Marian Helper Spring 2014

‘Trifecta of mercy’ Three Mercy Popes will come together in the ‘winner’s circle of grace’ this Mercy Sunday. I grew up just down the street from a huge horse-racing track in Southern California. While I myself never attended the races to gamble, I did pick up some of the lingo. One of my favorite horse-racing terms is “trifecta,” which is when a person selects the first three horses to win a race in exact order. And to win a trifecta, I’ve heard, can be quite a joyful (and profitable) event. More generally speaking, though, a trifecta can also mean any three things coming together in an awe- some way. Using this more general meaning, I’d say the upcoming canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II is a kind of “tri- fecta of mercy.” “Wait a minute,” you may be saying, “I count only two Popes, not three.” True. The third is Pope Francis, who will be leading the canonization ceremony. And this is a trifecta of mercy because all three Popes — John, John Paul, and Francis — are all about mercy. Also, the event itself will be taking place on the great day of mercy, Divine Mercy Sunday. John Paul II’s own trifecta of mercy The canonization ceremony is a trifecta of mercy for yet another reason — a “double trifecta,” if you will. This reason has to do solely by Fr. Joseph, MIC 12 M arian H elper • S pring 2014 • www.marian.org Here, the Second Vatican Council opens on Oct. 11, 1962. In his opening address, Pope John XXIII stressed the Church’s need for mercy. While other Councils were apologetic in character — the Church defending her doctrines against attacks of heresy — Vatican II was the first pastoral Council, a kind of “mercy council.” D avid L ees /C orbis /AP I mages