Hello Friends!
As my first official bulletin article, I am very happy to be talking to all of you about the upcoming month of May and a very special commemoration for said month! First of all, we welcome the warmer weather of May, since it signifies the end of the season of spring and also serves as the harbinger of the coming summer. It’s the time to get outdoors get the gardens ready to go, open the pools, and prepare for the fun activities of early summer.
Along with the joy of the nicer weather, May is also the time to remember our mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, and foster and adoptive mothers. The second Sunday of May is a chance to remember all of the good that our mothers do, all of the sacrifices they make, and to honor the role they play, not just in our own individual lives, but also in the wider society and world. Here at Blessed Sacrament Church, we will be taking Mother’s Day to honor and revere the greatest and most important of all mothers…the Blessed Virgin Mary herself!
The role of Mary in our lives as Catholics can never be overstated or over appreciated. The Immaculate Mother of God, given to us as our mother, is the greatest gift the Father could have ever bestowed on us, second only to the gift of His son, our Lord Jesus Christ. All Catholics need to cultivate a devotion to the Blessed Virgin and to continue that devotion throughout their entire lifetime. Mary fulfills many roles for us, including that of intercessor and protector, guardian and defender, loving and compassionate comforter, patron of the sick and suffering, refuge of sinners and the lost, and vanquisher of heresy and error.
One of the most popular ways of honoring the Blessed Virgin is through the practice of May Crownings, in which an image of Mary is solemnly and reverently crowned, indicating her queenship and sharing in the sovereignty of her son, Christ the King. Here at Blessed Sacrament Church, we will carry out this year’s May Crowning on Mother’s Day – Sunday, May 9th, 2021.
Weather permitting, we will go in procession to the outdoor grotto on Chelsea Street after the 9am Mass has concluded. All parishioners, visitors, friends, and members of the neighborhood are most welcome to come for this event! Even if you attend another Mass, such as the 4pm on Saturday, come and join us on Sunday morning for this special devotion.
Also, there will be a smaller, indoor crowning of Mary at the 11am Mass. If you are unable to walk comfortably or just find your mobility slightly restricted, maybe the 11am Mass will work better for you. However, no matter what Mass you attend, remember to keep the day in special remembrance of the Mother of God! If we wish to love and honor Christ more, then love and honor the Most Blessed Virgin more! The closer we draw to Mary, then the closer we draw to Jesus Himself.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help…pray for us! May the heart of
Jesus, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, be praised, adored,
and loved, with grateful affection, at every moment, in all
the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen.
~ Fr. Martin Gallagher