St. Mary religious education (R.E.) students crowned the Blessed Virgin Mary in a beautiful May Crowning ceremony and procession on Sunday, May 18th.
Emma Brumett had the honor of crowning the Our Lady of Mount Carmel statue this year, while Preston Thompson served as the crown bearer. Also assisting were Keegan Coyne and Luke Fischer.
More than 50 faithful participated in the procession around the parish grounds following the 11 AM Mass.
While the focus was on Mass and crowning Mary, this family Liturgy and procession was also meant to draw R.E. students and their families into regular participation at Mass.
“The Eucharist is food for our spiritual journey, and R.E. families are encouraged to attend Mass on a regular basis,” says Tami Brongiel, Director of Religious Education at St. Mary Mokena.
“With five Masses per weekend, there are ample opportunities to work Mass into busy schedules each week,” she continues. “We also offer two special Masses for R.E. families per term as an opportunity to celebrate the Sacred Mysteries together…We believe that Jesus is truly present with us, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, in the Eucharist, which is celebrated during Mass.”
May is the month in which we honor Mary. One way to traditionally honor her is to crown her with beautiful spring flowers, as a sign of our love and affection for her. We can learn from Mary how to draw close to Jesus. In a particular way, she helps us deepen our Eucharistic faith.
According to St. Pope Saint John Paul II in Ecclesia De Eucharista:
“To contemplate Christ involves being able to recognize him wherever he manifests himself, in his many forms of presence, but above all in the living sacrament of his body and his blood. The Church draws her life from Christ in the Eucharist; by him she is fed and by him she is enlightened. The Eucharist is both a mystery of faith and a ‘mystery of light.’”
It is Mary, the woman of faith who first bore Jesus in her womb, that points us most marvelously to Jesus in the Eucharist.
The Mokena Marian 