Jubilee Year of Saint Francis on the 800th Anniversary of His Death
April is the month dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament
April 12 is Divine Mercy Sunday
From the rising of the sun to its setting.
OUR LADY, ARK OF THE COVENANT,
SAINT FRANCIS,
SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,
PRAY FOR US.
JESUS, BREAD OF LIFE,
SACRED HOST, GREATEST AID TO HOLINESS,
HAVE MERCY ON US.
It is said that April showers bring May flowers. With that, welcome to the first day of April from a place where it is raining. You who seek God, may your hearts revive! (Psalm 69). Rise and shine say the tulips in the garden. Not surprisingly, mowing and garden work have commenced in our neck of the woods. Glorious April, the month, as it is, dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament. And this first day of the month finds us on Wednesday of Holy Week. Lord, in your great love, answer me (Psalm 69).
April is a packed month with Holy Week leading to the Paschal Triduum which takes us to Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord. And that is not all as we have the Octave of Easter that leads us into the Easter Season which leads us into May ... And we will see what is in store for us in May, the month for flowers! In summary, our plate is full, dear faithful readers. For the gift to us, we give God the praise.
My beloved missal highlights "Saints Who Wrote Hymns," this month. One project could be to reflect upon your favorite Easter Hymn and when you recall it, to pray with and meditate on the words. And sing it too! Maybe there is a favorite line that comes to mind throughout your busy day, doing this, that, and the other. Sing we to our God above ...
Or, how about taking Saint Josemaria Escriva's words that follow to heart and writing down one practical thing you will do this month for Christ's apostolate. But don't stop at just writing it down, carry it out in word and deed!
The apostolic concern which burns in the heart of ordinary Christians is not something separate from their everyday work. It is part and parcel of one's work, which becomes a source of opportunities for meeting Christ. As we work at our job, side by side with our colleagues, friends, and relatives and sharing their interests, we can help them become closer to Christ ...
We are not doing our apostolate. If we were, what could we possibly say? We are doing Christ's apostolate, because God wants it to be done and because He has commanded us to do it: Go out all over the world, and preach the Gospel to the whole of creation. The errors are ours; the fruits are His ...
Christ's plea is addressed to each and every Christian. No one can consider himself excused, for whatever reason: age, health, or occupation. There are no excuses whatsoever. Either we carry out a fruitful apostolate or our faith will prove barren.
(Saint Josemaria Escriva, 1902-1975)
And no matter what you encounter in the days of this month, remember Saint Pius of Pietrelcina "Padre Pio" (1887-1968), and his words of encouragement: "Courage, then, and keep forging ahead."
And for more encouragement, we hear some other strong voices too.
There is a general rule concerning all special graces granted to any human being. Whenever the divine favor chooses someone to receive a special grace, or to accept a lofty vocation, God adorns the person chosen with all the gifts of the Spirit needed to fulfill the task at hand.
(From a sermon by Saint Bernardine of Siena, priest, in Office of Readings, March 19)
If you truly want to help the soul of your neighbor, you should approach God first with all you heart. Ask Him simply to fill you with charity, the greatest of all virtues, with it you can accomplish what you desire.
(From the treatise On the Spiritual Life by Saint Vincent Ferrer, in Office of Readings, April 5)
God does not want our wretchedness, but He is aware of it, and indeed He makes use of our weakness to make saints of us ...
the realization that we are made of clay, and cheap clay at that, has to lead us, above all, to strengthen our hope in God alone.
(Saint Josemaria Escriva, 1902-1975)
The only truly happy people are those who have chosen Jesus and His cross on earth ... Jesus is filled with compassion for those who suffer ... making Himself our Simon of Cyrene.
(Father Jean du Coeur de Jesus d'Elbee, 1892-1982)
Being at one with God is the utmost happiness man can know,
and that it is His own happiness and glory.
(Caryll Houselander, 1901-1954)
Our concern should be what is happening right now.
There is plenty of work for love to do, you know.
(Bishop Trevor Mwamba to Mma Ramotswe in
Alexander McCall Smith, Tea Time for the Traditionally Built)
Love does not want a divided heart; He wants all or nothing.
(Saint Teresa Margaret Redi, 1747-1770)
Prayer purifies us, reading instructs us. Both are good when both are possible. Otherwise, prayer is better than reading.
If a man always wants to be in God's company, he must pray regularly and read regularly. When we pray, we talk to God; when we read, God talks to us.
