World Day of Prayer for Vocations
May, the Month of Mary
May is one of the loveliest months of the year. All winter we’ve been hibernating from the cold and waiting for the sun to come out from behind the clouds. The bees are buzzing, the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. It’s time to celebrate May.
Why May?
There are a few stories about how the month of May was named. One explanation is that it was named for Maia, the ancient Roman goddess of spring and fertility. “Maia” is connected to a word that means increase or growth. The Romans held special ceremonies in Maia’s honour on May 1st and May 15th.
But most importantly, the month of May is the month of Mary.
During May, we feel a special protection of Our Lady that extends to all the Faithful. Our Lady is the Queen of Heaven and Earth and, at the same time, our mother. We enter the month of May with this conviction. May teaches us to love Mary Most Holy for the glory she rightly possesses.
Family Devotions:
One particular practice characteristic of May devotions is the May Altar, whether in a church or as a home altar. Marian devotions such as the Rosary may take place within the family around the altar. All that is needed is a table with a picture or statue of Our Lady, candles and a vase of some May flowers.
Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Faithful for the Month of May 2020:
“The month of May is approaching, a time when the People of God express with particular intensity their love and devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is traditional in this month to pray the Rosary at home within the family. The restrictions of the pandemic have made us come to appreciate all the more this “family” aspect, also from a spiritual point of view.
For this reason, I want to encourage everyone to rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May. This can be done either as a group or individually, you can decide according to your own situations, making the most of both opportunities. The key to doing this is always simplicity”.
Prayer to Our Lady that can be recited at the end of the Rosary:
Pope Francis himself will say this prayer in the month of May, in spiritual union with all the faithful.
O Mary, you shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope. We entrust ourselves to you, health of the sick, who at the foot of the cross, were united with Jesus’ suffering and persevered in your faith.
“Protectress of the Roman people”, you know our needs, and we know that you will provide, so that, as at Cana in Galilee, joy and celebration may return after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the will of the Father and to do what Jesus tells us. For He took upon Himself our suffering and burdened Himself with our sorrows to bring us, through the cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen.
O Holy Mother of God, do not despise our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from every danger, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.
World Day of Prayer for Vocations:
This Sunday, the first Sunday of May, we pray very specially for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life.
Prayer for Vocations:
Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you for all that you have done for us.
We thank you especially for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, to visit and Save us.
We ask you to bless our families and all those who are dear to us, especially those who are suffering in any way.
Give courage to those in our parish whom you invite to become Priests and religious, and grant them the generosity of mind and heart to follow your call. May they bring good news to our world today.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
“Grow in Love” Childrens Programme:
The Religious Education programme in Primary Schools is called “Grow in Love”. It is a very good programme and liked very much by children, parents and teachers. Links to this programme are available in the front page of the Diocesan Website (corkandross.org) and are very easy to follow. The programme covers from Junior Infants to 6th class. Parents may like to follow it at home with their children. Copies of the letters written to the children preparing for First Holy Communion and Confirmation by Bishop Fintan are also on the Website.
First Holy Communion and remaining Confirmation Ceremonies have been deferred until later in the year.
Sunday Mass from Ovens/Farran Parish
From 10.30am onwards, Mass available via Ovens/Farran Facebook Page and the Parish Website: www.ovensparish.com
Anyone who sent a request for the Mass link last week to Roger O’Sullivan, 087 2297491, will be sent the new link today from 10.30am.
Mass can be distributed via Facebook, Emails, WhatsApp, Viber and standard text messaging.
Thanks to Roger for his work in this and in setting up the Parish Facebook Page.
COMMUNITY CALL
Éire Óg has joined up with other groups e.g. Gardaí, An Post, Civil Defence, Cork County Council to help the vulnerable or isolated in our community, if needed at this time of the Coronavirus pandemic.
If anyone needs help or knows of anyone who does, please phone 1800 805819 or locally John Hourihan 086 3178214, Éire Óg Co-ordinator.