Marian Helper • Summer 2026 • Marian.org 5 One Friday in 1995, I had just finished an hour of prayer, spiritually refreshed but physically tired. As I pulled into my driveway, I saw Carolyn Oswald across the street, watering her lawn. Her dog, Truman, was bouncing around her feet, barking at a squirrel in their big maple tree. We had been neighbors for 10 years, sharing lighthearted chats about our kids, our gardens, and the latest news in Glenview. I knew she and her husband, Frank, were Lutheran, but we had never talked much about matters of faith. The whole world Carolyn saw me, standing there by my car. I was just planning to wave and go inside. Then, as I began to close the car door, a phrase from the Divine Mercy Chaplet repeated in my heart: Have mercy on us and on the whole world. The whole world. The whole world included everyone, not just Catholics. Not just those already familiar with Divine Mercy. I glanced into my bag, where I had a videotape of the documentary Divine Mercy: No Escape. A thought surfaced: Tell Carolyn about this. I hesitated. Would she find it relevant? The devotion came to us from the Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska, a Catholic nun in Poland in the 1930s. Would Carolyn, a Lutheran, be open to it today? Then another thought quieted my hesitation — Jesus’ revelations to St. Faustina about His merciful love are meant for everybody. Invisible fence With that, I shook off my tiredness and walked across the street, ready to tear down a fence. Not a physical fence, but an invisible one — one that had kept our conversations friendly but never deeply personal. “Hi, Carolyn!” I greeted her, stepping around Truman, who had finally settled. “I just got back from church, and I happen to have this video with me. It’s about Divine Mercy, and it’s really beautiful. I don’t know if you’d be interested in watching it, but I’d love to share it with you.” She turned to me, momentarily forgetting her dog and garden sprinkler. I smiled. “Jesus is for everybody — Lutherans and Catholics alike.” Carolyn gave a small nod, considering my words. “Yes, I would be interested. I’d like to watch it.” I handed her the video, hoping she would find the time and watch it. Three days later, as I was about to leave for an appointment, I noticed Carolyn walking toward me — the video in her hand. “Did you have a chance to watch it?” I asked. “Yes,” she said, her tone different than usual. Something had shifted. “I watched the whole thing. It is beautiful.” I smiled. “Wonderful! Good!” I wanted to talk more, but I was already running late. “Let’s talk soon.” As I drove off, I wondered — What exactly did she find beautiful? Saint Faustina’s story? The cinematography? Or was it the Divine Mercy message itself? I whispered a prayer that God would let it take root in her heart. Weeks passed, and life carried on as usual — the responsibilities of work and family filling our busy days. She’s got it! Then one afternoon, Carolyn caught me outside. “By the way,” she said, as if it were an afterthought, “did I ever mention that I’ve been praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy every day since you gave me the video?” Amazed, I looked directly into her eyes. Not only had she understood the gift of God’s mercy, but she had taken action — trusting Jesus’ words to St. Faustina, embracing the prayer that Jesus Himself had taught her. She’s got it! I thought. Thank you, Holy Spirit! “Yes, Carolyn.” I smiled. “The Chaplet is a powerful prayer. And it’s good to know that we’ll be praying it together — for our families and for the world.” From that moment, we weren’t just friendly neighbors. We were prayer partners. Because good neighbors don’t just share casual conversations. They share what matters most. Excerpted from Get on Board the “Mercy Train”: Journeys of a Marian Helper on the Road to Heaven by Therese Tirpak (Product code: B70-MTRN), available now on ShopMercy.org. “A thought quieted my hesitation — Jesus’ revelations to St. Faustina about His merciful love are meant for everybody.”
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