In May, we continue to celebrate the Easter Season, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. We will also experience the historic Papal Conclave as Pope Francis' successor is elected. Look To Him and Be Radiant has resources for May 2025! https://www.looktohimandberadiant.com/
Are you on Spotify? Saint Joseph the Worker Parish has created several playlists for various seasons and themes. Listen to their 2025 Easter playlist on Spotify, filled with uplifting hymns and songs to celebrate this glorious season. You can also find their past Easter playlists from 2024, 2023, and 2022 for more uplifting music for the season. Enjoy these playlists in your times of personal prayer, as you work, or together with others, as sounds to remind us of the joy of the Resurrection!
The King of Kings is in Theatres! The King of Kings is a family-friendly film by Angel Studios, at Landmark Cinemas 8 Grant Park (1120 Grant Avenue) starting April 11th! In this inspiring story, a father shares the greatest story ever told with his son, turning a bedtime tale into a life-changing journey. Through the boy’s imagination, he walks alongside Jesus, witnesses His miracles, faces His trials, and comes to understand His ultimate sacrifice. This movie invites us to deepen our understanding of hope, love, and redemption through the lens of a child. Experience the story of Christ in a new and heartfelt way! For more information, visit https://www.angel.com/watch/king-of-kings.
The Kids’ Bulletin is a free resource for Catholic families who would like to have some fun while learning about the readings from the Sunday Mass every week. They are made by a Canadian mom who is happy to share them with anyone who can use them to help learn or teach about the truth and beauty of the Faith.
St. Joseph doesn't say a word in Scripture, but that doesn't mean he wasn't important. Libby fills us in on exactly why Scripture describes St. Joseph as a righteous man and how he can help us out today. (2:39 minutes, Catholic Central)
Thomas and Helen teach their children about how St. Joseph, was a protector of the family and an example of faith and obedience to God. (22:52 minutes, EWTN)
Click here for an article and a short audio reflection from Franciscan Media.
Look to Him and Be Radiant has great resources to celebrate Saint Joseph.
Here are some links below from Kate at https://www.looktohimandberadiant.com/
Holy Heroes: 21 Ways to Pray a Family Rosary - Holy Heroes shares 21 ways for you and your family to pray the Rosary, honor Our Lady and grow as a domestic church.
Catholic Icing: Honouring Mary in the Month of May With Kids - Lacey of Catholic Icing shares some Catholic traditions to help you and your family honour Mary this May.
Catholic Sprouts: A Child's Mary Garden (with free printable statues) - Nancy of Catholic Sprouts shares her experience of creating a Mary Garden with her children and shares resources to help you do the same.
Real Life at Home: Cut and Paste Hail Mary Prayer Printable (free worksheets) - Angie Kauffman of Real Life at Home shares a free printable cut and paste Hail Mary Prayer printable to help your little ones learn the Hail Mary Prayer.
Click here for Mary resources from CARFLEO (Catholic Association of Religious and Family Life Educators of Ontario).
Look to Him and Be Radiant has many crafts (free printables) for school-aged children and youth to learn and pray with Mary. the resource list can be found by clicking here.
Here are just a few:
Catholic Icing offers many other ways to celebrate Mary, check out Lacy's list by clicking here.
