Feast Day: St. Pope Pius V ... protector of the Congregation of the doctrine of the Church

We finish off April with yet another Dominican saint (I think they're following us!).  St. Pope Pius V, born in 1504, entered the Dominicans at 1518.  Taking the name Pius when he was elected pope in 1566, Pius carried out many of the reforms promulgated at the Council of Trent.  He oversaw completion of the Roman catechism, cheered on Christians in the fight with the Turks that culminated in the Battle of Lepanto, and spread devotion to the Madonna of the Rosary (this link will take you to Women for Faith & Family's website page where they explain this painting by Lorenzo Lotto):

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May the apostolic zeal, the constant pursuit of holiness, and the love of the Virgin, which characterized the life of Saint Pius V, stimulate all.

Venerable Pope John Paul II

Feast Day: Our Lady of the Rosary ...

... this is also known as the Feast of Our Lady of Lepanto as it was the Battle of Lepanto (1571)  that spawned this feast.  Seems the Turks were looking pretty darn victorious and the Pope asked all the Christian World to pray to Our Lady for assistance in pushing the Infidels back out of the Eastern Edge of the Christian World ... led by Don John of Austria.  For G.K. Chesterton's glorious retelling of the tale, click this link to the Battle of Lepanto.

Our Lady seems to have answered the prayers, against all rational military odds and Pope (and since declared, Saint) Pius V created this Feast Day to celebrate the victory.  This is a great day for Catholics to embrace the Rosary as a source of answered petitions and thanksgiving!

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!