Sacramentum is a series devised by the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, exploring the sacraments of the Catholic Church and other aspects of parish life and Catholic devotion. In this reflection, Sr. Connie Harkin, SSND details the ways we can honour the Blessed Virgin Mary this month and this year.

We are now in the midst of May. Check your gardens, your flower boxes, your flower beds. What do you see peeking through the soil? Do you see God’s creation coming forth and presenting us with colour and beauty? Indeed, this month holds many surprises for us!

In our Church, May has traditionally been referred to as the month of Our Blessed Mother Mary. She is and can be a model of faith and trust in God. As Catholics, we acknowledge Mary as blessed among all women and we honour her as the Mother of Our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

In Luke’s Gospel we read of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary. His message perplexes Mary, and the angel reassures her that she has found favour with God. Her humble, sincere response comes from a deep confidence in God: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

The angel then told Mary of her cousin Elizabeth, who also was with child. Mary went with haste to visit and assist her cousin. This gesture of Mary reveals how she was attentive to the needs of others and ready to respond with great care and respect. She sang out her thanksgiving to God in the Magnificat – hymn of praise – which is now included in Vespers, the Evening Prayer of the Church.

Another event in the story of the life of Mary occurs at the Wedding at Cana (John 2: 1-12). When it was realized that the wine had run out, Mary expressed this concern to her son, Jesus. He was quick to note that His hour had not yet come. Yet, Mary told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” We, too, are encouraged to reach out, to pray for Mary’s intercession in our time of need and giving thanks to God.

There are few words spoken by Mary or quoted in our Scriptures. And yet, what we read and hear inspires us to be open to the Holy Spirit working in our lives. Her words are powerful, dynamic, yet profound. In the Gospel of John, at the foot of the Cross, we read how Mary stood with John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, as they listened to the words of her dying Son (John 19:25-28) – “Woman, here is your son”. Then Jesus said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” Who could be a better exemplar of courage for all women than our Blessed Mother, Mary? From that moment, Jesus entrusted His mother to us. We, too, then became her children.

Many of us have or had mothers who were nearby when we were not feeling well, when we fell off our bicycles, when her daring scream was able to scare off the dog about to attack us, or when we were in need of comfort to heal hurt feelings. Our mothers seemed to be always nearby to offer the assistance we needed. And what a consolation that can be!

A recent Memorial has been added to our liturgical calendar, namely, Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. This new feast will be celebrated henceforth on the Monday after the feast of Pentecost. What a beautiful reminder for those who are and those who desire to be a part of the Church – to have Mary, our Mother, as one who continues to care and protect us.

Throughout the liturgical year, we have celebrations in tribute to Mary. Musicians have produced various compositions to sing in honor of Mary. Artists throughout the years have depicted Mary in portraits related to these feasts. It is worth noting that there are practices to assist our devotion to Mary: namely, the recitation of the Rosary, with reflection on Joyful, Sorrowful Glorious, Luminous Mysteries in the lives of Jesus and Mary; we pray Litanies which highlight some titles attributed to Mary, e.g. Cause of our joy; Mother of Good Counsel; Comforter of the Afflicted; Queen of Families – to name a few.During our Lenten Season, we could pray with various written booklets of the Way of the Cross. One of these was composed by Richard Furey, CSsR, ”Mary’s Way of the Cross” – an excellent, prayerful reflection of the last journey of Jesus through Our Blessed Mother’s eyes. Another devotional practice is to engage in the reflection of the deep suffering Mary experienced alongside Her Son, Jesus, through her Seven Sorrows, namely: Simeon’s Prophecy; Flight into Egypt; Losing Jesus in the Temple; Jesus Carrying of the Cross; Jesus’ Death on the Cross; Jesus’ Body taken down from the Cross; Jesus’ Burial. We may never have to experience what Mary underwent. Yet, she, once again becomes a model of surrender and trust in God as she stored all these things in her heart.

The Church has acknowledged several sites where Mary made her presence known. Pilgrims from all over the world visit these sacred sites and places of devotion. One such location is as Lourdes, France where, in 1858, Our Blessed Mother appeared several times to Bernadette Soubirous. Upon questioning the identity of this woman, Bernadette was able to receive the message, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” This led to the approval of this apparition by the Church. In this month of May, we recall when Our Lady appeared to three young children at Fatima on May 13, 1917. Peace was lacking on all sides as the world was at war. Mary’s message to the children and to us was the need to pray for world peace. How timely for our world to pay attention to this message now in 2025!

We do not have to travel too far to honour Mary. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we have been encouraged to visit and to offer the “Mary, the Exemplar of Hope” prayer and reflection before any of the Marian Churches and/or Marian grottoes we find in our Archdiocese. Are we blessed to know that if our Churches have a statue or an icon of Mary, they also become a place of “pilgrimage”? What a beautiful, memorable summer outing!

Is it not amazing that in this month of May, we celebrate Mother’s Day? As mentioned, Mary is our Mother! Let us also remember our own mothers, those women who encourage us to grow, to be the best version of ourselves, to be present with genuine care and concern for our well-being, and to invite us to develop a relationship with our God. In the Litany of Mary, we ask for her intercession as we pray “Mother of Mercy ”.What a beautiful way to pray to Our Blessed Mother for those women who may have hurt us in word or in deed. Can we humbly ask Mary to find ways to open our closed hearts?

In the 17th century, St. Louis de Montfort encouraged devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. One of his phrases has stayed with us and is ever timely in honouring her: To Jesus through Mary. Our Beloved Mother is there to show us the way. With her as our Guide, our Exemplar, we cannot lose our way.

Life comes with its pivotal events and decisions. Mary our Blessed Mother was certainly not immune from such in her life. We may never have to experience what she underwent, but she continues to be the model of prayer and trust in God. May we unite our prayers with hers when she invites us to “do whatever Her Son tells us.” This simple but profound statement made by Our Blessed Mother Mary holds great significance in many aspects of our lives. As School Sisters of Notre Dame (“Our Lady”), we, too, continue to reflect on this mantra as we strive to respond to her Son’s call “to deepen communion with God and among people wherever we are – in every place, in every time, in every situation.” (YAS, Const. #9) With Mary as our Model, “we come before God willing to be changed, to accept our mission more intensely, and to respond to God’s continuing call to mission” (Call of the 25th SSND General Chapter).

Let us, then, in this wonderful month of May, take the opportunity to come to know and reflect on the role of Mary, Our Blessed Mother in our lives. Let us make a “joyful noise unto the Lord” as we sing hymns in her honour. Can we – you and I -also take to heart the words of a prayer which we often recite and even sing, from time to time, at the conclusion of the recitation of the Rosary, namely, Hail Holy Queen or Salve Regina: “Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Amen.”

This powerful invocation for Mary’s help and the assurance of her compassion are truly comforting. Reflecting on the apparitions and numerous miracles attributed to her, one cannot help but feel the warmth of Mary’s motherly embrace.

In this month of May, let us seek out ways to increase our awareness and devotion to Mary, bring us ever closer to her and her Divine Son, Jesus. She is ever with us – we only need to trust and to believe. After all, the Blessed Virgin Mary is our Queen, our Mother, our love – and her blessings always come from above!