Saint of the Day — March 31 Today is the birthday of Saint Benedict the Moor (1526–1589), born on this date in Sicily to parents who had been brought from Africa as slaves. Freed at birth by his master, he lived as a hermit, then as a Franciscan lay brother in Palermo, serving first as cook and then — despite being unable to read — as guardian and novice master, roles to which his brothers elected him for his extraordinary wisdom and holiness. He is patron of Palermo, African Americans, and African missions. ◾Among the miracles attributed to his intercession was the complete recovery of a woman suffering from cancer who prayed to him and was healed entirely. He was canonized by Pope Pius VII in 1807. Saint Benedict the Moor, pray for us
It is curious but many early Christians and missionaries did indeed attack, destroy and burn Pagan Idols and Temples. I believe St Padraig did so in Ireland. To modern Catholic eyes this can be strange. For instance Papa Frankie all owed a pagan idol into the Vatican itself and he and his fellow Cardinals knelt before it in Worship. This is a long, long way from Destroying or burning it. But God Bless the young Catholic who dumped it in the Tiber.
SAINT OF THE DAY WEDNESDAY, 1 APRIL, 2026 SAINT HUGH OF GRENOBLE BISHOP AND MONK (1053 – April 1, 1132) Saint Hugh received, from his cradle, strong impressions of piety through the example and solicitude of his illustrious and holy parents. He was born at Chateauneuf in Dauphiné, France, in 1053. His father, Odilo, who served his country in an honorable post in the army, labored by all means in his power to make his soldiers faithful servants of their Creator, and by severe punishments, to restrain vice. By the advice of his son, Saint Hugh, in his later years he became a Carthusian monk, and died at the age of one hundred, having received Extreme Unction and Viaticum from the hands of his son. Under his direction, his mother had served God in her own house for many years by prayer, fasting, and abundant almsgiving; and Saint Hugh also assisted her in her last hours. Hugh, from the cradle, appeared to be a child of benediction; in his youth he was recognized as such through his exceptional success in his studies. Having chosen to serve God in the ecclesiastical state, he accepted a canonry in the cathedral of Valence. His great sanctity and learning rendered him an ornament of that church, and at the age of twenty-seven he was chosen Bishop of Grenoble. Pope Gregory VII consecrated him in Rome, and inspired in him an ardent zeal for the Church's liberty and the sanctification of the clergy. He at once undertook to reprove vice and reform abuses, at that time rampant in his diocese, but found his efforts without fruit. He resolved therefore, after two years, to resign his charge, and retired to the austere abbey of Casa Dei, or Chaise-Dieu, in Auvergne. There Saint Hugh lived for a year, a perfect model of all virtues in a monastery filled with saints, until Pope Gregory commanded him, in the name of holy obedience, to resume his pastoral charge, saying: “Go to your flock; they need you.” This time his sanctity effected great good in souls. His forceful preaching moved crowds and touched hearts; in the confessional he wept with his penitents, and aroused in them a deeper contrition. After a few years the face of his diocese had changed. His charity for the poor led him to sell even his episcopal ring and his chalice to assist them. During his episcopate the young Saint Bruno came to him for counsel, and it was Saint Hugh who assisted him in the foundation of the Carthusian Monastery in the mountains of the diocese of Grenoble, whose renown after a thousand years has not diminished. Always filled with a profound sense of his own unworthiness, he earnestly solicited three Popes for leave to resign his bishopric, that he might die in solitude, but was never able to obtain his request. God was pleased to purify his soul by a lingering illness before He called him to Himself. He closed his penitential course on the 1st of April in 1132, two months before completing his eightieth year. Miracles attested the sanctity of his death, and he was canonized only two years afterwards, by Pope Innocent II. PATRONAGE: against headache and Grenoble, France. PRAYER TO ST. HUGH: O Heavenly Patron, in whose name I glory, pray ever to Christ for me: strengthen me in my faith; establish me in virtue; guard me in the conflict; that I may vanquish the foe malign and attain to glory everlasting. Amen.
We should all reach a point in our lives when we make a decision against sin about walking the road to heaven. This may not involve us in most cases going into a monastery. But is does involve us in choosing to go to heaven. To choose God. This is all about the Will , not emotions.
