Dear Members of the SS. Cyril and Methodius Family:

May is the month that we celebrate motherhood. We honor the Virgin Mary with a special mass, including a May Crowning ceremony to reaffirm her status as Queen of Heaven. As a young girl she had the courage and faith to accept her role as mother, submitting willingly to the power of the Holy Spirit and unknowingly taking on the eventual responsibility of being the Blessed Mother for us all.

In Mary we have the perfect vision of what it is to be a mother: putting her child first above all things, including her own personal wants and needs. Mary’s bravery is an excellent example for girls and women, but even more importantly for boys and men. We males come to understand the unequivocal importance of a mother in a child’s life, and we learn that respect for women (and girls) is something inherent in our faith.

Many years ago in a letter I wrote to parents in another school, I noted that the biggest problem in our world today was found in the “dot-com” mentality of the times. Unfortunately, it is not any better these days and, in fact, things have become generally worse. I will say now what I said then; the antidote for the insidious nature of modern life is quite simple: we need this to become more of a “dot-mom” world.

As a father, I know how essential my role is in my child’s life; however, I cannot in any way measure the power of love my daughter has for her mother (or that my wife has for her). Obviously, it is not a competition for a child’s affection, but the impact that a mother has on the quality of life in the home is overwhelming in its radiance and scope.

Having lost my mother almost two years ago, I face May (and the prospect of another Mother’s Day without Mom) with decidedly mixed emotions. Even going to the store to pick out a card is an excruciating process, trying to avoid the “mother” cards while looking for one for my wife. It is an inevitable day that must be celebrated, but it is difficult every step of the way. I will, of course, visit her grave and place flowers there, but I much rather be handing them to her with a box of chocolates as I always used to do.

What I have learned from losing my mother is just how essential a mother is in the family and in the home. All the little things (and enormous things) my mother did magnified the feeling of love we had for one another and enhanced the bonding of our family. A mother makes a house a home and, just as Mary did with Jesus, she imparts words of love and guidance that remain with a child for a lifetime. Even with my mother gone, I return to that house and find the love she imbued in our family as I visit with my father and hear him speak lovingly of her. That is her legacy: a love so strong that its impact is forevermore.

So, in this month of May, as we honor Mary and all the mothers of the world, let us recognize their extremely integral place in our lives. When we pray the “Hail, Mary,” we do not only honor the Mother of God but, in essence, every mother who follows in her sacred footsteps and gives of all her heart, body, and soul for the love of her children.

Sincerely in Christ,

Dr. Victor Lana