# For Catholics: May the Month of Mary



## Belle Du Jour (May 1, 2013)

I decided to start a new thread to celebrate the month May, which honors Mary.  It can also be used to share information about what Catholics believe about Mary and why.  Also, please share if you are going to do anything special this month to honor Mary.


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## Belle Du Jour (May 1, 2013)

I heard this Marian hymn at the National Shrine, but I can't find it anywhere online.  I'm not sure if it was an original composition by the choir leader but the lyrics are amazing!

Come let us worship and acclaim our Maker
Boundless in power bountiful in mercy
Who has bestowed on Mary ever-virgin
Grace without measure

He who is mighty has done great things for her
First of the wonders which in song we honor
Is her conception holy and untainted
Free from corruption

Eve by her sin brought death to all the living
Mary the new Eve sinless and unsinning
Mends Eve's offense and offers to her children
Hope of redemption.

Worship and honor render to the Father
Praise to the Son and glory to the Spirit
Sing we to Mary hymns of adoration
Joy and thanksgiving!

(verses 1-3, 9)


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## JaneBond007 (May 1, 2013)

The kids always had May Crowning at church during school.  My intention is to  pray the rosary more this month.  Jesus is generous.  Queen of Heaven and Mediatrix of All Graces!


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## Belle Du Jour (May 1, 2013)

Mary as the "new" Eve?



> Adam and Eve, immaculate from their first moments, prefigure Mary and Jesus, also without original sin from their conceptions -- the only four people immaculate from their first moments, creating a brilliant poetic symmetry in Scripture.1 And as Eve through her disobedience, was the means through whom Adam brought sin into the world, Mary, the New Eve, through her obedience, was the means through whom salvation entered the world when she gave birth to her Son, the New Adam, our Savior. As Ireneus wrote in the 2nd c.:
> 
> For the Lord, having been born "the First-begotten of the dead," and receiving into His bosom the ancient fathers, has regenerated them into the life of God, He having been made Himself the beginning of those that live, as Adam became the beginning of those who die. Wherefore also Luke, commencing the genealogy with the Lord, carried it back to Adam, indicating that it was He who regenerated them into the Gospel of life, and not they Him. And thus also it was that the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith.
> 
> ...



From Fisheaters


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## Morganite (May 1, 2013)

I will try to make it my duty to do the rosary this month. I have a statue of Our Lady of Grace that my significant other and I painted (must shower Her with flowers)


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## Belle Du Jour (May 4, 2013)

*Full of Grace, the Immaculate Conception, the Ark of the New Covenant *


> That Mary was (and, of course, we Catholics believe that she still is) full of Grace is clearly evident in Luke 1:28, when Gabriel addressed her as "Full of Grace"! The problem for many non-Catholic Christians is the idea that she was born that way and that she was sinless. But Mary had to have been literally filled with Grace because Christ is her Son -- and He is perfect!. She is more that some really cool, spiritual woman who acted as a surrogate mother for the Holy Spirit; she gave to Jesus His humanity in the same way that all mothers give to their children their humanity. He took from her His very Flesh and Blood! It was through her that our Lord "was made of the seed of David according to the flesh" (Romans 1:3). As Ireneus of Lyons asked in his Adversus haereses (ca A.D. 180), "...why did He come down into her if He were to take nothing of her?"
> 
> All Christians believe in saving grace and in sanctification. This being so, what is hard to believe about the idea that God sanctified Mary in her mother's womb, especially given that Mary bore Christ in hers? Can't the Awesome God Who overshadowed Mary so that she would conceive the Son be perfectly capable of preparing her from her own mother's womb to be a pristine vessel for such a glorious task? He created Eve without sin, would He not create His own Mother without sin, also? St. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb. His father, the priest Zecharias was told:
> 
> ...



from Fisheaters


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## Belle Du Jour (May 4, 2013)

*The Presentation of Mary in the Temple  *

Mary was "set apart" from the time of her birth.  After her elderly parents conceived her, they gave her back to God.  She remained in the temple consecrated to God until His plan for human salvation was set in motion.  

My personal reflection for today is thinking how I can also be "set apart" for God until He decides to move in my own life.


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## JaneBond007 (May 5, 2013)

This is our month of preparation for confirmation, culminating next year on approx. the 5th Sunday of Easter.


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## Belle Du Jour (May 5, 2013)

JaneBond007, can you tell us more about that photo of that you posted?  Is it Our Lady of Valkanni?


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## JaneBond007 (May 5, 2013)

I forget...it's from the Phillippines lol!  Belle Du Jour


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## JaneBond007 (May 5, 2013)

The rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary... "The purpose of the Rosary is to help keep in memory certain principal events or mysteries in the history of our salvation, and to thank and praise God for them."  www.rosary-center.org



The last 2 Glorious mysteries:

_The Fourth Glorious Mystery

THE ASSUMPTION

    After the apostles have dispersed, the Blessed Mother goes to live with John, the beloved disciple.
    Mary lives many years on earth after the death of Christ.
    She is a source of comfort, consolation and strength to the apostles.
*As she had nourished the infant Jesus, so she nourishes spiritually the infant Church.*
    Mary dies, not of bodily infirmity, but is wholly overcome in a rapture of divine love.
    Her body as well as her soul is taken up into heaven.
*After her burial the apostles go to the tomb and find only fragrant lilies.*
    Jesus does not permit the sinless body of His Mother to decay in the grave.
* Corruption of the body is an effect of original sin from which Mary is totally exempted.*
    The bodies of all mankind, at the last judgment, will be brought back and united again to the soul. 

