Divine Mercy and Pictures from Ukraine Aid Trip
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April 21, 2022Happy Divine Mercy Week! The devotion to Divine Mercy was promoted by John Paul II through the writings of St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish religious sister who experienced apparitions of Jesus and wrote about her prayer in a Diary later published as ‘Divine Mercy in my Soul.’ The essence of the devotion is greater trust in Jesus, whose heart burns with love and desire to pour out his mercy on sinners and enflame them with greater love.
The Sacrament of Confession is where this happens for us. It is a personal encounter with Jesus’ mercy. When we approach the Confessional with humility and sorrow for the evil we have committed, Jesus opens the floodgates of His mercy through the Priest. He lifts us up and strengthens us to grow in goodness.
Jesus said to St. Faustina: “I am mercy itself for a contrite soul.” With contrition for our wrongdoing, let’s not fear to approach Jesus with trust and confidence in the Sacrament of Confession!
We will have a Divine Mercy celebration at St. John’s this Sunday, April 24th from 2:30pm-4:00pm during which there will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, veneration of the Divine Mercy image, a Rosary, reflection, singing of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Benediction. Confession will be available during the Rosary and Chaplet. All are welcome to come!
I’m also in the Confessional at St. Joe’s every Monday and Wednesday at 5:00pm and 6:00pm, and St. John’s every Saturday at 3:00pm, Sunday at 8:30am, and Tuesday and Thursday at 8:00am. Or call and make an appointment any time.
Our response to God's Mercy demands that we be merciful as the Father is merciful by practicing the works of mercy. One work of mercy we have undertaken together these past weeks is our Lenten almsgiving campaign. We raised $4,300 for our Divine Mercy Outreach to help local people who come to us for help, $2,200 for the Care Clinic family resource center, and $2,400 for Cross Catholic Outreach’s project Wells of Salvation to drill 65 clean water wells in African villages.
In addition, parishioners contributed almost $13,000 to a local effort to bring desperately needed aid to Ukraine. Your donations purchased first responder and CPR equipment; surgical kits; tape, gauze, and bandages; a ventilator; diabetic supplies; scissors, wound cleaner, and airway protection. We wrote notes and included Rosaries and blessed medals in each bag, assuring them of our prayers. Another trip is planned in May.
Here are some updated pictures from the 1st trip:
The bags we packed after making it to Poland Joe and Evan Ampe purchasing food in Krakow to bring to Ukraine orphanage The men loading one of the four vans bound for Ukraine They got to go to Holy Thursday Mass in the Krakow Basilica! Visiting the Divine Mercy Shrine in Krakow, near the convent where St. Faustina lived and died The hospital in south Ukraine receiving the bags full of medical supplies! A Ukrainian man and woman packing some of the supplies to take out to the field hospital This has been a tremendous effort. Though it seems small in the large scheme of things, to the people these supplies reach it is life-saving. They are beyond grateful ~ thank you from them to you!
You may have seen a poster or ad for another local effort to support aid to Ukraine. Dick Derby from the United Methodist congregation has spearheaded a Ukraine benefit breakfast to be held here at St. John’s next Sunday, May 1st from 8:30am-1:00pm. Jim Manty is organizing the cooking team.
Many of you have already responded to support our Lenten almsgiving campaign, so I don’t expect you to do more. But if you haven’t had a chance or want to do more, this is another local effort. Proceeds from the breakfast designated for the Catholic relief efforts will go to support the 2nd trip of medical supplies in May.
This weekend I’m beginning a preaching series What is the Gospel? I hope this will help renew our amazement at the miracle of our creation and redemption, and all God has done for us. Invite a friend to join you for Mass so they can also begin afresh to pursue a relationship with God here at St. John and St. Joseph parishes.
After the 11:00am Mass at St. Joe's this Sunday, all are welcome to the parish hall for our monthly Parish Breakfast cooked by Darryl Sundberg and his crew!
The Friendship Supper also resumes at St. John’s this Sunday, April 24th at 5:00pm in the parish hall. Pete Longtine will be cooking a pork loin dinner that promises to be fantastic! We’ll pray evening prayer together at the conclusion of dinner.
Finally, we were glad to have Deacon Brandon Yanni with us during the Easter Triduum. His ordination to the priesthood will take place at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette Friday, June 3rd at 3:30pm. Last summer we welcomed seminarian Matthew Chartier as an intern with us. His ordination as a Deacon will take place at St. Peter Cathedral Friday, May 20th. All are welcome to come to either/both ordinations!
God bless you!
Father Ryan
