THE
PUBLICATIONS OF THE DIVINE MERCY APOSTOLATE
Kaduna
Agog for the Divine Mercy Conference [NEW]
Catholic Print Media and the
Divine Mercy Devotion [NEW]
Pastoral Care of the Family in the Third Millennium
Welcome Address delivered by Most
Rev. Dr. Martin Igwe Uzoukwu, Catholic Bishop
of Minna
Healing and Divine Mercy
Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation
Ecclesia in Africa
Keynote address presented by Most
Rev. Dr. Martin Igwe Uzoukwu
Spend One Hour Every Day With Jesus
Christ The Divine Mercy Incarnate
Kaduna
Agog for the Divine Mercy Conference
Recently all roads led to Kaduna
for the sixth National Conference of the Divine
Mercy Devotion in Nigeria. The Conference which
took place at the Media Service Centre, Kaduna
had participants from different Dioceses in Nigeria.
During the opening Mass celebrated
by Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Ndagoso, Metropolitan
of Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province and the Archbishop
of Kaduna, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Felix Adeigbo, Chairman
of the Association of Priests and Religious of
the Divine Mercy Devotion and Rector of the Catholic
Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt,
Rivers State, Nigeria, welcomed all the people
who came for the Conference. The Archbishop, delivering
his homily, gave the Devotees a warm welcome on
behalf of the People of Kaduna State and the Priests,
Religious and Faithful of the Catholic Archdiocese
of Kaduna. He called the People to make themselves
available to receive the Mercy of God and also
become instruments of Mercy in the Community.
He noted that Our Lord Jesus Christ the Divine
Mercy Incarnate came because of the Love and Mercy
God has for the human person. According to him,
Jesus showed that Mercy and Love through His death
on the Cross. “Therefore all Devotees and
indeed all Christians should follow the footsteps
of Christ in order to live out the Love and Mercy
we preach as followers of Christ.”
After the Mass, the Keynote Address
of the National Promoter, Most Rev. Dr. Martin
Igwe Uzoukwu, Catholic Bishop of Minna, was delivered
by Rev. Fr. Chiedozie Ezeribe, National Secretary
of the Priests and Religious of the Divine Mercy
in Nigeria. The National Promoter was away to
Dar es Salam Tanzania on a Conference on Justice,
Peace and Development Commission (JDPC) organized
by the Pontifical Commission on Justice, Peace
and Development and the Catholic Bishops’
of Africa (SECAM).
According to the Bishop, the Divine
Mercy Devotion in Nigeria has come a long way.
He told the participants that they should strive
to be dedicated Devotees and assist in the spreading
of the message of Mercy to all, “Nook and
cranny and village and city of Nigeria.”
He charged them to practice ‘Practical generosity’
in the spirit of the Deeds of Mercy.
During the course of the Conference,
Rev. Fr. Raph Madu, Director of Social Communications,
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Abuja delivered
a paper on the role of the Media in spreading
the Message of Divine Mercy. He stated that the
media are very important in human existence. He
noted that the role of the media cannot be over
emphasized. Fr. Madu challenged the Devotees to
make use of the media in their efforts to spread
the message of the Divine Mercy. He emphasized
the need to use Catholic institutions and facilities
for communications for effective transmission
of the Faith in Nigeria.
On his part, Rev. Fr. Michael
Adegbola, Director of Media Service Centre, spoke
on, “Divine Mercy and the Electronic Media”.
He stated that the world is in urgent need of
the Message of Divine Mercy. He said that the
electronic media especially, radio and television
have a great influence in the life of people in
the rural and urban communities of Nigeria. He
encouraged the Devotees to use the opportunity
to preach the Message of the Divine Mercy by going
for sponsored programmes, encouraging the teaching
of social Communications in the Seminaries and
catechetical training centres. He called on the
people to assist in the use of our traditional
evangelization structures in the Parishes and
schools to promote the Divine Mercy Devotion.
The participants were treated
to cultural music displays and dancing by a cultural
dancing group from Kaduna. They also had time
for testimonies of the Mercy of God in the life
of the families of the People of God from different
parts of the Country. There was a penitential
service for the Faithful and Rosary processions.
There were sessions of the adoration of the Holy
Eucharist The participants held a workshop on
the best possible methods of utilizing the media
to preach the Message of the Divine Mercy Devotion.
The
Conference was concluded with a Holy Mass celebrated
by Rt Rev. Msgr Felix Adeigbo as Rev. Fr. Joe
Mancha, the Provincial Chaplain of Jos Ecclesiastical
Province coordinated the proceedings of the Conference.
Catholic
Print Media and the Divine Mercy Devotion
Paper Presented at the National Conference of
The Divine Mercy Devotion, At Kaduna, 28-31 August,
2008. By Rev Fr. Ralph Madu, Director Social Communications,
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria
Introduction
When His Lordship Bishop Martin Uzoukwu, invited
me to speak on the above topic, not know much
about the Divine Mercy devotion, but in the preparation
of this paper I have come face to face with the
realities of the devotion which I have tried to
bring to bear with the responsibilities of the
Catholic print media in my presentation.
The
role of the media; the press, the radio, the cinema,
the television etc. in evangelization cannot be
overemphasized. This was clearly enunciated in
the Second Vatican Council document, Inter Mirifica,
of December 4, 1963. In that document in which
the fathers of the Church lauded the role of the
media, they stated that; It is therefore, an inherent
right of the Church to have at its disposal and
to employ any of these media insofar as they are
necessary or useful for the instruction of Christians
and all its efforts for the welfare of souls.
It is the duty of pastors to instruct and guide
the faithful so that they, with the help of these
same media, may further the salvation and perfection
of themselves and the entire family. In addition,
the laity especially must strive to instill a
human and Christian spirit into these media, so
that they may fully measure up to the great expectations
of mankind and to God’s design.
Furthermore, the Pastoral Instruction,
Communio et Progressio, for the application of
the Decree of the Second Vatican Council on the
means of social communications, highlighting the
necessity states, “that the different sorts
of projects and organizations for the specialized
apostolate in social communication should everywhere
be promoted and coordinated one with another”.
It further called for the encouragement of initiatives
in the domain and maintenance of prudent vigilance.
There exists considerable volume
of other official Church teachings on social communications
during the Vatican II era - Evangelii Nuntiandi,
Inter Mirifica, Aetatis Novae, to name just a
few. For example Aetatis Novae clearly indicated
that not only should there be a pastoral plan
for communication but more importantly, communication
should be an integral part of every pastoral plan.
Perhaps the greatest revolution in the Church’s
attitude to the media is found in the pronouncements
and activities of Pope John Paul II. He was not
only the most “seen” man in history,
he was also the first Pope to launch a website
and have an e-mail account.
Benedict
XVI is also very insistent on the need to use
the modern means of social communications in Evangelization.
In his address to open the 5th General conference
of the Episcopal Conferences of Latin America
and the Caribbean, the Pope said, We must not
limit ourselves to homilies, lectures, bible course
or theology course, but we must have recourse
also to the communications media: press, radio
and television, website, forums and many other
methods of effectively communicating the message
of Christ to a large number of people.
Just recently the Vatican Secretary
of State, Cardinal Bertone while admitting that
even Evangelization often passes through the filter
created by the press; affirmed that the church
“…has to be capable of announcing
the Jesus of the Gospel and his message of salvation
valuing as much as possible the techniques proper
to the ever evolving field of communication”.
What
is said above regarding the media in general is
very applicable to the print media in particular,
which in the Nigerian Church have served as veritable
means of information dissemination and propagation
of divine worship and devotion. The document Communio
et Progressio puts it most succinctly when it
states that; As a vehicle of evangelization, through
its publications, the newspaper endevours to promote
the kingdom of God in the spreading of the faith.
In other words, its main role is the advancement
of Christ’s Kingdom of truth and love, in
order to share the message - Jesus Christ, with
others, to live the gospel values ever more deeply,
to bear witness to Christ, to extend his salvation
and to communicate him to other people.
Even though the positive role
of the press has been variously enunciated by
the different document so far cited, it is important
to note that the media can also constitute a dangerous
weapon in the hands of depraved professionals.
The power of the media is so enormous that a minority
can manipulate the masses politically, emotionally
and otherwise either in furtherance of their negative
ideology, commercial and political interests or
positively as when it is aimed at directing or
educating the masses on good civic responsibility
or interest.
Before discussing the ways and
means of encouraging Divine Mercy Devotion through
the print media, let us first have a cursory look
at the devotion proper.
The
Divine Mercy Devotion
The Special devotion, The Divine Mercy which started
spreading throughout the world in 1930 is the
consequence of records in the diary of a young
uneducated Polish nun, Saint Faustina Kowalska,
who, in obedience to her spiritual director, wrote
a diary of about 600 pages, recording the revelations
she received about God’s mercy.
The message was perhaps nothing
new. It is, in fact, a reminder of what the Church
has always taught through scripture and tradition:
God is merciful and forgiving and that we, too,
must show mercy and forgiveness.
The
significance of the message of the Divine Mercy
Devotion is that in the Divine Mercy devotion,
the message takes on a powerful new focus, calling
people to a deeper understanding that God’s
love is unlimited and available to everyone —
especially the
greatest sinners.
