Marian Helper Spring 2015

32 M arian H elper • S pring 2015 • marian.org Us Between by a Marian and a Helper­ A s Pope Francis so often emphasizes, mercy is not merely to be preached but to be lived. That has been the overarch- ing principle in my parish, St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the message o f Divine Mercy h as helped to transform our relationship with God and with the world beyond our walls. Our parish and parishes everywhere have the duty to serve as critical instruments in helping to fulfill Christ’s mandate, repeated through St. Faustina, to turn from sin, accept His mercy, and then, as lov- ing servants, spread His mercy to others. To that end, we now have some 20 Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy (EADM) p rayer cenacles, which I lead. Saint Matthew is an engaged community that sends container shipments of non-perishable goods to the people of Haiti. We reach out to the poor in our community and tithe to chari- ties that provide services to the most needy. Jesus wants us to be aware that the world’s a mess. So what are we going to do about it? The answer begins with trust. Leading one of the largest parishes in the country, our pas- tor, Msgr. John J. McSweeney, tells us, “I say every morning and several times a day, ‘Jesus, I trust in You.’’’ In fact, our parish’s new satel- lite location is dedicated to the Divine Mercy, and when you enter, you encounter a welcome mat with the words, “Jesus, I trust in You.” That’s so fitting. Jesus welcomes us to trust in Him. Once we trust, the Holy Spirit takes over, and miracles happen. Ralph Sullivan is leader of the EADM cenacles at St. Matthew Catholic Church, Charlotte, North Carolina. Fr. Matthew Lamoureux, MIC, has been pastor of St. Patrick in Yorkville, Illinois, for nearly six years. I remember the creaking pews of the small church of my youth, the original church of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. It was a comforting place, my spiritual home. It’s where I learned that Jesus loves me and where I learned to pray. I remember being home on Christmas break during college and struggling over whether I was being called to the priesthood or marriage. I knew I needed to go to my church and be with Jesus. Sure enough, in prayer, Jesus gave me the grace to understand He wanted me to give my life solely to Him. Years later, in my home parish, I was ordained a Marian priest. Now, here I am serving as pastor of St. Patrick Church in Yorkville, Illinois, where I work with the laity to make our parish “mat- ter” in the lives of hundreds of families. I know firsthand that a parish can strengthen families and that families can strengthen a parish. So, in addition to shar- ing the Gospel, what matters most to me is creating an atmosphere where you know you will always be welcomed and where, together, we are inspired to be missionaries in this world. Keeping in mind my experiences growing up, I pray that the children of our parish will grow in their love for Jesus and that they’ll know, “I can always go back there. It is a place of peace. Jesus resides there. He’s call- ing me to discipleship. It’s home.” “I knew I needed to go to my church and be with Jesus.” “We reach out to the poor in our community and tithe to charities.” Fr. Matthew Marian ‘Serving my parish community’ Ralph Helper Back to index