It all began with an 11-year-old boy’s vision. Blessed Carlo Acutis had a great love for the Eucharist, and a great talent with computers. At age 11, he began to catalog into a display the approved Eucharistic miracles of the world that had occurred throughout the centuries. He completed his work in 2005, and died in 2006 from leukemia. A small group of us heard about this exhibit in its infancy and decided we needed to get more information, and possibly use this exhibit as an evangelization tool. Along with Margy Nagel and Emmanuel Ssemakula, we formed an apostolate, the Real Presence Apostolate of Michigan, and our work began. Today, it is quite easy to get the artwork for the Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit at CarloAcutis.org, along with other exhibits developed by Bl. Carlo. Back in 2006 when we began to work on the exhibit, the artwork was only available in the United States through the Real Presence Association, started by Servant of God Fr. John Hardon, SJ, out of Chicago. We are forever grateful for the work of the Real Presence Association. They have an online link (TheRealPresence.org) to all the Eucharistic Miracles. They shared the exhibit artwork with us, and a donor stepped forward. Our parish priest, Fr. Richard Perfetto, gave us his blessing to go ahead with the project and hold the first exhibit at our parish. Early on, the exhibit traveled sporadically. We even had a friend from our local men’s group develop a website for free. At this point we had an online presence, but we desired to do more to help the lay faithful believe in the Real Presence. In early 2008 we asked Fr. John Riccardo to be our apostolate’s spiritual advisor, and if he would be willing to host an annual conference at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Plymouth, MI, where he was the pastor. He agreed to both, and our first Corpus Christi conference was held on May 24, 2008, featuring two local speakers, Steve Ray and Sr. Ann Shields. Our small apostolate was beginning to grow, and word of the traveling Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit was spreading. The exhibit has since traveled to all of the diocesan cathedrals in Michigan, and to more than 400 parishes. The exhibit spent an entire summer at the Marian Peace Center in Northern Michigan to allow that portion of the state easier access to the exhibit. The Detroit Catholic recently featured the Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit in an article as it was traveling throughout the Downriver Vicariate. Eucharistic miracles are extraordinary events or phenomena that manifest the Real Presence of Jesus in the consecrated bread and wine in a way we can discern with our ordinary senses. The manifestation may be as simple as a Host floating on air, or as astonishing as a Host becoming visible human flesh. How do we know these are real miracles? Whenever a claim of a private revelation such as a Eucharistic miracle or an apparition is made, the Church carries out a rigorous investigation. The revelation is only approved after the Church is satisfied that: (a) the people involved are credible; (b) there is no natural or scientific explanation for the associated phenomena; (c) the revelation contains nothing contrary to public revelation; and (d) the revelation is leading to good fruits. The miracles contained in this exhibition have gone through this process and are all Church approved. Here’s a quote from one of our founders, Margy Nagel: (The Eucharist) is the source and summit of our life. We read so many surveys where Catholics don’t believe in the Real Presence, and so we feel that by promoting not only the Real Presence exhibit, but Adoration and (our annual) Corpus Christi conference, we can draw Catholics into a firmer belief — in fact, a belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. This is what our work at the Real Presence Apostolate of Michigan is all about. When the exhibit is returned after visiting a parish, we often hear comments like, “I never knew miracles were real and continue to occur”; “Why don’t more people know about this?”; and “Why isn’t this on the evening news?” God doesn’t look to the world for approval. Jesus wants you and I to love Him and spend time with Him freely out of our own faith. Occasionally when the Eucharistic Miracles exhibit travels “Mercy is love that seeks to lessen the misery of others.” — Bryan Thatcher, MD Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy Newsletter Fall/Winter 2023 By Mark and Sarah Zydek The Eucharistic Revival Is On! Please see page 3
