Calendar Class of April 19, 2025

A Carpe Diem Snapshot:

Thanks to Moira, our Carpe Diem moment today was a blessing of the Easter baskets by this priest, with the heavenly blessing of St. Pope John Paul II (pictured on the wall behind them).

Liturgical: Holy Saturday There are some very lengthy, beautiful readings for today's Mass that most of us will miss because we are preparing to attend the Easter vigil tonight (SEVEN readings PLUS the Gospel). But at least we can read them in the link above. Here, too, is all the information about Holy Saturday, the day our Lord rested in the tomb.

"And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day."

Genesis 1:1—2:2

Here is an excerpt from Bishop Barron's reflections for today:

"Friends, how wonderful are the readings for the Easter season! So full of theological depth, so spiritually rich, so marked by joy.

In light of the Resurrection, we know that God’s deepest intention for us is life, and life to the full. He wants death not to have the final word; he wants a renewal of the heavens and the earth.

Therefore, we have to stop living in the intellectual and spiritual space of death. We have to stop living intellectually in a world dominated by death and the fear of death. We have to adjust our attitudes in order to respond properly to what God really intends for us and the world."

Sanctoral: Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, October 4, 1922 – April 28, 1962

Saint Gianna Beretta Molla is a Patron Saint of: Doctors, Unborn Children, Wives

Human: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany was elected pope. He chose the name Pope Benedict XVI. He was the oldest pope elected since 1730 – 2005

Natural: Thanks to the suggestion of one of my dear students, today we are making a traditional Polish Easter basket for the "Swieconka", or blessing of the baskets, at a Polish parish near Largo Argentina!

Italian: Easter in Italy: From chocolate eggs to unique celebrations!

Quote: "Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the Cardinals have elected me, a simple, humble labourer in the vineyard of the Lord."

--Benedict XVI's first words to the public gathered at St. Peter's Basilica following the announcement of his election