Month of Mary
INTRODUCTION
The month of May began with a memorial to Our Lady's dedicated husband, St Joseph and it will conclude with a feast day of her visit to her cousin Elizabeth. We have two great Solemnities - the Ascension (you may be joining along in the St Joseph Consecration, in which through his intercession we give our hearts over completely to Jesus - see 1st May post) Followed the following week with Pentecost.Before our final feast day in May we have the memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. Journey with me in May, as we deepen our relationship with Mary, our Mother who gently guides us and sets the example of love and faithfulness to God.
29th May 2023
Not a new title, but as of 2018 a memorial included in the liturgical calendar. Celebrated on the Monday after the Solemnity of Pentecost, the timing is not fortuitous.
Pentecost, which we celebrated yesterday, known as the birthday of the Church, Mary is there, praying with the Apostles when the Holy Spirit descends. At the foot of the cross, Jesus says to his Mother, 'Woman, this is your son.' Then to the disciple he said, 'This is your mother' (speaking to John, who represents all disciples)
His instruction is clear, Mary is Mother to us all.
The Holy Father wishes to promote this devotion in order to “encourage the growth of the maternal sense of the Church in the pastors, religious and faithful, as well as a growth of genuine Marian piety”.
Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, Pray for Us
O God, Father of mercies,
whose Only Begotten Son, as hung upon the Cross,
chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother,
to be our Mother also,
grant, we pry, that with her loving help
your Church may be more fruitful day by day
and, exulting in the holiness of her children,
may draw to her embrace all the families of the peoples.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever
✝ The Roman Missal ✝
24th May 2023 Part 2
Watch our Tamariki from St Joseph School, Opotiki sing Mō Maria here on our youtube channel
We filmed next door in their Parish Church - Our Lady Help of Christians.
Help of Christians, Pray for Us
24th May 2023 Part 1
A homily from Fr Matthew Gibson
The feast of Our Lady help of Christians is derived from an ancient title she was given as the Boetheia (helper), which is attested to by many Church Fathers and the ancient hymn "Sub Tuum Praesidium".
The feast day was instituted by Pope Pius VII after 6 years of being captive by Napoleon. He reentered Rome on the 24th May 1814 and attributed his protection to Our Lady, who has been known to help protect Christian states from opposing powers throughout history.
Jesus makes it clear in the Gospel that we have been made His Father, by the Word Jesus spoke to us (Himself being the Word made flesh), and he prays that we may remain one with Him in the love the Father has bestowed upon us. We can only give to God what is ours, and the Father gave the disciples to the Son, so that the Son could offer us back to the Father all that was his.
We do this intentionally when we pray for others, but we do it even more when we offer our work, aspirations, future and loved ones back to God in the Mass, knowing that what is ours has been given to us, so that we can become like God in His love, offering it all back.
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙃𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙤𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙨, 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚, 𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙎𝙤𝙣, 𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙁𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧
21st May 2023
During the month of May, we have focused a lot on Mary being our Mother too, we have a whole section in the Litany to the Blessed Virgin on her being Mother.
Fr Mike Schmitz sums this up for us in the most beautiful way
"Jesus gave her to us from the cross"
Watch here : https://youtu.be/pGRGv9_60iI
18th May 2023
The luminous mysteries added by Pope John Paul II in 2002, aimed to focus on Jesus' public ministry - the time between his early years and Passion. The Joyful focusing on the annunciation, birth and early life, the Sorrowful obviously his Passion and the Glorious on the Triumph of the Resurrection and the time after, The Holy Father addressed the addition in his apostolic letter - ROSARIUM VIRGINIS MARIAE.
The fruit of the mystery on the second luminous mystery - the Wedding in Cana - to Jesus through Mary is a phrase heard often. When you think of her saying ' do whatever He tells you' is nothing new to Mary. She said YES well before she said this at Cana, and from then on all ages have called her Blessed. She knows the good of doing what the Lord asks of us. Trust in Mary.
