4Real Forums: Mary for May

Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.

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Topic: Mary for May

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JSchaaf
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Joined: Feb 22 2005
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Posted: April 17 2005 at 5:25pm \| IP Logged

I'd like to do something in honor of the Blessed Mother this May...does anyone have any suggestions? Our parish doesn't do a May crowning-but my neighbor has a "Mary" garden in her back yard and I was thinking about asking her if we could do a crowning on one of her statues. Is there a routine way to do a crowning, common prayers, etc.? But first I'd like to do some read-alouds and other stuff about Mary. Wouldn't it be great if someone had some booklists and lesson plans all ready to go? (Hint, hint!

)
Thanks!
Jennifer

MaryM
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Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
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Posted: April 18 2005 at 1:46am \| IP Logged

Here are some links from the Catholic Culture website - always a great source for liturgical year celebrations and activities.
May Crowning Activity
May Devotion: Blessed Virgin Mary
May Pilgrimages

Some info on history and ideas for May crowning from Women for Faith & Family

A locally written book on Mary - Mother Mary: God's Gift to You which is sold at the Denver Lourdes Marian Center among other places. (The center is affiliated with our parish)
Tomie de Paola's Mary, the Mother of Jesus (scroll down a bit on this page)

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Mary M. in Denver

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Kelly
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Joined: Feb 21 2005
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Posted: April 21 2005 at 8:09pm \| IP Logged

The Daughters of St. Paul have two cds on "Songs for Mary". Ones that are typical May Crowning songs include: Queen of the May; Immaculate Mary; and Holy Mary, Now We Crown You---all of which are on the cds (just check the labels for which one!). The words are printed on the CD jacket and your children can learn these lovely Marian songs.

We also do May Baskets on May 1st (when we also try to do our May Crowning). This is VERY easy and the kids LOVE it! I simply buy a bouquet of cut flowers from the grocery store (or use your own, or wild flowers if you have them in abundance) and divide it into little nosegay arrangements. We wet paper towels, wrap them around the base of the flowers, then wrap tin foil around that to provide a little vase. Usually we simply tie a bright ribbon around it, but a neat idea I just saw was to decorate a pretty piece of construction paper with pictures of flowers, Marian symbols, crosses, what have you and make a "cone" in which to place the tinfoil vase. We always make little decorated cards, too, and write "Happy May Day from ???" (the childish scrawl usually gives it away) and place the bouquets on the doorsteps of elderly neighbors or particular friends in the neighborhood (like my Mother in Law). The most fun part is creeping out to deliver the bouquets first thing in the morning!

Kelly
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Joined: Feb 21 2005
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Posted: April 21 2005 at 8:30pm \| IP Logged

Oops, while checking my email I was reminded of another fun Marian activity. Making a Mary Garden is something else my children have enjoyed doing. You can make it as simple or as complicated as you like. You can simply plant a container with flowers symbolizing Mary (e.g. marigolds spring to mind but check online, there are many, many more!)or an entire garden. If you use a pot, place a littel statue of Mary in it for the perfect touch. We decided to disguise an ugly pump thing in our yard with a Mary Garden. We placed a beautiful concrete statue of Mary and Jesus in the middle and planted it with marigolds and half a dozen pentas. Since then, our Mary Garden has grown like gangbusters and is a lovely addition to the yard.

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