The message and devotion to Jesus as The Divine
Mercy is based on the writings of Saint Faustina
Kowalska, but even before her death in 1938, the
devotion to The Divine Mercy had begun to spread.
The message of mercy is that God loves us, every
one of us, no matter how great our sins. God wants
us to recognize that His mercy is greater than
our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust,
receive His mercy, and let it flow through us
to others. Thus, all will come to share His joy.
It is a message we can call to mind simply by
remembering ABC:
A — Ask for His Mercy. God wants us to approach
Him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins
and asking Him to pour His mercy out upon us and
upon the whole world.
B — Be merciful. God wants us to receive
His mercy and let it flow through us to others.
He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to
others just as He does to us.
C — Completely trust in Jesus. God wants
us to know that the graces of His mercy are dependent
upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the
more we will receive.
The Divine Mercy Devotion
Devotion to The Divine Mercy involves a total
commitment to God as Mercy. It is a decision to
trust completely in Him, accept His mercy with
thanksgiving, and to be merciful as He is merciful.
The devotional practices to The Divine Mercy are
completely in accordance with the teachings of
the Church and are firmly rooted in the Gospel
message of our Merciful Savior. Properly understood
and implemented, they will help us grow as genuine
followers of Christ.
Merciful Heart
There are two scriptural verses that are important
and relevant to the devotional practices to The
Divine Mercy: (1) "This people honor me with
their lips, but their hearts are far from me"
(Is 29:13); (2) “Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy" (Mt 5:7).
It is an irony that many of the religious people
during Christ's time, that is, people who were
actively practicing their religion and eagerly
awaiting the promised Messiah, were not able to
recognize Him when He came.
In fact, the Pharisees, referred to in the first
quotation above, were very devoted to the prayers,
rules, and rituals of their religion; but over
the years, these outer observances had become
so important in themselves that their real meaning
had been lost. The Pharisees performed all the
prescribed sacrifices, said all the right prayers,
fasted regularly, and talked a lot of about God,
but none of it had touched their hearts. As a
result, they had no relationship with God, they
were not living the way He wanted them to live,
and they were not prepared for the coming of Jesus.
We should always ask ourselves, when we look at
the image of the Merciful Savior, or pause for
prayer at three o'clock, or pray the Chaplet,
are these things drawing us closer to the real
sacramental life of the Church and allowing Jesus
to transform our hearts? Or have they just become
religious habits? In our daily lives are we growing
more and more as people of mercy? Or are we just
giving "lip service" to God's mercy?
Living the Message of Mercy
The devotional practices revealed through Saint
Faustina were given to us as "vessels of
mercy" through which God's love can be poured
out upon the world, but they are not sufficient
unto themselves. It's not enough for us to hang
The Divine Mercy image in our homes, pray the
Chaplet every day at three o'clock, and receive
Holy Communion on the first Sunday after Easter.
We also have to show mercy to our neighbors. Putting
mercy into action is not an option of the Divine
Mercy Devotion; it's a requirement!
The Challenge to Catholic Print Media
Practitioners
The Ethics in Communications, 21 states that.
“…Communicators themselves need to
put into practice in their own lives the values
and attitudes they are called to instill in others.
Above all, this must include a genuine commitment
to the common good – a good that is not
confined by the narrow interests of a particular
group or nation but embraces the needs and interests
of all, the good of the entire human family”
(cf. Pacem in Terris, 132).
Our Lord strongly speaks about this type of self
commitment to Saint Faustina: I demand from you
deeds of mercy which are to arise out of love
for me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors
always and everywhere. You must not shrink from
this or try to excuse yourself from it (Diary,
742).
Like the gospel command, "Be merciful, just
as your Father is merciful," the demand that
we show mercy to our neighbours "always and
everywhere" seems impossible to fulfill.
But the Lord assures us that it is possible. "When
a soul approaches Me with trust," He explains,
"I fill it with such an abundance of graces
that it cannot contain them within itself, but
radiates them to other souls" (Diary, 1074).
We "radiate" God's mercy to others by
our actions, our words, and our prayers. "In
these three degrees, is contained the fullness
of mercy" (Diary 742). We have all been called
to this threefold practice of mercy, but we are
not all called in the same way. We need to ask
the Lord, who understands our individual personalities
and situation, to help us recognize the various
ways we can each show His mercy in our daily lives.
When we ask for the Lord's mercy, trusting in
His mercy, and sincerely trying to live His mercy
in our lives, we can assure that we will never
hear Him say of us, "Their hearts are far
from me," but rather that wonderful promise,
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall
obtain mercy."
Every “authentic Catholic press” or
communicator therefore, should be abreast with
the ethics of journalism, reporting and advertising,
he should have constantly in his mind the church’s
role to defend human rights and the natural law,
he should also have behind his head the desire
to promote authentic Catholic worship and devotions.
Any act against the truth for the purpose of leading
into error someone who has the right to know the
truth should be avoided. As the Apostolic Exhortation
No 24 clearly enjoined;
Every Christian should be concerned that the communications
media are vehicle of evangelization. But Christians
who are professionals in this sector have a special
part to play. It is their duty to ensure that
Christian principles influence the practice of
the profession, including the technical and administrative
sectors. To enable them to exercise this role
properly, they are to be provided with a wholesome
human, religious and spiritual training.
It is an important challenge therefore,
to Catholic media practitioners in general and
the print media practitioners in particular to
devote their creativity and more effort to disseminating
the Catholic doctrine add devotions which includes
the message of The Divine Mercy. In the effective
performance of this task, he will have double
Graces. In the first place, he will make himself
available to immense blessing and mercy from God.
This is because he will continue to read and reread
the information and messages of The Divine Mercy
and thus, he is more able to make the prayers,
attitudes, and practices relevant to the devotion
a real part of his life. He is then able to come
to trust completely in God and live each day immersed
in His merciful love, thus fulfilling the Lord's
command to let our life "shine before people,
so that they will see the good things you do and
praise your Father in Heaven" (Mt 5:16).
In the second place, the Catholic
print media professional will become an agent
and source of blessing for others who come to
discover the message of The Divine Mercy and who
begin, through such discovery, to practice it
as a result of his agency. He will be doubly blessed
in this regard.
Modalities
for Promoting the Divine Mercy
The Divine Mercy requires that we should not only
receive the mercy of God, but to use it by being
merciful to others through our actions, our words,
and our prayers. This involves the practice of
the Corporal and Spiritual Works (Acts) of Mercy.
The Lord wants us to do these works of mercy,
because even the strongest faith is of no use
without works. Catholic Print Media practitioners
have a crucial role to play in promoting the practice
of the works of mercy.
Corporal Works
• Feed the hungry
• Give drink to the thirsty
• Clothe the naked
• Shelter the homeless
• Comfort the prisoners
• Visit the sick
• Bury the dead
Spiritual Works
• Teach the ignorant
• Pray for the living & dead
• Correct sinners
• Counsel those in doubt
• Console the sorrowful
• Bear wrongs patiently
• Forgive wrongs willingly
There are several modalities for promoting these
practices:
- Integrating the spirituality and devotional
elements of The Divine Mercy message in your professional
practice
- Participate and advertise the Eucharistic Apostles'
Cenacles program. This is a guided study program
for prayer communities and includes the study
of Sacred Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic
Church, and the Diary of St. Faustina. Participants
gather in local communities to learn more about
God, the Holy Catholic Church and their place
in the Body of Christ. The apostolate promotes
belief in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the
Most Holy Eucharistic Adoration, together with
hourly praying of The Divine Mercy Chaplet for
the sick and dying.
- Promote instruction in Divine Mercy theology
and spirituality for your readers.
- Promote formation and research in The Divine
Mercy message and devotion as it is revealed in
Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and in the life and
writings of St. Faustina Kowalska.
- Foster the practice of Divine Mercy devotion
through Quizzes
- Introduce columns, write editorial and articles
that promote The Divine Mercy in your newspapers
- Organize and promote Annual Divine Mercy Conferences
for Media Professionals
- Produce leaflets, unique dramatic presentation
of the Divine Mercy message that can be circulated
in churches, communities, schools and organizations
across the country.
- Organize programs on the Divine Mercy message
to enrich, inspire, and educate people of all
ages.
- Encourage people to live out the message of
Mercy in their daily lives through a collection
of engaging programs, such as pamphlets, flyers,
stickers and other publications.
Conclusion
Jesus calls every human person to Mercy. But those
who have the means of social communications, in
conformity with the needs of present day information
world, have higher responsibility to promote the
message of mercy of Jesus. According to the Lord,
"I demand from you deeds of mercy, which
must arise out of love for Me. You are to show
mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere.
You must not shrink from this or try to excuse
or absolve yourself from it.
Jesus gave us three ways of exercising mercy toward
our neighbor:
- By deed,
- By word,
- By prayer. .
These three degrees contain the fullness of mercy.
They constitute an unquestionable proof of love
for Jesus. It is through this means that a soul
glorifies and pays reverence to the mercy of the
Lord. Print media practitioners have very effective
material means with which to carry out the promotion
of the Divine Mercy. In addition, spiritual mercy,
which requires neither permissions nor storehouses,
and which is much more meritorious and is within
the grasp of every soul, can also be practiced
by print media practitioners.
