Welcome to May, the month of Our Lady.  The two festivals this month honoring Mary will appear in the shadow of two major festivals, so they might be overlooked.  Her feast under the title of Our Lady of Fatima falls on the 13th, this year, Rogarion Wednesday or the Vigil of Ascension.  And her feast day under the title of Our Lady Help of Christians, falling on the 24th, which this year is the Day of Pentecost, commonly known as Whitsunday.  In keeping these major celebrations remember to honor Our Lady as well with proper devotion and prayer.

The earliest recorded vision of Our Lady is probably that of S. Gregory Thaumatugus (c. 270), recorded in a panegyric by S. Gregory of Nyssa.  The most modern apparitions are her appearances to S. Bernadette at Lourdes (1858) and to the three children at Fatima in Portugal (1917).  Very well known in our hemisphere is Mary’s appearance at Guadalupe to the Mexican peasant Juan Diego in 1531.

Remember to keep in your prayers our preparations for the Walsingham Festival and Pilgrimage which will be held at Saint James’ parish on the first Saturday in June, the 6th.  May our efforts always be grounded in prayer that God will bless us as we seek to honor the blessed Mother of His incarnate Son in bearing witness to Him who is our and her Savior.

Blessed Easter