May – the Month of Mary

It’s hard to believe that April is almost over – time flies! With the month of May upon us we might consider making an effort to dedicate this month to Mary. In 1965 (in the last year of Second Vatican Council) Pope Paul VI issued his encyclical Mense Maio (The Month of May) to exhort the faithful to take up anew the long-standing Catholic custom of honouring Mary in the month of May. In this letter addressing the faithful he writes:

“The month of May is almost here, a month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. Our heart rejoices at the thought of the moving tribute of faith and love which will soon be paid to the Queen of Heaven in every corner of the earth. For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God's merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother's throne.

We are delighted and consoled by this pious custom associated with the month of May, which pays honour to the Blessed Virgin and brings such rich benefits to the Christian people. Since Mary is rightly to be regarded as the way by which we are led to Christ, the person who encounters Mary cannot help but encounter Christ likewise. For what other reason do we continually turn to Mary except to seek the Christ in her arms, to seek our Saviour in her, through her, and with her? To Him men are to turn amid the anxieties and perils of this world, urged on by duty and driven by the compelling needs of their heart, to find a haven of salvation, a transcendent fountain of life.

Because the month of May is a powerful incentive to more frequent and fervent prayers, and because our petitions more readily find access to her compassionate heart during it, it has been a favourite custom of Our predecessors to choose this month, dedicated to Mary, for urging the Christian people to offer up public prayers whenever the needs of the Church demanded it or some grave crisis threatened the human race. This year, Venerable Brothers, We in turn feel compelled to call for such prayers from the whole Catholic world. Looking at the present needs of the Church and the status of world peace, We have sound reasons to believe that the present hour is especially grave and that a plea for concerted prayer on the part of all Christians is a matter of top priority.” (Paul VI, Mense Maoi, 29^th April 1965).

Although written almost 60 years ago there is much in Pope Paul VI’s encyclical that seems relevant to our own times, especially the call for peace in our troubled and politically volatile world.

One practical idea you may wish to consider during this month of May is to set up in your home an ‘altar’ dedicated to Mary. This can be a beautiful focal point for family prayer and is especially helpful for young children, perhaps encouraging them to add flowers from the garden every few days as a sign of their desire to honour Mary in their own small way. There are no rules as to what this has to include, but normally you would use an image or statue of Mary as the centrepiece and decorate with cloths, candles, flowers, etc. Just be sure not to leave candles lit unattended!

Finally, a reminder that the parish statue of Our Lady of Fatima is still ‘doing the rounds’ of parishioners’ homes. If you would like to host ‘Mary’ in your own home for a week be sure to fill out the booking sheet in the foyer of the church.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!

St Patrick’s Sanctuary Restoration Update

The work on the sanctuary is making sure but steady progress. The early indications are looking very promising! We should be on target to resume Masses back in the Church on the weekend of the 6^th-7^th May.