Pope John Paul II, the great mercy pope, both
in his teaching and personal life, strove to live
and teach the message of Divine Mercy. He wrote
an encyclical on Divine Mercy: Dives in Misericordia,
(On the Mercy of God), in which he noted, "The
Message of Divine Mercy has always been near and
dear to me… which I took with me to the
See of Peter and which in a sense forms the image
of this Pontificate." In his writings and
homilies, he described Divine Mercy as the answer
to the world’s problems and the message
of the third millennium. He beatified and canonized
Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska, in Rome and not in
Poland to underscore that Divine Mercy is for
the whole world.
It is, therefore, an important challenge for Catholic
Print Media Practitioners to seek for means and
effective strategies for promoting the devotion
to the Divine Mercy.
Pastoral
Care of the Family in The Third Millennium
A Talk
Presented at the DIVINE MERCY CONFERENCE 2006
JOS, NIGERIA
October 26 - 29, 2006
By
Most Rev. Dr. Martin Igwe Uzoukwu
Bishop of Minna, Nigeria, October
26, 2006
1. INTRODUCTION
The Divine Mercy Devotion focuses on the Almighty
and Merciful God, the creator of heaven and earth.
The Devotion is as old as humanity and as young
as the new moon. This Talk “Spend One Hour
with Jesus Christ, the Divine Mercy Incarnate”
which could be seen as the centre of the Pastoral
Care of the Family in the Third Millennium, is
prepared as one of the many talks at this Conference
whose central theme is “Pastoral Care of
the Family in the Third Millennium in the Light
of Divine Mercy Devotion”. My beloved Brothers
and Sisters, Lovers of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Divine Mercy Incarnate, please find the time:
One Hour with Jesus Christ, to reflect on your
vocation and mission in the light of the following
texts:
First, The Call and Mission of Moses:
The Merciful God, Yahweh spoke to Moses from the
middle of the bush, … ‘I have indeed
seen the misery of my people in Egypt, I have
heard them crying for help on account of their
taskmasters. Yes, I am well aware of their sufferings.
And I have come down to rescue them from the clutches
… So I am sending you to Pharaoh, for you
to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.’
[Exodus 3:4-10]. The same Merciful God speaks
to us in the words of the Psalmist: “Be
still and acknowledge that I am God, supreme over
nations, supreme over the world.” [Psalm
45/46: 10]. Listen to Him.
Second, The Conversion and Mission of
Saul: Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Divine
Mercy Incarnate spoke to Saul, ‘I am Jesus,
whom you are persecuting. Get up and go into the
city, and you will be told what you are to do
… Go, for this man is my chosen instrument
to bring my name before gentiles and kings and
before the people of Israel; I myself will show
him how much he must suffer for my name …
After he had spent only a few days with the disciples
in Damascus, he began preaching in the synagogues,
Jesus is the Son of God.’ [Acts 9: 5-20].
He is the person who has loved and chosen you
and has sent you on mission. Reflect on this theme
today, show an appreciation to him for his love
and mercy to you and to the whole world.
Third,
The call and mission of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska
[1905 –1938]: ‘…I suddenly
saw Jesus at my side, …who spoke these words
to me. How long shall I put up with you and how
long will you keep putting Me off? …[Diary
Entry No. 9] …Go out at once to Warsaw;
you will enter a convent there…[Diary Entry
No. 10]…It is to this place that I called
you and nowhere else; and I have prepared many
graces for you…[Diary Entry No. 19].
The Mission of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska:
The Lord Jesus Christ entrusted this mission to
her: “My beloved daughter, … tell
the world about My mercy and My love. The flames
of mercy are burning me. I desire to pour them
out upon human souls…My daughter, do whatever
is within your power to spread devotion to My
mercy…Tell {all people}’ My daughter,
that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches
Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance
of graces that it cannot contain them within itself,
but radiates them to other souls. [DiaryNo.1074].
“My daughter, secretary of My mercy, your
duty is not only to write about and proclaim My
mercy, but also to beg for this grace for them,
so that they too may glorify My mercy” [Diary
No. 1160].
Fourth,
The call and Mission of the Priest: It
is the same Jesus Christ, the Divine Mercy Incarnate
who speaks to his chosen ones: “It was not
you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed
you to go and bear fruit that will remain, …”
John 15:16. He spoke to us through Saint Maria
Faustina and said: “I desire that priests
proclaim this great mercy of mine towards souls
of sinners. Let the sinners not be afraid to approach
me. The flames of mercy are burning me clamoring
to be spent; I want to pour them out upon these
souls. Jesus complained to me in these words,
Distrust on the part of souls is tearing at My
insides. The distrust of a chosen soul causes
Me even greater pain; despite My inexhaustible
love for them they do not trust Me. Even My death
is not enough for them. Woe to the soul that abuses
these (gifts)” [Diary No.50].
The
message of Divine Mercy - Jesus Himself –
is at the heart of the gospel. The message of
mercy presents the truth and the call of the gospel
to our present age, especially as we move into
the Third Millennium. This message of mercy is
proclaimed by Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical
“Rich in Mercy” in November of the
year 1980, as the message and devotion for our
age. Let us all practice the Deeds of Mercy daily.
The
church must consider it one of her principle duties
– at every stage of history and especially
in our modern age – to proclaim and to introduce
into life the mystery of mercy, supremely revealed
in Jesus Christ. The priest is a chosen instrument
to bring this Divine Mercy Devotion and Message
to humanity. Let us win every family for Jesus
Christ, the Divine Mercy Incarnate. Start today,
ask for mercy, give mercy, preach and practice
the Deeds of Mercy. [Read Matthew 25:31–46;
Luke 15:1-32].
Fifth,
The Call and Mission of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska
& All Religious: The Lord Jesus Christ
entrusted this mission to her: “My beloved
daughter, … tell the world about My mercy
and My love. The flames of mercy are burning me.
I desire to pour them out upon human souls…My
daughter, do whatever is within your power to
spread devotion to My mercy…Tell {all people}’
My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself.
When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it
with such an abundance of graces that it cannot
contain them within itself, but radiates them
to other souls. [DiaryNo.1074]. “My daughter,
secretary of My mercy, your duty is not only to
write about and proclaim My mercy, but also to
beg for this grace for them, so that they too
may glorify My mercy” [Diary No. 1160].
Sixth,
The call and Mission of the Laity: We
read from the New Testament a few accounts of
the appearances of the Risen Christ. Having risen
in the morning on the first week, he appeared
first to Mary of Magdala from whom he had cast
out seven devils. She then went to those who had
been his companions, and who were mourning and
in tears, and told them. But they did not believe
her when they heard her say that he was alive
and that she had seen him. [Mk 16:9-11]. In the
account, Jesus Christ said to Mary of Magdala
… “But go and find my brothers, and
tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your
Father, to my God and your God.” [Jn 20:17].
In the third account Our Lord Jesus consoled the
women and sent them: Then Jesus said to them,
‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers
that they must leave for Galilee; there they will
see me.’ [Mt 27:10].
As
we spread the Divine Mercy Devotion, let us call
to mind a few accounts on the mission of St. Maria
Faustina as recorded in her Diary: “My beloved
daughter, … tell the world about My mercy
and My love. … My daughter, do whatever
is within your power to spread devotion to My
mercy…Tell {all people}’ My daughter,
that I am Love and Mercy itself …[DiaryNo.1074].
“My daughter, secretary of My mercy, your
duty is not only to write about and proclaim My
mercy, but also to beg for this grace for them,
so that they too may glorify My mercy” [Diary
No. 1160].
2.
LET US PROCLAIM THE MERCY OF GOD
Beloved Priests, Religious and Laity, Lovers and
Promoters of Divine Mercy, now that you know the
Requests and Desires of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
proclaim, preach, promote and extend His Mercy
to others. ‘If only you would listen to
him today! Do not harden your hearts …’
[Psalm 94/95]. Come to His Mercy … Now!
3. THE CALL OF ST. FAUSTINA KOWALSKA
…I
suddenly saw Jesus at my side, …who spoke
these words to me. How long shall I put up with
you and how long will you keep putting Me off?
…[Diary No. 9] …Go out at once to
Warsaw; you will enter a convent there…[Diary
No. 10]…It is to this place that I called
you and nowhere else; and I have prepared many
graces for you…[Diary No. 19]
St. Maria Faustina born in Glogowiec, Turek County,
Lodz, Poland ………… August
25th, 1905
Entered the Convent …………
August 1st, 1925
First Profession of vows …………
April 30th, 1928
Final Profession …………
May 1st, 1933
Died ………… October 5th,
1938
Beatified in Rome by Pope John Paul II ……
April 18th, 1993
Canonized in Rome by Pope John Paul II ……
April 30th, 2000
Feast of Divine Mercy Sunday (Sunday after Easter)
made Official
for the Universal Church …………
April 30th, 2000
Feast Day of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska October
5th
4. TELL THE PRIESTS TO PROCLAIM MY MERCY
“I desire that priests proclaim this great
mercy
of Mine …[50] “Son of man I have appointed
you as watchman for the House of Israel. When
you hear a word from my mouth, warn them from
me. If I say to someone wicked, “Evil-doer,
you are to die,” and you do not speak to
warn the wicked person to renounce such ways,
the wicked person will die for this guilt, but
I shall hold you responsible for the death. If,
however, you do warn someone wicked to renounce
such ways and repent, and that person does not
repent, then the culprit will die for this guilt,
but you yourself will have saved your live”.[Ezekiel
33:7-9]
The priest as a prophet must warn the sinner.
