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The “Mary” Month of May
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God and our Mother too! As Carmelites, we venerate May as “Queen of Carmel,” and we love to show her how much we esteem her through our little “Mary” events throughout the year.
Of course, one special tribute to Our Blessed Mother is the annual crowning of her image in our chapel during the month of May. We always select one of our oldest residents to be the “May Queen.” She has the beautiful honor of placing the crown of roses on Mary’s head during the traditional singing and procession. We close this lovely event with benediction of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament by one of our Carmelite priests from the nearby monastery.
This year we asked our oldest girls, “How many of you would like to be our May Queen this year?” Several raised their hands. We then said that they should write a paper informing us why they would like to be chosen for this special honor. Shannon and Audrey were the only two girls to come through with an actual written account.
Shannon, age 16, was selected. This is truly an amazing story. Shannon was brought to Carmelite several months ago in deplorable condition from an extremely unwholesome environment. She had endured much abuse in her young life, and was what we are so familiar with, a very emotionally and physically neglected teenager. We have seldom met anyone like Shannon…she has truly risen above her sordid situation, climbed out of the ashes of her childhood, and is a lovely and compliant young woman who, although very quiet and reserved, seems to comprehend “how life should be,” and wishes to live it like that!
I am enclosing here a copy of the very beautiful and touching paper she wrote about her desire to crown Mary, our Blessed Mother, Queen of May. Her words are so sincere and her spiritual reasoning profound for such a young girl. Shannon is not Catholic, and has not had exposure to Mary, Mother of God. And yet…she KNOWS HER! How did this happen? In her simplicity Shannon has captured the essence of Mary’s role in our life as Christians, and has expounded upon it as beautifully as a bishop! Where did she get all this knowledge?
The answer to this question is very obvious. We know that Mary herself lives in the mind and heart of the innocent child—somehow, she has absorbed the greatness and purity of the Mother of God, and we think that Jesus Himself has really entered into Shannon’s heart and given her wisdom that is sometimes obscure even to theologians.
Shannon
Why I want to be the Queen of May.
I would want to be the Queen of May because of Mary, Mother of God. Mary, Mother of God was a wonderful person because our savior was able to come to earth and sacrifice himself for us.
During the time when Mary gave birth to Jesus to the time he died for our sins, she was an amazing person. To go through what she did was incredible, and she was so strong to witness her son’s death, and even though Jesus died for our mistakes, Mary did not blame us. She understood what was going to happen and she put her faith in God, and knew everything happened for a reason.
Mary has gone through a lot and never lost her faith In God, and now she’s in heaven with her Jesus and God, and when people died I’m sure she’s there to bring them to their creator God. It would be such an honor to be Mary Queen of May and I would do my best to try to be a wonderful person as Mary was, and my faith in God would be stronger.
Mother of God’s little Child,
I am little too.
Guide my steps and clear my path;
lead me home to you
You’re my mother too, I depend on you. I am little like your
little Child.
Mother of God’s precious Child,
I am precious too.
He grew up and died for me,
and He gave me you.
You’re my mother too, I belong to you. I am precious like your
precious Child.
Mother of God’s holy Child,
I am holy too.
Keep my heart from every wrong,
keep it close to you.
You’re my mother too, I will trust in you. Make me holy like your
holy Child.
--Bill Peffley