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April 2008

1 -
See April Mission and Church Intentions of the Pope
"Move on, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord! Get rid of the bandages of your death and of clothing that keep you imprisoned in your self-interest and praise: Move on with Christ."
[Blessed Conforti on March 27, 1910]
1929 - Bishop Conforti blesses the foundation stone of the new diocesan Seminary of Parma
1967 - Xaverians arrive in Spain
Observance of World Nuclear Free Zones Day

2 -
St. Francis of Paola, founder of an Order of hermits
See April Mission and Church Intentions of the Pope
"Rise up, go forth then because God Himself, and no one else, sends you forth by means of your vocation, which you tested and cultivated here. God sends you forth by means of the legitimate mission conferred on you to preach the Gospel of Christ to the nations."
[Blessed Conforti on Jan. 25, 1907]
1918 - Blessed Conforti starts to write the chapters on the history of the founding of the Xaverian Congregation
2005 - Death of Pope John Paul II

3 -
See April Mission and Church Intentions of the Pope
"For the sake of truth and justice, for the sake of freedom in your hearts, your thoughts and works, let go of personal successes and human rewards."
[Blessed Conforti on March 27, 1910]
1925 - Blessed Conforti sends his eleventh Circular Letter to the Bishops of Italy on the 'Missionary Week' organized in Rome
1952 - Xaverian Fr. Augustus Azzolini is made Apostolic Prefect of Makeni, Sierra Leone

4 -
St. Isidore, Bishop and School-master of the Middle Ages
First Friday
"We must practice justice, that sovereign virtue which embraces the duties towards God, brothers and sisters, ourselves, our peers and our superiors, those who are week, as well as citizens and Christians everywhere."
[Blessed Conforti on Feb. 21, 1915]
See April Mission and Church Intentions of the Pope
1968 - Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated at age 39
USA Observance of April 4 National Day of Nonviolence, NAACP
1971 - Xaverian Fr. Mario Veronesi is killed at Jessore, Bangladesh

5 -
St. Vincent Ferrer, priest and missionary preacher
"We cannot make the distinction between a private and a public person, the social from the religious, as if one could work independently from the other... Truth and justice are uncompromising, they do not allow double standards. Therefore, we invite everyone to embrace the truth, and put it into practice."
[Blessed Conforti on Dec. 8, 1912]
See April Mission and Church Intentions of the Pope
China: Spring Festival honoring the ancestors

6 -
Third Sunday of Easter
"Tell all those who, on behalf of science and progress, have separated themselves from the Faith and the Gospel, and persuade their hearts to believe that Christ is the way, the truth, the life, and far from Christ there can only be failure, error, and death."
[Blessed Conforti on Nov. 22, 1903]
1910 - Blessed Conforti presides at the Departure Ceremony of Frs. A. Bassi and S. Chieli

7 -
St. John Baptist de la Salle, Founder the the Brothers of the Christian Schools
"Life is a constant fight, and we will be overcome, if we stop fighting."
[Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 181]
1506 - Birth of St. Francis Xavier
1541 - St. Francis Xavier departs from Lisbon, Portugal
Mozambique: Woman's Day
UN - World Health Day

8 -
"We are what we love. Do you love earth? You are earth. Do you love God? You are God."
[Blessed Conforti on Nov. 6, 1918]
1875 - Young Conforti receives First Communion at Holy Sepulcher Church, Parma
1927 - Blessed Conforti establishes the St. Francis Xavier association in support of departing missionaries

9 -
"Life is like a river, which we wade against the water flow; if we stop, we will be overcome."
[Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 181]
Philippines: Day of Heroes

10 -
"I cannot live only for myself. With the pretext of living for God, I do not have the right to abstain from living for my neighbor, for the sign from which God recognizes the life lived for God is Charity; thus, a life spent for others."
[Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180]
1972 - Biological Weapons Convention signed at Washington, London, and Moscow

11 -
St. Stanislaus, bishop and martyr who assisted of Krakow, Poland
"Infinite are the ways to give a portion of my life to others. I could do it through the form of prayer and penitence, through forms of personal self-giving, and through works of assistance or education."
[Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180]
1946 - China: Xaverian Faustino Tissot becomes bishop of the diocese of Cheng-Chow, and Xaverian Assuero Bassi becomes Bishop of the Diocese of Loyang
1958 - The Xaverians in Japan start their service in Osumi, Diocese of Kagoshima, working in the leprosy hospital of Kanoya
1963 - Encyclical 'Pacem in Terris' by Pope John XXIII calling for the end to the nuclear race [April 11, 1963]

12 -
"If our hearts are free from earthly goods, it will be easier to detach ourselves from personal esteem and honors. We will then embrace the humble attitude so dear to Jesus."
[Blessed Conforti, 1913]

13 -
Fourth Sunday of Easter
World Day of Prayer for Vocations
St. Martin I, pope and martir
"Even the best of virtues is like a soft perfume which the wind blows, or as a mirror that soon fogs up, or like pure water that becomes filthy."
[Blessed Conforti on Sept. 11-22, 1913]
1902 - Blessed Conforti writes to the Propagation of the Faith asking for a Xaverian mission field in China

14 -
"Our prayer and our habit of recollection place our souls in such intimate union with God that the words of the Scriptures come true: 'If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter their house and dine with them, and they with me.'"
[Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 182]
1967 - Founding of Central African Region of the Xaverians working in Congo and Burundi

15 -
"Let's pray that everything proceed for God's greater glory and for the good of the mission of China, and the well being of our Congregation."
[Blessed Conforti July 31, 1911]
1921 - Blessed Conforti gives the Crucifix to departing China missionary Fr. J. Gazza
1929 - Blessed Conforti writes a letter to the diocese of Parma in preparation of his fifth Pastoral Visit

