The Catholic practice of assigning a special devotion to each month goes back to the early 16th Century. One of the best known of those devotions is probably the dedication of May as the month of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Pope Francis has requested that families try to pray the rosary together during this month. Below is a prayer he has recommended saying together at the end of the rosary:
O Mary,
You shine continuously on our journey
as a sign of salvation and hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who, at the foot of the cross,
were united with Jesus’ suffering,
and persevered in your faith.
'Protectress of the Roman people',
you know our needs,
and we know that you will provide,
so that, as at Cana in Galilee,
joy and celebration may return
after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform ourselves to the will of the Father
and to do what Jesus tells us.
For he took upon himself our suffering,
and burdened himself with our sorrows
to bring us, through the cross,
to the joy of the Resurrection.
Amen.
