April 9
"Lastly, women in trial, who stand upright at the foot of the cross like Mary, you who so often in history have given to men the strength to battle unto the very end and to give witness to the point of martyrdom, aid them now still once more to retain courage in their great undertakings, while at the same time maintaining patience and an esteem for humble beginnings....."
-TO WOMEN, VATICAN COUNCIL II CLOSING SPEECHES AND MESSAGES, Pope Paul VI
April 8
"And you, women living alone, realize what you can accomplish through your dedicated vocation. Society is appealing to you on all sides. Not even families can live without the help of those who have no families. Especially you, consecrated virgins, in a world where egoism and the search for pleasure would become law, be the guardians of purity, unselfishness and piety. Jesus who has given to conjugal love all its plenitudes, has also exalted the renouncement of human love when this is for the sake of divine love and for the service of all..."
-TO WOMEN, VATICAN COUNCIL II CLOSING SPEECHES AND MESSAGES, Pope Paul VI
April 7
"Wives, mothers of families, the first educators of the human race in the intimacy of the family circle, pass on to your sons and your daughters the traditions of your fathers at the same time that you prepare them for an unsearchable future. Always remember that by her children a mother belongs to that future which perhaps she will not see..."
-TO WOMEN, VATICAN COUNCIL II CLOSING SPEECHES AND MESSAGES, Pope Paul VI
April 6
"In a wholly singular way she [Mary] cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the work of the Savior in restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is mother to us in the order of grace."
-Vatican Council II, Lumen Gentium
April 5
"Holy Spirit, come into my heart. Bring new life to the ancient prayers I learned as a child, and inspire me to voice my innermost thoughts to the God who knows them all. Amen."
-Johnnette Benkovic Williams
April 4
"Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ..."
-Ephesians 5:18-20
April 3
"An invisible power seemed to plunge me wholly into fire...but oh! what fire! what sweetness!"
-St. Thérèse of Lisieux
April 2
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
O Holy Sprit, Soul of my soul I adore Thee.
Enlighten, guide, strengthen and console me.
Tell me what I ought to do, then command me to do it.
I promise to be submissive to all that Thou asks of me,
and to accept all that Thou permittest to happen to me,
only show me what is Thy will. Amen.
-Joseph Cardinal Mercier
April 1
“Avoid truth without love, love without truth."
-St. Edith Stein
(St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)
Easter Sunday
Most glorious Lord of life that on this day
Didst make Thy triumph over death and sin,
And having harrowed hell didst bring away
Captivity thence captive us to win;
