Mary's Month of May

The Coronation of the Virgin, Fra Angelico

May is traditionally a time of growth in regard to nature, and for the Church at least some of Eastertide falls in May, and occasionally all of the month falls with in this great season. May has traditionally been associated with Our Lady, with a number of wonderful feast days: Our Lady of Fatima on 13th May, the Feast of the Queenship of Mary (31st May) according to the 1962 missal, and on the same date is celebrated the Visitation according to the modern missal. The Christian custon of dedicating this month to the Blessed Virgin Mary arose at the the end of the 13th Century, and over time various devotions have become associated with the month.

In 1954 Pope Pius XII issued the Papal Encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam some of which is reproduced here:

“...if Mary, in taking an active part in the work of salvation, was, by God's design, associated with Jesus Christ, the source of salvation itself, in a manner comparable to that in which Eve was associated with Adam, the source of death, so that it may be stated that the work of our salvation was accomplished by a kind of "recapitulation," in which a virgin was instrumental in the salvation of the human race, just as a virgin had been closely associated with its death; if, moreover, it can likewise be stated that this glorious Lady had been chosen Mother of Christ "in order that she might become a partner in the redemption of the human race"; and if, in truth, "it was she who, free of the stain of actual and original sin, and ever most closely bound to her Son, on Golgotha offered that Son to the Eternal Father together with the complete sacrifice of her maternal rights and maternal love, like a new Eve, for all the sons of Adam, stained as they were by his lamentable fall," then it may be legitimately concluded that as Christ, the new Adam, must be called a King not merely because He is Son of God, but also because He is our Redeemer, so, analogously, the Most Blessed Virgin is queen not only because she is Mother of God, but also because, as the new Eve, she was associated with the new Adam.

Certainly, in the full and strict meaning of the term, only Jesus Christ, the God-Man, is King; but Mary, too, as Mother of the divine Christ, as His associate in the redemption, in his struggle with His enemies and His final victory over them, has a share, though in a limited and analogous way, in His royal dignity. For from her union with Christ she attains a radiant eminence transcending that of any other creature; from her union with Christ she receives the royal right to dispose of the treasures of the Divine Redeemer's Kingdom; from her union with Christ finally is derived the inexhaustible efficacy of her maternal intercession before the Son and His Father.

In order to understand better this sublime dignity of the Mother of God over all creatures let us recall that the holy Mother of God was, at the very moment of her Immaculate Conception, so filled with grace as to surpass the grace of all the Saints. Wherefore, as Our Predecessor of happy memory, Pius IX wrote, God "showered her with heavenly gifts and graces from the treasury of His divinity so far beyond what He gave to all the angels and saints that she was ever free from the least stain of sin; she is so beautiful and perfect, and possesses such fullness of innocence and holiness, that under God a greater could not be dreamed, and only God can comprehend the marvel."

Coronation of the Virgin, Fra Angelico (Louvre)

Besides, the Blessed Virgin possessed, after Christ, not only the highest degree of excellence and perfection, but also a share in that influence by which He, her Son and our Redeemer, is rightly said to reign over the minds and wills of men. For if through His Humanity the divine Word performs miracles and gives graces, if He uses His Sacraments and Saints as instruments for the salvation of men, why should He not make use of the role and work of His most holy Mother in imparting to us the fruits of redemption? "With a heart that is truly a mother's," to quote again Our Predecessor of immortal memory, Pius IX, "does she approach the problem of our salvation, and is solicitous for the whole human race; made Queen of heaven and earth by the Lord, exalted above all choirs of angels and saints, and standing at the right hand of her only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, she intercedes powerfully for us with a mother's prayers, obtains what she seeks, and cannot be refused." On this point another of Our Predecessors of happy memory, Leo XIII, has said that an "almost immeasurable" power has been given Mary in the distribution of graces; St. Pius X adds that she fills this office "as by the right of a mother."

Let all Christians, therefore, glory in being subjects of the Virgin Mother of God, who, while wielding royal power, is on fire with a mother's love.

The happy birds Te Deum sing,

'Tis Mary's month of May;

Her smile turns winter into spring,

And darkness into day;

And there's a fragrance in the air,

The bells their music make,

And O the world is bright and fair,

And all for Mary's sake.

Where'er we seek the holy Child,

At every sacred spot,

We meet the Mother undefiled;

Who shun her seek him not:

At cloistered Nazareth we see.

