Catholic All April

The month of April is dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament. In honor of that, you'll find the hymn Adoro Te Devote, as well as prayers in honor of the Blessed Sacrament, and instructions on how to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament. In this booklet for April, I have included all the prayers, Bible readings, songs, and devotions that our family uses for Holy Week, Easter, and Divine Mercy Sunday. Since the date of Easter can move by more than a month (depending on the date of the paschal full moon) in some years these days will fall during March. However, since Holy Week and Easter more often fall in April, and the Catholic All March booklet was already chock full o' Lent, this seemed like the right call.So, in this booklet, you'll get Bible readings for Palm Sunday, as well as instructions for making a Palm Cross at home, and meal planning and activity suggestions for Holy Week, plus readings and a hymn for Spy Wednesday and Holy Thursday. For Good Friday, you'll find a summary of the events of the passion, instructions for venerating the cross, readings, and the indulged devotions of the Stations of the Cross and the prayer before a crucifix. Also included is the entire Divine Mercy Novena, which begins on Good Friday, and continues through the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday on the Second Sunday of Easter. For Holy Saturday, you'll find readings plus a beautiful ancient homily for that day. There are Bible readings and hymns for Easter Sunday. And, in addition to the Divine Mercy Novena, you'll find prayers and instructions for the Divine Mercy Indulgence, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet.Also included are prayers for some April saints: St. George, St. Mark, St. Gianna Molla, and St. Catherine of Siena. One note: When St. George's Day or St. Mark's Day falls between Palm Sunday and the Second Sunday of Easter inclusive, it is transferred to the Monday after the Second Sunday of Easter. If both fall in this period, St. George's Day is transferred to the Monday and St. Mark's Day to the Tuesday. As discussed in the March booklet, the Annunciation and St. Joseph's Day also get transferred if they fall between Palm Sunday and Easter, inclusive. Other saint's days that fall during Holy Week or the Easter Octave get bumped for that year.You'll also find agricultural prayers and the Litany of All Saints for a procession in honor of the Major Rogation Day which coincides with St. Mark's Day, but predates it, and isn't affiliated with it. If Easter falls on April 25th, the Major Rogation Day is observed on the 26th.