a prayer in preparation for death that includes his intention of seeking consolation in Our Lady. You can read that prayer on his page in the Tradition Directory, HERE. The devotion is now worldwide, including Kenya and Ethiopia. In the United States and the United Kingdom there are many parishes/shrines dedicated to her under the title of Our Lady of Consolation. What ever prayer is used there is usually an invocation for the Church, for holiness in its members, for the light of faith, and peace therein.

This is a combination of two such prayers:

O Mary Immaculate, our Mother and Consolation, I take refuge in thy most loving heart with all the confidence of which I am capable; thou shalt be the dearest object of my love and veneration. To thee, who art the dispenser of the treasures of Heaven, I shall always have recourse in my sorrows to have peace, in my doubts to have light, in my dangers to be defended, in all my needs to obtain thy assistance. Be therefore my refuge, my strength, my consolation, O Mary the Consoler! At the hour of my death, graciously receive the last sighs of my heart and obtain for me a place in thy heavenly home, where all hearts shall praise with one accord the adorable Heart of Jesus for ever more as well as thy most lovable heart, O Mary. Our tender Mother, Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Grant also peace and holiness to the Church, through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

The Feast Day in Rome for Our Lady of Consolation is January 31. There are different dates in different countries. In the United States it is the Saturday after the Feast of St. Augustine, August 28.

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