May, in Latin (Maius), was named for the Greek Goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, Bona Dea.

May is a beautiful month in both hemispheres. In the North, Spring is gradually blooming into Summer, while the South celebrates the beautiful colors of Autumn and its harvest.

Our prayer is that May 2020 will be that beautiful month for the whole world. The month of Mary (May) is the one that celebrates Mother’s Day and Memorial Day; it offers great promise of a better and more loving, caring and compassionate world.

When considering what our world has endured over the last several months, a story about the difference between heaven and hell comes to mind. In this story, a new arrival to eternity was met at heaven’s gates by St. Peter who offered to take this visitor on a tour of both hell and heaven. They toured hell first and it came as a total surprise. On arrival in hell, they entered what was the most magnificent dining area ever imagined. The tables were full of every glorious food from around the world! It left nothing to be desired! Soon enough a bell rang beckoning the diners to come and eat. This guest watched in amazement as, from every direction, sickly, emaciated figures emerged. They slowly approached the tables as they dragged their eating tool with them. This tool was a fork that was 6 feet long! Once at the table, they stood hopelessly gazing at the food that they were only allowed to eat from their forks. After some time, the bell rang again and they all grudgingly retreated from the table dragging their empty forks. Then St. Peter offered the tour of heaven and his visitor gladly followed along. To the utter surprise of this visitor, they entered another dining room of the exact description as the one in hell. Again, the bell rang; this time the diners arrived enthusiastically carrying their own 6 foot fork. They were bright and full of joy as they moved toward the table and the visitor was completely stunned when they approached the table, scooped up the food on their forks and turned to offer that food to their neighbor – and the favor was returned!

Is that not what our world has learned to do during this horrible pandemic? The people of the world are caring in a compassionate and generous way about the other people in this world. Ingenuity has surfaced, “necessity (need) is the mother of invention.” Ingenious ideas have become lifesaving realities. Selfish has become generous. Leadership is collective; help is being offered and accepted across the nations; surplus is being shared. All of this is to prevent the loss of life in every country of the world. Every life is being counted and finally, as a world, we are proving that EVERY life does matter.

So do know how much you each and all matter! Know, too, that we are concerned for you and for your safe journey through these times. We are offering our prayers for each of you. We continue to be profoundly grateful for your continued prayers and support of St. Gianna Center. As with everything else in this world, our plans for “growing” the Center are on hold. In God’s time and with His wisdom, we will continue that journey.

Please stay safe and healthy. Let’s remove the “us” from this virus and it will be no more. May we all understand that caring is far more contagious than this virus and may we all share the care!