May is filled with great Feast Days!  What a great catechetical opportunity we have to celebrate Feast with our students or at least communicate to parents how they, as families, can celebrate them.

Here are a few key Feast in May:

St. Joseph the Worker – May 1st – St. Joseph is a model for all Christians.  Here are a few good links about St. Joseph…  Saints for Kids- good background info and ideas for the family   Here is a St. Joseph the worker Chore Chart for younger kids. Finally, the Litany of St. Joseph is very special encouraged for all to pray.

Month of Mary where Catholics throughout the world honor Mary during this month with various prayers and devotions (May Crowning, more frequent recitation of the Holy Rosary, special prayer to Mary each day, etc.).  Here are 9 ways to celebrate the Month of Mary Or How to Plan a May Crowning gives some ideas among other sites. Two significant Marian Feast days in May are Our Lady of Fatima, May 13th and May 31st, The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Traditional Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord this year is on May 10th (this feast has been transferred to the Sunday before Pentecost in most dioceses).  This is a great time to talk about Novenas because of the 9 days between the Ascension of Our Lord and eve of Pentecost. Ideas Here and Here 

Pentecost – Although this Solemnity is 50 days after Easter and not always in May (but often is), this year it is May 20th.  Celebrate this important day which is the Birthday of the Church.  Here are a few simple celebration ideas. Pentecost Activities and Prayers. A few other ideas on celebrating Pentecost.

3 Apostles are celebrated this month – Saints Philip and James on May 3rd and St. Matthias on May 14th.  The Apostles were chosen by Jesus as the first bishops to go out and proclaim and witness the Gospel.

 

Often Religious Education Programs have ended sometime in April and many of the great saints and liturgical celebrations of May are not able to be celebrated or reflected upon.  If you do have faith formation sessions, don’t miss the opportunity to share about these Feasts.  At the very least give ideas to parents to celebrate these special days of May!

 

How have you celebrated these Feasts at your parish or in your own home?