“Tell My priests that hardened sinners will
repent on hearing their word when they speak about
My unfathomable mercy, about the compassion I
have for them in My Heart. To priests who proclaim
and extol My mercy, I will give wondrous power;
I will anoint their words and touch the hearts
of those to whom they will speak”. [1521]
The
word of Yahweh came to me, saying: ‘Before
I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you
came to birth I consecrated you; I appointed you
as prophet to the nations.’ [Jer. 1:4-5].
“You
did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned
you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will
last; so that the Father will give you anything
you ask him in my name.” [Jn 15:16].
The
Apostles, their successors, priests …have
been sent to the nation by Jesus Christ, the Divine
Mercy Incarnate [Mt 28:16-26].
On
five occasions our Lord told Sister Faustina to
tell Priests about his mercy. She was to tell
them:
1. I desire ………. [Diary entry
Number 49]
2. That they are to proclaim mercy to sinners
[50]
3. That they are to receive mercy [177]
4. That they are to tell everyone about his great
and unfathomable mercy [570]
5. That priests are to recommend the chaplet of
Divine Mercy to sinners [687]
6. That hardened sinners will repent on hearing
their words of mercy, andwondrous power to touch
hearts will be given to priests who proclaim his
mercy [1521].
Our Lady also addressed priests through Sister
Faustina (See Diary 1585)
5. WORDS OF CHRIST TO PRIESTS
On proclaiming and preaching mercy, especially
to sinners: When
I told this to my confessor, I received this for
a reply: “That refers to your soul.”
He told me, “Certainly, paint God’s
image in your soul. “When I came out of
the confessional, I again heard words such as
these: My image already is in your soul. I desire
that there be a Feast of Mercy. I want this image,
which you will paint with a brush, to be solemnly
blessed on the first Sunday after Easter: that
Sunday is to be the Feast of Mercy. [49]
“I
desire that priests proclaim this great mercy
of Mine towards souls of sinners. Let the sinner
not be afraid to approach Me. The flame of mercy
are burning Me – clamoring to be spent.
I want to pour them out upon these souls.”
[50]
And
again Jesus said to me with kindness “My
daughter, speak to priests about this inconceivable
mercy of Mine. The flames of mercy are burning
me – clamoring to spent; I want to keep
pouring them out upon souls, souls just don’t
want to believe in My goodness.” [177]
“No
soul will be justified until it turns with confidence
to My mercy, and this is why the first Sunday
after Easter is to be the Feast of Mercy. On that
day, priests are to tell everyone about My great
and unfathomable mercy. I am making you the administrator
of My mercy. Tell the confessor that the image
is to be on view in the Church and not within
the enclosure in that convent: By means of this
image I shall be granted many graces to souls,
so let everyone have access to it.” [570]
Once,
as I was going down the hall to the kitchen, I
heard these words in my soul: “Say unceasingly
the Chaplet that I have taught you. Whoever will
recite it will receive great mercy at the hour
of death. Priest will recommend it to sinners
as their last hope of salvation. Even if there
were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite
this chaplet only once, he would receive grace
from My infinite mercy. I desire that the whole
world know My infinite mercy. I desire to grant
Unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in
My mercy.” [687]
From
the above references and passages, we are reminded
that the Apostles, their Successors, Priests,
Religious are all promoters of the Divine Mercy
Devotion.
6. DISPLAY IN PUBLIC ON MERCY SUNDAY
(88)
(30) + During adoration I felt God close to me.
A moment later I saw Jesus and Mary. At this sight
of them I was filled with joy, and I asked the
Lord. “What is Your will, Jesus, concerning
the matter about which my confessor told me to
ask?” Jesus replied, it is My will that
he should remain here and that he should not take
the initiative of dispensing himself. I asked
Jesus whether the inscription could be: “Christ
King of Mercy,” He answered, I am King of
Mercy, but He did not say “Christ,”
I desire that this image be displayed in public
on the first Sunday after Easter. That Sunday
is the Feast of Mercy. Through the Word Incarnate
I make known the bottomless depth of My mercy.
[88]
7.
THE RELIGIOUS AND THE LAITY TO PROCLAIM THE MERCY
OF GOD
MY BELOVED DAUGHTER, SPREAD MY MERCY.
When I went for adoration, I heard these words:
My beloved daughter, write down these words, that
today My heart has rested in this convent. Tell
the world about my mercy and my Love. The flame
of mercy is burning me. I desire to pour them
out upon human souls. Oh, what pain they cause
me when they do not want to accept them! My daughter,
do whatever is within you power to spread devotion
to My mercy. I will make up for what you lack.
Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful
Heart, and I will fill it with peace.
Tell
(all people), My daughter, that I am Love and
Mercy itself. When a soul approaches me with trust,
I fill it with such an abundance of graces that
it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates
them to other souls. [1074]
8. WORDS OF OUR LADY TO PRIESTS
A vision of the Mother of God. In the midst of
a great brilliance, I saw the Mother of God clothed
in a white gown girt about with a golden cincture;
and there were tiny stars, also of gold, over
the whole garment, and chevron-shaped sleeves
lined with gold. Her cloak was sky-blue, lightly
thrown over the shoulders. A transparent veil
was delicately drawn over her head, while her
flowing hair was set off beautifully by a golden
crown, while terminated in little crosses. On
Her left arm She held the Child Jesus. A blessed
Mother of this type I had not yet seen. Then she
looked at me kindly and said, I am the Mother-of-God
of Priests.” At that, She lowered Jesus
from Her arm to the ground, raised Her right hand
heavenward and said: “O God, bless Poland,
bless priests” Then she addressed me once
again: “Tell the priests what you have seen.”
I resolved that at the very first opportunity
[I would have] of seeing Father [Andrasz] I would
tell; but I myself can make nothing of this vision.
[1585]
*In
Polish: “Jestem Matka Boska Kaplansk.”
Literally: “I am the Mother of God
of Priests.:Or equivalently: “I am the Theotokos
of Priests.”
9.
REQUESTS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
1. Three O’ clock Prayer […1572; 1320;
648] 474
2. Chaplet of Mercy [474;476,687;714;810; 811;
848; 929
3. Novena before the Feast of Mercy [796; 1059;
1035; 1565; 1797, 1798.
4. Feast of Mercy [280; 341; 300; 699; 1109; 1535;
420; 742; 49; 299; 458; 99; 998; 1517; 570; 965;
341; 699
5. Mercy Sunday: 49; 88; 280; 299; 420; 570; 699;
742;
6. Deeds of Mercy [280; 1312; 1694; 1695; 163;
1242; 742; 1156; 1157; 1316; 1317; [also read
Matthew Chapter 25]
7. Image of the Divine Mercy [48 - 50; 341; 313;
88; 1379; 570; 675; 326;
8. Trust [327; 84; 187; 1485; 1578; 1797; 1602;
50; 300; 379; 1076; 1447; 1074…
Mary, Mother of God, Mother… [1560; 160;
793; 40; 25; 1437; 325; 88; 330; 608; 846; 1442;
677; 846; 1585; 806; 33; 20; 316; 686…
10.
A reflection on the DIVINE MERCY DEVOTION IN THE
WORLD
= God is Divine Mercy
- Father of Mercy
- Creation; God created man in his own image,
in the divine image he created him; male and female
he created them. (Gen 1:27)
- Promised salvation; I will put enmity between
you and woman, and between your offspring and
hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike
at his heel. (Gen 3:15)
- Son; Divine Mercy Incarnate. In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling
among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of
the Father’s only Son, full of grace and
truth. (Jn1: 1-2, 14)
- Holy Spirit: The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings
to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty
to captives and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free. (Lk. 4:18)
- Mercy Seat; You shall then make a propitiatory
of pure gold, two cubits and a half long, and
one and a half-cubits wide. Make two cherubim
of beaten gold for the two ends of the propitiatory,
fastening them so that one cherub springs direct
from each end. The cherubim shall have their wings
spread out above, covering the propitiatory with
them; they shall be turned towards each other,
but with their faces looking towards the propitiatory.
This propitiatory you shall then place on top
of the ark. In this ark itself you are to put
the commandments, which I will give you. (Ex 25:17-21)
11.
The call and Mission of:
· Abraham
· Moses
· Prophets
· Our Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary,
The Mother of Mercy.
- Annunciation: Our Lady proclaimed … His
Mercy is from age to age to those who fear him.
(Luke 1:50)
- Our Lady of Fatima 1917 taught the three children
the prayer to be said at the end of each decade
of the Holy Rosary:
Oh our Jesus forgive us our sins, save us from
the fire of hell. Lead all souls to heaven especially
those who are in the most need of your mercy.
12.
Jesus Christ called:
Disciples: “It was not you who chose me,
but I who chose you and appointed you to go and
bear fruit that will remain, …” Jn
15:16.
- Mary Magdalene
- St. Maria Faustina Kowlaska
14.