At haunted Bethlehem,

The throne of Jesus, Mary's knee,

Her smile, his diadem.

The Daughter, Mother, Spouse of God,

None silence her appeal

Who long to tread where Jesus trod,

What Jesus felt to feel.

O, Virgin-born, from thee we learn

To love thy Mother dear;

Her teach us duly to discern.

And rightly to revere.

To love the Mother, people say,

Is to defraud the Son.

For them, alas, there dawns no May,

Until their hearts are won:

Then, when their hearts begin to burn.

Ah, then, to Jesus true,

And loving whom he loves, they learn

To love Saint Mary too.

How many are the thoughts that throng

On faithful souls to-day!

All year we sing our Lady's song,

'Tis still the song of May:

Magnificat! O may we feel

That rapture more and more;

And chiefly, Lord, what time we kneel

Thine altar-throne before.

'Tis then, when at thy feet we pray,

We share our Lady's mirth;

Her joy we know who hail to-day

Thy Eucharistic birth;

That trembling joy to Mary sent,

Ah, Christians know it well,

With whom in his dear sacrament

Their Saviour deigns to dwell.

Yes, Mary's month has come again,

The merry month of May;

And sufferers forget their pain,

And sorrows flee away,

And joys return, the hearts whose moan

Was desolate erewhile

Are blithe and gay - once more they own

The charm of Mary's smile.

Thy Son our Brother is, and we,

Whatever may betide,

A Mother, Mary, have in thee,

A guardian and a guide;

Thy smiles a tale of gladness tell

No words can ever say?

If but, like thee, we love him well,

The year will all be May.

All hail! An angel spake the words

We lovingly repeat;

The song-notes of the singing birds

They are not half so sweet:

This is a music that endures,

It cannot pass away,

For Mary's children it ensures

A never-ending May.

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Measuring the New Jerusalem - Beatus de Facundus

Today’s Gospel is taken from Jesus’ discourse at the Last Supper and is dominated by his coming departure. The final gift that Jesus leaves for his disciples is the gift of peace ‘a peace that the world cannot give.’ Sometimes we mistake this peace for our idea of quietness or tranquillity, but the peace the Jesus gives is a peace that can be found even in the midst of turmoil, as Jesus illustrated in the days following this discourse at the Last Supper.

Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace found frequently in the bible. Our English word ‘peace’ doesn’t adequately capture all that Shalom means. Shalom conveys a sense of completeness, an idea that nothing is lacking, Shalom is perfect wellbeing – perfect communion with God. This deep peace is a peace that we all desire, a peace that prevails even in times of stress and tension. How do we obtain this peace? Not by ordering our lives better, having a great diary system, looking after ourselves, or going for a massage. In the Gospel today Jesus tells us that this peace comes from God alone, it is God’s gift to us. If we are in relationship with God, if we are in union with God, then we will be blessed with the gift of peace, and as Jesus was able to offer this gift of peace to others because he possessed it, so also can we extend this gift to those around us, if we first receive this gift from God.

Evangelium Conference

Registration is open for the ninth Evangelium weekend residential conference on the theme of explaining the Catholic faith in the modern world, 29 – 31 July 2016.

Set in the beautiful grounds of the Oratory School in Reading, the acclaimed Evangelium Conference combines a unique weekend break with the opportunity to learn more about the Catholic faith, assisting participants to live, share, and defend the faith today. Talks and workshops are combined with daily Mass, Eucharistic adoration, and social events. The conference is intended especially for young Catholics age 18 – 35.

For  more details, and to book please visit the Evangelium website

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Christ washing Peter's feet, Ford Maddox Brown

“I give you a new commandment: love one another.

As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.”

As many commentators have pointed out, the command of love by itself is not new. The Old Testament already commanded one to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Lev 19:18). What is new here is to love as Jesus has loved, which is to love more than self.

The community of disciples that Jesus has formed and is forming, which can also be called “the Church” and “the Kingdom,” should be marked by this love:

“This is how all will know that you are my disciples,

if you have love for one another.”

Icon of the Last Supper

We see here how love is tied to evangelism: “This how all will know ... if you have love.” This is a truth we tend to forget. When we take up efforts for evangelization, we tend to think of strategies for outreach, of door-to- door canvassing, rallies, crusades, passing out brochures, parish missions, etc. All of things are fine, but more fundamental is whether the local Christian community actually demonstrates love for each other.

