I’ve been doing these monthly posts every month, for so long (9 or 10 years), that I am starting to feel the need to shake it up somehow…maybe literally? What if I come up with a bunch of ideas regarding the monthly themes, and pick them out of a hat (or a plastic cup)? Let me make a list of what these could be:
1) Refer to an old post on this blog.
2) What does the old Catholic Encyclopedia have to say?
3) What does Fr. John Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary have to say?
4) What does the Catechism have to say?
5) What have the Church Fathers or saints had to say about this topic?
6) What about Holy Scripture?
7) Has the Church made official pronouncements related to the theme?
8) Can I recommend some books or other products?
9) Is there a traditional hymn?
10) Is there text from the Mass, a prayer or a devotion?
11) What does EWTN have to say?
12) What does the Vatican News have to say?
13) What about history relating to this monthly dedication?
14) How does the theme relate to the Liturgical Calendar (this could be challenging)?
15) How does it relate to the Pro-Life cause?
16) Is there an apostolate or religious order dedicated to this person or gift of our Faith?
17) Is there a location we could focus on?
18) Can we come up with new ideas on how to celebrate the theme in a family or seasonal way? Can we work it into our homeschooling?
Okay, I am liking this idea, so let’s put it into action RIGHT NOW! I will have my husband Don pick it out of a cup (they will be eliminated as we go)…..
He Picked Traditional Hymn!
That is such a great (and easy) one for Our Lady. It’s important for us to learn prayers in Latin, and here is a great one below. The Latin language is lyrical by nature, and lends itself to song. The words here are so beautiful, they speak to the glory of the Mother of God. Simply articulating these words seems to open up the clouds…
Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria”
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.
In this month of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we celebrate Our Lady of Fatima on the 13th, which is the date of her first apparition. This year, this is also the Vigil of the Ascension and a Lesser Rogations Day. Are we to be joyful or penitential? You decide. We have one more Marian feast in the post-conciliar calendar, Mary Mother of the Church, on the 25th (which is also +Memorial Day+ and within the Octave of Pentecost in the trad). It is fitting that Mothers Day is in Our Lady’s month and don’t forget Saint Monica on the 4th, known for being the great mother of Saint Augustine.
As touched upon above, the Ascension of Our Lord, Ascension Thursday, is the 14th, with some dioceses transferring it to Sunday, the 17th. Pentecost Sunday is the 24th (with a vigil) and the Most Holy Trinity, the 31st.
This is an interesting month, in that we have both the Lesser Rogation Days and the Ember Days (being more specific to the seasons). Double prayer and penance, 3 days each (do a search on this blog for more info).
The US Armed Forces Day is the 16th. Please remember our young men and women in prayer.
We can take all these opportunities this month to pray and sacrifice for world peace and an abatement of the looming energy, supply and food crisis, what we might call polycrises or multi-front attack vectors (some entity is pulling the strings to create a perfect storm, if you are paying attention, this is very obvious…and that entity is ultimately Satan). Our Lady of Fatima, to whom this ministry is dedicated and who we honor this month, gave us the antidote to these times in her requests!
Some other notable feasts this month:
5th-Pope Saint Pius V
11th-Saints Philip & James, Apostles
11th to 13th-Lesser Rogations
15th-Saint Isidore the Farmer (we like him, post-con) Saint Isidore, pray for those who are now vulnerable to hunger, due to the lack of, or the expense of fertilizer or other needed supplies in food production and transport.
18th-Pope Leo XIV, Inauguration Anniversary
27th, 29th, 30th-Ember Days of the Coming Summer
*** Prepper Challenge for Spring ***
With current events in mind, it’s the same as it was for March & April...Make a plan!