May: The Month of Mary
Bring flow'rs of the fairest,
Bring flow'rs of the rarest,
From garden and woodland
And hillside and vale;
O Mary! we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May!
Why is the month of May for Mary? It’s a beautiful time of year, when the last signs of winter have fully melted away into spring, and the whole world seems bursting with flowers and life. Catholics have celebrated Mary throughout the whole month of May, in a tradition dating back to the seventeenth century. As the Mother of God and our mother, it is fitting that we dedicate this time of new life and beauty to her honor?
What are ways we celebrate Mary in May? There are many lovely, simple traditions associated with honoring the Blessed Mother. And the good news is, it’s not too late to start! You have the whole month to practice these Marian devotions:
- pray the rosary
- learn a Marian hymn
- wear blue - the color traditionally associated with Mary
- create a little garden of fresh flowers in front of your Mary statue, or do a little May Crowning with your children
Celebrating Mother’s Day: It’s so fitting that the day we set aside each year to honor our earthly mothers falls during the month dedicated to our Heavenly Mother! In your Marian devotions this month, you can remember your own mother in your prayers to Our Lady, who certainly strengthens women in their roles as mothers. We can especially remember our mothers in our prayers today, on the feast of Our Lady of Fatima.
This year, let us ask the Blessed Mother to remember in a particular way the mothers who are unable to provide for their children as well as they wish to, that they may receive the graces necessary to care for their children physically and spiritually. We hope you take a moment to read the story of an inspiring mother encountered by our team in Uganda several years ago, whose faith in God and dedication to her children helped her to provide for them even in the most dire of circumstances.
Dear Mary, our Mother, pray for us!