2 CENACLES UPDATE PORT RICHEY, Florida John Hillock wrote and told us: The ministry of the Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy of Saint John Paul II Parish in Thornton, Colorado, started in 2022 in our parish chapel on Saturday mornings. We meet in the presence of an actual-size replica of The Original Image of Divine Mercy (Vilnius), and refer to it often in reference to the Diary of St. Faustina. The construction of our church has not yet begun. Our newly-formed parish has been meeting on weekends in a school cafeteria chapel for six years. During these years, we have been building the spiritual foundation stones of our parish, in part through our ministry of the Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy. We have done many works of mercy for our parish, including purchasing custom-made altar cloths and an actualsize replica of The Original Image of Divine Mercy. THORNTON, Colorado Kathleen Coate wrote and told us: TOMBALL, Texas Oscar Kellert wrote and told us: We reached our 10-year anniversary, working with our pastor’s approval, at St. Anne Catholic Church in Tomball, Texas. We started learning about Divine Mercy on Feb. 28, 2013, and we are still going strong. Pope St. John Paul II told us all several years ago to “Be apostles of Divine Mercy under the maternal and loving guidance of Mary.” We have been faithful followers of his words. Our goal is to bring the message and devotion of the Divine Mercy to the people of our parish and beyond. We have been learning and active in the works of mercy through activities within the framework of St. Faustina’s mission of love and reaching out to others through corporal and spiritual works such as: enthronements of the Image of the Divine Mercy; visits to nursing homes; caring for the needy; active participation as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion; distribution of Divine Mercy materials, and Church missions. We also arranged the presentation of “Faustina: Messenger of Divine Mercy.” It is a moving live production offered by Saint Luke Productions, a drama that makes Divine Mercy remarkably relevant and urgent for our world today. Our Divine Mercy ministry remained active through the past nearly three years in spite of the pandemic, and now that everything seems to be returning to normal, our goal is to continue with an increased fervor and ardor in spreading the truth of God’s love and mercy. The Divine Mercy Cenacle at St. James the Apostle Parish in Port Richey started 13 years ago. I joined 10 years ago and have facilitated for eight years. We have always been a small group but have doubled to 11 members in the last two years. Members belong to several local parishes, and most are involved with other local ministries. We meet twice a month for an hour-and-a-half. We use the cenacle manuals as a base for our meetings, and sometimes add related pamphlets from the Marian Helpers. We print out a weekly lesson plan providing much of the Bible and Catechism readings. Lessons are distributed one meeting in advance to allow for preparation. We make small monetary donations to Church projects and other ministries. We support our annual ministry fair, and provide Divine Mercy and other religious pamphlets and prints of the Image to our parish, as well as other local parishes. We support Divine Mercy Sunday and attend our 3 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration service and provide printed programs. We provided a large, professionally-framed Vilnius Image on an oak easel to our chapel, where it is displayed about 80 percent of the time. Our current goal is to show Divine Mercy movies and related religious movies one Sunday a month. Our pastor, Fr. Dominic Corona, has agreed and approved our first film (“Tell All Souls About My Mercy”). We also work with our parish secretary to include “Words of Jesus” in our weekly bulletins. These are quotes from the Diary of St. Faustina; we use words that Jesus spoke to St. Faustina. We also invite and encourage others to attend our meetings. I would love to see “Words of Mercy” added to all diocesan bulletins, and hopefully that can become a reality.
