Digital Marian Helper Spring_2018

Andrea had been a widow for a number of years, and she had been praying to meet a man with whom to share her life. In fact, long before she started a novena to meet her future husband, she kept feeling called to pray for “the protection of her future husband,” even though that prayer made little sense to her. But pray she did. Midway through her novena, she and Ed were intro- duced. Suddenly, all those prayers made sense: Ed was in the Marines. In fact, he had spent years in Afghanistan and Iraq, in constant danger, while Andrea prayed for the protection of a man whom she had not even met. Andrea has been a Marian Helper f or 25 years. Shortly after they met, since Divine Mercy is such an important part of her life, Andrea suggested to Ed that he read The Divine Mercy Message and Devotion , a small booklet published by Marian Press. Ed not only agreed, he actually read it. And when Andrea suggested that they each pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy e very day for the intention of their relationship, Ed agreed to that, too. And that wasn’t the end of the sur- prises in store. Ed is of Polish descent and knew that his mother had received mailings from the Marian Fathers and the Association of Marian Helpers. But he did not know that his mother had enrolled him as a member until he gave us his new address and received a certificate congratulating him on having been a Marian Helper for 20 years. So the Marians have been praying for him for decades as well as for Andrea! Both of the Barrs know that praying the Chaplet has helped them through the difficulty of their long distance courtship and the inevitable challenges of any relation- ship. But through prayer, compromise, and Divine Mercy, their relationship has flourished. Andrea then began praying that, if they were meant to marry, Ed would pro- pose on a feast of Mary. She was thrilled when Ed then proposed on the Feast of the Queenship of Mary. Until we spoke, she had not known that it was also the octave of the Feast of the Assumption, part of a very special week for the Marian Fathers. All those decades of graces received by being a Marian Helper surely bore fruit. A final note — the celebrant surprised Andrea and Ed at their wedding (which was on the weekend of Divine Mercy Sunday) by leading a decade of the Chaplet right before they said their vows. No wonder Andrea and Ed have included the Marian Fathers in their wills. What a beautiful legacy to ensure that the Marian Fathers can continue to spread the message and devotion of Divine Mercy! A ndrea and Ed Barr are proof of the power of prayer! They were intro- duced by a mutual friend, in spite of Ed having declined the invitation to meet some- one. In fact, Ed had been blunt: He had told his friend that he was not interested in meeting anyone at that point in his life. But Andrea had been praying. LONG-TIME HELPERS COMBINE DEVOTION WITH MARRIAGE O utstanding H elpers Mary Flournoy is a donor relations officer for the Marians. Contact her at (413) 298-1381 ; [email protected]; or Association of Marian Helpers, Stockbridge, MA 01263. Visit marian.org/PlannedGiving t o learn more. 32 M arian H elper   • S pring 2018   • marian.org