Dear brothers and sisters,

May the Lord give you Peace!

We are in the month of May. A very important time of the year dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God.

It is now that springtime announces the season of beautiful weather, blue skies with twinkling stars…. and the birth of colourful flowers, green leaves and colourful countryside.

Maybe we can set aside for a little time to adore again the Creator and through our devotions to the Mother of God meditate on the reality of society in need to enjoy creation and its salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In times of trial, whatever the difficult situation might be, our prayers are always heard by Our Lady, Queen of Peace, and presented to the Most High…. just as she presented the difficult situation in the marriage held at Cana of Galilee. There, Jesus performed His first miracle through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. ( John 2, 1-12)

We call to mind St. Francis’ simple but profound prayers to Our Lady – the Tabernacle of the Most High.

Let us together, in the love of God and of our neighbour, ask Mary’s intercession, to help us grow in faith, hope and charity, convinced that these virtues are the most “colourful” paths that lead us towards her son Jesus Christ. These virtues, gifts of God, help us understand the sufferings of our brethren and make us perform ourselves, through the grace of God, the “miracles of Divine Love”.

Sancta Dei Genetrix, ora pro nobis!

Fr. Sandro Overend ofm

Minister Provincial