In honor of the evident display of the Holy Spirit’s effect on St. John the Baptist while he was in the womb, the Diocese of Providence celebrated the Visitation on Tuesday, calling for the same joy in the lives of parishioners.

“On this Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we pray that, as the Holy Spirit inspired the Virgin Mary to visit her cousin Elizabeth and assist in her time of need, that we too may be open to the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and, together with Our Lady, may glorify and praise our Eternal Father forever,” the diocese posted on Facebook. 

May 31, the last day of the Month of Mary, is set aside for Catholics to celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Britannica says the Visitation, which is recorded in the Gospel of Luke, refers to Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth while Mary was pregnant with Jesus. Elizabeth was also pregnant, with St. John the Baptist, and when Mary spoke, Elizabeth felt John "leap in her womb.” 

The Visitation offers a chance to recognize Mary's humility and her willingness to be used in accordance with God's will, The Basilica of the National Shrine says. It cites what Pope Benedict XVI said of the feast day: "Let us bring the same sentiments of praise and thanksgiving of Mary to the Lord, her faith and her hope, her docile abandonment in the hands of Divine Providence. May we imitate her example of readiness and generosity in the service of our brethren. Indeed, only by accepting God’s love and making of our existence a selfless and generous service to our neighbor, can we joyfully lift a song of praise to the Lord.” 

Pope Francis tweeted about the day’s importance this year. "Mary’s faith is prophetic,” he wrote. “By her very life, Mary is a prophetic sign pointing to God’s presence in human history, his merciful intervention that confounds the logic of the world, lifts up the lowly and casts down the mighty (Lk 1:52). #Visitation”