Mother’s Day

Thank you to all those who were able to join us online today on Zoom for our Mother’s Day Liturgy. Even though it is very different to our typical school gathering and celebration, we had a beautiful moment of prayer together.

On Sunday, we celebrate those women in our lives who model God’s unconditional love for us. We also remember, in a special way our mothers who are no longer with us; those who have died and those who are separated from their children. On Mother’s Day this year we recognise and thank all the mothers and mother figures who inspire us, provide care, wisdom and generosity to those in their care. Have a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Month of May for Mary

Pope Francis has asked us to make a special effort in May to pray the Rosary. By doing so we will be united with believers around the world, asking for Mary’s intercession in stopping the coronavirus pandemic. “Contemplating the face of Christ with the heart of Mary, our mother, will make us even more united as a spiritual family and will help us overcome this time of trial,” the Pope said in a letter addressed to all Catholics and released by the Vatican on 25th April. The month of May is traditionally devoted to Mary and many Catholics already are in the habit of praying the rosary at home during the month, he noted. “The restrictions of the pandemic have made us come to appreciate all the more this ‘family’ aspect, also from a spiritual point of view.” “You can decide according to your own situations” whether to pray individually or in groups, he said, noting that “it is easy also on the internet to find good models of prayers to follow.” (source - St Benedict’s Parish Bulletin, Sunday 3rd May 2020)

 The May for Mary challenge: a list of prayer intentions for each day of May.

(source – MN Catholic Youth Facebook

How to Pray the Rosary

1. On the crucifix, make the sign of the cross and then pray the Apostles’ Creed.
2. On the next large bead, say the Our Father.
3. On the following three small beads, pray three Hail Marys.
4. On the chain, pray the Glory Be.
5. On the large bead, meditate on the first mystery and pray the Our Father.
6. On the ten beads after that, pray a Hail Mary on each bead; on the chain, pray a Glory Be.

Repeat Steps 5 and 6 four more times to finish the next four decades.

Say the Hail Holy Queen: Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Concluding Prayer: O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation; grant we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.