Digital Marian Helper Magazine Spring 2021

God was a big part of the Malinowski family. Paul’s uncle, the Rev. Francis Malinowski, was a Holy Ghost |Father. Leonard studied for seven years in the seminary hoping to follow in his brother’s footsteps. But his supe- riors felt his vocation lay elsewhere, so he found another way to serve the Lord. He started his own religious goods business, New Jersey Church Goods. When the family moved to Pennsylvania, it became Spiritan Arts. Leonard traveled all over the United States, and in later years, even began to expand internationally. He sold to churches, stores, shrines, and retreat houses. Paul remembers that his father viewed his business as a way to spread the faith. “He visited thousands of people over the years, and probably saved a few souls along the way.” The company sold Divine Mercy Images and pictures of St. Faustina. Paul was a salesman for his father in the early 1980s. His territory was New England — including Massachusetts — and he used to call on the Divine Mercy Gift Shop on Eden Hill! He can’t remember the buyer’s name, but “she was a very nice lady who always gave me a good order.” He thought the Berkshires, here in western Massa- chusetts, was the greatest place in the world with all the cultural offerings: Tanglewood, Shakespeare & Company, the Red Lion Inn. But he says, “I was a very poor Catholic in those days. I knew nothing about Divine Mercy even after my visits to the Shrine. I did not realize until much later that the Shrine was the real treasure of the Berk- shires, the beating heart of the Berkshires.” Paul came to be as devoted to Divine Mercy as his father was. In the last months of his father’s life, every day at 3 p.m., Paul and Leonard would watch on EWTN the Chaplet of Divine Mercy from the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy. It brought them both much peace, and it continues to bring Paul that same peace every day. They also enjoyed watching the Divine Mercy Sunday broadcast from the Shrine each year on EWTN. Now Paul and his mother continue the tradition; they never miss watching it. Several years ago, Paul met Fr. Dan Cambra, MIC, at a mission in their parish in State College, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, “Dad was not well enough to attend,” Paul said. “I wish he had met Fr. Cambra. He [Fr. Cambra] said he was a big opera fan. There was no bigger fan of opera than my father!” Leonard spent his life helping spread the message of Divine Mercy, so it’s no wonder that Paul and his mother have included the Marian Fathers in their wills. It’s a wonderful way to ensure that Leonard’s work, and that of the Marian Fathers, will live on. P aul Malinowski grew up in a devout Catholic family. His father, Leonard, worked long hours and travelled a lot. Over the years, Paul watched his father not only establish a successful business , but a successful ministry , working for God! DIVINE MERCY IS THIS FAMILY’S BUSINESS O utstanding H elpers Hope Ponsart Hansen is a donor relations officer for the Marian Fathers. Contact her at (413) 298-1387; [email protected]; o r Association of Marian Helpers, Stockbridge, MA 01263. To learn more, visit marian.org/PlannedGiving Paul Malinowski (right) with his father, Leonard. M arian H elper • S pring 2021 • marian . org 31