St. Joseph - Protector Sanctae Ecclesiae

𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 — 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

The month of April is dedicated to the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Eucharist. The Council of Trent solemnly defined that in this Most August Sacrament, "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained." This is no mere symbol or pious memory — it is a divine reality.

Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, helps us understand how this miracle takes place through what the Church calls Transubstantiation: at the words of Consecration, the entire substance of the bread and wine is converted into the Body and Blood of Christ, while only the outward appearances — what philosophy calls the accidents — of bread and wine remain. As St. Thomas teaches in the Summa Theologiae, "the whole Christ is present under each part of the species"* (ST III, q. 76, a. 3). What our eyes see is bread; what Faith tells us is there is God Himself.

This is why St. Thomas, that great theologian who wrote more about the Eucharist than perhaps any other Doctor of the Church, ultimately set aside his pen before the Blessed Sacrament and declared that all he had written was "as straw" compared to what he had received in prayer before the altar. Theology, at its summit, becomes adoration.

Sadly, many Catholics today no longer believe in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament. This is a grave wound in the Body of the Church. St. Thomas reminds us that Faith — not our senses — is the proper faculty for receiving this truth: "What God's Son has told me, take for truth I do; Truth Himself speaks truly, or there's nothing true" (Adoro Te Devote). Our senses may perceive bread; our Faith must confess God.

This is why we dedicate this month not to idle distractions, but to acts of Eucharistic reparation — making amends before the Lord for every sacrilege, every act of indifference, and every Communion received unworthily. As St. Paul warns, "whosoever shall eat this bread or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord" (1 Cor. 11:27). The greatness of the gift demands the greatness of our reverence.

Furthermore, St. Thomas teaches that the Eucharist is not only a sacrifice and a presence, but also our spiritual nourishment — it does for the soul what food does for the body: it sustains, restores, and brings joy (ST III, q. 79, a. 1). Christ did not give us this Sacrament merely to be adored from a distance, but to be received, so that, as He Himself said, we might have life in us.

Let us then ponder His own words in the Gospel of St. John:

"Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you; Moses gave you not bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which cometh down from heaven and giveth life to the world. They said therefore unto him: Lord, give us always this bread. And Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall not hunger: and he that believeth in me shall never thirst. But I said unto you that you also have seen me, and you believe not."
— John 6:32–36

Our Lord does not speak here in metaphor. He speaks as the One who is Truth itself.

May this April deepen our Faith in this greatest of all Sacraments, move our hearts to worthy reception, and inflame us with that love which St. Thomas expressed so beautifully: "O memorial of our Lord's own dying, O living Bread that givest life to man — may my soul approach Thee ever sighing, faint with thy love and thirsting as it can."

Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. Blessed is the Most Holy Eucharist, now and forever.

In case you want to watch movies about Saints with your family this Holy Week:

YouTube offers FREE access to films on the Lives of Catholic Saints:

1) PADRE PIO
https://youtu.be/nlxpUdOqMUk?si=9xLVuKOz8n7pOsls

2) BLESSED RUPERT MAYER
Father Rupert Mayer (2015)
⁃ a German priest put in a concentration camp for speaking against Na**sm
https://youtu.be/C9fB0SjrAlE

3) ST. BERNADETTE
The Song of Bernadette (1943)
⁃ Oscar-winning film (including Best Actress for Jennifer Jones as Bernadette) about the life of Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes. Highly recommended.
https://youtu.be/TMeVkz2ALU8?si=OB5z5VFl5XN0uZuw

4) ST. JOHN VIANNEY
The Wizard of Heaven (Le Sorcier du Ciel) (1949)
⁃ French film on the life of the Cure of Ars.
https://youtu.be/b5MeDJ45dLM?si=FSTDYrPmB_cVDT9x

5) ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX
Miracle of St. Therese (1952)
⁃ Another French film (dubbed in English) on the life of the little flower saint in a semi-documentary style.
https://youtu.be/hfHFVy5BoCE

6) ST. JOSEPH OF CUPERTINO
The Reluctant Saint (1962)
⁃ This Hollywood production stars Oscar winner Maximilian Schell as the “flying saint” who was not expected to accomplish much because he was slow intellectually.
https://youtu.be/eXxOLNRBdXw

7) ST. LUCIA OF FATIMA
The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (1952)
⁃ A Holy Week classic of my pre-Netflix childhood, this Oscar-nominated movie is still good viewing almost 70 years after it was first shown.
https://youtu.be/5L9rwJ1zayc?si=fhLKgZXVU2ABM-ZR

8) ST. CHARBEL
https://youtu.be/VhKorITYvDU

9) ST. AUGUSTINE
Restless Heart (2010)
https://youtu.be/d1sybK-6o0M?si=cC51NCW3Fcfur945

10) ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Francesco (1989)
https://youtu.be/8r2rQjDqmn0?si=RpiCRSw05gw_fUr4

