The Many Names of Mary, Queen of Heaven

April 25, 2025

While Mary the Blessed Mother is revered and celebrated all year long, May is a special month to celebrate our “Queen of Heaven.” In our Catholic tradition, we dedicate May to honoring and seeking the intercession of Mary as the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church.  

May has been Mary’s month since medieval times. The month signifies the end of winter and the start of a new season of growth.  

It’s a time for new beginnings and it encourages us to be grateful and deep in our devotion to Mary.  

Mary is the “Queen of Heaven” and the first among all the disciples. One of my favorite titles for Mary is ‘Theotokos’. It comes from the Greek and means ‘Christ Bearer’.  

I suspect each of you, as you are reading this article, could come up with at least 25 titles that we give to Mary, including Our Lady of Mercy, Queen of the Universe, Our Lady of Hope, Our Lady of Sorrows, Mary, Star of the Sea, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and the list goes on.  

Pope Francis, in his Gaudete et Exsultate, no. 176, wrote “She is that woman who rejoiced in the presence of God, who treasured everything in her heart, and who let herself be pierced by the sword. Mary is the saint among the saints, blessed above all others. She teaches us the way of holiness, and she walks ever at our side. She does not let us remain fallen and at times she takes us into her arms without judging us.”  

[Mary the Mother of God] teaches us the way of holiness, and she walks ever at our side.

Pope Francis

As Pope Benedict XVI reflected in Deus Caritas Est (Dec. 2005), “Outstanding among the saints is Mary, Mother of the Lord and mirror of all holiness. Mary’s greatness consists in the fact that she wants to magnify God, not herself. She is lowly: her only desire is to be the handmaid of the Lord (cf. Lk 1:38, 48).” 

Mary, as the first among the disciples, can lead us to her son Jesus “so that we too can become capable of true love and be fountains of living water in the midst of a thirsting world.” 

At Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, we have a great love for our Blessed Mother. More than 138 years ago, Mercy Home was first established as the Mission of Our Lady of Mercy. Each President of Mercy Home throughout our history, including me, have had a great love and devotion to Mary.  

Mary… can lead us to her son Jesus “so that we too can become capable of true love and be fountains of living water in the midst of a thirsting world.” 

I am going to encourage all of you to spend time in prayer with Mary, perhaps by praying the rosary or following her in the Scriptures. In doing so, we draw closer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which is a heart of love for all of us.  

Let’s take this moment to pray Mary’s prayer. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.