PRAYER FOR MERCY
At three o’clock, implore the Mercy of God
with this prayer: Eternal God, in whom mercy is
endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible,
look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in
us, that in difficult moments we might not despair,
nor become despondent, but with great confidence
submit ourselves to your holy will, which is love
and mercy itself. Amen. [950]
15. DEEDS OF MERCY
The Corporal Works of mercy are: Feeding the hungry,
giving drinks to the thirsty, clothing the naked,
sheltering the travelers, comforting the prisoners,
visiting the sick, and burying the dead.
The Spiritual works of Mercy include: Teaching
the ignorant, praying for the living and the dead,
correcting the sinners, counseling those in doubt,
consoling the sorrowful, bearing wrongs patiently
and forgiving wrongs willingly. [Matthew 25:31-
46].
I promise that the soul that will venerate this
image will not perish. I also promise victory
over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially
at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it
as My own glory. (48).
I
desire that priests proclaim this great mercy
of Mine towards souls of sinners. Let the sinner
not be afraid to approach Me. The flames of mercy
are burning Me – clamoring to be spent;
I want to pour them out upon these souls. Jesus
complained to me in these words; Distrust on the
part of souls is tearing at My insides. The distrust
of a chosen soul causes Me even greater pain;
despite My inexhaustible love for them they do
not rust Me. Even My death is not enough for them.
Woe to the soul that abuses these [gifts]. [50]
16.
IMAGE TO BE SOLEMNLY BLESSED ON THE FIRST SUNDAY
AFTER EASTER; THAT SUNDAY IS TO BE THE FEAST OF
MERCY (49)
When I told this to my confessor, 29
I received this for a reply: “That refers
to your soul.” He told me, “Certainly,
Paint God’s image in your soul. “When
I came out of the confessional, I again heard
words such as these: My image already is in your
soul. I desire that there be a Feast of Mercy.
I want this image, which you will paint with a
brush, to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday
after Easter that Sunday is to be the Feast of
Mercy. (49)
17.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria
[CBCN] Response and the fruits of the First Visit:
During his first visit to Nigeria in February
13 - 16, 1982, he launched “a new era of
Evangelization” and challenged the Catholic
Bishops of Nigeria, Priests, Religious and the
Laity to become Missionaries to other parts of
Africa and the rest of the world. From the archives
of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN),
we read; “The effects of that visit have
continued to be vividly felt by the Nigerian Church
in terms of phenomenal growth in the number of
Catholics, vocations to the priesthood and religious
life, parishes and dioceses. This has led to the
reorganization of ecclesiastical jurisdictions
in the country from three to nine provinces. There
has also been an unprecedented missionary awakening
among the generality of the faithful.
18.
Individual Responses:
This has made it necessary to establish schools
of evangelization at various centres around the
country (the first being the Emmaus School of
Evangelization Issele Uku founded by Bishop Anthony
Okonkwo GBUJI, the then Catholic Bishop of Issele
Uku. He is also the Founder of the Congregation
of the New Evangelization Sisters).
A number of dioceses and religious institutes
in Nigeria both male and female, indigenous and
international, have taken up the missionary challenge
with renewed vigour, and have been sending personnel
to diverse areas of need within and outside Nigeria.
Of particular note is the first indigenous missionary
institute, the National Missionary Society of
St. Paul, which has now been formally erected
as a Missionary Institute, and has its members
serving in far-flung areas of Africa, such as
South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Liberia
and Cameroon and a growing number of dioceses
in the United States of America.”
19.
More Responses and the fruits of the Second Visit:
We thank the Almighty and Merciful God for the
privilege of hosting the Holy Father for the second
time within a space of only sixteen years. During
this second visit to Nigeria in March 21 –
23, 1998, he beatified our brother, Father Cyprian
Michael Iwene TANSI and challenged the nation
to be reconciled and reminded us of the Father
of Mercy, the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk.
15: 11 - 32) and his Encyclical Letter of 1980
titled, “Dives In Misericordia - Rich In
Mercy” . From the CSN Archives we read;
“Might this second visit of the ‘Father
of Christians’ at a time of moral, economic
and political uncertainty in our country not be
part of God’s answer to our ‘Prayer
for Nigeria in Distress?’ Might it not be
the prelude to a rebirth of Nigeria? Might it
not be the beginning of changes in the moral,
economic and political fortunes of our people?”
=
Individual Responses and the fruits of the Second
Visit: In December 1998, the Divine Mercy
Academy was established at Minna, Niger State,
Nigeria. In September 2002, the Congregation of
the Missionaries of Divine Mercy [Clerical], was
founded at Minna. The founder of both Institutions
is Most Rev. Dr. Martin Igwe Uzoukwu, the Catholic
Bishop of Minna, Nigeria. Today in Nigeria, the
Divine Mercy Devotion has taken roots in many
Archdioceses, Dioceses, Parishes, Seminaries,
Religious Formation Houses, Secondary and Tertiary
Institutions and most importantly in families
the “Domestic Church”.
The
First Divine Mercy Leaders’ Course for National
Leaders in Nigeria took place in the Divine Mercy
Academy, Minna in 1998. It was at the Cathedral
premises that we welcomed over one hundred and
twenty participants. The programme was a weekend
from 10th to 13th December 1998.
^
Top
Welcome
Address delivered by Most Rev. Dr. Martin Igwe
Uzoukwu, Catholic Bishop of Minna
WELCOME:
May I seize this opportunity to welcome you lovers
and promoters of the Divine Mercy Devotion in
Nigeria to the peaceful city of Minna, the capital
of Niger State, Nigeria. We thank the Almighty
and Merciful Father for the journey mercies you
have all enjoyed. Welcome to Minna!
DIVINE MERCY DEVOTION:
Permit me to introduce you to the brief history
of the Divine Mercy Devotion. From the Booklet
prepared by Rev.Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, MIC and
Vinny Flynn, titled “The Divine Mercy Message
and Devotion p14”, In the 1930s, in obedience
to her spiritual director, Father Michael Sopocko,
Sister Faustina wrote a diary of some 600 pages
recording the revelations she was receiving about
God’s Mercy. Even before her death in 1938,
the devotion to the Divine Mercy as revealed in
this diary had begun to spread. During the tragic
war years of 1939 - 1945, this devotion grew in
strength as people throughout Poland and Lithuania
turned to the merciful Saviour for comfort and
hope.” Also in response to the Lord’s
invitation “Come to me all you who labour
and are overburdened ... [Mt. 11: 28f.].
DIVINE MERCY DEVOTION MOVES TO U.S.A.:
In 1941, the devotion was brought to the United
States of America from Poland by Father Joseph
Jarzebowski, a member of the Congregation of Marians
of the Immaculate Conception. After several years
of this activity out of Washington, D.C., they
established in 1944 the “Mercy of God Apostolate”
on Eden Hill in Stockbridge, MA, now home of the
National Shrine of The Divine Mercy and the Marian
Helpers Centre, a modern, religious publishing
house that has become the International Centre
for the Divine Mercy Devotion.
BANNED
BY THE CHURCH:
In 1958 and 1959, Sister Faustina’s prophecy
about the apparent destruction of the Divine Mercy
work [Diary 378] began to be fulfilled. The Holy
See, having received erroneous and confusing translations
of Diary entries which it was unable to verify
due to existing political conditions, forbade
the spreading of the Divine Mercy Devotion in
the forms proposed by Sister Faustina’s
writings. During this period of the ban, the Marians
continued to spread devotion to God’s Mercy,
but, in obedience to Rome, they based the message
and devotion regarding Divine Mercy on Sacred
Scripture, the Liturgy, the teachings of the Church,
and Our Lady’s revelations at Fatima.
THE LIFTING OF THE BAN:
Twenty years later [in 1978], the ban was completely
lifted, thanks to the intervention of the Archbishop
of Krakow, Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, who six months
later he became a Pope, he is Pope John Paul II.
In 1980, November 30th, he issued an Encyclical
Letter entitled Dives in Misericordia [Rich in
Mercy], in which he speaks of Christ as the “incarnation
of mercy ... the inexhaustible source of mercy”
[8].
CANONIZATION:
Sister Faustina was born Helena Kowalska in the
village of Glogowiec, Turek County, west of Lodz,
Poland, on August 25, 1905. She was the third
of ten children. She entered the Convent on August
1st, 1925, made her first profession of vows on
April 30th, 1928 and the final profession on May
1st, 1933. She died at the age of 33, on October
5th, 1938. Sr. Faustina was beatified by His Holiness,
Pope John Paul II, in Rome on April 18, 1993,
the second Sunday of Easter {which Our Lord Jesus
Christ had revealed to her as the “Feast
of Mercy”}. Canonization: She was canonized
in by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, in Rome
on April 30th, 2000, the second Sunday of Easter
[which Our Lord Jesus Christ had revealed to her
as the “Feast of Mercy this feast has been
made official for the Universal Church since April
30th, 2000, the Great Jubilee Year]. Saint Maria
Faustina Kowalska, pray for us. Jesus, I Trust
In You.
I was privileged to be present and concelebrated
with the Holy Father at the Canonization of St.
Maria Faustina Kowalska in Rome. After the Canonization
in Rome our friends made it possible for me to
accompany them to Poland and Vilnius, Lithuania
on Pilgrimage & On-Site Seminar - April -
June 2000.
