Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The month of May is dedicated to the Christian devotion of Mary, hence Pope John Paul II's words of reflection prior to his noontime praying of the Regina Caeli today together with faithul below in St. Peter's Square.

To conquer hatred and violence in our society, the pope said, we must resort to Mary "with love and hope", allowing her to take us in under her protection and guidance with her "maternally untiring" heart.

John Paul II gave a special reminder about the feast Our Lady of Fatima this May 13. The pope holds particularly dear this date: on May 13, 1981 John Paul II was nearly mortally wounded in St. Peter's Square, with his assasin's bullet just missing his vital organs (a miraculous intervention which he claims occured on behalf of Mary).

After praying the Regina Caeli, the pope reminded faithful of the date of Mother's Day, celebrated the second Sunday of May.  

Below is the full version of the Pope's words of reflection (translation by AsiaNews):

"During the month of May, God's people feel the need to intensify their devotion to Mary, whose maternal presence is a support to Christians throughout the world.

Since the young maiden of Nazareth declared her "fiat", her virginal and motherly heart, inspired by the Holy Spirit, has forever followed the work of her Son, seeking to help all those whom Christ has and continues to embrace in his untiring love for man. " (Redemptor Hominis, 22). 

If, therefore, Christ's mercy is inexhaustible, His Mother's immaculate heart is "maternally untiring". (Ibid.)

While hanging on the Cross Jesus wanted to broaden, in a way easily accessible to everyone, Mary spiritual maternity through giving his favorite disciple over to her care (cf. John 19, 26).  

Since then generation after generation of faithful have called upon her protection and guidance, resorting to her with love and hope. And Our Lady expressed her motherliness "in her unique closeness to man and all his affairs." (Redemptor Hominis, 22).

If only men would take notice of this extraordinary gift, they would feel much more easily like brothers, giving up hatred and violence to open their hearts to pardon those who have offended them and grant unconditional respect for the dignity of every person!

With a few days, on May 13, we will celebrate the Virgin Mary's apparition in Fatima, where she called the world to conversion.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us pray so that even men and women in our day well accept the urgent call of Mary who watches over the Church and whole word with love."