By Julia Rose
jrose@Marian.org
Divine Mercy Weekend is finally here! I am thrilled to be attending for the very first time. Eden Hill is abuzz with activity: golf carts delivered (top), tents erected and filled, lots of signs, flowers planted, and — very important! — plenty of portable toilets in place!
I got the chance to climb the tower of the Shrine and glimpse the bell (above) that will ring at precisely 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, signaling the start of the Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday. The bell was given to the Marians in the 1950s by a Polish church in the Berkshires.
If you can't join us in person on Sunday, be sure to watch on EWTN, starting with our pre-show, "USA 250: One Nation Under God's Mercy," at 12 Noon ET, hosted by Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, and Fr. Joseph Roesch, MIC. Watch live on DivineMercyPlus.org.
Extraordinary Graces
On Divine Mercy Sunday, we recall the promise Jesus made to St. Faustina about the extraordinary graces available on this Feast:
I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 699).
“The Lord wants us to just be completely cleansed from sin and even the punishment due to sin,” Fr. Tyler Mentzer, MIC, explains. “For me, on a personal level, Divine Mercy Weekend is just a beautiful way of revealing Christ the Bridegroom’s heart for His Bride, all humanity.”
“It’s such a next level," he continues, "15,000 people coming from everywhere for Divine Mercy. It’s beautiful to see that the faithful know what grace is being offered and that something huge is happening. The Lord is offering something precious here, and we want to receive it.”
Father Tyler will be among many Marian priests, brothers, and seminarians helping out this weekend. It's a kind of homecoming celebration!
You can view the program for Divine Mercy Weekend here.
Need to refresh your knowledge of Divine Mercy Sunday and the extraordinary graces available that day? Watch two great videos:
Father Chris Alar, MIC, on The Chris Stefanik Show.
Father Donald Calloway, MIC, on "Living Divine Mercy."Join us online for a new talk by Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, tomorrow at 11 a.m. (ET) on "Divine Mercy Sunday in the Mass." Watch here on TheDivineMercy.org, on YouTube at our channel Divine Mercy (Official), and on our Facebook page Divine Mercy (Official).
Busy, busy, busy!
Pilgrims (and bus drivers) will have no trouble finding their way to the Shrine, thanks to signs all over town made by Lisa Thorne and installed by our hard-working Maintenance Crew. These amazing guys begin their days bright and early at 6 a.m. and stay well past when the pilgrims have left at night.
“We have a lot to do," says Joe Hughes, who has been on the team for over 25 years. "The biggest thing is just making sure everything is up and running. If somebody needs something, we’ll run it to them. It’s very busy.”
A word to the wise from Joe: Wear comfortable shoes that you aren’t afraid to get muddy!
A Tent of Wonders
The Divine Mercy Gift Shop Tent is by far the largest tent on Eden Hill (actually three tents combined!), featuring all of the goods for sale and a large check-out area. From Divine Mercy Images to Rosaries to the newest books from Fr. Donald Calloway and Fr. Chris Alar, there are 65 tables filled with Catholic items, all meant to encourage pilgrims in their faith. This year, you can also expect to find merchandise that aligns with our theme, “USA 250: One Nation Under God’s Mercy,” in honor of our country’s 250th anniversary!
To help with moving, unpacking, and setting up the Gift Shop Tent, our Marian Novices studying in Steubenville, Ohio, have been pressed into service.
“It feels great to be back," says Joseph (above). "The Shrine feels like home as I had such a good time here last summer when I entered the program." This will be his first Divine Mercy Weekend on Eden Hill. “I don’t know what to expect, but I’m excited to be here in ‘Divine Mercy Central’ for Divine Mercy Sunday," he says. As are we!
Please join in!
Whether you are here with us at the National Shrine this weekend or at your home parish, please remember to take part in Divine Mercy Sunday and obtain the extraordinary graces promised by Jesus. The conditions are listed here.
We'll be posting updates all weekend right here on TheDivineMercy.org and on Facebook and Instagram: please check in often, and like and share our posts to spread the message of Divine Mercy!
Lastly, please say a prayer that we have good weather here in Stockbridge, Massachusetts! It snowed (!!) this week ... but the weekend forecast is lookin' good!
God bless, everyone! I'll have a full report on Divine Mercy Weekend 2026 next Friday!
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