Is our local parish a community of love, or a religious centre where people greet each other in passing while heading in or out of worship? Is it any wonder, then, that the world doesn’t recognize us as the disciples of Jesus?

It is a hard saying. We have a great deal to do in order to implement our Lord’s command this day.

The latest version of our newsletter can be found here.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

The Good Shepherd, Bernhard Plockhurst

Good Shepherd Sunday

"Jesus said: ‘The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.’" Christ Himself is the Good Shepherd, who knows each one of His sheep, who gives His life for them and snatches them from the jaws of the marauding wolf. He is the true shepherd who fulfils Ezekiel's prophecy foretelling for Israel a shepherd from the end of time who was to deliver his people.

Christ's sheepfold is the Church. In the Church He bestows on us His life in the Sacraments, His word in the teaching that she gives us, all the riches of His grace to light up our way and uphold our steps as we go forward to our heavenly home; through her He acts as the one Shepherd of our souls. Appointed to lead the flock, Peter gave his life for those entrusted to his care, and ever since then the priestly ministry has assured the continuous presence in the Church of Him who remains the true Shepherd of our souls.

Mosaic from the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna

The Fourth Sunday of Easter marks the 53rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations instituted by Pope Paul VI in 1964. Parishes are especially encouraged to include prayers for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. We give thanks for all those who have given their lives to the Priesthood and ask that young men will continue to answer God’s calling so that Christ’s sheep may be nourished from the Lord’s table. May Our Lady of Vocations inspire vocation in many young people today.

The latest version of our newsletter can be found here.

Calendar of Events

We are offering a number of events in the coming months of this year of mercy. An elegant, printable, version of this calendar may be found here. A list of the most imminent of these events will appear in the left hand side-bar (non-mobile version).

8th May: Feast of the Ascension

15th May: Feast of Pentecost

22nd May: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, followed by Brunch

29th May: Feast of Corpus Christi

9th July: Group Pilgrimage to Arundel

15th August: Assumption of the B.V.M.

18th September: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, followed by Brunch

8th October: National Ordinariate Pilgrimage to Birmingham

28th-30th October: Reading Ordinariate Weekend Pilgrimage to Walsingham

27th November: First Sunday of Advent

Third Sunday of Easter

'Christ's charge to Peter' (Raphael)

There are two places in Scripture where the curious detail of a “charcoal fire” is mentioned. One is in today’s Gospel, where the Apostles return from fishing to find bread and fish warming on the fire. The other is in the scene in the High Priest’s courtyard on Holy Thursday, where Peter and some guards and slaves warm themselves while Jesus is being interrogated inside (see John 18:18). At the first fire, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, as Jesus had predicted (see John 13:38; 18:15-18, 25-27).

The Denial of Peter (Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1873)

Today’s charcoal fire becomes the scene of Peter’s repentance, as three times Jesus asks him to make a profession of love. Jesus’ thrice repeated command “Feed My sheep” shows that Peter is being appointed as the Shepherd of the Lord’s entire flock, the head of his Church (see also Luke 22:32). Jesus’ question: “Do you love me more than these?” is a pointed reminder of Peter’s pledge to lay down his life for Jesus, even if the other Apostles might weaken (see John 13:37; Matthew 26:33; Luke 22:33).

Jesus then explains just what Peter’s love and leadership will require, foretelling Peter’s death by crucifixion (“you will stretch out your hands”). Before his own death, Jesus had warned the Apostles that they would be hated as he was hated, that they would suffer as he suffered (see Matthew 10:16-19,22; John 15:18-20; 16:2).

The Crucifixion of Saint Peter (Ventura Salimbeni)

In Greek there are several different words translated by the one English word love. C.S. Lewis wrote wittily about them in “The Four Loves”. There is Storgé (affection) the quiet liking you might have for a neighbour who is agreeable and with whom you occasionally share a pleasantry. There is eros, a sensual or erotic love, the kind of love that can bond a couple along with their friendship and often leads to marriage. Then there is philia, meaning friendship, the admiring companionship we feel toward people with whom we share some significant interests. Finally there is agapé, which is largely generous and self-giving love, even when there is nothing tangible to be gained. (These are just generalised definitions and are not verified in every case for each of these terms). Like Peter, God wants us to love him. Can we do that in the sense of agape love – unselfish, all-giving? It is tough but we must work at truly loving God.

As usual our latest Newsletter can be found by following the link the left-hand sidebar, or here.