May 15, 2020 Volume XII , Issue 5 ITE MISSA EST

A Newsletter from the Missions Office/Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States Catholic Diocese of Columbus, Ohio Mary deserves the entire month of May in her honor To monthly mission donors: The custom spans both centuries and should do the same in our Thank you for your support! and cultures, with roots going back homes. When we echo the customs as far as the Ancient Greeks. In and traditions of the Church in our On behalf of His Excellency Ancient Greece, May was homes, we participate more fully in Robert J. Brennan, the Bishop of dedicated to Artemis, the goddess the life of the Church. Our homes Columbus, and Very Rev. Father of fertility. are domestic churches. Andrew Small, OMI, the National Director of the Pontifical Mission In Ancient Rome, May was It is a good thing to erect a prayer Societies in the United States, I dedicated to Flora, goddess of corner in our home, no matter how would like to thank you for your blooms and blossoms. They fancy or how simple it is. The main prayers, sacrifices and financial celebrated ludi florales, or floral point is that it is designated for support for the missions. games. They asked the intercession God, more specifically, for of Flora for all that blooms. spending time with Him. Just as we **************************** In medieval times, similar customs need a proper atmosphere to sleep, we also need a proper place to pray. Every month of the year has its abounded, all centering around the own beauty. The world seems to practice of expelling winter, as It is a good thing to give Mary a sleep during the winter months and May 1st was considered the start of special spot in your prayer corner. seems to wake up in May. We start new growth. During this period, the It can be a statue or a picture. Make thinking about planting gardens and tradition Tricesimum, or it appealing. Make it a tribute to her flowers, family picnics and making “Thirty-Day Devotion” to Mary beauty and virtue. vacation plans. came into being. Then crown Mary in May. You can The month of May is also a month The idea of May specifically give her an actual, or spiritual dedicated to Mary. May brings dedicated to Mary, can be traced to crown. It could be a subtle gesture, back many of my beautiful child- baroque times. The custom became or an ornate ceremony. The hood memories in my church in widespread during the 19th century meaning is more important than the Balilihan, Bohol, Philippines. We and remains in practice today. action. It can be in the beginning, have a beautiful May tradition to The ways that Mary is honored in or at the end of May, or in between. honor the Blessed Mother. During May are as varied as the people Just do it! the day, children gather flowers who honor her. It is common for Why do it? Not because it is a long from the fields and neighborhoods parishes to have daily recitation of -standing tradition of the Church – and in the evening, they offer them the Rosary during the month of though it is. Not because there are to Mary in a solemn ceremony with May. It is a long-standing tradition special graces connected to it – songs and prayers to the Holy to crown the statue of Mary during though there are. You do it because Mother of God. The ceremony is May – “May Crowning”. Often, the Mary is mother – your mother, my concluded with the Benediction of crown is made of beautiful mother, everyone’s mother. the Blessed Sacrament. At the end blossoms, representing Mary’s of May, Mary is crowned queen. Do it because she cares for us, day beauty and virtue. This is to remind in and day out. She cares for us Why is May a month dedicated to us to strive to imitate our Mother’s without fail. She is interceding for Mary? virtue in our own lives. May us, even in tiniest matters. For these Crowning, in some areas, is a huge A brief explanation: For centuries, reasons and many others, Mary celebration. It is done before, deserves the entire month of May the Catholic Church has set aside during, or after Mass. the entire month of May to honor in her honor. But May altars and crownings are Mary, the Mother of God. Not just a day in May, but the entire month. not just “church” things. We can What kind of memories our and baking with my Mom. I of every tradition, of every age, children will have of the year remember making forts and learn- language and nation. of the Coronavirus ing how to do hand stands and back flips. I remember having We pray for the sick and their An anonymous author wrote this quality time with my family”. families; for health workers and imaginary future conversation those who help them; for the between an old man, who was a “I remember Mom's favorite words authorities, law enforcement child in 2020, and his grandchild. becoming 'Hey, I've got an idea...' agencies and volunteers; for the Rather than 'Maybe later or ministers of our communities. Grandchild: “How old are you, tomorrow I'm a bit busy'. I Grandpa?” remember making our own bread Today many of us celebrate the and pastry. I remember having Incarnation of the Word in the Grandpa: “I'm 81, dear.” movie night three or four times a womb of the Virgin Mary, when week instead of just one. It was a her humble and total “Behold” Grandchild: “So does that mean horrible time for lots of people - reflected the “Behold” of the Son of you were alive during the you are right. But I remember it God. We too entrust ourselves, with Coronavirus pandemic” differently.” full confidence, to the hands of God, and with one heart and one Grandpa: “Yes, I was.” Remember how our children will soul we pray: “Our Father…” remember these times. Help them Grandchild: “Wow. That must create happy memories of these **************************** have been horrible, Grandpa. We times, so that through the awful were learning about that at school headlines and emotional stories Pope Francis’ May this week. They told us about how that they may come to read in Prayer Intention: all the schools had closed. And future years – they may remember For Deacons: We pray that moms and dads couldn't go to the happy times. work so didn't have as much deacons, faithful in their service to money to do nice things”. It was tough as child in the the Word and the poor, may be an Philippines during WWII. But I invigorating symbol for the entire “They said that you weren't able have happy memories with my Church. to go and visit your friends and family. Thanks to my Mom and **************************** family and couldn't go out Dad. anywhere. They told us that the A joke a priest can tell… shops and stores ran out of lots of I pray that you and your loved things so you didn't have much ones are safe and healthy. God In the foyer of a church, a young bread, and flour, and toilet rolls”. bless you! boy was looking at a plaque with the names of men and women who “They said that summer holidays had died in various wars. were cancelled. And they told us Pope Francis invites all about all those thousands of people Christians to pray the He asked the pastor, “Who are that got very sick and who died. ‘Our Father’ these people?” They explained how hard all the The pastor said, “Those are doctors and nurses and all essential Amid the global crisis triggered by the COVID-19 Coronavirus members from our church who died workers worked, and that lots of in service.” them died, too. That must have pandemic, Pope Francis invites all been so horrible, Grandpa!” the Christians of the world, to pray The boy asked, “The early service together the Our Father, the prayer or the second service?” Grandpa - “Well, that is all correct. that Jesus taught us. And I know that, because I read **************************** about it when I was older. This is his prayer: Leandro (Lany) Tapay, Director But to tell you the truth, I “As trustful children we turn to the Gina Sergio, Program Coordinator remember it differently…” Father. We do it every day, several Visit us on the web at “I remember playing in the garden times a day; but right now we wish www.columbuscatholic.org to beg mercy for mankind, so sorely for hours with mom and dad and Follow us on Twitter having picnics outside and lots of tried by the Coronavirus pandemic. Like us on Facebook barbeques. I remember making And we do this together, Christians things and fishing with my Dad of every Church and Community, Follow us on Pinterest