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Since the very first day, Holy Cross Congregation strove to be “educators in the faith” in all that we do in ministry, and especially in our ministries of education.

Joseph understands the importance of work. As the carpenter in Nazareth, his job was his pride and his identity. He understood what it meant to work with dignity and to ensure the life and peace of his family.

On this first of May, the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker, patron saint of workers, the Church invites us, in a very special way, to pray to the Virgin Mary. We are told that on this day, “the Catholic Bishops of Canada will consecrate their dioceses or eparchies to Mary, Mother of the Church, asking for her protection during the coronavirus pandemic.

Did you know that as early as 1940, the Oratory broadcast a 15-minute morning show on CKAC with the inevitable morning prayer. However, it was not until May 5, 1946, that the Sunday Mass in French was broadcast.

On hearing the word “witness,” what first comes to mind is the idea of someone in a judicial context… “I call the next witness.” A moment of sober responsibility. It will be through this person that the light of truth will have a better chance of being accurately discovered, revealed.

Abbé Pierre said, “The greatest evil that can happen to human beings, even to little ones, is to think only of themselves. The one and only rule which leads to goodness and to happiness is to look after the weakest.”

Let the saving and renewing power of hope flowing from the heart of the risen Christ animate our every day life.

I work at King’s College, a Holy Cross institution in the United States. This part of the country used to be a huge coal mining area. The children of the owners of the mines had great opportunities to attend fine private universities.

The month of April is a opportune time to have an encounter with Saint Joseph and to share with him in the silence and peace of his presence a face-to-face at the depths. A time for seeing and being seen by one who knows all too well God’s love. A gaze of goodness and confidence, the gaze of Joseph can sooth, promote trust and encourage. In this exchange of glances, Joseph can disclose to each their inner life, and it gives us an opportunity to confide in him.

For over a month now, we’ve been learning to change our habits in important ways. The difficult task of preserving the quality of life on earth is just as critical and urgent as combating the virus which is threatening us today. The future of our planet rests in our hands.

We must go forward in life with prayer and perseverance.

May Saint Brother André be a source of inspiration and hope for each one of us during this time when we are all under the influence of the coronavirus pandemic. Brother André reminds us that there are no dilemmas or hardships which cannot be surmounted or overcome. There is always a path of hope for those who have confidence.