06/06/2022 – Feast of Mary Mother of the Church

Today, the day after Pentecost is the feast of Mary the Mother of the Church. This is an ancient title recognising that Mary is both Mother and Model for the Church. Mother in that she is Mother of God through the incarnation, the Holy Eucharist and the Mystical Body of Christ, the Catholic Church.

Four years ago, in a great gift to the Church, Pope Francis established the existing feast as a Solemnity to be celebrated by the whole church and he set the date for the feast on the Monday after Pentecost, the Birthday of the Church.

The third Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, “The Descent of the Holy Spirit”, or Pentecost, brings us to reflect on Mary’s love and maternal nurturing of the Church. This reflection is also important in the fourth and fifth Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, the Assumption of Our Lady and her Coronation.

Mary remained on earth to mother the infant Church for (tradition holds) about 15 years until by God’s Will she was Assumed into Heaven where she was crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. Being both Mother and Queen she is in a grace filled position to nurture the Church through the ages, even our age, and in the end to bring all who will allow her to bring them before the throne of God and the happiness of heaven.