Spiritual Fruit: To Jesus through Mary

The Fifth Glorious Mystery

THE CORONATION

    As Mary enters heaven, the entire court of heaven greets with joy this masterpiece of God's creation.
*Mary is crowned by her divine Son as Queen of heaven and earth.*
    More than we can ever know the Hearts of Jesus and Mary overflow with joy at this reunion.
    Only in heaven will we know the great majesty of that coronation, and the joy it gave to the angels and saints.
    Even the angels, who by nature are greater than humans, hail Mary as their Queen.
* Mary shares so fully in the glory of Christ because she shared so fully in His suffering.*
*Only in heaven will we see how central is the role of Mary in the divine plan of redemption.*
    The angels and saints longed for the coming of her whose heel crushes the head of the serpent.
    Mary pleads our cause as a most powerful Queen and a most merciful and loving Mother.
*    A great sign appeared in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 
*
Spiritual Fruit: Grace of Final Perseverance_


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## Belle Du Jour (May 13, 2013)

Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima







> The general Message of Fatima is not complicated. Its requests are for *prayer, reparation, repentance, and sacrifice, and the abandonment of sin*. Before Our Lady appeared to the three shepherd children, Lucy, Francisco and Jacinta, the Angel of Peace visited them. The Angel prepared the children to receive the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his instructions are an important aspect of the Message that is often overlooked.
> 
> The Angel demonstrated to the children the fervent, attentive, and composed manner in which we should all pray, and the reverence we should show toward God in prayer. He also explained to them the great importance of praying and making sacrifices in reparation for the offenses committed against God. He told them: "Make of everything you can a sacrifice and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication, for the conversion of sinners." In his third and final apparition to the children, the Angel gave them Holy Communion, and demonstrated the proper way to receive Our Lord in the Eucharist: all three children knelt to receive Communion; and Lucy was given the Sacred Host on the tongue and the Angel shared the Blood of the Chalice between Francisco and Jacinta.
> 
> ...



Excerpt from www.fatima.org

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!


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## Belle Du Jour (May 13, 2013)

Prayer from the Angel of Peace at Fatima:
_My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not  love You._


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## Rsgal (May 13, 2013)

Belle Du Jour said:


> *The Presentation of Mary in the Temple *
> 
> Mary was "set apart" from the time of her birth. After her elderly parents conceived her, they gave her back to God. She remained in the temple consecrated to God until His plan for human salvation was set in motion.
> 
> My personal reflection for today is thinking how I can also be "set apart" for God until He decides to move in my own life.


 
Thanks Belle Du Jour.


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## Galadriel (May 14, 2013)

Belle Du Jour said:


> Prayer from the Angel of Peace at Fatima:
> _My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not  love You._



Belle Du Jour I love saying this prayer


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## Enyo (May 16, 2013)

Gosh, I'm back in the Christian area??? Oh, Enyo, and your Marian ways. 

Anyway, my 2013 calendar has a different depiction of Mary for each month. The whole calendar currently has a wreath of dried roses over it since it's May. I may leave them up for the rest of the summer. I love it.


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## Belle Du Jour (May 18, 2013)

Enyo, what draws you to Mary?


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## Belle Du Jour (May 18, 2013)

"I am the Immaculate Conception."






This was the emotional response "the beautiful Lady" finally gave to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes FR after the child asked her several times.  The dogma of the immaculate conception was only made official 4 years earlier and Bernadette, who was not considered bright, would have never heard of it before.  In fact, when the Lady told her, she kept repeating it over and over until she went to the priest because she didn't want to forget.  

The dogma of the immaculate conception is a stumbling block for a lot of people who just can't believe that any human could be conceived without sin.  But isn't God bigger than how we think He acts?  Adam and Eve, the first humans, were created without sin.  Why wouldn't God preserve the Living Ark of the Covenant, the very vessel carried Christ, from sin?  We are told that no sin can even enter Heaven and God's love is a refining/purifying fire.  How much more would he preserve Mary?  And as Fulton Sheen said, if any of us had the chance to create our mother, wouldn't we make her perfect in every way?


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## Belle Du Jour (May 18, 2013)

For the married ladies, did any of y'all do a presentation of youe bouquet to Our Lady in your wedding?  Why or why not?


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## Enyo (May 18, 2013)

Belle Du Jour Mary is a pretty straightforward example for women. Compassionate, modest, knowledgeable in terms of her faith, and an all-around comfort for anyone who asks. It's well known that I'm an atheist, but I'm not the arrogant type to dismiss a good female example just because she's associate with religion.


