May crowning is special tradition honoring Mary
Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published May 12, 2006
Warren – To eighth-grader Mark Fairbrother of St. Anne School, the thought that a humble maiden, the Virgin Mary, could give birth to the God of all creation is profound.
"When you think of her," said Fairbrother, "it's just overpowering."
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Second-grader Gina Bologna places a flower in front of the statue of the Blessed Mother as altar server Michelle Rafferty looks on at May crowning on May 3 at St. Anne Church in Warren. | May is the month throughout the world when the Church allows itself to be overpowered, inspired and humbled by St. Mary's acceptance of God's will, which ushered into the world the Son of God. In that spirit, Mark and his classmates last week took part in a May crowning ceremony at St. Anne Church – a tradition that takes place at many parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit.
The tradition of dedicating May, and May crownings, to Mary dates back to the 1500s, explained Fr. Alberto Bondy, pastor of St. Anne Parish.
"It goes back to St. Phillip Neri," Fr. Bondy said. "He encouraged the Roman youth to pay attention to Mary during the month of May because it's a month when many flowers bloom."
The May crowning took place at St. Anne after an all-school Mass on May 3. After the Mass, students from each grade approached the altar and placed flowers at the feet of a statue of the Blessed Mother. A crown was then placed on the statue's head by an eighth grader.
After the ceremony, eighth-grade students talked about how devotion to the Blessed Mother could impact their own lives.
For altar server Michelle Rafferty, for example, reflecting on the choice Mary made to mother the Lord enhances her awareness of Christ's presence.
"During Mass — like today when we were honoring her — I felt closer to Christ, because she was the one that brought Christ to us and made Him closer to us," Rafferty said.
Her classmate, Zachary Schwager, said he will be keeping the Blessed Mother closer to his heart when he goes to Church this month.
She is, he said, what every Christian hopes to be.
"She was chosen by God, from all the people on Earth, to give birth to the son of God – if that doesn't say something, I don't know what will," Zachary said. "She's a big role model in my life, since she was sinless and chosen by God."
Their pastor concurred that the Blessed Mother has the role of a model in their lives.
"And she should be a friend, too — someone to pray to," Fr. Bondy added.
"Look at her life, how she trusted in God. And what God has done for her, taken her to heaven, He certainly will do for us."
Fr. Bondy noted that May also is the month of first Communion celebrations, and increased focus is placed on the devotion of the rosary, during which the faithful meditate upon the life of Christ.
"Certainly, Mary's life was Christ-centered," he said.
Victoria Bujny, the eighth-grader who placed the crown of flowers on the statue of the Blessed Mother, said Mary's example of accepting hardships for the good of the Lord and the rest of humanity serves as an inspiration personally.
"It's not easy to be a better person but she did it, even though she had difficulty doing it," Victoria said.
"She still did it for the right of the world and Jesus and us.
"Even though I know sometimes I'm not the best person, I know that if she could do that much for Jesus, then I could try a little harder to be a better person."
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