For three successive years, my wife and I along with some friends have participated in the physical and spiritual journey of a 22-mile Walk to Mary in eastern Wisconsin — one of many Marian crownings held this month for honoring the Blessed Mother.
This year, we joined a gathering of around 7,000 pilgrims May 3 on the annual pilgrimage from the National Shrine of St. Joseph in De Pere to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. We made still more friends as we walked in body and spirit with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
An energetic group of faith-filled believers led the procession, carrying a statue of Our Lady to the holy shrine. In groups and individually, followers prayed the rosary, chanted the Regina Caeli and brought other special and common prayers to our Lord.
Many pilgrims loaded daypacks with intentions and petitions for themselves and for their loved ones. At the end of the journey, the intentions were placed at the only Church-approved Marian apparition site within the United States. It was a hearty, spiritual trek, reminding participants that we are indeed body and spirit.
We do this because the Blessed Mother centers and leads us — as she did the first Apostles — closer to and more deeply in love with Jesus. In “Benedictus,” a book of day-to-day reflections written by Pope Benedict XVI during his papacy, the late pope notes that “Mary is the great believer who humbly offered herself to God as an empty vessel for him to use in his mysterious plan. She did not try to live according to human calculations but put herself completely at the disposal of God’s mysterious, incomprehensible design. All she wanted to be was the instrument and servant of the Word.”
Since Mary was the first disciple and evangelist, her example shows us how to be the same in serving the Lord — not only during this special month, but year-round. Mary became that instrument and lived in servanthood as the mother of God. As told by the angel Gabriel to Mary early in Luke’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit “… will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you …” (Lk 1:35).
Jesus promised his disciples that the same Holy Spirit would be with them “until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20) to shine and burn in their hearts and help them lead others.
The feast of the Ascension is May 29 and June 8 we celebrate Pentecost, when Jesus’ disciples experienced the joy and supernatural help of the Holy Spirit. Mary was there and she is here today leading the way with all the saints and angels.
Catholic Watchmen with their families and friends devote prayers and petitions in honor of Mary and for the dignity of women. For the days that remain in May, a daily rosary can be complemented by Regina Caeli chants (it is still Eastertide) at the hours of 6 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. Prayer vigils can be held among small groups with Marian devotions. This can carry the faithful to the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated May 31.
Deacon Bird ministers to St. Joseph in Rosemount and All Saints in Lakeville and assists with the archdiocesan Catholic Watchmen movement. See heroicmen.com for existing tools supported by the archdiocese to enrich parish apostolates for ministry to men. For Watchmen start-up materials or any other questions regarding ministry to men, contact him at gordonbird@rocketmail.com.