Mary's not God, but she's super important. In “Catholic Central: Mary” Kai and Libby look at the Jewish girl who said “Fiat!” (Latin for “Let It be done”), became Jesus’ mother and His first disciple, and, per Christ’s edict from the Cross, mother to us all. We learn that she’s venerated, not worshiped; asked to pray for us; and makes occasional appearances to the faithful to achieve her one mission: bringing people closer to her Son. (6:58 minutes, Catholic Central)
Edward Sri, presenter of the study program A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother, takes a closer look at what has been called the most important event in salvation history, the Annunciation. See the place where the Archangel Gabriel came to announce to Mary that she would become the Mother of God, and discover in depth the meaning behind the angel’s greeting, “Hail, full of grace!” Dr. Sri explores the Scriptures to show the great significance of the event that changed Mary’s life forever. (4:49 minutes, Ascension Press)
Filmed in the home of Mary, Part 2 of Ascension Presents’ series on Mary focuses on the dogma of the Immaculate Conception and how it is rooted in the Archangel Gabriel’s greeting, “Hail, full of grace.” Dr. Edward Sri explains why this biblical support of the Church’s teaching doesn't take away from Christ’s saving power, but shows how Mary received God's salvation at the point of her conception. God gave Mary this special grace so she could be the holy vessel who held his son. Taken from Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother. 3:28 minutes, Ascencion Press)
In this third part of Ascension Presents’ Mary study, Dr. Edward Sri, presenter of A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother explains why the Catholic Church teaches that Mary remained a virgin throughout her life. Dr. Sri points out that Jesus is called the “firstborn son” of Mary in Luke 2:7 not because Mary had other children, but because to be the firstborn son had such great significance in Jewish tradition. He also refutes the popular belief that Jesus had brothers, explaining that the term for “brother” is used quite often in the Bible while refering to extended family. He concludes with the greatest biblical proof for Mary’s perpetual virginity, John 19, when Jesus entrusts his mother to the care of the Apostle John. Dr. Sri argues that if Mary had other children Jesus would have entrusted his mother to them instead. (4:39 minutes, Ascension Press)
Ascension Presents continues its study on Mary through the month of May in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Saint Mary, the traditional spot of her assumption. Dr. Edward Sri, the presenter of Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother, explains that even though there is no biblical reference to Mary’s assumption, Scripture does tell us that other biblical characters such as Enoch and Elijah were taken up into heaven after living holy lives. Mary’s assumption into heaven shows that she shared in her son’s victory over death. Since she was the first in the New Testament to hear God’s word and remained faithful throughout her life, it’s only fitting that she should go ahead of us. Taken from Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother. 4:52 minutes, Ascension Press)
Mary has a unique and privileged place in salvation history and in the Church. Because she responded yes to becoming the Mother of God, she is our first model of discipleship and our model of grace and trust in God.
Download The Story of Mary Book (PDF)
Mary: The Yes That Changed the World
Special Diocesan Mass on May 1st - Consecration of Canada to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
On Friday, May 1st, 2020 the Catholic Bishops of Canada dedicated their dioceses or eparchies to Mary, Mother of the Church, asking for her protection during the Coronavirus pandemic. In our archdiocese, special masses will be celebrated on May 1 at 7:30 PM. The French liturgy presided by Bishop LeGatt was broadcast live on the diocesan Facebook page, as well as on YouTube. It can be accessed via the YouTube channel of the parish of Saints-Martyrs-Canadians: www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLbnkM6HlRYpb4QjiXeBOg/live or on the Archdiocese of Saint Boniface's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ArchSaintBoniface/live
The English liturgy was presided by Father Kevin Bettens at Mary, Mother of the Church Parish. This Mass was presented at 7:30 PM on the archdiocesan website, www.archsaintboniface.ca as well as on the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ArchSaintBoniface/live
We invite you to pray to the Virgin for our country and the world. For a beautiful prayer or consecration click here. As, well, during May, the month of Mary, we invite you to pray the rosary every day. For a brief reminder on how to pray the rosary, click here.
Click here for a flyer from Holy Heroes about Consecration to Jesus through Mary.
How familiar are you with the twenty-six Church-approved Marian Apparitions?
We’ve compiled information on all of the Marian apparitions within the Catholic Church to make this ultimate guide.
Do you want to:
If so, you came to the right place! Click here to go to Ascension Press's "Ultimate Guide to Marian Apparitions".
Holy Heroes: Visits from Our Lady Colouring Pages - Holy Heroes has made 6 colouring pages for you and your children to learn more about Our Lady’s messages in many of her apparitions. The colouring pages feature: Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of La Vang, Our Lady of Pontmain, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Grace and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Holy Heroes: 21 Ways to Pray a Family Rosary - Holy Heroes shares 21 ways for you and your family to pray the Rosary, honor Our Lady and grow as a domestic church.