3 CENACLES UPDATE the organization hosting the exhibit will ask if we can send a speaker, so either Margy Nagel or Mark will give a presentation, and talk about the exhibit and the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. A few years ago, Mark was asked to speak at a school in Michigan. We share this story as a way of prayerfully increasing your faith. Whenever we go to a school, we try to share one of the miracles. On this occasion, Mark was sharing the Eucharistic miracle that occurred at St. Stephen’s in Santarem, Portugal, in the year 1247. The short version of the Miracle is this: In the year 1247, a young woman, overcome with jealousy for her husband, consulted a sorceress who told her to go to the church and steal a consecrated Host to use for a love potion. The woman stole the Host and hid the Holy Eucharist in a linen cloth that immediately became stained with blood. Frightened by this, she ran home and opened the kerchief to see what had happened. To her amazement, she saw that the blood was gushing from the Host. The confused woman stored the Particle in a drawer in her bedroom. That night, the drawer began to emit brilliant rays of light that illuminated the room as if it were daytime. The husband was also aware of the strange phenomenon, and questioned his wife, who was obligated to tell him everything. The next day a local parish priest was summoned to rescue the bleeding Host. The Host is still on display to this day in the Church of St. Stephen in Santarem, Portugal. At the end of sharing this miracle, Mark asked the children if they had any questions. “Is it still bleeding?” “No,” Mark said. “Can you still see the Host?” He replied, “Yes, but like the miracle in Lanciano, Italy, the Host, now flesh, has pulled back to the edges of the luna in the monstrance it is kept in.” Then a young third-grade girl, with tears in her eyes, asked a question that we will always remember: “Mr. Zydeck, did that couple stay married?” Fighting back tears, Mark answered, “The story doesn’t tell us that, but I would imagine after seeing such a miracle they would have stayed married.” This young girl knew what was most important: having compassion for others and true love, even if they lived 800 years ago. Brothers and sisters in faith, the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ should be the source and summit of our life. Like that little girl, our love for others should grow with the reception of each Holy Communion. We should begin to resemble Jesus, and the grace of the Sacrament should transform our hearts so that we might treat our neighbors with love and mercy. Jesus Christ died on a cross out of love; may we, too, die to self, out of love for Jesus. The United States Bishops’ Eucharistic Revival began on the feast of Corpus Christi, June 19, 2022. The Eucharistic Revival (EucharisticRevival.org) has sparked an increased interest in the Eucharistic Miracles exhibit here in Michigan and throughout the country. For the first time, the exhibit will likely travel to a nearby state, Indiana. Laity in three states — Arizona, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania — have contacted us inquiring about starting a traveling exhibit in their state or diocese. Maybe as you read this, a desire is being placed on your heart to bring the Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit to your area. It only takes a small committee to make this happen. We are happy to help and share our 15 years of experience with you! Please contact us at RPAMichigan.org. Our favorite lessons are those with discussion questions that evoke tears among us. These are the moments when we fully understand how Divine Mercy has been active in our lives. In these moments we realize we are not a Divine Mercy class, but rather a ministry to each other that strengthens one’s soul and enables us to do works of mercy for our pastor, parish, and families. In this way we become more capable of becoming dispensers of God’s Mercy. Our favorite Diary quotes are those reflecting the miracle of Divine Mercy received through the Sacrament of Confession. We are blessed with a pastor, Fr. James Spahn, who fully understands and accepts the role of Jesus talking through him to the penitent in the Sacrament of Confession. We have done much to increase awareness of the graces of the Sacrament of Confession in our parish; thus, have seen an increased interest and attendance among the penitents. Every Divine Mercy Sunday, we have had non-stop long lines of penitents for five hours. The penitents come from our parish as well as from outside of our parish boundaries because they know we, Saint John Paul II Parish, are a Divine Mercy parish. They humbly accept our simple confessionals: the school library; the school nurse’s office, and the school confessional (a converted closet). It is quite a joyful Divine Mercy Sunday! Diary entry 1521 unites all of this wonderfully: “The Lord said to me, My daughter, do not tire of proclaiming My mercy. In this way you will refresh this