FatHer JosepH Writes Let me briefly explain. Shortly after I began working in the role of Fr. Joseph, I was asked to lead a live praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy on our Instagram page (@thedivinemercy). That ultimately inspired me to lead a 54-day Divine Mercy Chaplet Novena from Ash Wednesday through Divine Mercy Sunday. After that, I decided to continue the live praying of the Chaplet on Fridays. Now, beginning June 7, a First Friday as well as the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we will dedicate the Friday Chaplet to praying specifically for the dying, on Instagram as well as Facebook (@DivineMercyOfficial) and on DivineMercyPlus.org. The simple motivation in all of this is that I felt the Lord just wanting me to shepherd His people by praying with them. But as I previously mentioned, it wasn’t just in the area of ministry where prayer was given more of a focus. Rather, it has been in my personal life as well. Back in March I felt the Lord moving me to renew the quality of my own prayer. So I began to once again read The Ways of Mental Prayer by Fr. Vital Lehodey. It’s an excellent book on prayer that I discovered a few years ago when it came highly recommended by Fr. Chad Ripperger during one of his YouTube talks. Why do I share all of this with you? Well, what the Lord has been emphasizing in my life and ministry since January made even more sense to me when I was reminded recently that Pope Francis dedicated 2024 to be a “Year of Prayer,” to prepare the Church for the celebration of the upcoming Jubilee Year of Hope in 2025. How providential that in this time of Eucharistic revival in the United States, the Universal Church summons us all to focus on prayer! For if we consider that the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with Him” (2565), then we can truly value how the Year of Prayer perfectly coincides with the revival. The Eucharist is central to the life of faith and prayer in the Church. It is where we can be in the presence of God in a substantial manner and have a real communion with Him, especially when we participate in the Mass. So even though we are halfway through the calendar year, let us recognize that we still have six months to take advantage of the graces the Holy Spirit is offering to us during this Year of Prayer for the upcoming Jubilee. My question to you, then, is this: Will you join me and my Marian brethren in the Year of Prayer? Will you open your hearts to the Holy Spirit and allow your whole life to become a prayer to God? Will you also renew your sense of awe and wonder in Jesus’ true presence in the Holy Eucharist? Think about the fire that God wants to set ablaze in our hearts. Please join me in this call to faith, in this call to prayer, in this call to transformation, in this call to holiness. God bless you! YEAR OF PRAYER “Father Joseph, MIC,” is the honorary title of the director of the Association of Marian Helpers, currently Fr. Mark Baron, MIC. Marian Helper • SuMMer 2024 • Marian.org 3 Ihave to admit something. Since I took over as Fr. Joseph, MIC, in January, I have been occupied with prayer. Now, on one level, that should come as no surprise. After all, I am a religious priest and prayer is a central part of my daily life. So I should be preoccupied with it. That is true. However, it seems that since I arrived on Eden Hill, God has been emphasizing prayer to me both personally and ministerially in a different and renewing way.
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