16 -
"God gives to all without becoming poorer. So it is for the apostle of the Gospel, who will first need be immersed in the Light in order to bring it to others."
[Blessed Conforti on Feb. 19, 1918]
1927 - 80th Birthday of Pope Benedict XVI
1953 - President Dwight D. Eisenhower addresses the American Society of Newspaper Editors stating: 'Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of children... This is not a way of life in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.'
1962 - Start of the Diocese of Uvira, D.R. Congo, with Xaverian Danilo Catarzi as its first bishop

17 -
"To be a person of conscience is the only way to be in peace with God, with oneself and with one's neighbor. A person of conscience is the one who questions himself, he listens to his conscience, he follows it and does everything not to go against his conscience."
[Blessed Conforti on FCT 20, 184]
1933 - Beginning of the Xaverian presence in Rome

18 -
"Let us treasure in the depth of our hearts the Word of God, like the earth nurtures in its womb the seed which will bud forth and produce fruit."
[Blessed Conforti on Sept.-Oct. 1923]

19 -
"We seek the truth in all our conversations and works, for we are children of the light and disciples of Jesus who said 'I am the truth'"
[Blessed Conforti on Feb. 21, 1915]
1923- Blessed Conforti takes part at the Mission Congress in Modena
2005 - Election of Pope Benedict XVI

20 -
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Jewish Festival Passover begins
"Recall the words of the great Bishop Ignatius: 'Follow and listen to your Bishop, just as Christ followed and heeded His heavenly Father.'"
[Blessed Conforti on Sept. 1, 1912]
1921 - Blessed Conforti writes the fifth Circular Letter to the Bishops on the missionary education in the Seminaries of Italy
1922 - Solemn Mission Celebration in Parma presided by Blessed Conforti
1927 - Blessed Conforti is given the title of 'Roman Count' by Pope Pius XI
April 20-22, 2007: Celebration of Global Youth Service Day

21 -
St. Anselm, bishop of Canterbury
"It is always easy to understand each other when the love of Christ inspires and moves us."
[Blessed Conforti on July 25, 1927]
1912 - Blessed Conforti ordains the first Xaverian bishop, Bishop Louis Calza, in the Cathedral of Parma
1924 - Blessed Conforti opens the great city-wide Mission in preparation of the Eucharistic Congress in Parma
Brazil - Feast of Independence

22 -
"Let us form one mind and one heart, so as to assure good results in our works."
[Blessed Conforti on April 8, 1921]
1970 - First Observance of Earth Day
1500 - Anniversary of the discovery of Brazil

23 -
St. George, martyr and patron of England and St. Adalbert, bishop of Prague and patron of Poland
"I'm ready to sacrifice everything for the harmony and peace among us; let these virtues reign among us, so that we may not only form one single family, but be of one heart and one soul."
[Blessed Conforti on July 25, 1927]
1925 - First meeting of the General Council of the Xaverian family, with Blessed Conforti, Fr. Bonardi, and Fr. Popoli. At the evening gathering, Blessed Conforti recalls the 25th anniversary of the posing of the foundation stone of the Xaverian seminary

24 -
St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, priest and martyr, 'lawyer of the poor'
"Have mutual love: let this closely bind your hearts together and make of you one single heart and soul, so that joys and sorrows may always be common."
[Blessed Conforti on March 11, 1928]
1894 - Card. Ledokowski responds favorably to Conforti about his desire to found a Missionary Congregation
1900 - Blessed Conforti blesses the Foundation Stone of the Xaverian Motherhouse in Parma

25 -
St. Mark, Gospel writer and follower of St. Peter and St. Paul
"Truth in itself is so self-evident that it will influence the mind and heart of the one who speaks it."
[Blessed Conforti on Nov. 22, 1908]
World Malaria Day

26 -
"As faith fills our intellect and enlivens with the knowledge of great and important truths, so does Christian hope; it moves our will to do our daily works so as to obtain the greater goods found in divine grace and in our being children of God. Who would like to live without hope?"
[Blessed Conforti on April 11, 1909]

27 -
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Orthodox Easter
"Do not give in to human respect when you believe in truth, justice, the true freedom of your spirit, of your thoughts and of your labors. More than anything else, love your God, your faith, and your religion."
[Blessed Conforti on Dec. 8, 1912]
1916 - On the occasion of the 'visit ad limina', Blessed Conforti presents to Pope Benedict XV the rules of the Missionary Union of the Clergy. He also presents a draft of the Xaverian Constitutions to the Sacred Congregation of Religious, for review and feedback.
Sierra Leone: Feast of Independence

28 -
St. Peter Chanel, Marist missionary on the Pacific islands and Martyr and St. Louis Mary de Montfort, hospital chaplain who founded confraternities for the recitation of the rosary
"One of the saddest dangers of those who dedicate themselves for the good of others, is to forget about themselves. In order to avoid this danger, we need the constant union with God."
[Blessed Conforti on April 21, 1921]
1900 - Opening of the Chinese Museum in the first Xaverian Seminary in Parma

29 -
St. Catherine of Siena, Peacemaker and renewer of religious life
"May the Lord bless you abundantly, especially with a bounty of missionary spirit which will bring fruitful results in your mission."
[Blessed Conforti on Oct. 12, 1906]

30 -
St. Pius V, Pope
"Great indeed is the mission, which Christ has entrusted to you. It is the same mission, which Christ entrusted to His apostles; it is the same mission for which He came down from heaven."
[Blessed Conforti on Dec. 29, 1914]
1944 - Xaverian Fr. John Botton is killed in Hsuchang, China, Xaverian Martyr of China