Mary – Queen of May

Mary is our loving mother. Her maternal heart is full of love and mercy for her beloved children. She is always waiting for us to turn to her for her motherly guidance. She constantly presents all our prayers to her dear son, Jesus. Mary is known as the “Gate of Heaven“. We need Mary to guide us to heaven so that we may not lose our way by falling into sin.

Just like our Pastor reminded us, we need to pray the Rosary every single day during the month of May. If you cannot pray the entire rosary with dedication, pray at least one decade with all your heart, and if a decade is not possible, recite at least one Hail Mary with complete devotion.

When we pray the Hail Mary, we ask our heavenly mother to intercede for us now and at the hour of our death. Yes, we need her powerful intercession during that fearful hour when all Hell itself will rise against us to grab our soul. Our merciful mother will help us during that fateful hour. We only need to pray to her without ceasing.

Some devotions to Mother Mary for the Month of May

1. Recite the Regina Coeli (during the Paschal Season) or Angelus (other days of the year) daily.
2. Recite the Rosary daily as a family. Remember to meditate on each mystery and to pray with all your heart and mind.
3. Recite the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary also known as the Litany of Loreto.
4. Attend Mass on First Saturday of the month or if not possible, on any other Saturday to honor our Mother.
5. Celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima on May 13th. You can pray a Novena to Our Lady of Fatima in preparation for her Feast.
6. Get Enrolled in The Brown Scapular.
7. Visit a Marian Shrine as a pilgrimage.
8. Prepare a Marian Altar in your home for the “Queen of May” with pictures/statues of Mother Mary and many flowers.
9. Celebrate May Crowning at your church or in your house by crowning a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary with a crown of flowers.
10. Celebrate the Feast of the Visitation on May 31st. Contemplate Mary’s ardent charity as she hurried to visit her cousin Elizabeth.

Marian Home Altar for the Month of May

Our Lady of Fatima (source)

Most Holy Virgin, who deigned to come to Fatima to reveal to the three little shepherds the treasures of graces hidden in the recitation of the Rosary,
inspire our hearts with a sincere love of this devotion,
so that by meditating on the mysteries of our redemption that are recalled in it,
we may gather the fruits and obtain the conversion of sinners,
the conversion of Russia and this favor which I so earnestly seek,

(Mention your Request)

which I ask of thee in this novena, for the greater Glory of God,
for thine own honor and for the good of all people.
Amen.

Pray 3 sets of : Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.

“O my Jesus, it is for love of thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary I offer this sacrifice for Thee.”

Let us offer this above prayer in our day-to-day life whenever we make a sacrifice for the love of Jesus.

O Most Holy Trinity, I adore Thee! My God, my God, I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Let us use this beautiful prayer to praise and adore the Most Blessed Sacrament in all the tabernacles of the world.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Renowned offspring of David, pray for us.
Light of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph most just, pray for us.
Joseph most chaste, pray for us.
Joseph most prudent, pray for us.
Joseph most strong, pray for us.
Joseph most obedient, pray for us.
Joseph most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of artisans, pray for us.
Glory of home life, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of families, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of demons, pray for us.
Protector of Holy Church, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us!

V. He made him the lord of his household.
R. And prince over all his possessions.

Let us pray
O God, Who in thine your ineffable Providence didst vouchsafe to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Thy most holy Mother; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may have for our advocate in Heaven him whom we venerate as our Protector on earth, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe (source)

O Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “Greater love than this no man has that a man lay down his life for his friends,” through the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe whose life illustrated such love, we beseech you to grant us our petitions.
(Mention your requests)

Through the Militia of the Immaculata movement, which Maximilian founded, he spread a fervent devotion to Our Lady throughout the world. He gave up his life for a total stranger and loved his persecutors, giving us an example of unselfish love for all men – a love that was inspired by true devotion to Mary.
Grant, O Lord Jesus, that we too may give ourselves entirely without reserve to the love and service of our Heavenly Queen in order to better love and serve our fellowman in imitation of your humble servant, Maximilian. Amen.

