Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
There are many unknowns right now because of the impact of the Coronavirus.  We have begun the month of May and many traditions of May such as graduations, Mother's Day, First Communions of children and Confirmations of teenagers will probably not go on "as usual" this year.  Some will be rescheduled and happen in a future month; some will happen differently than usual.  My family has started using Zoom to get many of us together with my mother as we see each other on our smart phones and laptop computers and talk about whatever is on each other's minds that we think will be interesting to everyone in the group.  I am assuming right now that this will be the means that her nine children will connect with her on Mother's Day though some of us will be seeing her in person.  We will "do what we have to do" to keep our connection with each other in these difficult times.  

What about our connection with the Blessed Mother Mary in the month of May?  While many keep that connection going all the time by praying the rosary, there are some who only own a rosary and keep it in their pocket or in a convenient place, but infrequently, if ever, move along the beads from start to finish and mediatate on the great mysteries of Salvation history that come to us through Jesus Christ. 

I hope this special Month of May, traditionally known as the "Month of Mary," at a time when almost all of us have more time than usual due to the restrictions that come from the Coronavirus, will pick up the rosary and begin to use it in your personal life or family life at least a few times a week or more often than that.  I know my godmother, who gave me the precious gift of a promise to pray the rosary at least once a day for my intentions as a birthday gift, has rediscovered the power of this prayer opportunity and looks forward now to praying it at least once a day.  If you have a chance to watch the movie "Power in My Hands" which gives wonderful testimonies as to what, praying the rosary has meant to some famous and some not so famous people, I urge you to do so.  I would hope that EWTN would show it a number of times in the month of May.

Finally, now that we have resumed Eucharistic Adoration on a limited basis in our church (10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EVERY DAY) I am hoping our regular adorers most of whom, thankfully, have pledged to keep the hour they normally have done before we suspended Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration will begin their hour in this month of May praying the rosary quietly or if others are present, out loud with them responding to the prayers.  We need the guidance, protection, and intercession of the Blessed Mother always and during these difficult times we are experiencing now.  Please consider doing this on your own and see if you can experience and then give witness to the power of the rosary in your hands in the month of May and hopefully continuing for months and years to come!