May 3rd Letter from the Pastor
-
May 3, 2026One of my favorite prayers is the Memorare. I was taught that prayer in the second grade as preparation for my First Holy Communion.
"Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I kneel, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer me. Amen."
The precise origins of the Memorare are unknown, many believe the prayer was written by St. Bernard of Clairvaux (12th century), who had a great devotion to Our Lady. He wrote poetry and many sermons concerning her life. The prayer was later made more popular and widespread by St. Francis de Sales (16th–17th century), who commended it as a powerful help in trials.
The Memorare (Latin=remember) begins with a powerful statement of confidence: “Never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection… was left unaided.” This is a profound theological truth about Our Lady’s role in our spiritual life. As the mother of the Lord, Mary has a unique relationship with Him and a special place in our prayer life.
When we pray the Memorare, we acknowledge our need for help and our complete trust in Mother Mary’s intercession. The beauty of the Memorare is its simplicity, it’s easy to pray, and can be offered up in any number of situations: in times of urgent need, before bed, as part of the Rosary.
As you know, the beautiful month of May is dedicated to Mary, our Heavenly Mother and Queen. How did May become associated with the Blessed Mother? There are many different factors that contribute to this connection.
In ancient Greece and Rome, the month of May was dedicated to pagan goddesses connected to fertility (Artemis) and springtime (Flora). This, combined with other European rituals commemorating the new season of spring, led many Western cultures to view May as a month of life and motherhood. This was long before the holiday of “Mother's Day."
In the early Church there is evidence of a major feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated on the 15th of May each year, but it wasn't until the 1700’s that May received a particular association with the Virgin Mary because of the Jesuits.
The May devotion in its present form originated in Rome at the Roman College of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Latomia, SJ started the devotion for the students, to keep them faithful and moral. From Rome the practice spread to the other Jesuit colleges and then to nearly every Catholic Church throughout the world.
The month of May is one rich in tradition and a beautiful time of the year to honor our heavenly mother.
We fly unto thee, O Virgin Mother of God.