Saint of the Day — April 1 Today is the feast day and death anniversary of Saint Ludovico Pavoni (1784–1849), an Italian priest from Brescia who died on this date — then Palm Sunday — having just led his boys to safety through a city in flames during the Austrian siege. Ordained in 1807, he spent forty years founding schools, workshops, printing houses and hostels for poor, deaf and abandoned boys, pioneering Catholic vocational education a generation before Don Bosco. He founded the Sons of Mary Immaculate, known as the Pavonians. He is patron of vocational and trade schools and of his congregation. ◾His beatification miracle was the 1909 cure of Maria Stevani from typhoid fever. ◾The canonization miracle, confirmed by the Vatican's medical board, was the healing of a man in São Paulo, Brazil, from acute postoperative cerebrovascular accident, bilateral aspiration pneumonia complicated by acute respiratory failure, and kidney failure — a combination of conditions carrying an extremely grave prognosis. Pope John Paul II beatified him in 2002; Pope Francis canonized him on 16 October 2016. Saint Ludovico Pavoni, pray for us.
MAUNDY THURSDAY THURSDAY, 2 APRIL, 2026 FEAST OF THE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST Holy Thursday is also known as "Maundy Thursday." The word maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum (commandment) which is the first word of the Gospel acclamation: Mandátum novum do vobis dicit Dóminus, ut diligátis ínvicem, sicut diléxi vos. "I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you." (John 13:34) MASS OF THE LORD'S SUPPER During the evening of Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord's Supper is celebrated. It is celebrated in the evening because the Passover began at sundown. There is only one Mass, at which the whole community and priests of the parish participate. This is a very joyful Mass, as we recall the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the priesthood. The priests wear white vestments, the altar is filled with flowers, the Gloria is sung and the bells are rung. After the Gloria, we shall not hear organ music and the bells until the Easter Vigil. The Liturgy of the Mass recalls the Passover, the Last Supper, which includes the Washing of the Feet. The hymn Ubi Caritas or Where Charity and Love Prevail is usually sung at this time. After the Communion Prayer, there is no final blessing. The Holy Eucharist is carried in procession through Church and then transferred into a place of reposition, usually a side chapel. The hymn Pange Lingua is also usually sung at this time. After the Mass, we recall the Agony in the Garden, and the arrest and imprisonment of Jesus. The altar is stripped bare, crosses are removed or covered. The Eucharist has been placed in an altar of repose, and most churches are open for silent adoration, to answer Christ's invitation "Could you not, then, watch one hour with me?" (Matt 26:40) THE ALTAR OF REPOSE When the Eucharist is processed to the altar of repose after the Mass of the Lord's Supper, we should remain in quiet prayer and adoration, keeping Christ company. There is a tradition, particularly in big cities with many parishes, to try and visit seven churches and their altar of repose during this evening. Popular piety is particularly sensitive to the adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament in the wake of the Mass of the Lord's supper. Because of a long historical process, whose origins are not entirely clear, the place of repose has traditionally been referred to as "a holy sepulchre". The faithful go there to venerate Jesus who was placed in a tomb following the crucifixion and in which he remained for some forty hours. It is necessary to instruct the faithful on the meaning of the reposition: it is an austere solemn conservation of the Body of Christ for the community of the faithful which takes part in the liturgy of Good Friday and for the viaticum of the infirmed. It is an invitation to silent and prolonged adoration of the wondrous sacrament instituted by Jesus on this day. In reference to the altar of repose, therefore, the term "sepulchre" should be avoided, and its decoration should not have any suggestion of a tomb. The tabernacle on this altar should not be in the form of a tomb or funerary urn. The Blessed Sacrament should be conserved in a closed tabernacle and should not be exposed in a monstrance. After midnight on Holy Thursday, the adoration should conclude without solemnity, since the day of the Lord's Passion has already begun. Wish you all A Blessed Eucharistic Supper of the Lord!
