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A Calendar of Resources: May

The Month of Our Lady


You may wish to visit our Blessed Mother page, which contains recommended books, movies and websites about Our Lady. If it's not already part of your family's routine, this is a great time to say a family rosary each night. You may also wish to visit Catholic Crafts for Children which has instructions for a simple Marian shrine.
May 1st
Feast of St. Joseph the Worker
May 2nd
Feast of St. Athanasius (d. 373) Bishop, Doctor of the Church
May 3rd
Feast of Saints Philip (d. 61) and James (d. 62), Apostles
May 6th
Famous Birthdays - Robert E. Peary (1856) Explorer
May 8th
Famous Birthdays - Bishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895)
May 12th
Feast of Sts. Nereus, Achilleus and Domitilla (d. 100), Martyrs
Famous Birthdays - Florence Nightingale (1820)
May 13th
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima by Fr. Lovasik is a small book with colored pictures telling the story of Mary's appariations to three children in Fatima, Portugal in 1917. It is available from Leaflet Missal Company. Two very good movies are The Day the Sun Danced (animated) and the Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima.
May 14th
Mother's Day
Feast of St. Matthias (d. 65) Apostle and Martyr
Famous Birthdays - Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686) German scientist
May 15th
Feast of St. Isidore the Farmer (d. 1170)
May 16th
Feast of St. Simon Stock (1265) Monk
May 17th
Famous Birthdays - Edward Jenner (1749) English doctor (famous for smallpox vaccination)
May 18th
Pope John Paul II's Birthday
There are several good biographies about the Pope, including: The Young Life of Pope John Paul II by Claire Jordan Mohan (available from Catholic Heritage Curricula). Also see our Pope John Paul II page.
May 20th
Feast of St. Bernardine of Siena (1444) Priest
Famous Birthdays - Sigrid Undset (1882) Norwegian author, Catholic convert
May 21st
Famous Birthdays - Alexander Pope (1688) English Poet
May 22nd
Feast of St. Rita of Cascia (d. 1456)
Famous Birthdays - Richard Wagner (1873) German Composer
May 23rd
Famous Birthdays - Mary Cassatt (1845) American painter
May 25th
Feast of St. Bede the Venerable (d. 735) Priest, Doctor of the Church
Feast of Pope St. Gregory VII (d. 1085) Doctor of the Church
Famous Birthdays - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803) American Writer
May 26th
Feast of Saint Philip Neri (1595)
St. Philip of the Joyous Heart by Francis X. Connolly - part of the Vision Series of Books republished by Ignatius Press.
May 27th
Feast of St. Augustine of Canterbury (604)
Augustine Came to Kent by Barbara Willard - Historical Fiction, published by Bethlehem Books.
May30th
Feast of St. Joan of Arc (d. 1431), Virgin and Martyr
May 31st
The Feast of The Visitation
Bible Reading: Luke 1:36 - 56
This would be a beautiful time to familiarize your children with the Magnificat (they could even memorize some of it):

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is might has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree;
he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.

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