Happy Birthday, Dearest Mother!

September 8th

The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady

The Birth of the Virgin Mary - by Esteban Murillo ( at the Louvre, Paris)

September's Child

Blue gentians star the woods at morn

Near crystal pools in woodland aisles -

In this bright month a Queen was born.

No silver fanfare filled the air

As angel wings flashed round the child;

No crown was placed upon her head,

But at her halo, Heaven smiled.

October's trees wear rosaries

Of gold and scarlet, green and brown,

And as the west wind fingers them

The Ave-leaves drift slowly down.

May raises high her blossom-shrines

Where bird-choirs sing their wood-notes wild,

But both these months pay homage to

A blue-gowned Queen - September's child.

Sr. Maryanna

Catholic Culture has a good list of good ideas for celebrating this day.! But here are some more ideas we found:

How about some lovely Rosary coloring pages from Family in Feast and Feria ? These will be fun to color in honor of Our Lady's Day. The children might also want to make Our Heavenly Mother some birthday cards to display in front of her image!

The most simple and meaningful form of celebrating Mary's birthday is, of course, to bake a birthday cake and sing "Happy Birthday!" This afternoon maybe, the children can help bake a beautiful white cake ( or possibly a blue jello poke cake or a traditional angel food cake?), or maybe cupcakes with white icing! Since blue is the traditional color of Mary, blueberries might make a good garnish...

Here is a list of flowers meaningful to Our Lady. This would be a perfect day to make a trip to the florist and arrange a boquet forthe Blessed Mother. How perfect to choose flowers based on their meaning for her!