GOOD FRIDAY FRIDAY, 3 APRIL, 2026 THE PASSION AND DEATH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST "IT IS FINISHED; AND BOWING HIS HEAD HE GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT." Today the whole Church mourns the death of our Savior. This is a day of sadness, spent in fasting and prayer. The title for this day varies in different parts of the world: "Holy Friday" for Latin nations, Slavs and Hungarians call it "Great Friday," in Germany it is "Friday of Mourning," and in Norway, it is "Long Friday." Some view the term "Good Friday" (used in English and Dutch) as a corruption of the term "God's Friday." This is another obligatory day of fasting and abstinence. In Ireland, they practice the "black fast," which is to consume nothing but black tea and water. LITURGY According to the Church's ancient tradition, the sacraments are not celebrated on Good Friday nor Holy Saturday. "Celebration of the Lord's Passion," traditionally known as the "Mass of the Presanctified," (although it is not a mass) is usually celebrated around three o'clock in the afternoon, or later, depending on the needs of the parish. The altar is completely bare, with no cloths, candles nor cross. The service is divided into three parts: Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion. The priest and deacons wear red or black vestments. The liturgy starts with the priests and deacons going to the altar in silence and prostrating themselves for a few moments in silent prayer, then an introductory prayer is prayed. PART ONE - THE LITURGY OF THE WORD We hear the most famous of the Suffering Servant passages from Isaiah (52:13-53:12), a pre-figurement of Christ on Good Friday. Psalm 30 is the Responsorial Psalm "Father, I put my life in your hands." The Second Reading, or Epistle, is from the letter to the Hebrews, 4:14-16; 5:7-9. The Gospel Reading is the Passion of St. John. The General Intercessions conclude the Liturgy of the Word. The ten intercessions cover these areas: For the Church For the Pope For the clergy and laity of the Church For those preparing for baptism For the unity of Christians For the Jewish people For those who do not believe in Christ For those who do not believe in God For all in public office For those in special need PART TWO - THE VENERATION OF THE CROSS A cross, either veiled or unveiled, is processed through the Church, and then venerated by the congregation. We joyfully venerate and kiss the wooden cross "on which hung the Savior of the world." During this time the "Reproaches" are usually sung or recited. PART THREE - HOLY COMMUNION Holy Communion concludes the Celebration of the Lord's Passion. The altar is covered with a cloth and the ciboriums containing the Blessed Sacrament are brought to the altar from the place of reposition. The Our Father and the Ecce Agnus Dei ("This is the Lamb of God") are recited. The congregation receives Holy Communion, there is a "Prayer After Communion," and then a "Prayer Over the People," and everyone departs in silence. SOME ACTIVITIES FOR GOOD FRIDAY Good Friday is a day of mourning. We should make a sincere effort to participate in the devotions and liturgy of the day as much as possible. In addition, we should refrain from extraneous conversation. Some families maintain silence during the 3 hours (noon — 3p.m.), and keep from loud conversation or activities throughout the remainder of the day. We should also restrict ourselves from any TV, music or computer—and anything else that can distract us from the spirit of the day. If some members of the family cannot attend all the services, a little home altar can be set up, by draping a black or purple cloth over a small table or dresser and placing a crucifix and candles on it. The family then can gather during the three hours, praying different devotions like the rosary, Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy devotions, and meditative reading and prayers on the passion of Christ. Although throughout Lent we have tried to mortify ourselves, it is appropriate to try some practicing extra mortifications today. These can be very simple, such as eating less at the small meals of fasting, or eating standing up. Some people just eat bread and soup, or just bread and water while standing at the table. CRUCIFIED LORD JESUS: HAVE MERCY ON US! GOOD FRIDAY PRAYER O Jesus, Who by reason of Thy burning love for us hast willed to be crucified and to shed Thy Most Precious Blood for the redemption and salvation of our souls, look down upon us here gathered together in remembrance of Thy most sorrowful Passion and Death, fully trusting in Thy mercy; cleanse us from sin by Thy grace, sanctify our toil, give unto us and unto all those who are dear to us our daily bread, sweeten our sufferings, bless our families, and to the nations so sorely afflicted, grant Thy peace, which is the only true peace, so that by obeying Thy commandments we may come at last to the glory of heaven. Amen.
