MARY'S MONTH OF MAY

May is, by tradition, the month of Mary when many churches have special devotions, statues of our Lady are given a veil and she is crowned.  I inherited that tradition at S. Andrew's, Romford when, on the first Sunday of May the children would be invited to process to her statue, led  by a girl carrying a crown, and and we dedicated the parish to our Lady:

Mother of Christ; 
with joy we call you blessed. 
In order to carry out his plan for our salvation, 
God chose you before the creation of the world. 
You believed in his love 
and obeyed his word. 

Jesus desired you as his Mother 
when he became human to save humankind. 
You received him with ready obedience and faith. 
The Holy Spirit loved her you as his mystical bride 
and filled her you with the gifts of grace 
and she you became the hidden means of plan for the world. 

To Mary you, Mother of the Church, Mother of all Christians, 
to your loving and powerful intercession, 
we entrust our parish and the people living here. 
Turn towards us with a loving glance; 
grant us strength and confidence as we witness to the Faith. 

Enable us all to meet Jesus, 
the Way, the Truth and the Life. 
Sustain us, O Virgin Mary, 
on our journey of faith 
and obtain for us, through your prayers, 
the grace of eternal joy. 
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin 
and our Mother, Mary. 

Amen.