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## Belle Du Jour (May 19, 2013)

Today we celebrate the feast of Pentecost and we know from scripture that Mary was in the Upper Room.  Mary, already familiar with the Holy Spirit as He "overshadowed" her after she gave her "fiat" to the angel, received the fire of the Holy Spirit along with the other disciples.  Mary's presence wasn't a coincidence or a random detail included in the account.  On the cross, Jesus told John (and the Church) to "behold your mother" and effectively put us under the care of Mary ("behold your son.").  Mary prayed ferevently for the early Church to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

I found this link on EWTN about Mary's presence at Pentecost: http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp2bvm52.htm


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## Belle Du Jour (May 20, 2013)

Our Lady of Kibeho

http://www.kibeho.net/

http://www.michaeljournal.org/kibeho.htm


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## Galadriel (May 20, 2013)

Belle Du Jour said:


> For the married ladies, did any of y'all do a presentation of youe bouquet to Our Lady in your wedding?  Why or why not?



I did! It was a beautiful bouquet of roses. I did it because I believe the Blessed Mother to be a wonderful example of a Christian woman, and I also asked for her intercession .


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## Galadriel (May 20, 2013)

Enyo said:


> @Belle Du Jour Mary is a pretty straightforward example for women. Compassionate, modest, knowledgeable in terms of her faith, and an all-around comfort for anyone who asks. It's well known that I'm an atheist, but I'm not the arrogant type to dismiss a good female example just because she's associate with religion.



Agreed, Enyo

Sometimes I've run into people of other religions or no religion at all, who have expressed admiration and respect for Mary. It's very touching. I always see her as the watchful, compassionate mother who will always embrace us and lead us toward Jesus.


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## JaneBond007 (May 20, 2013)

Our Lady is how I became a catholic.  It was very supernatural.  A common prayer to her is, "Blessed Mother, please lead me to Jesus."


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## Belle Du Jour (May 20, 2013)

JaneBond007 said:


> Our Lady is how I became a catholic.  *It was very supernatural.*  A common prayer to her is, "Blessed Mother, please lead me to Jesus."



JaneBond007, I would love to hear more, but I understand if it is too personal to share on the forums.


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## JaneBond007 (May 20, 2013)

I have a long story of supernatural happenings...but what drew me first was a book in teh library.  I had gone one weekend with my catholic friend.  At this time, I started attending mass with her sometimes.  Well, this book at the library was of the apparition on Tepeyac with Juan Diego in Mexico.  They had a photo of the actual tilde and image of Our Lady.  Something drew me but scared me at the same time.  I knew it was something outside of this world.  My catholic friend had a prayer card of consecration to Our Lady and we both prayed that prayer.  From then on, our Mother drew me into Jesus' Church.  It took many years to officially enter.


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## Belle Du Jour (May 26, 2013)

Our Lady of LaVang






Although this is not a Vatican-approved apparition, it's still interesting 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_La_Vang


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## Belle Du Jour (May 26, 2013)

Our Lady of Mount Carmel






http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Mount_Carmel


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## Belle Du Jour (May 30, 2013)

_*Sub Tuum Praesidium *_

    Under thy protection
    we seek refuge,
    Holy Mother of God;
    despise not our petitions
    in our needs,
    but from all dangers
    deliver us always,
    Virgin Glorious and Blessed 

This prayer is the oldest Marian prayer known to exist.  It dates back to approximately the year 250 AD.  The mere existence of this prayer supports that Mary was considered a powerful intercessor and mother of the early Church and that early Christians believed in what we today call the Communion of Saints.


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## Belle Du Jour (May 31, 2013)

*The Seven Sorrows of Mary*
"...and you yourself a sword will pierce..." Luke 2:35






1.   The Prophecy of Simeon. (Luke 2:34-35) or the Circumcision of Christ
2.   The Flight into Egypt. (Matthew 2:13)
3.   The loss of the child Jesus in the Temple. (Luke 2:43-45)
4.   Mary meets Jesus on the way to Calvary.
5.   Jesus dies on the cross. (John 19:25)
6.   Mary receives the body of Jesus in her arms. (Matthew 27:57-59)
7.   The body of Jesus is placed in the tomb. (John 19:40-42)


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## JaneBond007 (Jun 1, 2013)

Galadriel said:


> Agreed, @Enyo
> 
> Sometimes I've run into people of other religions or no religion at all, who have expressed admiration and respect for Mary. It's very touching. I always see her as the watchful, compassionate mother who will always embrace us and lead us toward Jesus.




I've often wondered what the connection is between Our Lady, Fatima, Portugal, Fatima of the Qur'an and the hand of Miriam.  Why was Fatima in Portugal named thus...history?  In Egypt, at the apparition in Zeitoun, her physical appearance and shape was that of the hand of Fatima.






(inscribed are "chai" or "life" and "Jerusalem")







Isn't it so, though?  If Our Lady used symbolism at Guadalupe and the Nahuatl term was "coatlaxopeuh" (she who crushes the serpent) but in Spain, it's from an Arabic word meaning "river of light" or "hidden river" and a few other meaning related to water.  Makes you wonder.  Anyone know?


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