Divine Mercy Sunday will be celebrated online

By Christina Galeone
CFP Corresponent
For the past several years, some local parishes have welcomed people from all over the diocese into their churches on the feast of Divine Mercy. Due to the suspension of public gatherings because of the pandemic, several places will hold virtual events instead.
Beautiful celebrations have been held to honor the request that Jesus is believed to have made to St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun. According to St. Faustina’s “Diary,” Jesus gave the feast to the world so that humanity could take refuge in him and experience the depths of his divine mercy.
St. Faustina brought the Divine Mercy devotion to the world after, she said, Jesus asked to do so. Her apparitions have been approved by the Church. Pope John Paul II made Divine Mercy Sunday a church-wide feast day to be celebrated a week after Easter. This year it is April 19.
The Divine Mercy celebration normally includes the sacraments of confession and Eucharist, and includes Adoration and the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
One parish looking forward to Divine Mercy Sunday is St. Joseph in Charlton. Although hosting an all-day event, like the parish did last year isn’t possible, the parish’s Divine Mercy Messengers ministry has organized an abbreviated celebration. Beginning at 1 p.m., the virtual event – which people will be able to view on the church’s website, stjosephscharlton.com – will run through 4 p.m. It will include an introduction to Divine Mercy, Adoration, the rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet in song and other prayers, meditations and reflections, according to information provided by Julia McDonough.
Mrs. McDonough has been a member of the 12-person Divine Mercy Messengers for the past five years. She is happy that her parish is still able to hold an event. She believes that it will help people to get to heaven.
“The bottom line is there are so many graces that come from celebrating the feast,” said Mrs. McDonough, whose mother had a devotion to the Divine Mercy.     “‘Have mercy on us and on the whole world’ was never more real and more timely for us who never knew the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II or the plagues of olden times.
 “Right now, the world needs all the help it can get,” she said.
Susan Montville, who founded the ministry in 2014 after a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, is equally enthusiastic about the celebration. Mrs. Montville believes that the graces bestowed upon the world on Divine Mercy Sunday are infinite and that the celebration gives participants a “clean slate.”
She’s grateful that the ministry can offer an event that honors Jesus and his mercy and brings St. Joseph’s parishioners together, albeit virtually.
“We wanted to see the inside of our church and have people be able to participate,” she said with great emotion at the thought of not being able to attend Mass in the church.
In regards to the pandemic, Mrs. Montville said, “We are suffering, and we want to persevere. Our parish is trying to offer a great day of celebration.”      
Another parish that’s looking forward to Divine Mercy Sunday is Our Lady of Czestochowa in Worcester. Starting on Good Friday, the parish began participating in the Divine Mercy Novena by praying the novena prayers in English and Polish after its Masses. The Masses, as well as the prayers that follow, are livestreamed on the church’s website, olcworcester.com. Its Sunday Mass in English is at 9:30 a.m., and its Sunday Mass in Polish is at 11 a.m.
On Divine Mercy Sunday, Our Lady of Czestochowa will celebrate the hour of Divine Mercy at 3 p.m., in both languages. The event will be livestreamed on the parish’s website, and it will include Adoration, the rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet.       
Father Ryszard W. Polek, the church’s pastor, believes that Divine Mercy Sunday will make a difference during the pandemic, and he said that it gives us an “opportunity to strengthen our faith and trust in God.” That’s something he believes is vital in a time when he’s seen so many people experiencing fear and uncertainty.     
“The Divine Mercy devotion and message proclaimed and lived today can be a great source of comfort and strength,” Father Polek said, noting that it can help people have a close relationship with Jesus, rather than only living the faith through religious customs and traditions.
“It tells us that our life is in God’s hands, that he knows everything. He knows our past, present and future. And it reminds us of Jesus’ words ‘be not afraid, trust me,’” he added.
The National Shrine of the Divine Mercy will hold virtual and televised events this weekend. On Saturday, April 18, the shrine will livestream its Divine Mercy vigil Mass in English on its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ShrineOfDivineMercy/) at 4 p.m. and its vigil Mass in Spanish at 7 p.m. From noon until 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, its Mass and celebration will be broadcast on EWTN’s cable television channel.
“Divine Mercy devotion tells us that everything we receive from God is a gift and grace,” Father Polek said. “And that God has power and authority to