Last Sunday was Mother's Day, and Mary, as Jesus's mother, is a role model for many of us.

   "Our connection to Mary is deep-seated in Aotearoa; our country was dedicated to Mary as Our Lady Assumed into Heaven by Bishop Jean-Baptiste Pompallier when he celebrated the first mass in New Zealand at Totara Point in the Hokianga on the 13 January 1838. Last year, we dedicated St Mary of the Angels in Wellington as a national shrine to Mary. The National Liturgy Office has prepared this prayer for 31 May that we invite all parishes to take up." Archbishop Paul Martin SM, Secretary of the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference

Wednesday 31 May 2023Memorial of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary & conclusion of the Marian MonthPrayer for the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops

E te Atua aroha mā te whakapuaki i tō mātou whakaponoLoving God in professing the faithIn which we are united as your people we unite ourselves with the yes of your mother Mary, the first disciple.

E te Atua, te Puna o ngā mea ora katoa, te kaihomai o ngā mea pai katoaO God, Source of all life, giver of all that is goodWe, your people of Aotearoa New Zealand meet in the bonds of your love.Keep us faithful in our response to your love.

E te Atua aroha, ka karangahia houtia mātou e koe ki ngā hua o te ora.Loving God, you call us anew to the abundance of life.In these years of renewed synodal reflection, we are listening for your voice.Now we pray for those who will take our voice to the October Synod dialogue in Rome.

E te Atua, mā roto i te korowai o Maria te whāea o tāu tamaiti, tō mātou whaea anō hokiO God, under the patronage of Mary, the mother of your son, and our motherMay we grow as people of communion, participation and mission.We pray that those entrusted with leadership of your church will be open,that together we may enlarge the space of your tent in our land and in our world.

I tēnei wā, ka whakahoungia e mātou tēnei oati tapuWe pray, turning to Mary with new fervour.In union with her Son Our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with youin the unity of the Holy Spirit God forever and ever.Amen