Catechist's Journey offers a PDF poster with a list of Mary Feast Days and titles of Mary around the world. Click here https://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Marian-Devotions-5-5.pdf to view or print.
Artist Holly Schapker, whose work is featured in the May 2019 "St. Anthony Messenger" magazine, explains that she has tried to express Mary's unfinished story through her art. Click here and flip to Page 28 for the Article that appeared in May 2019.
(each reflection video below from Franciscan Media is under 4 minutes)
Day One
Mary's Unfinished Story
Day Two
Mary's Relinquishment
Day Three
Pondering in Our Hearts Like Mary
Day Four
Mary's Omnipresence
Day Five
Mary As the New Eve
Day Six
Mary's Movement Toward Christ
Day Seven
Mother Mary
In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at the practice of praying the Rosary as a family.
Here are some resources to help you get to know the Rosary better:
In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we take a look at how to do a simple May Crowning at home.
Here are some links to help you in planning your own May Crowning at home. Remember, keep it simple! Don’t think you must include every option.
Note: The song “Bring Flowers of the Rarest” is typically sung when the actual crowning of Mary takes place.
3-Minute Retreat: God Is Enough
3-Minute Retreat: Nothing Is Impossible for God
3-Minute Retreat: The First Follower
3-Minute Retreat: Blessed Are You
For My Mother: A Child’s Prayer
A Journey with Mary and Joseph: A Child’s Prayer
Conversing with Mary, Colloquy-Style
Three links below are from Look to Him and Be Radiant. Kate is eacher, DRE, crafter. All about sharing ideas and resources to teach the faith.
Click here for beautiful and easy printable Mary Shrine with instructions.
Click here for a list of more than 25 activities that are Mary related, from retreats to crafts to prayers!
Click here for a playlist on YouTube of Mary songs.
From Loyola Press:
May is traditionally a time to honour Mary in special ways, such as with May Crowning celebrations. This year, we can look to Mary as a model for facing uncertain times. When faced with the news that she would be the Mother of God, Mary had questions but accepted God’s plan for her with complete trust.
Explore Mary’s faith and trust in God with the help of our family faith-sharing guide. Excerpted from 52 Simple Ways to Talk with Your Kids about Faith by Jim Campbell, the guide invites parents to start meaningful conversations with their children inspired by natural teachable moments.
Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God (January 1)
Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11)
Arts & Faith: The Annunciation (March 25; Fourth Week of Advent in Cycle B)
May Crowning: A Reflection on a Marian Celebration
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church (Day after Pentecost)
Our Lady of Mount Carmel (July 16)
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15)
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 8)
Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7)
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (November 21)
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (December 8)
Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12)
Creative Ways to Pray the Rosary
Below is information from www.catholicculture.org
Click here for Catholic Culture's full month of May resources.
The month of May is dedicated to The Blessed Virgin Mary. The entire month falls within the liturgical season of Easter, which is represented by the liturgical color white — the color of light, a symbol of joy, purity and innocence (absolute or restored).
The feasts on the General Roman Calendar celebrated during the month of May are:
1.Joseph the Worker, Opt. Mem.
2.Athanasius, Memorial
3.Fourth Sunday of Easter (Good Shepherd Sunday), Sunday
10.Fifth Sunday of Easter, Sunday
12.Nereus and Achilleus; Pancras, martyrs, Opt. Mem.
13.Our Lady of Fatima, Opt. Mem.
14.Matthias, Feast
15.Isidore the Farmer (USA), Opt. Mem.
17.Sixth Sunday of Easter, Sunday
18.John I, Opt. Mem.
20.Bernardine of Siena, Opt. Mem.
21.Ascension of the Lord; Christopher Magallanes and companions; Eugene de Mazenod (Canada), Opt. Mem.
22.Rita of Cascia, Opt. Mem.
24.Ascension or the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Solemnity
25. St. Bede the Venerable; St. Gregory VII; St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, virgin, Opt. Mem.
26.Philip Neri, Memorial
27.Augustine of Canterbury, Opt. Mem.
31.Pentecost Sunday; Whitsunday, Sunday
