June brings with it the rush to the end of the school year. For grads like my oldest, there’s the weight of exams and projects and plans for the future. For homeschoolers, there’s often a desire to “stay strong” until the end of the year despite the pull of the warmer weather to get outdoors and play rather than do book work. In this month, the Canadian Catholic church celebrates two Ukrainian Catholic bishops beatified for their faith and dedication, as well as two other fun feast days.
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June 7 – Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi Sunday, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, celebrates the reality of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. This feast was instituted in 1264 after St Juliana of Liège had several visions about the lack of such a feast in the Church calendar.
Resources to learn about Corpus Christi:
- pray lectio divina for Corpus Christi with Hallow
- draw the Eucharist or make an adoration craft with Catholic Icing
- read about St. Carlo Acutis and explore his Eucharistic miracles project
June 12 – The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a profound and enduring symbol [of] the immense love and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Devotion to the Sacred Heart is a special form of devotion to Jesus—the focus being his Heart, which exemplifies our Lord’s redemptive suffering for the whole world. ~ Catholic Answers
This devotion began in the eleventh century in the Church, but the feast day was established in the seventeenth century following visions by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque of Jesus’ sacred heart. In these visions, Jesus told St. Margaret Mary that he wanted people to return to his love through devotion and prayer. While this feast has deep theological meaning, it’s also very accessible for kids.
Resources to learn about Corpus Christi:
- read a biography of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque
- explore the Sacred Heart activity ideas on Catholic Icing
June 27 – Blesseds Nykyta Budka and Vasyl Velychkowsky
Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky was a Ukrainian Catholic priest and bishop who remained faithful to God despite years of persecution, imprisonment, and exile under Soviet rule. While imprisoned for his faith, he ministered to fellow prisoners through prayer, teaching, and secretly celebrating the Divine Liturgy. After continuing to support the underground Church despite ongoing persecution, he eventually settled in Winnipeg, where he died in 1973. He was beatified in 2001 and is honoured as the patron of prison ministry.
Blessed Nykyta Budka was the first Ukrainian Catholic bishop in Canada and dedicated his life to serving Ukrainian immigrants and strengthening the Church in a new land. After being ordained in 1905, he was sent to Canada in 1912, where he worked to build up parishes, support clergy, and help communities adapt while maintaining their faith and culture. Later, he returned to Ukraine, where he continued his ministry amid political upheaval under Soviet and Nazi occupation. Arrested after World War II, he was sent to a Siberian labour camp, where he continued to minister to others until his death in captivity in 1949. He was beatified in 2001 and is remembered for his pastoral leadership and resilience in suffering.
Resources to learn about Blesseds Nykyta Budka and Vasyl Velychkowsky:
- read about these and other Canadian blesseds
- download The Story of Blessed Nykyta Budka. A Learning Guide for Young Students
- watch Who was Bishop Nykyta Budka?
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