The Feast Begins!

The sky is blue, the sun is out, and several thousand pilgrims are arriving on Eden Hill today for the annual Divine Mercy Sunday celebration at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy.

"This is the nicest weather we've had for the feast day in recent memory," says Fr. Joseph, MIC, the director of the Association of Marian Helpers.

Much to heaven's delight, a couple thousand pilgrims jumped the gun Saturday on Eden Hill, getting an early start on the amazing graces of Divine Mercy Sunday. They did this while liturgically launching the much-anticipated new Mother of Mercy Outdoor Shrine on the Hill's south lawn.

After a nine-month gestation, the new facility said hello to the world and lived up to its promise.

Think of the tens of thousands of Masses that will likely be said at the new shrine in, say, the next 100 years. Only the 2,000 or so people present Saturday will ever have the unique pleasure of celebrating the first, for a "first" Mass can only occur once.

The virtuous prelude came about on a day of brilliant sun, brisk wind, and chilly temperatures at the 4 p.m. vigil Mass at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Mass. The Mass was a key part of Divine Mercy Sunday Weekend, sponsored by the Marians of the Immaculate Conception.

'Rejoice in God's Mercy'
Main celebrant and homilist Fr. Anthony Gramlich, MIC, rector of the National Shrine, addressed the crowd with the themes of new life: of Easter, of the rebirth that is spring, of the "newness of soul" that comes from saying yes to the unlimited mercy God wants to offer each of us.

"Today is a day to rejoice in God's mercy," Fr. Anthony said. "We need to invite that mercy into our lives. God wants to bring us into His light. He wants His light to penetrate into the darkness of our hearts. That is the gift of this day, brothers and sisters. Keep celebrating! Keep rejoicing! This is the day that we enter into the fullness of creation, into heaven, and into eternity."

About eight hours before Fr. Anthony preached these words, the day began with the 8 a.m. Saturday Mass normally held at the National Shrine. Celebrant Fr. Joe Roesch, MIC, set a fitting tone for all that would follow this day and next when he reminded those in the pews of the significance of the weekend.

"Divine Mercy weekend is the time when the fullness of God's graces are showered upon us through a sheer act of love," Fr. Joe said. "We ask the Lord's blessings on all pilgrims and volunteers for this weekend, knowing that He will bring mercy into our hearts. All we have to do is allow it. We should remember to give thanks to God and to carry mercy out with us [from the weekend] and into the world to share with others."

Marian Press Authors Speak, Sell, Sign
Following the morning Mass, the Adoration Tent - set up on the knoll directly across from the National Shrine - opened its flaps for pilgrims wishing to find quiet time before the Blessed Sacrament.

At 11 a.m., special donors, members of the Friends of Mercy and Thirteenth of the Month Club, and other invitees heard from three authors of Marian Press, the book-publishing arm of the Association of Marian Helpers.


• Dr. Robert Stackpole, STD, Director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy, discussed his new book, Divine Mercy: A Guide from Genesis to Benedict XVI. In the book, Dr. Stackpole presents an invaluable survey of the message of God's mercy as reflected throughout Scripture, the writings of great Church theologians, and in the lives and writings of the saints.
• Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, spoke of his latest text, Purest of All Lilies: The Virgin Mary in the Spirituality of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska. In his book, which will be available in July, Fr. Donald examines the importance of the Blessed Mother to St. Faustina.
• Amy Pederson talked about her book, The Miracle of Me. This book takes a look at the miracle of life presented from the viewpoint of a baby in the womb. It uses rulers, scales, and stunning in-utero photographs to chart the development of life from conception forward.



After the talks, the authors chatted with people and signed books for a steady stream of customers and readers.

Breaking in the New Shrine
At about 2:45 p.m., a Eucharistic Procession left the Adoration Tent and walked to the new Mother of Mercy Outdoor Shrine for 3 p.m. Exposition, Benediction, and singing of the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy. Today's theme offered up prayer for "souls who have become lukewarm."

The words of the prayer speak for themselves:

Most Compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls ... be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus.



Following the Chaplet, the big moment arrived: the Mother of Mercy Outdoor Shrine hosted its first Mass. The new shrine, which will also host the liturgy tomorrow, is nearing completion with finishing still to be done. With an unrelenting construction schedule that continued from September of last year literally to yesterday, work crews were able to bring the structure into usable shape for a reverent liturgy this weekend. Following Divine Mercy Sunday tomorrow, work will resume at the facility, with construction expected to be complete by early June.

Let the record show that the first person ever to receive the Eucharist in the new shrine was Fr. Anthony.

The Divine Mercy Choir provided music for the day along with the Magnificat Academy and Choir School from Warren, Mass. Approximately 30 Magnificat children from 4th through 12th grade made the trip to Eden Hill for Divine Mercy Weekend.

After the vigil Mass, Eden Hill slowly began to recede into a holy stillness, a quiet begetting the mercy ready to attend more than 10,000 pilgrims on Divine Mercy Sunday.

A shrine had been born.