By Julia Rose
ShrineofDivineMercy.org
The holy penitential season of Lent is here! And on Ash Wednesday, I was blessed to attend the 9 a.m. Mass at the Shrine and receive ashes from Fr. Tyler Mentzer, MIC (above), who co-celebrated the Mass with Fr. Chris Alar, MIC.
In his homily (watch here), Fr. Chris reminded us of three Lenten practices — prayer, fasting, and almsgiving — that Catholics are encouraged to exercise during Lent. “Give this time to God, the one you love," he said. "Whatever the Lord is calling you to do this Lent, it’s going to pull you out of your comfort zone. But Lent is an opportunity to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Christ.”
Don't miss the live, in-person talk by Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, tomorrow at 11 a.m. (ET) when he will offer "A New Summary of Lent." Watch here on TheDivineMercy.org, on YouTube at our channel Divine Mercy (Official), and on our Facebook page Divine Mercy (Official). You can also watch on our streaming site, DivineMercyPlus.org.
During Lent, please join the Marians every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after the 2 p.m. Mass and Chaplet to pray St. Faustina’s Way of The Cross. Details here.
Sunday is the 95th anniversary of the giving of the Divine Mercy Image to St. Faustina, on Feb. 22, 1931! Read all about it in the electronic version of Marian Helper magazine!
A Mardi Gras Treat
On Mardi Gras, "Fat Tuesday," employees at the Marian Helpers Center (including me!) were surprised with freshly-baked New Orleans-style beignet doughnuts by Fr. Allen Alexander, MIC!
“Every year on Fat Tuesday, we share treats as we prepare to fast during Lent," Fr. Allen told us. “I’ve had the tradition of sometimes making beignets for everybody on Eden Hill. I enjoy baking, so it’s a nice way to share my gifts.”
The beignets were delicious — and Fr. Allen baked 6 dozen of them! Thanks for the treat!
O, Canada!
I was delighted to meet two pilgrims visiting from Canada, Oswie and Jyothi, members of Good Shepherd Church in Thornhill, Ontario. Oswie encountered the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska for the first time while browsing books available during Eucharistic Adoration.
“I started reflecting on the life of St. Faustina, and I said, ‘Jesus, I want to be St. Faustina in my own life. I want to follow her footsteps,’” Oswie explains. “One day, I was praying and I asked Jesus, ‘Where can I meet you?’”
After persistent prayer, he felt like the Lord was telling him to go to the Shrine. Before long, Oswie and Jyothi had loaded up the car and their kids and made the 8-hour drive south to Massachusetts, to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday in 2018!
“When I came, I saw the big picture of Divine Mercy, and I was so excited," Oswie recalls. "My life has never been the same again."
Later this year, Oswie and Jyothi are looking forward to visiting the Divine Mercy Shrine in Poland for the first time as a family. The couple has a special request: “Keep us in prayer because we are asking the Lord to use us in full-time ministry."
All are welcome to attend the next Healing Mass at the Shrine, celebrated by Fr. Bob Vennetti, MIC, at 7 p.m. on Feb. 26. Details here.
A Prayerful Mother
Felicina from St. Mary’s Parish in Roslyn, New York, was paying her third visit to the Shrine. I was particularly excited to learn that she had been baptized in Italy! How cool!
She discovered the Shrine during the pandemic, when Confessions were offered outside in the parking lot. A lifelong Catholic, it was around this time that Felicina also began watching our "Living Divine Mercy" program every Thursday night on EWTN.
It’s no surprise that, last year, Felicina joined Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, on one of his pilgrimages to Fatima, Lourdes, and Lisbon! Felicina says, “It was just an amazing experience to be with him," she recalls. "I feel like all the Marians are all very special priests.” She appreciated how present Fr. Chris and Br. Giuseppe (“Cameraman" Giuseppe) were to the pilgrims, and how it was extra-special to be in Europe when Pope Leo XIV was elected!
Entering Lent, foremost on Felicina’s mind has been praying for the conversion of her family, especially her children. “So many kids, young teenagers, young adults, are suffering,” she observes. While at the Divine Mercy Gift Shop, she made a point to purchase a book about St. Dymphna, the patron saint of mental illness.
“My kids have walked away from the faith, and I believe that if my kids come back to Christ and to the Church, everything that’s disordered in their life will become ordered, and they will find peace," she predicts. Amen!
Marian Fathers lead pilgrimages throughout the year, and the proceeds support our Marian seminarians. Please consider joining them! Details here.
Please continue to pray for our seminarian, Br. ("Cameraman") Giuseppe, as he recovers from a serious stroke.
Let's make this the holiest and most enriching Lent ever! See you next week.
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