I love the Month of May, Mary's Month. I recall when I was a child my Mother used to encourage me to build a little May altar at home. I used especially to pick Bluebells in the woods to place in front of my little shrine. Several years ago I planted a packet of little seeds in our communal garden but nothing came up. I checked with a gardener at work and he told me that it takes several years for them to spring up. This years, I suppose five years later they have all sprung up at once! Beautiful. A little blue crowd which I take as a little sign from Mary.
May was always such a special month when I was a child. We used to have a wonderful May procession and crowing of the Mary statue in our convent school garden. We all wore white dresses, and wreaths that the sisters would make from the white flowers of the bridalwreath shrubs that grew in the gardens. My granddaughter made her First Holy Communion last Sunday, and it brought back sweet memories of my May procession days.
They seem like small things, but suddenly we realise they were not so small when we recall them years later. I heard a wise priest today say in regarding instructing very young children in how to pray that instead of long prayers, many prayers throughout the day. These historic rituals like the May Altar were superb for children.
My parish had our May Crowning and procession today. I teared up many times, watching the dozens and dozens of innocent children dressed in white dresses or suits, wearing flower wreaths, honoring Mary with joyful smiles on their faces. My son was one of the flag bearers, so very careful to keep his flag very straight. The little 7 year old boy carrying Mary's crown was so adorable; he was beaming ear to ear! There was a children's choir singing all the Latin Marian hymns, and hundreds of us in procession. There was Adoration after the Mass and crowning, and a potluck social afterwards. It was such a beautiful day!
How delightful! Wishing I was there! O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
That's what I was feeling the whole time...How happy Mary must have been to have all of those innocent children honoring her. A pocket of beauty and innocence in a world that's almost completely corrupt. These kids are mostly homeschooled, sweet, without airs, childlike even in their teens. So lovely.
Yes, PF, it is similar with my daughter, Rachel (as of now 4 children), who is associated with a group of about 25 home-schooled families who mostly attend the same parish south of LA. It is a Norbertine (think of Brian's son, Fra Silvan) parish in a warm climate. Last summer, when covid restrictions were intense and the number of parishioners limited, the home-schoolers would arrive en mass with chairs, set up a screen in the back parking lot to watch Holy Mass unseen from the road. The pastor would "sneak out" to offer them Holy Communion, though technically forbidden. Ah, the advantages of southern California! Bread of Life, save us!
You know, I was homeschooled so had much experience with homeschool families growing up...and it seems even among the homeschooled there are the innocent and the not-so-innocent. I've seen growing numbers of the latter, now that homeschooling is so popular within a variety of circles. In my old parish, I was surprised at how much like public schoolers many of the homeschooled were--wild, lacking manners, missing that childlikeness.. But these families at the TLM parish are of a different caliber. For one thing, these aren't just overtired moms with their kids. The fathers are present, and boy are they PRESENT. They're in leadership roles, holding doors open for women, dressed in suits, carrying children... During Mass there's a man at every entrance to the property, connected to each other with ear pieces, watching out for threats. They are reverent, strong, completely in their element...and their women look radiant, supported, loved. I think the men are the reason these children are the way they are: protected and cherished in their innocence, secure under the proper roles of their parents. My husband is wonderful...he loves God, prays with me and the kids, and has fallen in love with the TLM. I'm excited to see him flourishing in this environment, because he wasn't raised to be a leader or take much initiative. He's pretty much followed along with me spiritually but I'm hoping he'll take a step forward in confidence and become the actual spiritual leader of our home.
You are correct, PF. The father's role is crucial, though crosses come to every family. I have a wonderful distinct memory of my father at Holy Mass; as with every father, no one is perfect, but he was very faithful, dressed in his suit and tie. Anyway, I remember as a 10-yr-old looking to my left at the moment of the Consecration: my Dad with head bowed striking his breast and saying, "My Lord and my God"! St. Joseph, pray for us!
Thank you for sharing! It took me a long, long time to understand and value. When college aged (and Protestant) I was geared for conquering the Corporate world! I wanted the high-powered suits, the power lunches, the "grab the bull by the horns" scenarios; perks, lauds, celebrations. That was the Big '80s and I intended to rock it! It didn't matter to me if a man held a door for me (although if one did, I'd politely thank him and go through). Sadly my own father was not a good role model in this regard (he suffered from having lost his mother at age 6, and his father was a rough, uncaring workaholic with 8 other kids besides). Ah well. Better late than never, to understand and value. What lovely memories overall, in this thread!
