From Catholic Standard:
In times of trouble, it’s only natural for Catholics to resort to petitioning their own Mother Mary. And five years ago – on May 1, 2020, during the first terrifying stages of the COVID-19 pandemic – the bishops of the United States did just that.
Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles – then president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops – led a “Renewal of the Consecration of the United States of America to the Blessed Virgin Mary” at LA’s Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral. The ceremony – lasting just a little more than 30 minutes – was livestreamed to isolated viewers across the country. “The first missionaries came to this country under the mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Later, the bishops consecrated her as patroness of the United States of America,” he added, emphasizing the country’s Marian heritage. “The Virgin Mary has accompanied this great nation since our beginnings,” he added. “Now in this difficult hour, we renew our consecration to her.”