Father Peter Marsalek tells the students about the importance of honoring Mary and trying their best to follow her example. The Crowning Ceremony follows a long tradition of honoring Mary throughout the month of May.

The month of May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and students at Bishop Garriga Middle Preparatory School paused to honor her during a Mass and Crowning Ceremony on May 7. School President Father Peter Marsalek, SOLT, celebrated the Mass at Immaculate Conception Chapel.

In his homily, he explained the importance of Marian devotion and trying to follow her example in a well-developed spiritual life. The practice of crowning the image of the Virgin Mary is common in parochial schools and parishes throughout the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

Bishop Mariano Simon Garriga, for whom the school is named, was known for his Marian devotion, even receiving an indult from the Vatican to wear blue vestments in honor of the Blessed Virgin. His Episcopal motto was Sub Tutela de Matris which means ”Under the mantle of the mother.” He regularly held Crowning Ceremonies at the Cathedral for local school children.

During the ceremony, a crown of flowers is carried on a pillow in procession and young students follow, bringing individual flowers to be placed at her feet. The practice of crowning Mary is biblically based and dates back to the sixteenth century, when it is recorded as being done by Pope Clement VIII.

In the Marian year 1987, the Congregation for Divine Worship issued a ritual for honoring images of Mary and an Order of Crowning an image of her. It describes the honor as follows: ”The queen symbol was attributed to Mary because she was a perfect follower of Christ, who is the absolute ”crown” of creation. She is the Mother of the Son of God, who is the messianic King. Mary is the Mother of Christ, the Word Incarnate...”

Additionally, various scriptures help us understand the meaning behind our reverence of the Virgin Mary’s crown, including the following:

Mary is the perfect follower of Christ. The maid of Nazareth consented to God’s plan; she journeyed on the pilgrimage of faith; she listened to God’s Word and kept it in her heart; she remained steadfastly in close union with her Son, all the way to the foot of the Cross; she persevered in prayer with the Church. Thus, in an eminent way she won the ”crown of righteousness” (II Tim 4:8).