May crownings are a popular tradition in parishes and schools.
This May, public celebrations and gatherings may be restricted in some parts of our diocese, but why not have a May crowning of your own at home?
You can find lots of resources online – everything from how to make a crown of flowers using coffee filters to Scriptural reflections on Mary’s title as Queen of Heaven.
One easy-to-use website is TheReligionTeacher.com.
The website points out: Why do we crown Mary?
Besides the fact that she is the Mother of Christ the King, Mary herself shows us the way to experience the joys of the Kingdom of Heaven.
When Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God, He stressed the importance of humility. “The last will be first” He said to His disciples (Mt 20:16).
The Virgin Mary is a model of humility for us. If we want to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, then Mary shows us the way.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor. “Coronation of the Virgin” by Paolo Veneziano (1324), on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
At www.thereligionteacher.com/may-crowning-activities: Find a list of resources for you to organize your own May crowning and other ways to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary during the month of May.
CHARLOTTE — In a remarkable partnership, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormon Church) donated more than 10,000 pounds of food for families in need to the Catholic Charities food pantry in Charlotte March 25.
The churches enlisted logistical help from Loaves & Fishes, a Charlotte nonprofit that also provides food for the hungry, which transported the food donation to Catholic Charities to distribute directly to people in need.
The partnership was born last year as the pandemic hit and the Mormon Church was among those stepping up to help stock Catholic Charities’ Charlotte food pantry. The church grows its own food on farms for charitable distribution around the country, and counts more than 70 congregations in western North Carolina. Since the beginning of 2020, it has delivered more than 2 million pounds of food to the Carolinas from its main food production site in Salt Lake City. Other recent donations have included 104 Rubbermaid Easter “baskets” filled with items for the Charlotte food pantry, provided by families from St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, and hats and scarves for Catholic Charities to give people during food pantry distribution in Winston-Salem, provided by a confirmation student and sponsor from Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in High Point. During the pandemic, Catholic Charities has been serving people in need through its three food pantries in Charlotte, Asheville and Winston-Salem – last year providing 663,000 pounds of food to over 11,000 people.
— Photos provided and via Facebook
At www.ccdoc.org: Learn more about how you can donate, volunteer or give to help Catholic Charities serve people in need across the Diocese of Charlotte
