Blessed are You Among Women

“The month of May is here, a month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. Our heart rejoices at the thought of the moving tribute of faith and love, which will soon be paid to the Queen of Heaven in every corner of the earth. For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God's merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother's throne.” (ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PAUL VI, MENSE MAIO, April 29,1965)

This month, one of the most beautiful of the year, is entirely dedicated to Mary. The reviving nature, gorgeous greenery, flowers, and warm sun strive to reflect, even if minimally, the beauty of the Mother of the Church, who in May especially grants the faithful invaluable favors (Graces). The history of devotion to the Mother of God dates back to the fifth century, when in the Eastern Church, the faithful gathered together to worship the Mother of God. At that time, an ardent advocate and apostle of the new service was St. Cyril of Alexandria, defender of the Divine Motherhood of Mary.

Initially, May was not the only significant month dedicated to Mary. Everything changed at the turn of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries when the Spanish King Alfonso X proposed that May be devoted to the Mother of God specially. The king recommended that, in the evenings, the faithful gather together and pray next to the figure of Mary. Another important advocate of the May prayer was Bl. Henry Suzo. History says that this blessed Dominican collected flowers himself, laid them on the altar, and placed a crown of roses on the head of the Blessed Virgin, all as a sign of his great love for Mary. The May service spread quickly, to the extent that by the 15th century, they were already practiced in Spain, Portugal, the Rhineland, Central America, and Italy.

An essential point in the history of the prayer service is the book published in 1549 by Wolfgang Seidel, entitled "Spiritual May." It is in this publication that, for the first time, May was officially called the "Month of Mary." Two Jesuits, Father Ansolani and Father Hannibal Dionisi, played a significant role in the development of this devotion. The first is considered the author of the contemporary form of devotion, and he was the first to bless the faithful with the Blessed Sacrament after the prayer. The second Jesuit, Father Hannibal Dionisi, collected and systematized all signs and prayers of devotion to the Virgin Mary, and then published a work entitled "Month of Mary," which had 18 editions in its first 70 years. Father Dionisi warmly suggested in his work that "in May," we adorn the altars of the Mother of God with beautiful flowers, come together for daily prayer, dedicate a little spiritual time each day to the Mother of God, and immerse ourselves in the reflections on Mary's life. At the start of the 18th century, the May service shifted into a public celebration, evolving from its previous private nature in Marian devotion. This wonderful change was inspired mainly by Father Alfons Muzzarelli, who dedicated his life to nurturing love and reverence for the Mother of God. Since Pope Pius VII issued the bull that granted a plenary indulgence for these beautiful religious practices, we can truly see the remarkable blossoming of Marian devotion.

Litany of Loreto
The central part of the May service is the Loreto Litany, one of the great hymns in honor of Mary, which praises her virtues and privileges bestowed by God. The Loreto Litany originated in the 12th century, probably in France, and was officially approved in 1587 by Pope Sixtus. Although it is often prayed privately, especially after the Rosary, the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary is distinguished as one of only six litanies approved for public recitation by the Holy See. The name "Loreto" is derived from the city of Loreto in Italy, where it was particularly propagated and prayed. The phrase "Pray for us" after each supplication gives this prayer a contemplative form, not merely a collection of words, but rather a reflection of the richness of the titles and attributes of the Holy Mother. In these invocations, the Church brings to our attention the dignity of humanity, motherhood, family, and love, beautifully embodied in earthly life by Mary. We admire her and, above all, strive to imitate her. This is the task of each of us. The willingness to recite the Litany is often attributed to Mary's closeness to each of us. She is Mother and Queen to us.
The official text of the Loreto Litany approved by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments contains 52 calls. Its invocations to our Blessed Mother include titles given to her by the early Church Fathers in the first few centuries of Christianity. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary has also been set to music (as the Litany of Loreto) by such celebrated composers as Palestrina, Charpentier, and Mozart.

 “May it be a month of intense prayer with Mary!”
On May 1, 2002, Saint John Paul II asked us: “Today we begin the month dedicated to Our Lady, a favorite of popular devotion. In accord with a longstanding tradition of devotion, parishes and families continue to make the month of May a "Marian" month, celebrating it with many devout liturgical, catechetical, and pastoral initiatives!
May it be a month of intense prayer with Mary! This is the wish I wholeheartedly formulate for each of you, Brothers and Sisters, recommending to you once again the daily prayer of the Rosary. It is a simple and repetitive prayer, but very profitable for drawing us into the mysteries of Christ and of his and our Mother. It is also a way of praying that the Church knows is pleasing to Our Lady. We are invited to use it, especially in the more difficult moments of our earthly pilgrimage”.

Pope Francis also encouraged the faithful to pray the Rosary during May, “when the People of God express with particular intensity their love and devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary.”  In a Letter for the Month of May, published on the feast of St Mark the Evangelist (April 25, 2020), the Pope notes that it is a tradition to pray the Rosary at home with family during this month. He proposes that everyone “rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May,” whether individually or as a group. The Pope says, “Contemplating the face of Christ with the heart of Mary our Mother will make us even more united as a spiritual family […].”

 The month of May is already underway, so let us remember the words of Pope Paul VI, which he included in the Mense Maio Encyclical: "Let, then, in Mary's month, Venerable Brothers, plead to the Mother of God, with greater zeal and confidence, to plead for her grace and gifts. (...) God appointed the Blessed Virgin a generous steward of his gifts. (...) Let Mary kindly listen to the pious voices that rise to her from the earth. "

 Bearing in mind the above words of the Holy Father, let us try to remember our families, praying for their holiness and mutual love, reconciliation, and consent.

 Let's make our home a place of prayer to the Mother of God and our Mother. Let's gather together to pray the Rosary and the Litany of Loreto.

Remember:

M - Mother
A – Always
R – Respond
Y – Yes

Fr. george