15th May 2023
"𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝔀𝓸 𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓮 𝓶𝓮𝓮𝓽 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓷𝓪𝓶𝓮, 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶" - Matthew 18:20
Meet (from top) Joe, Gerry, Martinez, Stella, Tony and Susan
They are part of a rosary group that meet every Monday - Saturday after weekday Mass at St Thomas More Church. You will generally find Tony leading the mysteries and the offerings for the rosary. Plenty more regulars join in on different days when they can, and will all lead a decade.
After the rosary they retire to the foyer of the Church, dubbed the Tabernacle cafe, where they enjoy a hot beverage from the coffee machine and share a yarn or five. After a bit of faith formation discussions and checking in on everyone, everything from politics to the grandkids (and greats) antics are discussed, and I tell you, I have learnt ALOT and heard some great stories. This aside however, you have a group of devout, inspiring individuals, brought together by love of Christ and our Lady.
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝗼𝘆𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 - 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿.
They are praying the rosary for all of US, for the world we are living in which we sometimes feel such despair with, or have lack of hope in, for our priests, for our communities, for the sick, for those passed on, for the vulnerable in our society who have no voice, for those at war, no matter who is on the list - it always shows true love of neighbor.
Another beautiful reflection for the visitation is of course the Magnificat - this piece is probably one of the most beautiful I have to play on repeat!
14th May 2023
𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 : 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵.
𝔍𝔬𝔥𝔫 21: 25 - 𝔍𝔢𝔰𝔲𝔰 𝔞𝔩𝔰𝔬 𝔡𝔦𝔡 𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔶 𝔬𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰. ℑ𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔶 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔴𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔫 𝔡𝔬𝔴𝔫, ℑ 𝔰𝔲𝔭𝔭𝔬𝔰𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔥𝔬𝔩𝔢 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔩𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔴𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔟𝔢 𝔴𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔫.
The Church has never officially taught on whether Jesus appeared to his mother immediately after the resurrection if at all. We know from the Annunciation - the word of God will never fail. Mary on her visit with her cousin, says ‘from now on, all ages will call me blessed’ Perhaps we don't need to read her cries or rejoicing in the scripture after the crucifixion. Her complete faith in God never waivers from the moment she says Yes.
Instead, at the Resurrection, we hear the cries from Mary Magdalene, she is crying at the empty tomb and does not know where Jesus has been taken. She doesnt recognise him to begin with but as soon as he says her name, she knows it's Him. He asks her to share the news, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.
He is asking all of us to share the news. As woman, mothers, we first must spread the Good news of the Resurrection to our children, which is why I have chosen Our Lady of Grace to accompany me on the Rosary today. Reflecting on this mothers day how many times we have we cried out to Mary to help us along our motherhood journey. When we wonder if we are doing enough, when we worry about our children straying from the Church, when we feel we have nothing left to give. From the moments of deep pain to the most happiest joyful moments with our beautiful children, our Lady, our Mother is there with us always, we are her children too. Mary had to endure it all, she knows our deep sorrows, but her faith in Gods plan remained steadfast. We pray for the Grace of a strong, unwavering faith like Marys and may we pass this gift to our children, just like we, as children of God have been gifted. May we always trust in Mary to intercede for us.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of the Church, pray for us.
Mother of divine grace, pray for us.
Mother most pure, pray for us.
Mother most chaste, pray for us.
Mother inviolate, pray for us.
Mother undefiled, pray for us.
Mother most amiable, pray for us.
Mother most admirable, pray for us.
Mother of good counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Savior, pray for us.
13th May 2023
Prayer : Optional collect from Mass 13th May 2023
Today we remember Our Lady of Fatima - the message of Fatima includes a call to conversion of heart, repentance from sin and a dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially through praying the Rosary.
