May Crowning

Courtesy photo/St. Martin de Porres Parish

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The month of May is dedicated to Mary. Many Catholic schools and parishes in the Diocese of Salt Lake City held special commemorations to Mary during the past several weeks. Among them was St. Martin de Porres Parish. The pastor, Father Jan Bednarz, has had a devotion to the Virgin Mary since his youth, and he has fond memories of the May crowning celebrations that were held in Poland as he was growing up. He has brought this tradition to St. Martin de Porres Parish in Taylorsville because he feels it is important to celebrate Mary as our Mother. Among the parishioners who enjoyed the April 29 event at the parish was Bea Manzanares, who is from Colorado. She remembers the procession for the Virgin Mary and crowning her in the parish more than 50 years ago and said she was happy to be commemorating this joyful ritual again.