My relationship with Mary is complicated. I couldn't see the appeal of Marian devotion until I had a baby and understood how she embodies the life-giving sacrifice of motherhood.

In a video message, Pope Francis told young people going to World Youth Day in August should consult their grandparents on how to prepare.

From the moment of her birth, my granddaughter has retaught me one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that we learn at Confirmation: a sense of wonder and awe.

We ended the day of my mother’s funeral looking forward to the new life ahead of us. No better tribute could be offered to such a selfless and sacrificial woman.

I hope their belief will deepen. And I hope that my fellow Catholics in the pews will demonstrate that the wider church wants them there too.

The St. Monica Ministry is composed mostly of mothers but welcomes anyone who wishes to meet regularly to pray for people who have left the Catholic Church.