Xaverian Calendar May 2011

Second Sunday of Easter
Divine Mercy Sunday
St. Joseph the Worker, Husband of Mary
Labor Day: celebrated in China, Colombia, Spain, France, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico and Philippines
"The journey of the total renewal of human nature is taught, better than anywhere else, in the Gospel." [Blessed Conforti on Dec. 25, 1919]
See May Mission and Church Intentions of the Pope

St. Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria
"Either modern society will listen to Christ and act upon the teachings of the Gospel, or it will continue to walk backward against these teachings." [Blessed Conforti on Dec. 12, 1919]
See May Mission and Church Intentions of the Pope

Saints Philip and James, Apostles
"The saints shine of a light that has heavenly lightning." [Blessed Conforti on Nov. 23, 1930]
1983 - U.S. Bishops write the Peace Pastoral: 'The Challenge of Peace'

"The saints walk marvelously in the harmony of order which has no comparison with creation." [Blessed Conforti on Nov. 23, 1930]
1899 - Fr. Caio Rastelli and Deacon Manini arrive in Tai-yuen-fu, China
1909 - Blessed Conforti presides at the Departure Ceremony of Fr. C. Di Natale and Br. F. Pucci, missionaries to China

"The saints are the heroes of our faith." [Blessed Conforti on Nov. 23, 1930]
1915 - Blessed Conforti publishes three Pastoral Letters: on Confirmation, on Labor Unions, and on the present War.
Feast of Cinco de Mayo, Mexico
1863 - Anniversary of the Founding of International Red Cross
UN - International Day for Families
USA National Day of Prayer

First Friday
"The canonization of a Saint is an immense event, whose echo reaches the ends of the earth." [Blessed Conforti on Nov. 23, 1930]
1542 - Arrival of St. Francis Xavier in Goa, and beginning of his mission activities in the East Indies

"The canonization of a saint tells everyone that 'the doors of Heaven are opened to all, and the heavenly abodes are accessible to all.'" [Blessed Conforti on Nov. 23, 1930]

Third Sunday of Easter
USA Mother's Day
First Mother's Day proclamation of 1870 by Julia Ward Howe
"When his final goal is the only thought that governs man, he walks resolutely along the path to holiness." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187 - Antol. 727]
1926 - Blessed Conforti writes a letter to the Msgr. Cesare Pecorari, secretary of the Propagation of the Faith in Rome, about the possibility of founding of a female branch of the Xaverian family

"All creatures should help me to love God, for it is His love that I need with all of them." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
1901 - Solemn funeral of Fr. Caio Rastelli, first missionary in China, presided by Blessed Conforti. The news of his death reached the Motherhouse three months after his death on Feb. 28, 1901
1930 - Blessed Conforti concludes in Parma a three-day Mission on the newly proclaimed Blessed John Bosco

St. Damien de Veuster, Missionary to Lepers of Molokai. He said: 'I make myself a leper with the lepers, to gain all for Jesus Christ'
"I cannot live only for myself. With the pretext that I live for God, I have not right to abstain from living my life for others." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
1994 - Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as the first black President of South Africa

"Charity is the sign from which God will recognize the person who lives for Him, in other words who lives for others." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
1610 - Death of Matteo Ricci, missionary to China

Saints Nereus, Achilleus, and Pancras, Martyrs of the Early Church
"Life is a constant fight, and we will be defeated if we stop fighting." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
1926 - Blessed Conforti publishes the rules for the diocesan seminaries of Parma

"Three remedies must act together in harmony to heal the soul that languishes in torpor: - prayer, a life of discipline, suffering." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187 - Antol. 689]
1917 - Our Lady of Fatima
1902 - Blessed Conforti is called to Rome as the Pope Leo XIII tells him of his plan of naming Conforti Archbishop of Ravenna
1929 - After request of Blessed Conforti, Pope Pius XI establishes the Apostolic Prefecture of Loyang, China, and gives the leadership to the Xaverians, who have worked there for over 25 years
1889 - Abolition of slavery in Brazil

St. Matthias, Apostle
"My soul is in my hands, like the marble that I need to chisel, like a plant that needs to grow and give fruit." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
1923 - Blessed Conforti presides over the Mission Congress in Bergamo, Italy

Fourth Sunday of Easter
World Day of Prayer for Vocations
St. Isidore the Farmer, patron of farmers and rural communities
"Faith should animate my spirit, my heart, and my will." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
1906 - Beginning of the Apostolic Prefecture of Western Honan, with the Xaverian mission activities
1926 - Msgr. Cesare Pecorari, secretary of the Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of Faith, gives his approval to Blessed Conforti in regards to the founding of the female branch of the Xaverian family
UN - International Day of Families

"My spirit will live of faith if, through meditation, I will keep it firm in the daily thought of God, of Jesus Christ, and of his Christian mysteries." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
1911 - Blessed Conforti gives the Mission Crucifix to Fr. A. Dagnino and Fr. E. Prina, departing missionaries for Western Honan, China

