On behalf of the North American Congress on Mercy III organizers, I offer our deepest appreciation to the people and organizations that have made this wonderful weekend possible, and for the first time in Canada! First and foremost, I wish to thank Archbishop J. Michael Miller for welcoming and hosting this Apostolic Congress in his Archdiocese. We are deeply grateful for his presence as presider and homilist at the Opening Liturgy. We thank Fr. Augustine Obiwumma, pastor of Good Shepherd Church of Star of the Sea Parish, who has opened his heart and the church and school facilities to this special event. We wish to thank his staff for their invaluable assistance, especially Janice Hamanishi, Evangelization and Catechesis Leader, and our hardworking team of local volunteers, including Cynthia Leowardy, Fe Forteza, Eva Mrad, Ethelyn David, Corazon Bernardo, and Vanessa Gilera. We are greatly indebted to Fr. Mark Baron, MIC, Mr. Kevin Dougherty, and the staff of the Marian Helpers Center (an Apostolate of the Marian Fathers in Stockbridge, MA) for their hard work in assisting in the organization of this Congress, and all the members of the Association of Marian Helpers for their prayers and support. I wish to thank the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Women’s League for their presence and support, and all of the speakers, presenters, singers, and musicians who traveled to share their experiences in living the message of God’s mercy, especially during the forthcoming Jubilee Year of Hope. Above all we are grateful to Our Holy Father Pope Francis, who has enthusiastically taken up the mantle of mercy from St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI to become our beloved “Mercy Pope,” and has placed the World Apostolic Congress on Mercy and its continental congresses under the Dicastery For Evangelization, headed by His Excellency, Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, Pro-Prefect. We are also grateful to His Excellency, the Most Reverend Gintaras Grušas, Archbishop of Vilnius, and President of the European Conferences of Bishops, who will be hosting the next World Apostolic Congress on Mercy, June 7-12, 2026. Finally, our profound gratitude goes to the Holy Father, Pope Francis, who has enthusiastically taken up the mantle of mercy from Saint John Paul II and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI to become our beloved “Mercy Pope.” With best wishes and blessings in our Merciful Lord! Fr. Kazimierz Chwalek, MIC, NACOM Coordinator Thank you to all of our Volunteers! Back row (left to right): Vanessa Gilera, Luchie Alinas, Theresa Alillio- Baguisa, Joanne Palma, Rosemary Wald, Ari Iniwati, Corazon (Corgie) Bernardo, Gwen Filippelli, Eva Mourad; front row (left-right) Fe Patricia Forteza, Margaret Zmudzloa Bajersky, Gisella Deutsch, Fr. Augustine Obiwumma, Susan Papas Hauck, Cynthia Leowardy. Not pictured: Donna Sali, Peter Chang, Amanda Michelle Chang, Astrid Priscilla Chang, Ethelyn David, Janice Hamanishi, and Tanya Cheney, Anne Kristen Bennett. 27271139
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