Pentecost Sunday                                                 Page Five THE        GIFT OF  MOTHERHOOD      While we might bemoan the commercialism to which Mother’s Day has fallen prey, I must admit it is usually the greeting card display in some store which reminds me that the day is coming.      The variety of cards which is available certainly reflects the creativity of the designers and the   ingenuity of the marketers—but they also reflect the variety and complexity of the role of mothers in our society.     There are the traditional cards to “Mother” and “Mom,” but there are also cards to stepmothers and adoptive mother. Some of the cards to mother have verses which clearly reflect a single parent’s gift, and there are cards to grandmother and aunt, which imply those persons have assumed a primary   mothering role in the family. There are cards  to working moms and cards whose poignant verses speak to mothers who live at a distance from the sender. There are brightly colored cards, which celebrate “your first mother’s day” and cards with very large print for aging moms whose eyesight is not near as good as it once was. There are cards in the native tongues of immigrant mothers and cards which proudly proclaim a particular culture flavor, such as  “To my Irish Mom.” A SPECIAL GIFT     Among all these unique salutations which a person might purchase for Mother’s Day, there is one which particularly intrigues me: “You’ve been like a mother to me.” In this card something of the   essence of motherhood is named. Whether or not ones motherhood has the magnificent biological   dimension, there are life-giving and nurturing qualities that we associate with mothering.     Mothers frequently represent love and outrageous acceptance; they are faithful listeners and in- stant forgivers; they are visionaries who see their children’s potential and encouragers who enable that potential to be fulfilled.    That is what the greeting cards say about the special gift of motherhood.    But don’t tell me. Tell your Mom. ——Carole M. Eiper _________ Please mark your calendars, there will be a Liturgy Meeting on Tuesday, May 20th, 7:00PM in the   Parish  Library. _________ For so generously sharing your time & talent throughout the past year OLMC invites you to a Volunteer Appreciation Celebration, Thursday, May 22. Celebration of Mass 6:30PM, Social Gathering 7:00PM. We hope you will be able to join us! Please RSVP by Monday, May 19.