Tree of Life

  Conclave  (Begins May 7th at 10:30 am EST watch Vatican News Media to watch for white smoke to announce the election of a new Pope.  Next to the Holy Spirit and Our Lady as Mother of the Church it is good to pray for the intercession for Saints Joseph and Michael as protectors of The Church as well as all canonized Popes and Cardinals and finally St. Catherine of Siena as she influenced the Pope during the Avignon Crisis.)   More about the Papal Conclave . The following times are in EST whereas the Vatican is in CEST.  On day one of the Conclave smoke is expected at 1 EST. The next day is 4:30am and 6am then 11am and 1pm. The first morning and afternoon slots are used if a pope is elected, the second if a pope is not elected. Movies to watch during Conclave (as well as those mentioned in the second link above) are ‘The Two Popes’, ‘Saving Grace’ and ‘The Shoes of the Fisherman’. During this time when the whole world is paying attention to The Catholic Church i...

  A plenary indulgence can be gained under  the usual conditions  by visiting a church named for the Saint of the day and praying the Our Father and Apostle’s Creed. Who is Saint Mark? The Feast of St. Mark  St. Mark Relics  April 25 Customs and Folklore  St. Mark’s Day in Italy  St. Gertrude and the Feast of St. Mark   St. Mark Iconography  More Iconography  St. Mark Artifact Vegan Lamb Recipes 

  Each month of the calendar year is dedicated to a Catholic Devotion. In April   it is  the Eucharist and the Holy Spirit .   This is because Easter is typically in April and when it is in March the season still continues through April and the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Spirit have a special role in the Easter mysteries. More information on Catholic belief about the Eucharist can be found Here and Here.  April 1st is also April Fools’ Day (see below). April 1st is also the beginning of Arab American Heritage Month , Autism Awareness Month and Earth Month . Finally, for those lovers of Halloween like myself, look for “Halfway to Halloween” events happening near you or on streaming services like Shudder. The themes of Halloween overlap with those of the Lenten season as well and thus spooky movies during Lent are most appropriate as  Lent continues into the month of April.  Daily Reads  Weather Lore Calendar Lunar Folklore  The Pink Moon F...