Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1912-05-04
Reasons why the Catholics
should Honor the Holy
Mother.
Solemn Observance at st. Louis
Bertrand's and Other
Churches.
Her MANY WONDERFUL GIFTS

May is a month of special devotion
to the Blessed Virgin Mary among
Catholics the world over. The
saints, in speaking of devotion to the
Blessed Virgin, say that che is very
reckless regarding his salvation who
omits to invoke her." st. Alphonsus
declares 1t to be his belief that hell
can not boast of containing one
single soul who ever had a true
and heartfelt devotion to Mary. St.
Bernard asserts that those who honor
her daily will assuredly be saved.
Catholics honor her by wearing her
scapulars, by carrying her medals,
by generating (not adoring) her
statues and pictures, by saying the
Angelus, by reciting three Hail
Marys daily in honor of her immac-
ulate conception, by reciting her
litany or by saying her rosary. The
following are a few of the reasons
why Catholics think they should
honor the Blessed Virgin:
First-Because they must follow
the example set them by our Divine
Lord.
Second-Because of his attitude
toward her.
Third-Because of the relation
ship she bears to Almighty God.
Fourth-Because they believe
Catholics should be instrumental in
fulfilling the prophecy uttered by
those virginia. lips in an ecstacy of
love: "Behold, from henceforth all
generations shall call me blessed"
Sixth-Because of her own exalted
dignity and privilege she was chosen
by God from among the daughters Of
Eve as fit tabernacle of the Holy
Ghost. "Our tainted natures solitary
boast" as the Protestant Words
worth sings.
Tomorrow the May devotions viii
be inaugurated here in all the
churches with brilliant but solemn
ceremonies. the most notable being
those which Will be Witnessed at Sc
Louis Bertrand's church. There the
Dominican fathers will have their
annual rosary procession, in which
all the church societies will partici-
pate, presenting sight that will last
through life. During the week there
will be May devotions in eac2
church, when the rosary will be re-
cited, followed by benediction.
Mary's month is here again, says
Extension, with it all the beauty o.
the springtime. The church has as
signed May, beautiful May, the first
of the glorious months of the year,
to Mary, the most perfect, the great
est. the most glorious of all Gods
creatures. And as God has given
her so many gifts. the wond darful
gift, for instance, of her immaculate
conception, and the wonderful gift or
being the Mother of God, surely
those who give her special hsnor viii
merit his special love.
And If the feasts of Mary, like the
feast of her immaculate conception,
which is December s. or the feast OF
her glorious assumption into heaven,
which is August 10, or the feast OF
the Holy Rosary, which is the first
Sunday in October, are times when
Mary grants special favors to her
children, because they are times or
special grace, how much will she.
not do in her own month of May to
those clients who honor her?
The greatest thing in the life OF
the Cure of AIRS was his sanctity, for
the little Cure was saint. And he
is now beatified by the church. Need
less to say, this priest-saint had
great love for the Blessed Mother OF
God. II he had not, surely he could
not have been a saint, nor even a
good Christian. And especially did
he love the Immaculate Heart OF
Mary and the devotion OF her Holy
Rosary. He would say the rosary or
Mary on his way to a sick call that
the patient might not die before he
reached the bedside. He had Won
derful power with God, and II he, a
great saint. although indeed he con-
sidered himself the vilest kind OF a
sinner. felt that he must say the ros-
airy. how much more ought we not to
love Il and realize that we need II?