Share why you come again and again on pilgrimage to Eden Hill in Stockbridge, Mass., on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/MarianHelpers or e-mail us at
[email protected]. Marian Helpers share how they spread the message of Divine Mercy and perform works of mercy. Helping youth who seek God’s mercy I’m the founder of Divine Mercy for Youth, a street ministry that promotes Jesus, the Divine Mercy. I work with our youth who are at-risk. They feel unloved, unwanted, and forgotten, and they don’t go to church. For more than 15 years, I have reached out to such youth who are seeking the mercy of God. Many times, these youth are poor, runaways, homeless, or involved with gangs. We begin by ministering to our youth on the street with love. We seek to establish a friendship and offer them th e image of Divine Mercy. W e also provide them with food, clothing, shoes, school supplies, and other basic necessities for everyday life. Our mission is to lead our youth into a loving and trusting relationship with God through the Merciful Heart of Jesus and His Church. It’s important for them to know that they are loved by Jesus and that they can trust in His mercy. This is the greatest truth that moves young hearts to follow Jesus, and they begin living a holy life. — JB, Scranton, Pa. ‘He still has me walking’ At the time of my mother’s death, I was bed-ridden and suffering a lot of pain because of rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis. When I began going through her belongings, I found a little folded piece of paper with the image of Divine Mercy. Back then, I didn’t know any- thing about Divine Mercy. As I began to learn about it, I became inspired to spread the mes- sage. I prayed, “Lord, I can’t do much walking. If you want me to spread Divine Mercy, then I am asking you to help me with my pain.” Sure enough, I began to respond to treat- ments, and I started a Divine Mercy prayer group (with my pastor’s OK). Then, I went on to start groups in four other parishes — a total of two in English and three in Spanish. Jesus still has me walking, so I’m going to continue to spread the Divine Mercy message. — MGB, N.J. ‘Devoted to spreading Divine Mercy’ I have long been devoted to spreading the message of Divine Mercy. I began a Divine Mercy Cenacle e ight years ago that is now based in Stockbridge, Mass. I moved to South Carolina a year ago. I put the image of Divine Mercy and the book 33 Days to Morning Glory o n my desk at work. A couple of women said they wanted to read the book, so I organized the first stage of the Marians’ HAPP program. It was a small group from three parishes. Hopefully, this will spark more interest from all three parishes. For Lent, I asked our pastor if I could invite a Marian to speak to our parish about Divine Mercy. H e said yes, so we had Fr. Mark Baron [MIC] come during our Lenten mission. It has really ignited Divine Mercy in our parish. — MN, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. ‘No matter what, you love’ A nagging illness, injury, broken relationships, men- tal anguish, unemployment, and personal loss all pierce the shield of self-reliance. At such times, you can gently inquire of the one suffering: How are things? You might have to listen for an hour or more. You might even get the brush-off. But the key is being there when the moment comes: the mercy moment. The inquiries others make of such suffer- ing souls is often not gentle but demanding, unknowing, and unfeeling. It’s up to you, then, to show them compassion, reassuring them that God is truly merciful. In the mercy moment, you might speak, or you might just listen, but no matter what, you love. — DD, Warrenton, Va. Thanks to all of you for sharing how you spread the message of Divine Mercy and perform works of mercy. M ay your example inspire other Marian Helpers. If you are looking for practical suggestions on how to put mercy into action, I recommend that you check out ‘You Did It to Me’ o n page 30. — Fr. Joseph, MIC M arian H elper • F all 2014 • marian.org 5 Father Joseph’s Mai lbox Back to index