MAY DAY PAGAN AND CATHOLIC CELEBRATION!
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| 1962-2017 Wiccan Sister Rainy' |
My favorite Catholic celebration ritual was the
May Day celebration held in our parish church.
The girls wore pretty dresses with wreaths of flowers
on their heads and the boys spruced up too.
My coven celebrated by also dressed in our spring finery,
being in nature dancing and singing around the Maypole, which was a tree and then envisioning our future wishes blooming as we celebrated the Spring Goddess and God of fertility - the Lady and the Lord - to keep the Earth fertile to provide us the wonderfully colorfully Summer fruits and vegetables.
One year, my young sister was chosen by her peers to crown a large statue of Mary, Our Lady. It was a real honor in the parish and to her family.
I loved this day so much that I wrote a whole chapter of it in my book, The Skye in June. Only, in my chapter all hell breaks loose after the church festivities.
Here's an excerpt from the chapter. I hope you enjoy it. You can read more about my book on Amazon.com
Chapter 26
The warm spring day of the first of May 1960 would certainly prove to be an unforgettable day for the entire family, in one way or another. The entire month of May, which is dedicated to honor Our Lady, the Blessed Mother of God, commences with a festive Mass on the first Sunday of the month. It is one of the most beautiful and joyful celebrations in Catholicism and was June’s favorite religious event. As part of the Mass, an eighth grade girl, chosen by her peers, crowns the statue of Our Lady. The honor went to Maggie. Her sisters agreed that, after all her heavy campaigning, she deserved it.
As the lines snaked around the pews, the children sang in harmony praises to God’s mother. “Oh, Mary, we crown you with blossoms today. Queen of the angels, Queen of May.”
When the children finally settled into the first rows of pews, the eighth-grade girl chosen to crown Our Lady would enter the church. As the organist began to play “Ave Maria,” heads craned backward to watch the chosen one walk down the aisle.
Beautiful as a spring goddess, Maggie, poised between the church’s heavy wooden doors, waited to allow time for the parishioners to view her. A murmur of appreciation spread throughout the church. In a periwinkle-blue gown, holding a wreath of delicate white roses cut from the MacDonald’s garden, she gracefully glided down the burgundy-carpeted aisle toward a life-size statue of Our Lady waiting to be crowned by the maiden. So lovely was the honored maiden that no one would have guessed that only an hour earlier she had been involved in a fight with her sister.
After the ceremony, parishioners spilled out of the church into the warming May Day, eager to get to breakfast. Jimmy emerged gripping his Kodak Brownie camera and squinting into the sunlight. He looked out into the group of people. “Do you see her?” he asked Cathy.
Cathy spied Maggie with Mother Superior and the Monsignor. The rotund priest had his arm loosely around her shoulders, leaning down into her face, smiling and talking.
Jimmy saw her at the same time. “There she is!” he said as he rushed down the church steps.
Cathy spotted Annie and Mary amongst the crowd and beckoned them over. Jimmy and the Monsignor were vigorously shaking hands when Cathy and the girls joined them.
“You must be so proud of Margaret being the chosen one to crown the Blessed Virgin. Maybe someday Margaret will become a real bride of Christ,” Monsignor gushed, his fat red cheeks shaking as he pumped Jimmy’s hand up and down. Cathy thought how Monsignor reminded her of a fat rooster crowing for praises.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mary jab Annie with her elbow and giggle. She had a good idea what Mary was communicating to her sister. She, too, was amused at the idea of her boy-crazy daughter becoming a nun.
Jimmy proudly winked at Maggie. “She’s a good girl, alright.”
An exaggerated moan escaped Mary’s lips. The group stared at her, puzzled by her utterance. Quickly, Annie said, “She’s just hungry.” The attention turned back to Maggie.
“I understand that Margaret will follow Anne to the Girls Convent High School. What a reward!” Mother Superior beamed a proud grin at the parents.
“We have no choice but to send them all to Catholic higher learning. That’s where our girls belong, right Cathy?” Jimmy said, his grin broader with each compliment.
Cathy nodded her head “yes,” giving a half smile. For weeks she had fretted over the cost of the high school’s tuition. Maggie had not won a scholarship, like Annie had.
Loud voices of children squealing and singing interrupted the conversation. They looked over to the schoolyard to see a group of young girls dancing around a basketball pole, holding the various colors of streaming ribbons attached to it. Cathy’s attention went to the bright red hair flying around the circle. Her heart sank. It has to be June, she thought. Mary mumbled, “Oh-oh.”
One year, my young sister was chosen by her peers to crown a large statue of Mary, Our Lady. It was a real honor in the parish and to her family.
I loved this day so much that I wrote a whole chapter of it in my book, The Skye in June. Only, in my chapter all hell breaks loose after the church festivities.