HOLY SATURDAY SATURDAY, 4 APRIL, 2026 SEVEN PRAYERS IN HONOR OF THE SEVEN SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY The Hail Mary is prayed a total of seven times: once after each of the seven prayers. For the FIRST SORROW - THE PROPHECY OF SIMEON: I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the affliction of thy tender heart at the prophecy of the holy and aged Simeon. Dear Mother, by thy heart so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of the holy fear of God HAIL MARY... For the SECOND SORROW – THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT: I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the anguish of thy most affectionate heart during the flight into Egypt and thy sojourn there. Dear Mother, by thy heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of generosity, especially toward the poor, and the gift of piety. HAIL MARY... For the THIRD SORROW – THE LOSS OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE: I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in those anxieties which tried thy troubled heart at the loss of thy dear Jesus. Dear Mother, by thy heart so full of anguish, obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the gift of knowledge. HAIL MARY... For the FOURTH SORROW - MARY MEETS JESUS ON THE WAY TO CALVARY: I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful in the consternation of thy heart at meeting Jesus as he carried His Cross. Dear Mother, by thy heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the gift of fortitude. HAIL MARY... For the FIFTH SORROW - JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS: I grieve for thee O Mary, most sorrowful, in the martyrdom which thy generous heart endured in standing near Jesus in His agony. Dear Mother, by thy afflicted heart, obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the gift of counsel. HAIL MARY... For the SIXTH SORROW - MARY RECEIVES JESUS: I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the wounding of thy compassionate heart, when the side of Jesus was struck by the lance and His Heart was pierced before His body was removed from the Cross. Dear Mother, by thy heart thus transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding. HAIL MARY... For the SEVENTH SORROW - JESUS IS PLACED IN THE TOMB: I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, for the pangs that wrenched thy most loving heart at the burial of Jesus. Dear Mother, by thy heart sunk in the bitterness of desolation, obtain for me virtue of diligence and the gift of wisdom. HAIL MARY... PROMISES TO THOSE WHO PRACTICE DEVOTION TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS Our Blessed Mother revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden that she grants the following seven graces to the souls who honor her daily by saying seven Hail Marys while meditating on her tears and dolors (sorrows): 1. “I will grant peace to their families.” 2. “They will be enlightened about the divine Mysteries.” 3. “I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.” 4. “I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.” 5. “I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.” 6. “I will visibly help them at the moment of their death—they will see the face of their mother.” 7. “I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.”
THE SOLEMNITY OF SOLEMNITIES SUNDAY, 5 APRIL, 2026 EASTER SUNDAY THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD We have reached our goal: today is Easter, the day we celebrate Christ's resurrection. This is the single most important feast day of the Church. In the words of the Eastern church calendar this is "the sacred and great Sunday of the Pasch, on which we celebrate the life-giving Resurrection of our Lord and God, the Savior Jesus Christ." (Francis X. Weiser, S.J., The Easter Book). With Christ's death and resurrection, Christ has conquered sin and death, the gates of heaven are now open to man. This is the "Feast of Feasts," the "Solemnity of Solemnities," the highest Feast of the Church, the holiest day of the year. Like the Churches, the household is decorated with numerous flowers, like lilies and hyacinths, and the table decorated with the finest linens and place settings. Francis Fernandez from his In Conversation with God: Daily Meditations, Volume Two explains why this feast is so pivotal: The glorious resurrection of the Lord is the key to interpreting his whole life, and the ground of our faith. Without this victory over death, says St. Paul, all our preaching would be useless and our faith in vain. Furthermore, the guarantee of our future resurrection is secured upon the resurrection of Christ, because although we were dead through sin, God, full of mercy, moved by the infinite