11) ST. DAMIEN OF MOLOKAI
Molokai: The Story of Father Damien (1999)
https://youtu.be/AweoZYsiCu4

12) ST. DON BOSCO
Don Bosco
https://youtu.be/ki99iREMIrc

13) ST. PATRICK
St. Patrick: The Irish Legend (2000)
https://youtu.be/ndUfgHopiPI

14) ST. MARTIN DE PORRES
Catholic Rose: Saint Fray Martin de Porres
https://youtu.be/16esWMnWArk

15) ST. HENRIETTE OF DALILLE
The Courage to Love (2000)
▪︎The life of the first African-American Saint in Pre-Civil War New Orleans.
https://youtu.be/TPxfEkRMOTY

16) ST. JOAN OF ARC
Joan of Arc (1999)
https://youtu.be/Tt9lzIzF8gQ?si=ZPT4g_eLbb1tJXfy

17) ST. PAUL
St. Paul
https://youtu.be/O3HrN565Ao4

18) ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA - Silent Movie
Saint Anthony of Padua (1931)
https://youtu.be/v1ispnB6njU

19) THE MIRACLE OF MARCELINO (1955)
https://youtu.be/rmw2oqiW4Jw?si=PY4JLAjC_9f2wAah

20) ST. CLAIRE OF ASSISI & THE POOR CLARES
https://youtu.be/8sHma-mWlTg

21) BELLS OF ST. MARYS
https://youtu.be/APRNe_3tzdg

22) ST. TERESA OF THE ANDES
Teresa de los Andes
https://youtu.be/UReVfnlJF3k

23) ST. VERONICA GIULIANI
St. Veronica
https://youtu.be/5Ng7SSomwfU

24) ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE
Thomas: Close to Jesus (2001)
https://youtu.be/fwPw3r5D1PY

25) EMPEROR CONSTANTINE
Constantine and the Cross (1962)
https://youtu.be/VUK_SXjXEus

26) ST. HILDEGARD OF BINGEN
The Mystics: Sister Hildegard of Bingen
https://youtu.be/MCfqBMKrPOk

27) ST. POLYCARP
Polycarp (2015)
https://youtu.be/njp3WNVQ9O4

28) ST. MARY MAZARELLO
House of Happiness
▪︎Life of the Italian founder of the Salesian Sisters
https://youtu.be/tsP0yIHzl_w

29) STORY OF THE 12 APOSTLES
(History Channel)
https://youtu.be/5tJbgPQxxzI

30) SAINT JOHN HENRY NEWMAN
One Step is Enough
https://youtu.be/t16-AHJweUE

31) ST. MARGARET OF CASTELLO
https://youtu.be/vbKbIplfJu8

32) SAINT LOUIS MARIE DE MONTFORT
Jesus Living in Mary
https://youtu.be/BKB2SqmeBm4

33) ARCHBISHOP MARCEL LEFEBVRE: FULL DOCUMENTARY
https://youtu.be/Cf9oy7wDkms?si=Z5uO2viEjR4fR2ic

34) BROTHER ANDRE: THE WONDER MAN OF MOUNT ROYAL
https://youtu.be/OTM2w2STIAE?si=CW6hKDGEl-2ZOvJg

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗟𝗬 𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗣𝗢𝗣𝗘

Oremus et pro beatissimo Papa nostro Leone, ut Deus et Dominus noster, qui elegit eum in ordine episcopatus, salvum atque incolumem custodiat Ecclesiae suae sanctae, ad regendum populum sanctum Dei.

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, cuius iudicio universa fundantur: respice propitius ad preces nostras, et electum nobis Antistitem tua pietate conserva; ut christiana plebs, quae te gubernatur auctore, sub tanto pontifice, credulitatis suae meritis augeatur. Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, Filium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Let us pray for our most holy Father Pope Leo, that our Lord and God, Who chose him to the order of the Episcopate, may keep him in health and safety for His holy Church to govern the holy people of God.

Almighty and everlasting God, by Whose judgement all things are established, mercifully regard our prayers, and in Thy goodness preserve the Bishop chosen for us: that the Christian people who are ruled by Thine authority, may under so great a Pontiff, be increased in the merits of faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐏𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐗𝐈𝐈 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭. 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫?

In 1955, Pope Pius XII established the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker to counter the atheistic ideology of Communism. This feast, celebrated on May 1st, coincided with the Communist "May Day" celebration, which promoted anti-religious sentiments.

Pope Pius XII wanted to present St. Joseph as a model for all workers. Unlike the materialistic view of work promoted by Communism, St. Joseph's work had a spiritual dimension. He worked as a carpenter to support Jesus and Mary, embodying the value and sanctity of labor.

St. Joseph the Worker is the patron saint of all workers, especially husbands and fathers who provide for their families. This feast highlights the importance of work and its connection to our faith and family.

St. Joseph the Worker, pray for us! 🙏

Pope Francis died on Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.

Let us pray for the repose of his soul and commend him to the mercy of Almighty God.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.