Here's an excerpt from the chapter. I hope you enjoy it. You can read more about my book on Amazon.com
Chapter 26
May Day 1960
The warm spring day of the first of May 1960 would certainly prove to be an unforgettable day for the entire family, in one way or another. The entire month of May, which is dedicated to honor Our Lady, the Blessed Mother of God, commences with a festive Mass on the first Sunday of the month. It is one of the most beautiful and joyful celebrations in Catholicism and was June’s favorite religious event. As part of the Mass, an eighth grade girl, chosen by her peers, crowns the statue of Our Lady. The honor went to Maggie. Her sisters agreed that, after all her heavy campaigning, she deserved it.
***
The church was transformed into a heavenly garden filled abundantly with fresh, colorful spring flowers emitting sweet scents. After the congregation settled into the pews, the procession started with the Monsignor walking down the main aisle sprinkling holy water over the parishioners. Behind him came both of the parish priests in pristine white and gold vestments flanked by several altar boys. Once they were all assembled in the sanctuary, the organist heralded in the children. Boys and girls in their respective lines came through the front doors to parade around the church on opposite sides. The girls were dressed in a rainbow of pastel dresses with wreaths of garden flowers adorning their hair. The boys had their hair neatly slicked down and wore crisp white shirts and dark pants.
As the lines snaked around the pews, the children sang in harmony praises to God’s mother. “Oh, Mary, we crown you with blossoms today. Queen of the angels, Queen of May.”
When the children finally settled into the first rows of pews, the eighth-grade girl chosen to crown Our Lady would enter the church. As the organist began to play “Ave Maria,” heads craned backward to watch the chosen one walk down the aisle.
Beautiful as a spring goddess, Maggie, poised between the church’s heavy wooden doors, waited to allow time for the parishioners to view her. A murmur of appreciation spread throughout the church. In a periwinkle-blue gown, holding a wreath of delicate white roses cut from the MacDonald’s garden, she gracefully glided down the burgundy-carpeted aisle toward a life-size statue of Our Lady waiting to be crowned by the maiden. So lovely was the honored maiden that no one would have guessed that only an hour earlier she had been involved in a fight with her sister.
After the ceremony, parishioners spilled out of the church into the warming May Day, eager to get to breakfast. Jimmy emerged gripping his Kodak Brownie camera and squinting into the sunlight. He looked out into the group of people. “Do you see her?” he asked Cathy.
Cathy spied Maggie with Mother Superior and the Monsignor. The rotund priest had his arm loosely around her shoulders, leaning down into her face, smiling and talking.
Jimmy saw her at the same time. “There she is!” he said as he rushed down the church steps.
Cathy spotted Annie and Mary amongst the crowd and beckoned them over. Jimmy and the Monsignor were vigorously shaking hands when Cathy and the girls joined them.
“You must be so proud of Margaret being the chosen one to crown the Blessed Virgin. Maybe someday Margaret will become a real bride of Christ,” Monsignor gushed, his fat red cheeks shaking as he pumped Jimmy’s hand up and down. Cathy thought how Monsignor reminded her of a fat rooster crowing for praises.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mary jab Annie with her elbow and giggle. She had a good idea what Mary was communicating to her sister. She, too, was amused at the idea of her boy-crazy daughter becoming a nun.
Jimmy proudly winked at Maggie. “She’s a good girl, alright.”
An exaggerated moan escaped Mary’s lips. The group stared at her, puzzled by her utterance. Quickly, Annie said, “She’s just hungry.” The attention turned back to Maggie.
“I understand that Margaret will follow Anne to the Girls Convent High School. What a reward!” Mother Superior beamed a proud grin at the parents.
“We have no choice but to send them all to Catholic higher learning. That’s where our girls belong, right Cathy?” Jimmy said, his grin broader with each compliment.
Cathy nodded her head “yes,” giving a half smile. For weeks she had fretted over the cost of the high school’s tuition. Maggie had not won a scholarship, like Annie had.
Loud voices of children squealing and singing interrupted the conversation. They looked over to the schoolyard to see a group of young girls dancing around a basketball pole, holding the various colors of streaming ribbons attached to it. Cathy’s attention went to the bright red hair flying around the circle. Her heart sank. It has to be June, she thought. Mary mumbled, “Oh-oh.”
Monsignor inquired, hesitatingly, “Mother Superior, what’s going on over there?”
“I don’t know,” she sputtered nervously, licking her lips, uncertain if she, the Mother Superior of Holy Savior School, was guilty of some sin.
To be con't in The Skye in June.
Read more about me and my other books at www.juneahern.com
“I don’t know,” she sputtered nervously, licking her lips, uncertain if she, the Mother Superior of Holy Savior School, was guilty of some sin.
To be con't in The Skye in June.
Read more about me and my other books at www.juneahern.com
Available through my website and Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes&Noble and your favorite book store.
My Books:
How to Talk With Spirits: Seances, Mediums, Ghost Hunts
City of Redemption
The Timeless Counselor: The Best Guide to a Psychic Reading.
My Books:
How to Talk With Spirits: Seances, Mediums, Ghost Hunts
City of Redemption
The Timeless Counselor: The Best Guide to a Psychic Reading.
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