compassion with which he loved, gave us Christ...and He raised us with him. Easter is the celebration of our Redemption, and therefore the celebration of thanksgiving and joy.The Resurrection of the Lord is a central reality of the Catholic faith, and has been preached as such since the beginning of Christianity. The importance of this miracle is so great that the Apostles are, above all else, witnesses of Jesus' resurrection (cf. Acts 1:22; 2:43; 3:15; etc.). They announce that Christ is alive, and this becomes the nucleus of all their preaching. After twenty centuries this is what we announce to the world: Christ lives! The fact of the resurrection is the supreme argument for the divinity of Our Lord.... And Jesus Christ lives. And this crowns us with happiness. This is the great truth which fills our faith with meaning. Jesus, who died on the cross, has risen. He has triumphed over death; he has overcome sorrow, anguish and the power of darkness... In him we find everything. Outside of him our life is empty (J. Escriva). The Church celebrates this feast beginning at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday and through the Octave of Easter. From Easter Sunday to Easter Saturday, every day is another Easter, so high is this feast. A beautiful devotion during the Octave of Easter is devotion to the Divine Mercy. During Easter we commemorate our redemption, when the gates of heaven were thrown wide open, and we were saved through the death and resurrection of Christ. Jesus is calling us, poor sinners, to immerse ourselves in his mercy, particularly on Divine Mercy Sunday, the second Sunday of Easter. On Good Friday the Divine Mercy Novena began in preparation for this Feast of Mercy. During this week we can continue praying this novena. We celebrate this "Mercy Sunday" by going to Confession (preferably before that Sunday) and by receiving Communion on that day. PRAYER: My Resurrected Lord, I trust You with all my mind, heart, soul and strength. I believe that You are faithful to perfection and that Your fidelity will never fail. Give me hope when I need it the most and help me to keep my eyes on the glory that awaits. You have conquered all evil. May I always trust in You! Amen. REGINA COELI (QUEEN OF HEAVEN) V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. R. For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia. V. Has risen, as he said, alleluia. R. Pray for us to God, alleluia. V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia. LET US PRAY: O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. During the Easter season, the words of the hymn “Regina Caeli” (“Queen of Heaven') are substituted for the Angelus prayer, traditionally recited at 6 a.m., noon and 6 p.m.' (It is said throughout Eastertide. That is, from Easter Day through Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter.) While the authorship of the Regina Caeli is unknown, the hymn has been traced back to the twelfth century. It was in Franciscan use, after Compline, in the first half of the following century. There is a legend that says St. Gregory the Great (d. 604) heard the first three lines chanted by angels on a certain Easter morning in Rome while he walked barefoot in a great religious procession and that the saint thereupon added the fourth line: “Ora pro nobis Deum. Alleluia.”
Every Easter the World seems to shine and shimmer like the sun hitting the surface of a crystal stream. Revelation 21:5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Blessed of the Day — April 6 Today marks the death anniversary of Blessed Zefirino Agostini (1813–1896), an Italian diocesan priest who died on this date in Verona after more than fifty years of pastoral work among the urban poor. Born the son of a physician who died in his infancy, he was ordained in 1837 and accepted a vast, impoverished parish that no other priest was willing to take. He established schools for poor girls, programs of religious instruction for mothers, and associations for lay formation. He founded two religious institutes, the Pious Union of Sisters Devoted to Saint Angela Merici and the Ursuline Sisters of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, of which he is the patron. His spiritual daughters called him affectionately "the arciprete's nuns." He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 25 October 1998; his liturgical memorial is celebrated on 24 September, his birthday. ◾His beatification miracle, confirmed by the Vatican's Consulta Medica as medically inexplicable, was the complete and lasting healing of Mother Maria Pierina Scarmiglian, an Ursuline religious, from a brain tumor, in January 1984, following a novena of prayers invoking the founder's intercession. Blessed Zefirino Agostini, pray for us.
