The month of May is upon us, a month that represents rebirth and new life. It is also a month devoted to Mary, the Mother of God.
In Bishop Dorsonville’s first Bayou Catholic column, he talks about the month of May being a special time for him to express his love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. He says as a young child he remembers praying the rosary every day during the month of Mayas a family. “The month of May is for all of us an invitation to follow Mary very closely in our own prayer and to imitate by our lives the way she lived her life,” says the bishop.
Father Michael Bergeron’s guest column explains how the rosary, which is synonymous with Mary, acknowledges her role in our redemption. He tells us how the rosary is “steeped in mystery and tradition” and goes into great detail about its origins and how it has developed over the years.
However, let’s not forget we are still in the Easter season until the day of Pentecost, which is the 50th day after Easter Sunday. In Father Glenn LeCompte’s column Readings Between the Lines, he reminds us that the church “observes Easter as one continuous celebration through Pentecost Sunday, inclusive.” As the season progresses through the month of May, he says it is easy for us to lose our focus on Easter because of the way secular society celebrates festivals on the day they occur but then moves on from them. He goes on to offer reflections on the Gospel readings during the four Sundays in May, which can help keep us focused on continuing the mission Jesus Christ entrusted to us.
We also have a new guest columnist featured this month. Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser is a theologian, teacher and award-winning author whose columns are featured in many publications throughout country. In his column entitled, “Easter Light,” he talks about the darkness of Jesus’ death on the cross and God’s creation of “the most staggering light of all – the resurrection.” He goes on to “compare how Scripture describes God creating the new light of the resurrection with how God created the original light at the origins of creation.” He is a very gifted author. I hope you enjoy his column in this month’s Bayou Catholic magazine.
Spring is here, flowers are blooming and it’s starting to feel like summer.
Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer, are also in May. Some other monthly observances in May include Arthritis Awareness Month, Better Sleep Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, National Walking Month, and Women’s Health Care Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Military Appreciation Month. There is certainly a lot happening this month!
Take time this month to get outside and enjoy the beauty of nature in South Louisiana!