May Crowning Archives - Catechist's Journey

Pop-Up Catechesis: May Crowning at Home

In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we take a look at how to do a simple May Crowning at home. Here are some links to help you in planning your own May Crowning at home. Remember, keep it simple! Don’t think you must include every option. Reflection on the devotion of May Crowning Marian Hymns: “Sing of Mary,” “Hail, Holy Queen,” “Hail Mary: Gentle Woman,” “Bring Flowers of the Rarest,” “Immaculate Mary” Pope Francis’s Prayer […]

A May Crowning Acrostic

Denise Gorss

We end our program year with a May Crowning celebration, presided over by our pastor. Generally we can expect opening and closing songs, a reading about Mary from Scripture, a few words from the priest, some prayers, and an eighth-grader crowning the statue of Mary. The statue then keeps the crown for the rest of the month, serving as a reminder to the entire parish of the special evening the religious education students shared. Today […]

Celebrating Mary

Denise Gorss

May brings us to a special month to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary. Does your parish host a May Crowning in recognition of her role as Queen of All Saints? Such events are often special memories for Catholics, as author Elizabeth M. Kelly shares in May Crowning: A Reflection on a Marian Celebration. Maybe your school or parish prays a Living Rosary. Read how one parish incorporated lessons on the Rosary and Marian apparitions with a […]

Honoring Mary in the Classroom or Parish

Heather Felton

Each May, Catholics across the globe celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary, holy mother to us all. Through parish and classroom celebrations, we can show our love and respect for Mary and share her importance with those we teach. There are a variety of traditional activities that parishes use to celebrate Mary, such as the May Crowning or a special Rosary, novena, or prayer service. These are all good, but if you are looking for some […]

May Crowning Marks a “New Spiritual Season”

Joe Paprocki

One of the most beautiful traditions in Catholicism is that of May Crowning. In her book, May Crowning, Mass, and Merton: 50 Reasons I Love Being Catholic, Liz Kelly recalls her childhood experience of May Crownings: I still remember the aroma of the flowers, the coolness of the spring air, the lightness of spirit that lingered. The promise of everything made new. May Crowning marked a new spiritual season. Our Mary, queen of heaven and […]

May Crowning Update

Joe Paprocki

Last week, I posted about the beautiful Catholic tradition of May Crowning and my quest to find out how to either acquire or make a small “crown” for my backyard Mary Statue. As it turns out, the miniature floral crown that I ordered was WAY too mini! So, instead, I went to Michaels and found resources to make my own which I placed on Mary on Mother’s Day! I’m just a regular Martha Stewart! […]

May Crowning Ideas

Joe Paprocki

Here in Chicago, we endured a lot of April showers in order to enjoy the May flowers—which, of course, means that it’s that time of the year for May Crownings! I posted a couple of years ago about May Crownings and encourage you to go back and take a look at that, but I also have a few new details to share with catechists. In particular, I’ve recently been wondering where and how you go about […]

May Crowning – Revisiting a Popular Post from Last Year

Joe Paprocki

Last year, I posted about May Crownings during the month of May and it was a very popular post with lots of feedback. I invite you to take a look and, if you have some new comments, insights, or thoughts to share on the topic of May Crownings, leave them here on this post. Likewise, here’s a link to a post from last year about May Crowning from a blogger named Mary G. in Virginia!

May Crowning

Joe Paprocki

I just heard from a colleague of mine, a DRE who was a student at Quigley South High School when I taught there back in the 1980s! Patrick says, “Hello Joe! All is well at the parish. We finished a great year on May 3 with a May Crowning with all of the students.” Yes, May Crownings still happen! I remember with great fondness the May Crownings of my childhood…nothing said “spring is here” more […]

May – The Month of Mary

Joe Paprocki

I remember with great fondness the May Crownings of my childhood…nothing said “spring is here” more powerfully than a good May Crowning. Are May Crownings passe? Hopefully not. As catechists, a May Crowning is a good opportunity for us to help those we teach understand that Catholics do not worship Mary but rather honor her. May Crownings may be considered out of date by some but, with the proper catechesis, they can continue to be […]