Pastoral Impressions for Divine Mercy Sunday...

Since the year 2000, the Church has celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday on the 2nd Sunday of Easter. What is this celebration all about? In the 1930s, Jesus appeared to a religious sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland, St. Faustina Kowalska, and revealed his great desire for the salvation of souls. In her Diary, St. Faustina records the words of Jesus: “My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and a shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners.” (699) This feast, implemented by St. John Paul II, does not reveal any new attribute of our Lord, but instead highlights Jesus’ desire that all may turn to him for healing, forgiveness, and grace. St. Faustina commissioned a portrait of the Lord to be painted which we now know as the Divine Mercy image. It depicts the Risen Lord with two rays, red and pale blue in color, emanating from His Sacred Heart. The red ray represents the blood of Christ which has redeemed us, and the pale blue represents water that cleanses us, especially in Baptism. The bottom of the painting has the words, “Jesus, I trust in You.” Along with this devotion, there is a chaplet of Divine Mercy, prayed on ordinary rosary beads, which the Lord recommended be prayed daily to receive his mercy. In this Easter season, we thank the Lord for his merciful love for us.

Parish Devotion: Resurrection Parish will celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday by offering adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St. John Capistran Church immediately following the 11:00 a.m. Mass until 3:00 p.m. At three o’clock, we will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and conclude with benediction. Following our devotions, we will have an ice cream social in Capistran Hall. Please consider coming to ask the Lord for His mercy in our lives and in our parish. All are welcome. This chaplet is also prayed every day at 3:00 p.m. in our Lamb of God Adoration Chapel. It is a true blessing to have access to the Eucharistic Lord and His mercy 24 hours a day, six days a week!

Eternal Rest be Granted Unto Him… This past week our Church lost its shepherd, Pope Francis, as he now enters into the eternal embrace of God. Throughout his twelve-year papacy, Pope Francis called us a church to be filled with charity and compassion, especially toward the poor and vulnerable. He reminded us to be humble and hospitable, to be people of simplicity and mercy, and to appreciate the gift that we have of one another. His writings on faith, fraternity, dialogue, and social concerns invite all of us to reflect upon how Christ impacts our outlook on the world. We thank God for the time that we spent with Pope Francis, and ask Him to receive Him into everlasting life. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide and sanctify our Church, and may he allow us in simplicity to contemplate the wisdom of our late Holy Father. May eternal rest be granted unto him O Lord, and may the perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen. 
 
God’s Blessings: This weekend, Divine Mercy Sunday (April 26-27), will be Deacon Michael Scanga’s last weekend with us. Deacon Michael will graduate from St. Vincent Seminary next week, and then return to his home Diocese of Erie. He will be ordained a priest on Friday, May 23^rd at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Erie. Although only with us for a this past year, Deacon Michael has made an impact. He is a true disciple of Christ, and loved working with our youth group and religious education. We wish him God’s blessing as he prepares to enter priestly service for the Church! Thank you Deacon Michael, and please know you always have a home at Resurrection Parish! Ad Multos Annos!