SAINT OF THE DAY MONDAY, 6 APRIL, 2026 SAINT JULIANA OF CORNILLON (LIÈGE) (1191/1192 – 1258) St. Juliana is little known but the Church is deeply indebted to her, not only because of the holiness of her life but also because, with her great fervour, she contributed to the institution of one of the most important solemn Liturgies of the year: Corpus Christi. She is St. Juliana de Cornillon, also known as St. Juliana of Liège. We know several facts about her life, mainly from a Biography that was probably written by a contemporary cleric; it is a collection of various testimonies of people who were directly acquainted with the Saint. Juliana was born near Liège, Belgium between 1191 and 1192. It is important to emphasize this place because at that time the Diocese of Liège was, so to speak, a true “Eucharistic Upper Room”. Before Juliana, eminent theologians had illustrated the supreme value of the Sacrament of the Eucharist and, again in Liège, there were groups of women generously dedicated to Eucharistic worship and to fervent communion. Guided by exemplary priests, they lived together, devoting themselves to prayer and to charitable works. Orphaned at the age of five, Juliana, together with her sister Agnes, was entrusted to the care of the Augustinian nuns at the convent and leprosarium of Mont-Cornillon. She was taught mainly by a sister called “Sapienza” [wisdom], who was in charge of her spiritual development to the time Juliana received the religious habit and thus became an Augustinian nun. She became so learned that she could read the words of the Church Fathers, of St. Augustine and St. Bernard in particular, in Latin. In addition to a keen intelligence, Juliana showed a special propensity for contemplation from the outset. She had a profound sense of Christ's presence, which she experienced by living the Sacrament of the Eucharist especially intensely and by pausing frequently to meditate upon Jesus' words: “And lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20). When Juliana was 16 she had her first vision which recurred subsequently several times during her Eucharistic adoration. Her vision presented the moon in its full splendour, crossed diametrically by a dark stripe. The Lord made her understand the meaning of what had appeared to her. The moon symbolized the life of the Church on earth, the opaque line, on the other hand, represented the absence of a liturgical feast for whose institution Juliana was asked to plead effectively: namely, a feast in which believers would be able to adore the Eucharist so as to increase in faith, to advance in the practice of the virtues and to make reparation for offences to the Most Holy Sacrament. Juliana, who in the meantime had become Prioress of the convent, kept this revelation that had filled her heart with joy a secret for about 20 years. She then confided it to two other fervent adorers of the Eucharist, Blessed Eva, who lived as a hermit, and Isabella, who had joined her at the Monastery of Mont-Cornillon. The three women established a sort of “spiritual alliance” for the purpose of glorifying the Most Holy Sacrament. They also chose to involve a highly regarded Priest, John of Lausanne, who was a canon of the Church of St. Martin in Liège. They asked him to consult theologians and clerics on what was important to them. Their affirmative response was encouraging. What happened to Juliana of Cornillon occurs frequently in the lives of Saints. To have confirmation that an inspiration comes from God it is always necessary to be immersed in prayer to wait patiently, to seek friendship and exchanges with other good souls and to submit all things to the judgement of the Pastors of the Church.It was in fact Bishop Robert Torote, Liège who, after initial hesitation, accepted the proposal of Juliana and her companions and first introduced the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in his diocese. Later other Bishops following his example instituted this Feast in the territories entrusted to their pastoral care. However, to increase their faith the Lord often asks Saints to sustain trials. This also happened to Juliana who had to bear the harsh opposition of certain members of the clergy and even of the superior on whom her monastery depended. Of her own free will, therefore, Juliana left the Convent of Mont-Cornillon with several companions. For 10 years — from 1248 to 1258 — she stayed as a guest at various monasteries of Cistercian sisters. She edified all with her humility, she had no words of criticism or reproach for her adversaries and continued zealously to spread Eucharistic worship. She died at Fosses-La-Ville, Belgium, in 1258. In the cell where she lay the Blessed Sacrament was exposed and, according to her biographer's account, Juliana died contemplating with a last effusion to love Jesus in the Eucharist whom she had always loved, honoured and adored. Jacques Pantaléon of Troyes was also won over to the good cause of the Feast of Corpus Christi during his ministry as Archdeacon in Lièges. It was he who, having become Pope with the name of Urban IV in 1264, instituted the Solemnity of Corpus Christi on the Thursday after Pentecost as a feast of precept for the Universal Church. SYMBOL: holding a monstrance PATRONAGE: Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament PRAYER: O Glorious St. Juliana, by your deep love for Jesus Christ, our Eucharistic King, you spent countless hours worshiping before the Blessed Sacrament and established a world wide feast to honor this most holy of mysteries. By your prayers and example may we too develop a deep appreciation, joy and heartfelt longing to spend time adoring Jesus Christ, our Lord, hidden and veiled in the little form of heavenly bread. Amen.
