There are many different factors that contributed to this association. First of all, in ancient Greece and Rome the month of May was dedicated to pagan goddesses connected to fertility and springtime (Artemis and Flora, respectively). This, combined with other European rituals commemorating the new season of spring, led many Western cultures to view May as a month of life, new birth, and motherhood. This was long before “Mother’s Day” was ever conceived, though the modern celebration is closely related to this innate desire to honor maternity during the spring months. In the early Church, there is evidence of a major feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated on the 15th of May each year, but it wasn’t until the 18th century that May received a particular association with the Virgin Mary. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “The May devotion in its present form originated at Rome where Father Latomia of the Roman College of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), to counteract infidelity and immorality among the students, made a vow at the end of the eighteenth century to devote the month of May to Mary. From Rome the practice spread to the other Jesuit colleges and thence to nearly every Catholic church of the Latin rite.” Finally, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed “Mother’s Day” as an official holiday honoring all mothers in the United States. Wherever it came from, May has always been associated with new birth, maternalism, spring, and new beginnings. No greater mother ever existed than God’s very own, Mary the Mother of God and rightly called, ‘The New Eve.’ Where our first parents failed in the garden, Mary will in the end crush the head of the ancient tempter-serpent, Satan! This is why Mary is often depicted with a serpent under her heel. During the weekend of Mother’s Day (May 10/11), we will do a traditional May crowning of the BVM our newly created Marian altar. Additionally On Sunday May 11th, the 11:30 am Mass will be offered for all mothers both living and deceased to honor and pray for all of our mothers. So we pray, “Holy Mary Mother of God, Pray For Us sinners now and at the hour of our Death . . .” Fr. Roach
