The Month of May is Dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
Dear Parishioners,
The month of May celebrates the Blessed Virgin Mary. During this month Christians, both in church and in their homes, offer up to Mary from their hearts loving prayers and worship. The crowning of Mary by her children last Sunday, the first Sunday of May was not an empty ritual. It is befitting that, as the Mother of God and Queen in Heaven, Mary has numerous titles and names. She has revealed herself to us through centuries of Catholic artwork in various images. It is fascinating that one person can have so many titles, but how else could we grasp the greatness of Our Lady merely by her given name? Churches, shrines, and cathedrals have been erected in her honor, all of them with different names and representations of the Blessed Mother. One of our two parishes is named after her ‘Our Lady of the Snows.’
Our Lady of Fatima: The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three Portuguese shepherd children in the early 20th century. She radiated beams of light and was dressed in a pure white mantle edged with gold, with a beautiful rosary. Our Lady came with a message from God to every man, woman, and child. Our Lady of Fatima promised that world peace would reign supreme, and that all souls would go to Heaven if Her requests were listened to and obeyed. She told them that war is a punishment for sin and that God would punish the world for its sins by means of war, hunger, persecution of the Church, and persecution of the Holy Father, the Pope, unless we listened to and obeyed the command of God. May 13th is the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima. On this day, her faithful followers pay homage to the many miracles she performed.
August 5: Our Lady of the Snows: Improbable as it is for snow to fall during August, history tells of a snowfall that seemed more impossible, namely in Rome, Italy. August 5, 352, snow fell during the night in Rome. There lived in the Eternal City a nobleman, John and his childless wife, who had been blessed with much of this world’s goods. They chose the Mother of God as the heir to their fortune, and at the suggestion of Pope Liberius, prayed that she might make known to them how to do this by a particular sign.
In answer, the Virgin Mother during the night of August 5, appeared to John and his wife and to the Holy Father, Pope Liberius, directing them to build a church in her honor on the crown of the Esquiline Hill. And what would be the sign that John and his wife had requested? “Snow will cover the crest of the hill.” Snow rarely falls in Rome, but the flakes fell silently during that night, blanketing the peak of the historic hill. In the morning the news quickly spread, and crowds gathered to throng up the hill and behold the white splendor. The snow had fallen in a particular pattern, showing the outline of the future church. When it became known that the snow was a sign from Mary, the people spontaneously added another to her long list of titles, Our Lady of the Snows.
It is in appreciation first to the Brothers of Christian Instructions that have honored us by handing to us the Icons and Images of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We thank the Knights of Columbus of Saint Joseph Church Biddeford through the leadership of the Grand Knight, Daniel, for the packaging, the transportation, presentation and the love with which all these are done for our dear parishes, St. Agnes and Our Lady of the Snows, Pittsfield and Dexter, respectively. Those present at the reception grounds were very helpful. Those who prepared the meal and all who shared it were a blessing.
May Our Lady of the Snows continue to intercede for us that our faith and devotions may grow from strength to strength.
Happy Sunday to you all!