May 24.  Mrs Davies shared in her prayer group,  “What has happened to the strong devotion to Mary that was so much part of Church life and also in families.  We used to pray the Rosary together when I was a child but that now seems to be done mainly by women, or people on their own and occasionally some families do pray the Rosary.  I’m happy that Pope Francis has added a new feastday of Mary, as Mother of the Church.” Others agreed that it was a very good thing to promote devotion to Our Lady in their families, in a way that suited their own family, as a little church of the home.  They decided to make this into a group project sharing their suggestions.  

After Jesus had been taken up into heaven, they returned to Jerusalem and went to the upper room where they were staying. All the apostles devoted themselves to prayer with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus.  Acts 1:12-14 Pope Francis:   The decree on “the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church” signed by the two Vatican prelates, said “the joyous veneration” given to the Mother of God by the contemporary church “in the light of reflection on the mystery of Christ and on his nature” cannot ignore “the Virgin Mary, who is both the Mother of Christ and Mother of the Church.”  This veneration dates from the days of the early church. St. Augustine said, “Mary is the mother of the members of Christ, because with charity she cooperated in the rebirth of the faithful into the Church” while St. Leo said “the birth of the Head is also the birth of the body, thus indicating that Mary is at once Mother of Christ, the Son of God, and mother of the members of his Mystical Body, which is the Church.”  Holy Mary pray for the Church and all her members.