The month of May is dedicated to Mary the mother of Jesus.   There are many traditions associated with this month.  Children around the world can be found bringing beautiful spring flowers in procession and laying them in front of a statue of Mary.  There is often a coronation ceremony as well.  A crown of flowers is placed reverently on the head of Mary. 

Every afternoon in May, young people in the Philippines go to church to pray the rosary and offer flowers and songs to the Blessed Mother.  At the end of the month the young ladies of the town come out to portray the various titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, carrying her symbols in a procession. 

Students in your school might do the same.  For example, ask parents to help dress students as Mary appeared to Bernadette in Lourdes, or as Our Lady of Guadalupe my have looked to Juan Diego.  You could dress another in the same way Mary must have looked to the three children at Fatima.  You could also carry statues or pictures of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Queen of the Apostles, Mother of Jesus and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

One of the devotions closely associated with Mary is the Rosary.  It consists of fifteen decades, each having a “mystery” of meditation.

Five Joyful Mysteries

·         The Annunciation of Mary
·         The Visitation of Mary with her cousin Elizabeth
·         The Birth of Jesus
·         The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
·         The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

Five Sorrowful Mysteries             

Five Glorious Mysteries             

Invite students to create other “mysteries” for to make you own five decades of the rosary.  They could be moments or occasion in Mary’s life and Jesus’ life that you think are of importance.  Not long ago Pope John Paul II created a new “decade” of the Rosary he called the
“Mysteries of Light”.  They are:           

Here are some more examples….                                             

•  Mary herself knew what is in scripture about the “Messiah” coming, what the living God told Moses about the One who is to come.  At what point did Mary realize that her child was to become this “Messiah”?  When did she realize that the baby she carried is God himself entering into human history?   You have no idea when this moment occurred, but Mary does.  Say a decade of the Rosary in honor of this moment in Mary’s life.

•  At what moment did Mary realize what a great grace and gift her life was to be, living without the stain and implication of Original Sin … not being bothered by negativity at all?  When did she realize what a gift God had given her … that God would do such a thing for a human being?   At what point or moment did Mary realize the gift of her Immaculate Conception from her loving God?  You don’t know any of this, but Mary does.  Say a decade of the Rosary in honor of that moment in her life.

•  How must Mary have felt when she held the baby Jesus for the first time … only a woman and a mother can understand the emotion of that moment.   How many times did she wonder what was happening?  How much did she really know about this baby she gave birth to? You can’t know these thoughts and moments in Mary’s human life, but Mary herself knows them.  Say a decade of the Rosary in honor of these moments in her life with the baby Jesus.

•  What was it like to be assumed into heaven … to come to a specific moment in time when her earthly body would die, but, she didn’t die.  Instead, her body and soul was taken to heaven.  What was this moment of Assumption like?  You cannot have the slightest idea, but Mary does. Say a decade of the Rosary in honor of this moment in Mary’s life.

•  When did Mary fully realize the gifts given to her from the living God who created humanity?  She became the Queen of Heaven, Queen of All Saints, Mediatrix of all grace.  You would not have the slightest idea what went through her mind when she realized her place in salvation history, but Mary herself would have it in her memory. Say a decade in honor of that marvelous moment in her existence.