Dear Friends,
As today is Mother’s Day, I want to salute all the mothers of the parish for all that they have done for their children and all that they continue to do for their children (and grandchildren as well). It has been said that there is perhaps no nobler calling in life than to be a mother, for a mother participates in the most direct way with God in bringing new life into the world, nurturing it and caring for it, even as children grow older and become adults. We also salute women who, though they do not have children of their own, act as mothers and caregivers. We remember, too, all deceased mothers.
Of course, since it is the month of May, a month traditionally dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God and also the Mother of the Church, as declared by the Second Vatican Council, we encourage all to foster a devotion to Mary, for her closeness to her Son places her in a unique position as an advocate for us. There are many worthy prayers and devotions within the treasury of the Church that are dedicated to Mary, chief among them being the Rosary, perhaps the most powerful of all prayers apart from the Mass itself and the other sacraments. It is edifying to me to see a steady number of people in the parish who pray the Rosary faithfully and fervently after Masses both at St. Mary and at St. Agnes. In addition to the Rosary, there are devotions to Mary under various titles, such as novena prayers dedicated to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal or Our Lady, Untier of Knots (a devotion promoted by none other than Pope Francis himself). I would encourage you to look into those as well. I also encourage you to consider participating in the weekly Novena of the Miraculous Medal which is prayed Monday evenings at St. Mary’s at 7:30. That service of prayer includes not only the novena prayers but also the recitation of the Rosary as well as the Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. There is also time for quiet prayer.
I wish to clarify what was announced regarding the practice of saying the Prayer to St. Michael. I have nothing against the prayer or against devotion to St. Michael. To the contrary, I warmly encourage personal prayer and pious practices of whatever kind as long as they are sound and in keeping with the tradition and teachings of the Church. The principle behind my decision to discontinue reciting the Prayer to St. Michael after Mass is grounded in an important distinction between liturgical prayer and private prayer. Liturgical prayer is the public, formal and most powerful prayer that the Church can offer and it reaches its zenith in the Mass, the most perfect and all-sufficient of prayers, needing nothing added to it, or, God forbid, taken from it. We are obligated to participate in liturgical prayer if we are practicing Catholics. Private prayer is just that, private, personal, and it has numerous options. In deciding to discontinue the Prayer to St. Michael after Mass, I in no way am banning it. As with other prayers and pious practices, I encourage it and welcome those who wish to recite the prayer, even in a group, to do so after Mass, once the final hymn has been completed. Those who do not wish to do so have the option of leaving. This practice more effectively stresses the importance of the Mass in itself and still allows everyone to make a choice regarding what other prayers they may like to pray.
A matter of housekeeping is in order. Next weekend, I am happy to say, the St. Mary School Carnival returns after a two-year hiatus. With that in mind, those who usually attend the 4:30 Mass on Saturday at St. Mary’s might well consider going to St. Agnes at 5:00 next week as there will likely be a limit on parking here on Gulf Street.