Digital Marian Helper Winter_2019

Faustina hits the theaters! Did you get a chance to see it? The remark- able true story of St. Faustina and the message of Divine Mercy was told in more than 700 movie the- aters across the United States on Oct. 28. The film “Love and Mercy: Faustina” follows the incredible call of St. Faustina to religious life and the healing effects of Divine Mercy on people around the world. The Marian Fathers served as consultants for this 120-minute docudrama written and directed by Michal Kondrat. If you missed it in the theaters, there's a sec- ond showing on Dec. 2, and the Marian Fathers will be putting the film onto DVD. Sign up at TheDivineMercy.org/LoveAndMercy t o be notified when the DVD is released. Rest in peace, Fr. Martin We ask for your prayers for the repose of the soul of Fr. Martin Rzeszutek, MIC, who died Aug. 19. Remembered as a gentle shepherd of souls, a poly- glot, and an avid gardener and birder, he was 93. A farm boy from Easthampton, Massachusetts, he was ordained to the priesthood in Rome in 1951. He served many roles in the Congregation and at many loca- tions, including Washington, D.C., the Midwest, New Mexico, Stockbridge, and Portugal. He was known as a great confessor. He was a gifted proofreader and contributed to many of the Marians’ publishing projects. His meticulously painted Easter eggs were little masterpieces. He took illustration les- sons from Norman Rockwell, who lived down the hill in Stockbridge. A farmer at heart, Fr. Martin kept a vegetable garden on Eden Hill. Through fall 2018, he could be found in the orchard picking apples. He would give homemade bluebird boxes to anyone who had land conducive to a bluebird habitat. He main- tained dozens of boxes throughout Eden Hill. He was a man of the land and a man of the Church, humble, shy, practical, filled with earthly and heavenly wisdom. He would often visit us here in the editorial offices to say hello and sit awhile. For years, we begrudgingly honored his wish that we not write about him in our publications — until now, and we hope he’ll understand. Thank you, God, for Fr. Martin. MH M arian H elper • W inter 2019-20 • marian . org 7 Pat Polachek Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania In the late 1980s, I had a herniated disc condition. I couldn’t get out of bed some mornings. I was in excruciat- ing pain. Doctors told me not to have surgery. I tried chiro- practic, but that would only work for a few days. Then in 1992, my mother was going to have her knees replaced. She heard about a priest, Fr. Ralph Diorio, who was coming to Pittsburgh to celebrate a healing Mass. Now, I spent 12 years in Catholic schools. I had heard many times “Jesus loves you.” I thought, “OK, Jesus loves me.” But that day when Fr. Diorio spoke about the love and mercy of Jesus, for the first time I really felt in my heart and understood that Jesus did, in fact, love me. Father said God doesn’t want us sick and suffer- ing all the time. He wants to heal us. When Father prayed over me that day, he asked what I wanted prayer for. I said, “Father, just bless me.” I wasn’t even thinking about being healed. I was thinking about my mother. But resting in the Spirit, I started to feel the heat from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. I felt the love of God. And so, He healed me. Praise God for that. — Marc Massery I n B rief MH Vinnie: For any Catholic who is not practicing or who is lukewarm, there’s got to be someone in your life you know close to you who can guide you. Going to Mass once a week, some people say, “What do I get out of it?” Well, it’s not the priest’s job to teach you the complete faith. He only has 10 minutes in a homily on Sundays. You have to take the extra steps to learn. My wife helped me with my faith. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be as devout as I am.