DIVINE MERCY DEVOTION IN NIGERIA:
This devotion must have come into our Country
Nigeria, many years ago. I remember that between
1974 and 1981, as a senior seminarian in Seminary
of Ss Peter and Paul, Bodija, Ibadan, Nigeria,
I had a Divine Mercy Prayer Card. The twenty years
[1958 - 1978] ban on the devotion of the Divine
Mercy by the Church must have affected the promotion
of the devotion in Nigeria, however, I know that
Archbishop Gabriel G. Ganaka, the Archbishop of
Jos, Nigeria, will have an up-to-date history
of the Divine Mercy Devotion in Nigeria. May the
Almighty and Merciful Father grant him eternal
rest. Amen.
In
1993, with the recommendation and approval of
my Bishop, [Rt.Rev.Dr. Ayo-Maria Atoyebi, OP],
I was appointed: The Distributor for Divine Mercy
International and Authorised Representative of:
MARIANS OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION MARIAN HELPERS,
STOCKBRIDGE, MA 01263 (USA) to cover Nigeria and
a few other Countries. In April 1996 I attended
an International Seminar for promoters and leaders
of Divine Mercy Devotion at Stockbridge, MA. The
next year 1997, I attended the two days Workshop
for “American Bishops” on invitation
of the Divine Mercy International, Stockbridge,
MA. Both the Seminar and the Workshop were organised
and sponsored by the Divine Mercy International
in association of Marian Helpers, Stockbridge,
MA. In the year 1998, in October - November, on
invitation, I attended and spoke at the Divine
Mercy Conference at Tampa, Florida, USA.
In
1999, the First International Conference of the
Divine Mercy Devotion in Nigeria was held in Ibadan.
The theme of the conference was: ABBA, FATHER
OF THE DIVINE MERCY INCARNATE. Date:July 1st -
4th, 1999. Venue: Seminary of Ss Peter & Paul,
Bodija, Ibadan Oyo State. Nigeria. We had participants
and speakers from USA: 1 Rev. Fr. Merrel Dickey;
2 Dr. Bryan S. Thatcher and 3. Miss Patricia Rita
Thatcher
In
the year 2000, the Great Jubilee Year, the Second
International Conference of the Divine Mercy Devotion
in Nigeria took in Abuja [FCT]. The theme of the
conference was: COME TO MY MERCY. Date: August
31st - September 3rd, 2000. Venue: Regina Pacis
Girls’ Secondary School, Abuja. Nigeria.
[Area 3, Garki - Abuja]
In
the year 2002, “Come to My Mercy …
Now” Divine Mercy National Conference took
place in Benin City, [St. Paul’s Parish
& the Minor Seminary, Airport Road, Benin
City, in August 2002.
The
Association of Priests and Religious of the Divine
Mercy Devotion in Nigeria is already established
in Nigeria [2002].
The
Congregation of the Missionaries of Divine Mercy
[Clerical] has been established for the work of
Evangelization within and outside Nigeria [2002].
A NATIONAL CENTRE:
Eruku Seminary: When I was a Rector of the St.
Peter the Apostle Seminary, Eruku, Kwara State,
I tried to promote and coordinate the activities
concerning the Divine Mercy Devotion from Eruku.
Now that I am here in Minna, as the Local Ordinary,
I have to operate from here, Minna! This function
is service to our people, friends, lovers and
promoters of the Divine Mercy Devotion. Many of
you dear brothers and sisters have written books,
composed songs, directed plays etc. in your own
communities, zones, parishes, dioceses, Archdioceses
... all these for the greater glory of the Merciful
Father and for the salvation of Souls for which
Christ was pierced [Jn 19:34].
AN
URGENT NEED TO CO-ORDINATE AND MODERATE OUR ACTIVITIES:
There is an urgent need now in Nigeria to plan
together, co-ordinate and moderate our Divine
Mercy activities for more effective evangelization
within and outside Nigeria. Also we should learn
from history of the Divine Mercy devotion. The
twenty years [1958 - 1978] ban by the Church which
forbade the spreading of the Divine Mercy Devotion
in the forms proposed by Sister Faustina’s
writings, should not be allowed to happen again.
We pray O Lord. Lord hear and answer our prayers.
Amen. It is said that God helps those who help
themselves. Let us all listen to the Church, as
Christ prays for us: “I pray not only for
these but also for those who through their teaching
will come to believe in me. May they be one, just
as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so
that they also may be in us, so that the world
may believe it was you who sent me.” [Jn
17:20-21].
We need to have a common approach to our:
1. Three O’clock Prayer [ ...1572; 1320;
648] The request of Jesus Christ.
2. Duration of Prayers
3. Duration of Meetings
4. Publications [all sorts of publications] 1983
Code of Canon Law, cc824, 822- 832.
5. Divine mercy materials.
ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE:
For effective coordination and progress, every
organization should have a definite structure.
We propose in this paper the following:
1. National Centre [Administrative] Minna
2. National Shrine [ Abuja: ... site for the Papal
Mass in March 1998]
3. Archdiocesan/Diocesan Centres
4. Parish/Convent/School: Divine Mercy Prayer
Groups.
SOME OF THE REQUESTS OF OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST:
· A Manual for Priests & Religious
[A Booklet already published]
· An Outreach Programme from the Divine
Mercy Academy ... since 2000 AD
· CDR: Complaints, Desires and Requests
of Our Lord Jesus Christ - Booklet coming!
· Divine Mercy Academy - Hostel Project
for our Students ... 2001.
Gratitude: We thank the Almighty and
Merciful God for this Conference and ask his blessings
on the organizers, collaborators, benefactors
and benefactresses. His special blessings on Dr.
Bryan Thatcher and his family, the Eucharistic
Apostles of the Divine Mercy Apostolate, the Divine
Mercy International, Stockbridge, MA; the Marians
of the Immaculate Conception, Marian Helpers,
Stockbridge, MA 01263 (USA).
To
all of you: Once more I say welcome to Tampa city,
Florida, USA. Thank you for your attention, for
serving the Lord and for promoting the Divine
Mercy Devotion in your localities. May the Mother
of Jesus Christ pray for us and may the Merciful
Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless and reward you
all in this life and in the life after life. Amen.
Most Rev. Dr. Martin Igwemezie UZOUKWU,
Catholic Bishop of Minna.
Motto: Jesus, Mary I trust in You ; Ambassador
for Divine Mercy
The Distributor for Divine Mercy International
and
Authorised Representative of: MARIANS OF THE IMMACULATE
CONCEPTION
MARIAN HELPERS, STOCKBRIDGE, MA 01263 (USA).
April 5, 2003 (Saturday of the Fourth Sunday of
Lent)
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HEALING
AND DIVINE MERCY
Theme:
Blood and Water from the side of Jesus Christ,
the Divine Mercy Incarnate.
O Blood and Water, which gushed
forth from the Heart of Jesus as a
fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You![84]
“O
Blood and Water, which gushed
forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount
of Mercy for us, I trust in You.” [187]
1.
Heals… [Ezek 47:1-12; Jn 19:34;Rev 22:1-5]
Then he brought me back to the entrance of the
temple, and I saw water flowing out from beneath
the threshold of the temple towards the east,
for the façade of the temple was towards
the east; the water flowed down from the southern
of the temple, south of the alter. He led me outside
by the north gate, and around to the outer gate
facing the east, where I saw water trickling from
the southern side. Then when he had walked off
to the east with a measuring cord in his hand,
he measured off a thousand cubits and had me wade
through the water, which was ankle deep. He measured
off another thousand and once more had me wade
through the water, which was now knee-deep. Again
he measured off a thousand and had me wade; the
water was up to my waist. Once more he measured
off a thousand, but there was now a river through
which I could not be wade; for the water had risen
so high it had become a river that I could not
crossed except by swimming. He asked me, “Have
you seen this, son of man?” Then he brought
me to the bank of the river, where he had me sit.
Along the bank of the river I saw very many trees
on both sides. He said to me, “This water
flows into the eastern district down upon the
Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters,
which it makes fresh. Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply
shall live, and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be
made fresh. Fishermen shall be standing alone
it from En-gedi to En-eglaim, spreading their
nets there. Its kinds of fish shall be like those
of the Great Sea, very numerous. Only its marshes
and swamps shall not be made fresh, they shall
be left for salt. Along both banks of the river,
fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves
shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month
they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be
watered by flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit
shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
[Ezek 47:1-12]
But
one soldier thrust his lance into side, and immediately
blood and water flowed out. [Jn 19:34]
Then
the angel showed me the river of life-giving water,
sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne
of God and of the Lamb down the middle of its
street. On entire side of the river grew the tree
of life that produces fruit twelve times a year,
once each month; the leaves of the tree serve
as medicine for the nations. Nothing accursed
will be found there anymore. The throne of God
and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants
will worship him. They will look upon his face,
and his name will be on their foreheads. Night
will be no more, nor will they need light from
lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them
light, and they shall reign forever and ever.
[Rev 22:1-5]
2. Cleanses… Namman the Leper.
The soldier that pierced His side.
Baptism.
3. Quenches Thrust [Jn ; Is ]
4. Gives growth [Is 55]
5. Gives Life [Jn 6; Hebrew ; Exodus
6.
The Word Among Us [February 2003, page 40]
How different are God’s ways from ours!
He sent his Son not as a fiery prophet or a social
activist, but as a suffering servant whose death
would atone for all our sins – past, present,
and future. Through Jesus, the cross has become
the fountain from which every grace and blessing
flows: deliverance from sinful patterns; relief
from the “shoulds” and “musts”
of legalistic observance; wisdom for living in
the world; and freedom from the powers of darkness.
