LEXINGTON — The bishops of the United States and Canada will pray to re-consecrate their countries to Mary, Mother of the Church, on Friday, May 1, at 3 p.m. Eastern. Every year, the Church prayerfully seeks the special assistance of Mary during the month of May. This year that prayer takes on deeper resonance in the face of a global pandemic. “In this time of uncertainty and vulnerability, it is natural that we would seek the comfort of our Heavenly Mother. We honor Mary under many titles, and so many of our people have their favorite devotion to Mary. We can come together as a Church throughout the country and commit ourselves to doing God's will as she did and seeking her guidance and powerful intercession,” said Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv., of Lexington. The prayer of re-consecration is being led in the United States by Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Archbishop Gomez will lead a brief liturgy with the prayer of re-consecration and has invited other bishops to join in from their respective dioceses. This event will be available online: https://lacatholics.org/consecration/