"The human heart will not fall if only under the seducing action of self-imposed greatness, of kidnapping beauty, and of emotional goodness." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
1925 - Blessed Conforti opens a week-long Marian Congress in Parma that ends with the Solemn Crowning of Our Lady of Fontanellato

St. John I, Pope and martyr
1892 - "A community is fervent, united and laborious in proportion to the level of piety that reigns within it." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
1920 - Birth of Pope John Paul II
1977 - Treaty on the Prohibition of use of Nuclear Weapons or other weapons of Mass Destruction, in Geneva

"To be a conscious person is the only means to be in peace with God, with oneself, and with others." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
1918 - Blessed Conforti begins his homilies on 'the Creed' at the Cathedral of Parma

St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest and Preacher
"We can never know our own life if we don’t know our heart; we will never be masters of ourselves if we have not mastered our hearts." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
National Feast in Cameroon

St. Christopher Magallanes and companions, Mexican martyrs of 20th century for their belief in Christ
"Whenever there is a fire in the house, all the furniture is thrown out the windows; so it is when the love of God possesses a heart: everything that is not of God, it is useless." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 180-187]
1894 - Bishop Andrea Ferrari is named Cardinal of Milan, and the rector Guido Conforti shares his good wishes on behalf of all the Seminary.

Fifth Sunday of Easter
St. Rita of Cascia, wife, mother and Augustinian sister who served the sick and poor
"Holiness is formed by small acts, the various actions of daily life." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 246-247]
1902 - Official announcement of the nomination of Blessed Conforti as Bishop of Ravenna
1992 - Xaverians start a new mission in Mozambique
1957 - Anniversary of Albert Schweitzer radio address: 'The end of further experiments with atom bombs would be like early sun rays of hope which suffering humanity is longing for.' [Declaration of Conscience, radio broadcast from Oslo, Norway, May 22, 1957]

"It is more important to save a soul than to do great things. For whoever saves a soul, saves himself." [Blessed Conforti, FCT 20, 272]
1898 - Beginning of Christian Work of Evangelization in Burundi
1900 - Feast in Parma in support of the Xaverians, the newly established Mission Congregation

"The Gospel saying that ‘whoever is humble will be exalted’ is fully fulfilled in the lives of the saints." [Blessed Conforti in 1906]
1944 - Founding of the Missionaries of Mary, the Xaverian Missionary Sisters, by Fr. James Spagnolo and Mother Celestine Healy-Bottego
Day of Prayer for the Church of China and Asia

St. Bede the Venerable, Scripture scholar, St. Gregory VII, Pope and St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi, Carmelite mystic
"The saints were ever shy of human praise, for their only intent was to please God and bless their neighbor." [Blessed Conforti in 1906]
1929 - Beginning of the Apostolic Prefecture of Loyang, China, with Xaverian Msgr. Assuero T. Bassi as Apostolic Prefect

St. Philip Neri, Apostle of the Eternal City, Rome
"The remembrance of the illustrious example of our great heroes of our faith must be for us a strong impulse to accomplish great and holy deeds." [Blessed Conforti on Nov. 11, 1906]
1888 - Conforti is ordained a deacon in the Chapel of the Bishop's Residence in Parma

St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop Primate of England
"Let us not forget that the fraternal knowledge of a Saint, coupled with the inexhaustible maternity of the Church, can give birth to centuries of Christian marvels with only one life of a Christian saint." [Blessed Conforti on Nov. 11, 1906]
1955 - Official opening of the Xaverian activities in London, Great Britain

"The new life, which finds in the Eucharist its nourishment and fruitfulness, ought to be a supernatural refulgence of faith, purity and goodness." [Blessed Conforti on April 20, 1924]
1962 - Arrival of Fr. T. Munari in Madrid, marking the beginning of the Xaverian activities in Spain

Sixth Sunday of Easter
"Most blessed are the people who feel the need and duty to ask from our tabernacles the leaven of supernatural life, which is the pure host which will make them participants of the Christian life and promoters of Christian life." [Blessed Conforti on April 20, 1924]
1927 - Blessed Conforti writes to the Congregation for the Propagation of Faith requesting a mission opening in Africa
1952 - Beginning of the Apostolic Prefecture of Makeni, Sierra Leone
1959 - Decree for the introduction of the Cause of Beatification of the Servant of God Guido M. Conforti
2003 - First Observance of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers

"Christian life, nourished and aided by the Eucharist, is refulgence." [Blessed Conforti on April 20, 1924]

The Visitation of the Virgin Mary
USA Memorial Day
"Our veneration of Mary should not be based on simple words and petitions, but it should show in our deeds." [Blessed Conforti on Feb. 15, 1931]
1931 - On his last talk to the Novices in Parma, Blessed Conforti renews his vows on the Dogma of the Assumption of Mary in Heaven