Digital Marian Helper Spring_2018

Next stop: priesthood! Growing up surrounded by dairy cows and soybean crops on his family’s farm in Carroll, Iowa, Joseph Lappe never imag- ined he would enter the religious life. But on Jan. 6, 2018, Br. Joseph Lappe, MIC, became Deacon Joseph Lappe, MIC, ordained to the transitional diaconate at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. When he first felt the call to religious life, Deacon Joseph was over 30 years old and working as a bank cashier. “After a while, I was just working for a paycheck. I started to think, ‘I should be doing something a lot more [fulfilling] than this.’” During this time, he turned more and more frequently to the Rosary for comfort. “A part of me thought, this is ridicu- lous — I’m over 30 years old. There’s no way God is calling me to the priesthood,” he said. But the call could not be ignored. Deacon Joe entered the Marians in 2009 and professed final vows on Aug. 17, 2015. His ordination to the diacon- ate marks a significant step toward the priesthood. Until then, Deacon Joe will continue working on his masters of divinity at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. He’s also helping to teach catechism to seventh graders at a parish in Maryland. After the ordination, the provincial prefect of formation, Fr. Jim McCormack, MIC, said, “[Deacon Joe] has a great sense of humor, and it’s always fun to be around him. He’s a wonderful contribu- tion to our community.” Having been ordained, Deacon Joe can now give homilies. “Once I get more familiar with [homiliz- ing], it will become easier,” he said. “I just need to remind myself that I’m not the sole power of it all. I just need to rely on God.” MH M arian H elper • S pring 2018   • marian.org 7 Kim Welch Enfield, Connecticut Five years ago, I was not partaking in the Sacraments, even though I was [volunteer- ing] in various churches. One day, I was doing dishes when I heard God say to me, “You’re doing all these things for Me, but when was the last time you came to Me yourself?” My friend brought me to [the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy], and on the doors to the confessional, I was struck by the words, “The greater the sinner, the greater his right to God’s mercy” ( Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 423). Then I met a woman who told me, “The Blessed Mother’s waiting for you. She’s calling you back.” After that visit to the Shrine, I started to make changes in my life and became a Marian Helper. Hildi Nolan (with husband Joe) Jamaica, Vermont In 1987, my friend showed me how to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and invited me on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. Praying the Chaplet novena, I asked for a sign if I should go on the pilgrimage. One night during the novena, I had a dream about Our Lady and Jesus. So I decided to go on the pilgrimage, where I ended up having a powerful conversion experience and came back to the sacramental life of the Church. After that pilgrimage, I vowed to spread the Divine Mercy devotion. In 1997, I met my husband at the [National Shrine of The Divine Mercy]. We went to the Shrine when he asked me to marry him. We have been working to spread the message of Divine Mercy in southern Vermont, trying to get Divine Mercy Images into the parishes. I n the N ews MH