All spiritual growth comes from reading and reflection. By reading we learn what we did not know; by reflection we retain what we have learned.
(From the Book of Maxims by Saint Isidore, bishop, in Office of Readings, April 4)
The human heart is always drawn by love.
(Saint Catherine of Siena, 1347-1380, The Dialogue)
Until you hear the whole story, until you dig deeper, and listen, she [Mma Ramotswe] thought, you know only a tiny part of the goodness of the human heart.
(in Alexander McCall Smith, Tea Time for the Traditionally Built)
The more you are led by God's love, the more you become yourself and it is all done without ever losing your freedom.
(Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, 1895-1975)*
We begin to act differently when we recognize the immensity of our possibilities.
(Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, 1895-1975)
We must not expect to see our plan for our own sanctification being realized instead of God's plan. His plan for us is His secret-a lover's secret- and we must trust His love. In fact, our trust in God, especially when we see our own unworthiness, is the greatest compliment we can pay Him.
(Dom M. Eugene Boylan, O.C.R., d. 1964)
SAINT CEALLACH,
SAINT HUGH OF GRENOBLE,
SAINT FRANCIS OF PAOLA,
SAINT JOHN PAYNE,
BLESSED PEDRO CALUNSGOD,
SAINT ISIDORE OF SEVILLE,
SAINT BENEDICT 'THE BLACK',
SAINT VINCENT FERRER,
VENERABLE JEROME LEJEUNE,
SAINT JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE,
SAINT HENRY WALPOLE,
SAINT JULIA BILLIART,
BLESSED ANTHONY NEYROT, OP,
SAINT MICHAEL DE SANCTIS,
SAINT STANISLAW,
SAINT ZENO OF VERONA,
POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II,
SAINT FAUSTINA KOWALSKA,
SAINT PERFECTUS,
POPE SAINT MARTIN I, MARTYR,
SAINT MARGARET COSTELLO, OP,
BLESSED LUCIEN BOTOVOSOA,
BLESSED LIDWINA OF SCHIEDAM,
BLESSED PETER GONZALEZ, OP,
SAINT HUNNA,
SAINT BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS,
SAINT DONAN,
BLESSED BAPTIST SPAGJOLI OF MANTUA,
BLESSED CLARA GAMBACORTA, OP,
BLESSED MARIA MANCINI, OP,
SAINT LASERIAN OR MOLAISE,
BLESSED ANNE-MARIE BLONDIN,
SAINT MARY OF EGYPT,
BLESSED MARY OF THE INCARNATION,
SAINT ALPHEGE,
BLESSED ISNARD OF CHIAMPO, OP,
BLESSED SIBYLLINA BISCOSSI, OP,
SAINTS MARCELLINUS, VINCENT, AND DOMNINUS,
SAINT BEUNO,
SAINT AGNES OF MONTEPULCIANO, OP,
SAINT ANSELM OF CANTERBURY, BISHOP, DOCTOR,
SAINT MAELRUBHA,
POPE SAINTS CAIUS AND SOTERA,
SAINT GEORGE, MARTYR,
SAINT ADALBERT OF PRAGUE,
BLESSED TERESA MARIA OF THE CROSS,
SAINT FIDELIS OF SIGMARINGEN, PRIEST, MARTYR,
SAINT ERKENWALD,
SAINT EGBERT,
SAINT MARK THE EVANGELIST,
ANZAC DAY,
BLESSED ROBERT ANDERTON AND WILLIAM MARSDEN,
SAINT ASICUS,
SAINT MAUGHOLD,
BLESSED HOSANNA OF KOTOR, OP,
SAINT ZITA,
SAINT RAFAEL ARNAIZ BARON,
SAINT PETER CHANAL, PRIEST, MARTYR,
SAINT LOUIS MARIE GRIGNION OF MONTFORT, PRIEST,
BLESSED MARIA GUGGUIARI ECHEVERRIA,
SAINT GIANNA BERETTA MOLLA,
SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA, VIRGIN, MARTYR,
POPE SAINT PIUS V,
SAINT MARIE OF THE INCARNATION,
OUR LADY, MOTHER OF AFRICA,
PRAY FOR US.
*NB. Thankfully, the beatification of Fulton J. Sheen is set for September 24, 2026, in St. Louis, Missouri (The Show Me State). Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle will preside.
This month's photo: Praise be the Name of the Lord. From friends visiting Cozumel, Mexico.
© Gertrude Feick 2026