Family Life International NZ recently held their annual conference, Fr Linus Clovis gave an exception talk on Fatima and the Final Battle
You can read his bio here https://fli.org.nz/.../Speaker-Bio-Father-Linus-Clovis.pdf
Link to talk from 26th March 2023
12th May 2023
Reflecting on today's Gospel in regards to the month of Mary. We are asked to be true disciples of Christ. To go out and love one another. As the Mother of our Church, Mother of God, OUR mother, a devotion to Mary teaches us to love without limits. Putting our trust in her will always lead to a deep unwavering, everlasting love for Jesus. From there we can be the true disciples he has asked us to be and keep his commandment
10th May 2023
I think I promised you a rosary reflection tonight, so bare with me one more evening before tomorrow we start a week of Rosary meditations as we journey along Mary's month of May.
Last night I mentioned about how I dedicated last October to praying the rosary every day. I had one of those 'wow' moments. Those moments that bring such joy that you break down! I still haven't perfected of the art of being able to tell this story without my voice cracking, but at least typing is easier. It has certainly become part of 'my story'
October 1st was a Saturday, those who know the Rosary well, will know that is one of the days we pray the Joyful Mysteries. I got to the 5th mystery " Finding in the Temple" fruit of the mystery (and I know there is a few) - joy in finding Jesus. It was so clear to me in that moment. My parents lovingly allowed me to receive the Sacrament of Baptism as a baby, growing up I knew Jesus, Jesus was present. But after being away from the Church for some time, turning my back on him time and time again, but then coming back to the Church, in that moment, I realised I may have been 'lost', but slowly, over the past few years - I had truly found Jesus (he was right there all along!)
𝘖 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺-𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘯, 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦; 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘣𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦.
9th May, 2023
“If families give Our Lady fifteen minutes a day by reciting the Rosary, I assure them that their homes will become, by God’s grace, peaceful places." -Father Patrick Peyton
Tonight you get to hear from me, the one sitting behind the social media posts:
So, I am not 100% my house would be classed as peaceful sometimes - in regards to sound level - but in all serious I know, as above, by God's Grace we have a blessed peaceful home . Also, with this in my entrance way, I hope that others feel it also when they enter into our home. (It also reminds me to take some beads with me as I leave for the day)
In October 2022, a month dedicated to the month of the rosary, I made a promise to our Lady to say the rosary every day for that month. After coming back to the Church 10 years ago, I would say a decade of the Rosary now and then, join in a group once in a while, but announcing the mysteries or even knowing what they were - no way, those 'other prayers' at the end - I could recognise them but no way I would be able to recite them. Praying the rosary every day, I believe was a turning point in my faith journey.
It is so pleasing to Our Lady when we recite the Rosary - why? By growing our relationship with her, praying to her - a prayer that is rooted in scripture, asking for her to intercede for us, drawing us closer to her, it ultimately draws us closer to her Son. That peace too, in the quiet of the evening after the business of the day and the rush of dinner, when the kids are winding down - they now often ask me to pray the rosary as they drift off to sleep.
Tomorrow I will share the mystery that had the most impact on me in October, the one that when I share - brings me to tears every single time!
Today - do you want to share your collection or how you store your rosary beads? Maybe we could see who has the most oldest rosary beads, maybe a family treasure handed down.
St Dominic, Pray for Us
8th May, 2023
"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘛𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘸"
- 𝑺𝒕 𝑨𝒖𝒈𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆
One of the most common depictions of the Virgin Mary, has her standing on a snake (serpent). As we journey on in our month of Mary, take time to reflect on the following verse, was Mary mentioned this early on in the Bible, and does this give us the reason for the image?
Genesis 3:15
𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴; 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘭.
St John Paul II, in his general audience 24th Jan 1996, talked about Victory over Sin coming through a woman.
"Mary's unique vocation is inseparable from humanity's vocation and, in particular, from that of every woman, on which light has been shed by the mission of Mary, proclaimed God's first ally against Satan and evil" he continued to affirm “𝙬𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 (𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙨 3:15) 𝙞𝙨 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 ‘𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙙’ 𝙬𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙤𝙣, 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙪𝙢𝙥𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙣’𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮"
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
5th May, 2023
And if you want a place to start - start with the Catechism.
This site has a page listing devotions to Mary - the page link below, specifically Mary in the Catechism. If you want to know Mary better, this is a great place to start.
https://marian.org/mary/in-the-catechism
Quote credit : Ascension