The instrument of death has now become the way
to freedom and life.
7.
The Spiritual Worship [Psalm 50]
The Lord, the God of gods, has spoken and summoned
the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
From Zion God shines forth, perfect in beauty.
Our God comes and will not be silent! Devouring
fire proceeds, storming fiercely round about.
God summons the heavens above and the earth to
the judgement of his people: “Gather my
faithful ones before me, those who made a covenant
with me by sacrifice.” The heavens proclaim
divine justice, for God alone is the judge.
8.
Blood – Fire - Burning Bush
- Consuming the sacrifice
- Lead the people of God in the desert.
- Healing rays in the people of his hand…[Habbakuk]
[Abraham, Gideon, Elijah, Pentecost, Divine Mercy
22nd February, 1931 in Poland]
9.
Summary Jn 1:1-2, 14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. He was in the
beginning with God. And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his
glory, the glory as of the Father’s only
Son, full of grace and truth.
Song: Send forth your Spirit O Lord and renew
the face of the earth…
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…Nazarah
10.
Psalm 46:9-12 – Come and see the works of
the Lord, who has done fearsome deeds on earth;
Who stops wars to the ends of the earth, breaks
the bow, splinters the spear, and burns the shields
with fire; Who says: “Be still and confess
that I am God! I am exalted among the nations
exalted on the earth.” The Lord of hosts
is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Deuteronomy 32:39 – Learn then that I, alone,
am God, and there is no god besides me, It is
I who bring both dearth and life, I who inflict
wounds and heal them, and from my hand there is
no rescue.
Ezekiel 12:16: Yet I will leave a few of them
to escape the sword, famine and pestilence, so
that they will come; thus they shall know that
I am the Lord.
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POST-SYNODAL
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION ECCLESIA IN AFRICA OF THE
HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II TO THE BISHOPS PRIESTS
AND DEACONS, MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND ALL THE
LAY FAITHFUL ON THE CHURCH IN AFRICA AND ITS EVANGELIZING
MISSION TOWARDS THE YEAR 2000
INTRODUCTION
The Church which is in Africa celebrated with
joy and hope its faith in the Risen Christ during
the four weeks of the Special Assembly for Africa
of the Synod of Bishops. Memories of this event
are still fresh in the minds of the whole Ecclesial
Community.
Faithful to the tradition of the first centuries
of Christianity in Africa, the Pastors of this
Continent, in communion with the Successor of
the Apostle Peter and members of the Episcopal
College from other parts of the world, held a
Synod which was intended to be an occasion of
hope and resurrection, at the very moment when
human events seemed to be tempting Africa to discouragement
and despair.
The Synod Fathers, assisted by qualified representatives
of the clergy, religious and laity, subjected
to a detailed and realistic study the lights and
shadows, the challenges and future prospects of
evangelization in Africa on the threshold of the
Third Millennium of the Christian faith. The members
of the Synodal Assembly asked me to bring to the
attention of the whole Church the results of their
reflections and prayers, discussions and exchanges.
With joy and gratitude to the Lord I accepted
this request and today, at the very moment when,
in communion with the Pastors and faithful of
the Catholic Church in Africa, I begin the celebration
phase of the Special Assembly for Africa, I am
promulgating the text of this Post-Synodal Apostolic
Exhortation, the result of an intense and prolonged
collegial endeavour.
But before describing what developed in the course
of the Synod, I consider it helpful to go back,
if only briefly, over the various stages of an
event of such decisive importance for the Church
in Africa.
The Family of God in the Synodal process
Speaking to the members of the Council of the
General Secretariat on 23 June 1989, I laid special
emphasis on the involvement of the whole People
of God, at all levels and especially in Africa,
in the preparations for the Special Assembly.
"If this Synod is prepared well," I
said, "it will be able to involve all levels
of the Christian Community: individuals, small
communities, parishes, Dioceses, and local, national
and international bodies".
I. Formation of the agents of evangelization
With what resources will the Church in Africa
succeed in meeting the challenges just mentioned?
"The most important [resource], after the
grace of Christ, is the people. The whole People
of God in the theological understanding of Lumen
Gentium — this People, which comprises the
members of the Body of Christ in its entirety
— has received the mandate, which is both
an honour and a duty, to proclaim the Gospel ...
The whole community needs to be trained, motivated
and empowered for evangelization, each according
to his or her specific role within the Church".
For this reason the Synod strongly emphasized
the training of the agents of evangelization in
Africa. I have already referred to the necessity
of formation for candidates to the priesthood
and those called to the consecrated life. The
Assembly also paid due attention to the formation
of the lay faithful, appropriately recognizing
their indispensable role in the evangelization
of Africa. In particular, the training of lay
catechists received the emphasis which it rightly
deserves.
II. The Family
Evangelizing the family: "The
future of the world and of the Church passes through
the family". Not only is the Christian family
the first cell of the living ecclesial community,
it is also the fundamental cell of society. In
Africa in particular, the family is the foundation
on which the social edifice is built. This is
why the Synod considered the evangelization of
the African family a major priority, if the family
is to assume in its turn the role of active subject
in view of the evangelization of families through
families.
From the pastoral point of view, this is a real
challenge, given the political, economic, social
and cultural difficulties which African families
must face as a result of the great changes which
characterize contemporary society. While adopting
the positive values of modernity, the African
family must preserve its own essential values.
Agents of evangelization: Evangelization
needs agents. For "how are men to call upon
him [the Lord] in whom they have not believed?
And how are they to believe in him of whom they
have never heard? And how are they to hear without
a preacher? And how can men preach unless they
are sent?" (Rom 10:14-15). The proclamation
of the Gospel can be fully carried out only through
the contribution of all believers at every level
of the universal and local Church.
It is especially the concern of the local Church,
entrusted to the responsibility of the Bishop,
to coordinate the commitment to evangelization
by gathering the faithful together, confirming
them in the faith through the work of the priests
and catechists, and supporting them in the fulfilment
of their respective tasks. In order to accomplish
this, the Diocese is to establish the necessary
structures for getting together, dialogue and
planning. By making use of these structures the
Bishop will be able to guide in a suitable manner
the work of priests, religious and laity, welcoming
the gifts and charisms of each one, in order to
put them at the service of an updated and clearsighted
plan of pastoral action. The different Councils
provided for by the current norms of Canon Law
are to be considered a great help in contributing
to this end.
Prayer to Mary, Mother of the Church
In thanksgiving for the grace of this Synod, I
appeal to Mary, Star of Evangelization and, as
the Third Millennium draws near, to her I entrust
Africa and its evangelizing mission. I turn to
her with the thoughts and sentiments expressed
in the prayer which my Brother Bishops composed
at the close of the working session of the Synod
in Rome:
O
Mary, Mother of God
and Mother of the Church,
thanks to you, on the day of the Annunciation,
at the dawn of the new era,
the whole human race with its cultures
rejoiced in recognizing itself
ready for the Gospel.
On the eve of a new Pentecost
for the Church in Africa, Madagascar
and the adjacent Islands,
the People of God with its Pastors
turns to you and with you fervently prays:
May the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
make of the cultures of Africa
places of communion in diversity,
fashioning the peoples
of this great Continent
into generous sons and daughters
of the Church
which is the Family of the Father,
the Brotherhood of the Son,
the Image of the Trinity,
the seed and beginning on earth
of the eternal Kingdom
which will come to its perfection
in the City that has God as its Builder:
the City of justice, love and peace.
Given at Yaoundé, in Cameroon, on
14 September, Feast of the Triumph of the Cross,
in the year 1995, the seventeenth of my Pontificate.
JOHN PAUL II
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KEYNOTE
ADDRESS PRESENTED BY MOST REV. DR. MARTIN IGWE
UZOUKWU AT THE OCCASION OF THE FIRST NATIONAL
MEETING OF FAMILIES AT OUR LADY QUEEN OF NIGERIA
PRO-CATHEDRAL ABUJA BETWEEN TUESDAY 21ST –
FRIDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 2006
1.
WELCOME:
This is the day that the Lord has made, let us
rejoice and be glad as I welcome you to this very
important occasion of the First National Meeting
of Families in our country Nigeria, taking place
in the Premises of Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral
Abuja. I welcome you in the name of the Family
and Human Life Committee of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). I am aware that
you have left home, work, business and other programmes
to participate in this event as one Family of
the People of God. May our Lord Jesus Christ the
Divine Mercy Incarnate shower you with His Mercy
and loving blessings now and forever. Amen.
2.
WHY THE MEETING:
The theme of our Meeting, “Transmission
of the Faith in the Family”, is a call to
fulfill the injunction of God to His People when
He said, “Hear O Israel! The Lord your God
is one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your might. Take these words which I
command you today. You shall teach it to your
children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether
you are busy or at rest”
(Deut 6: 4 – 7).
This
means that we have a spiritual, moral, social
and historical responsibility to hand over, what
we have received from our Fathers in the Faith;
an undiluted and unalloyed Christian Faith, to
our children. It is important that our Families
meet especially at this critical time when the
family fabric and values are being destroyed by
materialism, godlessness, secularism, selfishness
and lack of communal life. At this time when our
society seems to be confused, it is important
that we hear the voice of the Prophet Isaiah calling,
“Come let us set things right” (Is
1: 18).