(Say 3 Hail Marys and a Glory Be)

Keep them, I pray Thee, dearest Lord, keep them, for they are Thine -
Thy priests whose lives burn out before Thy consecrated shrine.
Keep them, for they are in the world, though from the world apart.
When earthly pleasures tempt, allure, Shelter them in Thy heart.
Keep them, and comfort them in hours of loneliness and pain.
When all their life of sacrifice for souls seems but in vain.
Keep them, and Oh, remember, Lord They have no one but Thee;
Yet they have only human hearts, with human frailty.
Keep them as spotless as the Host that daily they caress.
Their every thought and word and deed,
Deign, dearest Lord, to bless.
Amen.

Heavenly Father and God of mercy,
we no longer look for Jesus among the dead,
for He is alive and has become the Lord of Life.
From the waters of death
you raise us with Him and renew your gift of life within us.
Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ
and help us to grow as your people
toward the fullness of eternal life with you.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen

Saint Gianna Beretta Molla

Novena To Obtain Graces Through the Intercession of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla

God, our Father, You have granted to Your church the gift of St. Gianna Beretta Molla. In her youth she lovingly sought You and drew other young people to You, involving them, through apostolic witness and Catholic Action, in the care of the sick and aged, to help and comfort them.

We thank You for the gift of this young woman, so deeply committed to You. Through her example grant us the grace to consecrate our lives to Your service, for the joy of our brothers and sisters.

Glory be …

Jesus, Redeemer of mankind, You called Saint Gianna to exercise the medical profession as a mission for the comfort of bodies and souls. In her suffering fellow men and in the little ones, deprived of all support, she saw You.

We thank You for having revealed Yourself to this servant as “one who serves” and who soothes the sufferings of men. Treasuring her example may we become generous Christians at the service of our brothers and sisters, especially those with whom You deign to share Your Cross.

Glory be …

God, Sanctifying Spirit, who love the Church as Your Bride, You poured into the heart of Saint Gianna a share of Your Love so that she could radiate it in her family, and thus cooperate with You in the wonderful plan of creation, and give life to new children who could know and love You.

We thank You for this model wife and, through her encouraging witness, we beg You to grant to our families the serene and Christian presence of mothers committed to transform their homes into cenacles of faith and love, rich with generous activity and sanctifying service.

Glory be …

O God, Creator and lover of mankind, You were close to Saint Gianna when, affected by illness, she was in the painful dilemma of choosing between her own life and the life of the child whom she was carrying in herself, a gift long-awaited. Trusting You alone, and aware of Your Commandment to respect human life, Gianna found the courage to do her duty as a mother and to say “yes” to the new life of her baby, generously sacrificing her own. Through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Jesus, and after the example of Gianna, inspire all mothers to welcome with love the sparkle of new life.

Grant us the grace we are praying for (mention your intention) and the joy to find an inspiration in Saint Gianna who, as a model spouse and mother, after the example of Christ, gave up her life for the life of others.

Hail Mary…

Our Lady of Sorrows

Most holy and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, who stood beneath the cross, witnessing the agony of your dying Son, look with a mother’s tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before thee. To whom shall I recourse in my needs and miseries if not to thee, O Mother of Mercy? Thou hast drunk so deeply of the chalice of thy Son that thou canst compassionate all our sorrows. I venerate thy sorrows and I place my requests
with filial confidence in the sanctuary of thy wounded heart. (Mention your request)

Present them, I beseech thee, on my behalf to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred passion and death, together with your sufferings at the foot of the Cross. Through the united efficacy of both thy Son’s sufferings and thy own, obtain the granting of my petition.

Holy Mather, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of thy Divine Son, intercede for me and obtain for me from Jesus this favor, if it be for His honor and glory, and for my good. Amen.