Mother Mary Come To Me

The month of May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin; and, as a tribute to Mother Mary, Catholics set up May Altars.  In August we celebrate the Assumption of Mary into Heaven.  I thought I would resurrect this post in honor of that feast day.

In Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, Madonna of Jerusalem is one of our three churches.  The parishioners do an excellent job of setting up a May Altar.

2014 May Altar at Madonna of Jerusalem Church

Before each morning mass whoever is in attendance recites the rosary invoking the Blessed Mother's continued compassion on all for peace in our world.

I grew up attending St. Scholastica School and we were also taught to set up our May Altars, which I have attempted to do.  A long time ago I asked my Aunt where she had gotten her stone statue of the Blessed Mother.  She went out into her yard and gave it to me.  That statue has moved with me to 5 locations until I finally settled in my present home.

Madonna in 2013

My son-in-law painted her at one location with white paint which wore off over the years.  The year my husband died, I bought blue, white and green paint to paint her.  That coat of paint lasted 10 years and started to flake and peel off for the next two years.

Madonna in June 2014

A few years ago my neighbor offered to paint the statue after he painted his mother's.  I was so grateful because now she stands on her stone overseeing my garden which I have tried to keep up with flowers that will bloom in May.  There are currently no blossoming flowers in my little grotto  except the Lily of the Valley have started to bloom a bit early.  None of the Day Lilies have grown big enough to bloom yet.  I'm hoping they will during the month as I continue to say my daily rosary.

My old neighbor, who owned a greenhouse, taught me that isn't safe to plant flowers in the ground until Mother's Day because of the chance of a freak frost.  I will be purchasing flowers for the planters between now and Memorial Day.

My new Madonna was a gift from a neighbor when the one above was stolen from in front of my house.