So many Saints I never heard of before!! Very humbling. I was taught that Eucharistic Adoration really got underway in France in the 19th century. I can see now this was not so, it had deep, deep roots.
another Saint of the Day — April 7 Today marks the death anniversary and feast day of Blessed Maria Assunta Pallotta (1878–1905), an Italian Franciscan Missionary of Mary who died on this date in Tong-Eul-Keou in the Shanxi province of China, at the age of twenty-seven. Born in poverty in Force, in the Marche region of Italy, she entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1898, was sent to China in 1904, and within a year contracted typhus while caring for sick orphans, offering her life for the recovery of a dying fellow sister. At the moment of her death a mysterious fragrance filled the house for three days; she was thereafter known among the Chinese faithful as "the saint of perfumes." Her body was found incorrupt when exhumed in 1913. She is patron of missionaries and of the sick. She was the first non-martyr missionary sister to be beatified in the history of the Church. ◾Her beatification miracle, confirmed under the modern process and approved by Pope Pius XII on 19 October 1954, was the complete and lasting healing of a person who had been bedridden for approximately eight months from paralysis, following prayers invoking her intercession. The healing was judged medically inexplicable by the examining physicians. Pope Pius XII celebrated her beatification on 7 November 1954 in Saint Peter's Basilica. The specific clinical documentation is preserved in the beatification Positio held by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Blessed Maria Assunta Pallotta, pray for us.
SAINT OF THE DAY TUESDAY, 7 APRIL, 2026 SAINT JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE (1651 - 1719) Generations of schoolboys have been taught by the Christian Brothers, and their founder, St. John Baptist de la Salle, is familiar in their prayers and devotions. "Brothers Boys" are scattered all over the world and all of them have fond memories of their "De la Salle" days. John Baptist de la Salle was born at Rheims in 1651, became a member of the cathedral chapter at Rheims when he was sixteen, and was ordained a priest in 1678. Soon after ordination he was put in charge of a girls' school, and in 1679 he met Adrian Nyel, a layman who wanted to open a school for boys. Two schools were started, and Canon de la Salle became interested in the work of education. He took an interest in the teachers, eventually invited them to live in his own house, and tried to train them in the educational system that was forming in his mind. This first group ultimately left, unable to grasp what the saint had in mind; others, however, joined him, and the beginnings of the Brothers of the Christian Schools were begun. Seeing a unique opportunity for good, Canon de la Salle resigned his canonry, gave his inheritance to the poor, and began to organize his teachers into a religious congregation. Soon, boys from his schools began to ask for admission to the Brothers, and the founder set up a juniorate to prepare them for their life as religious teachers. At the request of many pastors, he also set up a training school for teachers, first at Rheims, then at Paris, and finally at St.-Denis. Realizing that he was breaking entirely new ground in the education of the young, John Baptist de la Salle wrote books on his system of education, opened schools for tradesmen, and even founded a school for the nobility, at the request of King James of England. The congregation had a tumultuous history, and the setbacks that the founder had to face were many; but the work was begun, and he guided it with rare wisdom. In Lent of 1719, he grew weak, met with a serious accident, and died on Good Friday. He was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1900, and Pope Pius XII proclaimed him patron of schoolteachers. PATRON: Educators; school principals; teachers. PRAYER: O God, who chose Saint John Baptist de la Salle to educate young Christians, raise up, we pray, teachers in your Church ready to devote themselves wholeheartedly to the human and Christian formation of the young. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Just a little clarification: the One,Great, Solemn Triduum Liturgy commences on Holy Thursday evening and continues on through Good Friday into Holy Saturday with its climactic finale at the end of the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday evening. This is why there is no Last Blessing and/or Dismissal at either Holy Thursday or Good Friday services!
A great video to be treasured, and even it it be destroyed, I will ensure that the memory is retold to my children, my grandchildren, and if I can live another 10 years or so, my great-grandchildren! Alleluia! Viva Christo Rey and Him alone!
