St. Peter Roman Catholic Church

Pastor’s Corner

Rev. Anthony J. Manuppella, KHS

April 27, 2008

May Crowning and Procession

Next Sunday, May 4^th at 3:00 PM, we honor our Heavenly Mother here at St. Peter Parish as we gather together and publicly manifest how we feel about God’s Mother, our Mother.

Yes, there are some today who say that the Church has de-emphasized Mary. If you hear anybody say that the Church has de-emphasized Mary, they’re phony-baloney!

The Second Vatican Council reiterates the teaching of Jesus. And, what is the teaching of Jesus? When He died while hanging on the Cross, His last will and testament was “Behold your Mother.” Mary is our Mother. Jesus gave her to us. It’s the teaching of Christ! And, no one can put it aside. It has always been the teaching of the apostles. It was always the teaching of the early Councils of the Church and it is the teaching of the Second Vatican Council. Anyone who tells you differently – tell him to go fly a kite!

Vatican II in its Constitution on the Church says:

“Let the entire body of the faithful pour forth persevering prayer to the Mother of God.” That is what Vatican II says about Mary. Then, the Council goes on to say:

“True devotion to Mary proceeds from a deep faith by which we are moved to a filial love toward our Mother and to the imitation of her virtues.” And, the Church bestowed a new title on Mary – “Mary, Mother of the Church.” That is the teaching of the Second Vatican Council!

If Mary is our Heavenly Mother, could you imagine how much she cares for us? Could you imagine how much she prays for us? Could you imagine how much she worries about us? If our earthly mothers do this, how much more does our Heavenly Mother do these things?

Make time on Sunday, May 4^th to honor your Mother in Heaven, Mary.

We will celebrate and praise her with flowers, hymns, songs, by praying the Rosary, by processing with her image outside, by carrying banners with her many titles. We will say with one voice as a Parish,

WE LOVE YOU, MOTHER MARY!

Bring to Our Blessed Mother your concerns, your difficulties, and your problems. Bring to Our Blessed Mother your son or daughter, your husband or wife, your mother or father that needs her maternal concern and prayer. What is your special intention? Bring it to Mary! Yes, make the sacrifice, make the time – it will not go unnoticed by Mary!

When the great painter, Whistler, painted that beautiful portrait of his mother – “Whistler’s Mother” - he decided to have the painting displayed for all to see in his art gallery. Many people came to see the painting. One woman went up to him and said “How wonderful of you for having painted your mother so well.” Whistler said to her, “Well, you know how it is, one likes to make one’s mommy as nice as possible.”

And that is what God did. He made His Mommy as nice as possible!