So
many things have gone wrong with our world and
so many battles fronts have been opened against
the Family in the forms of vices such as; the
legalization of abortion in some parts of the
world, use of contraceptives, option of condoms
in the fight against the pandemic HIV/AIDS, euthanasia,
same sex marriages (homosexualism and lesbianism)
and divorce. We must be the Voice of God and His
Church in the battle against these evil challenges.
We must pick courage and realize that we are the
“salt of the earth”, and the “light
of the world” and therefore must be in the
frontline of the crusade against these vices.
At
this juncture, I thank the Federal Government
for quickly enacting the law against same sex
marriages and unions. I also thank the National
Assembly for listening to the voice of the good
people of Nigeria and squashing the proposed Bill
on Reproductive Health. I am sincerely grateful
to all of you; our fathers, mothers and young
people for your prayers and reactions against
the Bill that would have eroded the last fabric
of the moral value of the Family. The voice of
the People is the Voice of God. May the Mama of
all Families, the Blessed Virgin Mary obtain for
you the special graces to keep on the fight for
our Faith.
I
wish to encourage you as Christian Families to
sponsor a Bill for the establishment of a Ministry
for the Family and the Promotion of Family and
Moral Values in the Country. It is our duty to
protect the Family which is the Domestic Church,
the hope of the Society and the greatest legacy
we can leave for the next generation. Every healthy
Family gives us hope that the Faith will not die
in our hands.
This
Meeting will remind us of the call of St. Paul
to pray at every opportunity against evil and
to be watchful (Cf Eph 6: 18). We cannot effectively
achieve this unless we do it as a Family, because
when we gather as a Family, the Lord himself is
there and He listens to us. Then in turn our prayers
keep us in Christian Unity and Charity as Pope
John Paul II reminds us that, “The Family
that prays together, stays together.”
This
should encourage us to use this opportunity to
stay together as the Family of the People of God,
deliberate and reflect together in the name of
God and pray together for our Families, our Society
and our country, Nigeria as one in Christ through
the Power of the Holy Spirit. We cannot forget
that our children are exposed to so many evils
and ways of life in the schools, through the media
and in their daily social interactions. It is
our duty to pray with them always and to teach
them how to pray and show them the Love of God.
I invite you to join the Family Apostles of the
Divine Mercy Devotion and spend one hour with
Jesus daily in your homes.
We
must commend the First Encyclical of our Holy
Father, Pope Benedict XVI, “God is Love.”
God loves us and He wants us to share the love
with members of our Families and those around
us as we must love our neighbours as ourselves.
The first place to put the love into practice
is in the Family because, “No one can give
what he does not have” and we must always
remember that, “Charity begins at home”
and from there into the whole world.
It is our hope that this event will help us take
a firm resolution to preserve the Faith in our
Families come rain, come shine, uphold the Family
as the Domestic Church and model our families
on the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in
order to practice what we learnt as the People
of God.
I
strongly condemn the recent senseless and unwarranted
destruction of life and property in Maiduguri,
Katsina and Bauchi. We call on the government
at all levels to make greater efforts to protect
the sacredness and dignity of life. God created
all of us in His Image and Likeness (Gen 1: 27)
and He alone has the right to take life. All hands
must be on deck to ensure the safety of all irrespective
of religious and ethnic affiliation. When human
life is destroyed, the family is destroyed. The
life of every person is important and we must
do our best possible to protect it.
3. CONCLUSION:
My dear People of God, members of Families and
citizens of our great country, Nigeria, the Family
is ours, the home is ours and we all belong to
God. So let us make the Family a place for God
by teaching our children about God and His Church.
We are facing a lot of difficulties and challenges
today in the family but we cannot afford to slip
otherwise we will lose everything.
Let
us pray that God will give us the grace of this
First Meeting of Families so that we will make
Nigeria one Family of the People of God through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
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SPEND
ONE HOUR EVERY DAY WITH JESUS CHRIST THE DIVINE
MERCY INCARNATE
The
Holy Father has a dream. He envisions Catholics
praying around the clock, adoring the Blessed
Sacrament and feeling the great power of Perpetual
Adoration on every continent. “Every member
of the church must be vigilant in seeing that
this Sacrament of love shall be at the centre
of the life of the people of God so that through
all the manifestations of worship due to it. Christ
shall be given back ‘love for love’,
and truly become the life of our souls,”
said our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II.
As
the Blessed Mother said to her priests, “Christ
will restore his glorious reign in the universal
triumph of his Eucharistic reign, which will unfold
in all its power and will have the capacity to
change hearts, souls, individuals, families, society
and the very structure of the world”.
The
Pope also said , “Your faith will help you
to realize that it is Jesus Himself who is present
in the Blessed Sacrament, waiting for you and
calling you to spend one special specific hour
with Him each week.” The clarity of their
vision cannot be underestimated. Perpetual Adoration
Chapels must be spread throughout the world’s
parishes.
Father
Martin Lucia shares the Pope’s dream. For
many years he has helped parishes organize Perpetual
Adoration Chapels and planted seeds of motivation
and love among parishioners. He envisions Perpetual
Adoration Chapels in parishes around the world.
Invitations from parishes in Asia, Africa, Australia,
Europe and remote corners of the world beckon
him to guide them. Father Lucia’s dream
is to form a group – called Missionaries
of the Blessed Sacrament – solely devoted
to spreading Perpetual Adoration throughout the
world. Soon, he hopes to have one or more priests
on every continent.
Won’t you please sponsor a priest or make
a contribution today? Your support will provide
a parish with the tools to honour Christ Himself
in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament around
the clock and around the world.
SPEND
AN HOUR WITH HIM AND CHANGE THE WORLD.
“Perpetual Adoration. Eucharistic Adoration
offers to our people the opportunity to join those
in religious life to pray for the salvation of
the world, souls everywhere and peace on earth.
We cannot underestimate the power of prayer and
the difference it will make in our world.”
- Mother Teresa.
O
most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the Most
precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus
Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the
world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges
and indifference by which He is offended. By the
infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Mary, I
beg the conversion of the poor sinners.
COULD
YOU NOT WATCH ONE HOUR WITH ME?
PERPETUAL ADORATION REAWAKENS FAITH.
“The
best, the surest and the most effective way of
establishing everlasting PEACE on the face of
the earth is through the great power of Perpetual
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.”
In
1981, Pope John Paul II called us to join in the
mission of establishing Perpetual Adoration Chapels
in Parishes throughout the world.
In
existing Chapels, parishioners join together to
provide around-the-clock adoration and prayer
before the Blessed Sacrament, which is constantly
exposed. Individual parishioners usually spend
one quiet hour a week with the Lord.
The
purposes of Perpetual Adoration are many. Individually,
Parishioners have access to an easy and practical
way of rendering Him adoration, giving thanks
for redemption, making reparation for sins of
the individual and society and to petition for
constant help.
Collectively, parishes find the dedication to
keep Holy Hours strengthens parish spiritual life.
Mass attendance usually increases, as does the
return of fallen-away Catholics and conversions.
Crime in neighborhoods has declined after Perpetual
Adoration began.
Yet
the most compelling reason to create Perpetual
Adoration Chapels in every community is because
the Holy Spirit asks for it. During his Eucharistic
discourse, Jesus made this unmistakably clear:
“Indeed this is the will of My Heavenly
Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and
believes in Him, shall have eternal life.”
But
in order to make this vision reality, we need
your help. We need your prayers to strengthen
the priests who help parishes establish chapels.
We also need financial support in whatever amount
you can contribute. Please help spread Perpetual
Adoration and the everlasting peace of its promise.
PERPETUAL
ADORATION SPEAKS OUT
WHAT
IS PERPETUAL ADORATION: Members of a parish unite
in making continuous hours of adoration before
the Most Blessed Sacrament during the day and
night, seven days a week.
WHY
IS PERMANENT EXPOSITION NECESSARY? People are
far more appreciative of exposition. They are
more responsible and faithful in keeping their
holy hour with our Lord. Because there is such
an attack on the Real Presence, exposition is
one of the best ways to witness our faith. The
best reason of all, however, is simply that God
wills it.
IS
THIS THE WORK OF THE CLERGY? Not at all. Vatican
Council II emphasized the importance of lay involvement
in the Church’s mission. Perpetual Adoration
uses a team principle of the laity working under
the direction of the clergy with the Bishop’s
approval.
CONSIDERING
THE CRIME SITUATION, ISN’T IT DANGEROUS
TO GO 24 HOURS A DAY? Many pastors have reported
that since beginning Perpetual Adoration in their
parishes the crime rate in their community has
declined. Whenever Jesus is adored in the Blessed
Sacrament, the devil flees.
WHAT
SPIRITUAL BENEFITS AND GRACES ARE ATTRIBUTED TO
ESTABLISHING A PROGRAM? An increase in Mass attendance
and reception of the Sacraments is noticeable.
Also, fallen-away Catholics return and the number
of conversions increases, as does the number of
religious and priestly vocations. The spiritual
level of the people is raised with a resulting
desire and courage to spread the “goodnews”
to others. As Pius XII said: “Personal sanctification
and the sanctification of others is the basis
of all Catholic actions.”
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