April is the Month of the Holy Eucharist

April begins with the joyful and festive Octave of Easter. Yes, this is the time we pray the Novena of the Divine Mercy (as Our Lord requested of Saint Faustina) and this year, we prepare for the “X” Eclipse, what seems like a warning that we best pay attention to. And yet, we must always remain joyful. It is an insult to Our Blessed Lord, Whom we receive in Holy Communion, to be anything less than exceedingly happy, even in the midst of sorrows and uncertainty.

Divine Mercy Sunday (also Low or Quasimodo Sunday in the trad) is the 7th. The day after, the feast of the Annunciation, is the Great North American “X” Eclipse. One sword pierced the heart of America 7 years ago and another pierces again. Perhaps these represent the swords which pierce both the hearts of Our Lady and Our Lord, due to our sins. Together they make a cross. As we pray in the Divine Mercy Novena:

“Oh Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in Thee!”

Let us seek to console Our Two Hearts and to draw down mercy, not wrath.

The 21st is Good Shepherd Sunday in the new. The 25th is April’s Major Rogation Day in the trad, a day for prayer and penance, very similar to the Ember Days, with a different origin. The Litany of the Saints is recited on the Rogation Days.

How may we honor and celebrate the Holy Eucharist this month? The many unworthy Communions of unrepentant Catholics is probably one of the main reasons we’re getting the “X.” Offering reparation and properly instructing your loved ones, even when it’s difficult, are some ways we can console the pierced Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.

Calendar of trad feasts for April: calefactory

April is the Month of the Holy Eucharist

The Church dedicates this month to Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  It is a time to renew our appreciation for this great privilege.  It is easy, when we receive Him every week, to begin to take this for granted.  But we must guard against this, lest the precious Body of Christ be taken from us!  How can we deepen our love and devotion to the Holy Eucharist this month?  We may receive Him more frequently, we may perform any of the many Eucharistic devotions, we may visit Him in Adoration, we may begin the Nine First Fridays Devotion (given to Saint Margaret Mary, which requires that Holy Communion is received on nine consecutive first Fridays), we may make reparation to Him for all the outrages against this great Sacrament (see prayer on Home page from the LItany of Reparation to Our Lord in the Blessed Eucharist)...just a few ideas! 

What other unique features does this month of April bring to us?  It is a month of special weeks:  the traditional Passion Week, Holy Week and the joyful Easter Week.  We celebrate 3 Doctors of the Church, 2 20th Century saints (both Italian women!) and the Major Rogation Day, a traditional day of prayer and fasting, very similar to the Ember Days, but with a different origin.

After our 40 days of penance and the contemplation of Our Lords terrible sufferings, may be all celebrate a happy and holy Easter Sunday.  What a great joy!  Isn't it wonderful to be Catholic?  Here's a sampling of this month's feasts:

4/1-First Saturday-Our Lady of Fatima requested that we observe the First Saturdays

4/2-Passion Sunday, commencing Passion Week

4/4-Saint Isidore of Seville, 636-Doctor of the Church

4/7-First Friday/Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary-say the Seven Sorrows Chaplet, it's a wonderful devotion!

4/9-Palm Sunday, commencing Holy Week/Saint Mary of Cleophas, 1st Century

4/10-Saint Ezechiel, 6th Century BC-Old Testament Patriarch

4/11-Saint Leo the Great,461-Doctor of the Church/Saint Gemma Galgani, 1903

4/12-Spy Wednesday

4/13-Holy Thursday

+++ EASTER TRIDUUM +++

4/14-Good Friday-fast and abstinence

4/15-Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil

4/16-Easter Sunday, The Solemnity of Solemnities, commencing Easter Week-Happy Easter!/Saint Bernadette, 1879

4/21-Saint Anselm, 1109 (Easter Friday is a solemnity, therefore no penance is required)

4/23-Divine Mercy Sunday-Saint Faustina, pray for us!  What a beautiful day of devotions!/Quasimodo Sunday

4/25-Saint Mark, 74/Major Rogation Day-great day to do special prayers and crafts with children relating to the season of Spring

4/26-Our Lady of Good Counsel

4/28-Saint Louis de Montfort, 1716/Saint Gianna Molla, 1962

4/29-Saint Catherine of Siena, 1380-Doctor of the Church

4/30-Saint Catherine of Siena (trad)

this blog provides both new and traditional feasts