Heart of Mine, which burns with a flame of pity for sinners. Tell My priests that hardened sinners will repent on hearing their words when they speak about My unfathomable mercy, about the compassion I have for them in My Heart. To priests who proclaim and extol My mercy, I will give wondrous power; I will anoint their words and touch the hearts of those to whom they will speak.” As our parish grows, so does the line for Confession, a true metric of the health of the parish. Sister Faustina’s connection to her confessor, her spiritual director, and to her priests is evident everywhere in her Diary. It is an understatement to say that we are blessed by such a wonderful priest as Fr. James; he is truly filled with the Holy Spirit. And truly his words to his flock are powerful. Our EADM ministry blesses him back with works of love, support, and mercy for Fr. James and the parish. At every opportunity, our ministry does tell our priest that he has saved and blessed us, that his words are powerful, that our hearts have been touched — and set ablaze. A true cycle of Divine Mercy. To all who read this: Tell your priests! EUCHARIST From page 1 Sarah and Mark Zydeck
4 Divine Mercy as a Way of Life Live the message daily through forgiveness, trust, and mercy. EV-DWLN $3.99 Spanish: EV-DWLS $3.99 Living the Message of Divine Mercy The role of suffering, humility, and spiritual poverty in our lives. EV-DWL2 $3.99 Rachel, Weep No More Find healing from the aftereffects of abortion through Divine Mercy. EV-RWNM $3.99 Praying the Chaplet for the Sick and Dying How we can obtain grace for the dying souls most in need. EV-DMPBA $3.99 Spanish: EV-SDB $3.99 Cenacle Formation Manuals Here are the official guides for prayer cenacles, using the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska and integrating it with Sacred Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. By Dr. Bryan and Susan Thatcher. $13 Each Cenacle of The Divine Mercy: EWTN Program Series I Join the cenacle members from around the country in discussing the impact of Divine Mercy on their lives. Free Companion Guide included! 4 DVDs. EV-CGDVD $39.95 Cenacle of The Divine Mercy: EWTN Program Series II Join Fr. Joe Roesch, MIC, and Bryan Thatcher, MD, in further exploration of the riches of the Divine Mercy message. Free Companion Guide included! 4 DVDs. EV-CG2DVD $39.95 Additional Companion Guides for each series can be ordered for group use. Call for quantity pricing; use codes EV-CGER and EV-CGE2. Pamphlet for Sick & Dying: EV-CSDEA At the Bedside of the Sick and Dying: A Guide for Parish Ministry, Family, and Friends Mixing Divine Mercy spirituality with practical guidance, Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy founder Bryan Thatcher, MD, and Disciples of Divine Mercy in the Holy Face of Jesus founder Kathleen Wabick inform, encourage, and inspire you to take up this great work of mercy. A handy introduction to the grace-filled apostolate of praying for (and with) the sick and dying. EV-PMBK $3.99 Manual 1: EV-CFM1 Manual 2: EV-CFM2 Manual 3: EV-CFM3 3-Book Set: EV-SCFM ($35) also available in Spanish To order: Visit ShopMercy.org/eadm or call 1-800-462-7426. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in Song This contemporary rendition of The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in Song seeks to bring together Christians of every denomination to implore God’s mercy for families and the world. EV-DMSCD2 $14.95 Blessed Hanna Chrzanowska, RN: A Nurse of Mercy Blessed Hanna Chrzanowska, RN: A Nurse of Mercy was the first lay registered nurse to be beatified. This book recounts the extraordinary life of this holy, 20th-century woman. EV-HANBK $12.95 Immaculate Conception Lapel Pin Measures ¾" x 1". EV-IPIN $5.00 Immaculate Conception Pocket-size Prayer Card Immaculate Conception image with the Memorare prayer on the back. EV-ICBC Divine Mercy and Immaculate Conception Double-sided Key chain Double-sided key chains featuring the Divine Mercy Image on one side and the Immaculate Conception image on the other. These handcrafted, high gloss epoxy images are very durable and are the perfect size for your pocket or purse. Small: 1 ½" x 1". Large: 2 ¼" x 1 5/8". Small: EV-SMKY $5.95 Large: EV-LGKY $7.95 Prayer cards: 10 for $1.60 100 for $14.00 • 1,000 for $100.00 Divine Mercy For America Prayer Guide Use this Divine Mercy for America Prayer Guide to pray for our nation and the whole world. EV-DMAMC $1.00 Divine Mercy Home Enthronement & Family Consecration Kit Claim ground for Christ in a real way. This kit makes it easy to solemnly enthrone Jesus, the Divine Mercy as King of Home and Family. EV-HENT $5.95
Mary’s words in the Magnificat remind us that God favors the weak and lowly over the proud, powerful, and wealthy. Mary Most Poor reminds us that God is found among the poor and impoverished. He is not found among the powerful, but among the simple and burdened. She knows that it is in poverty and neediness that we seek and find God. We should live simply, without splendor, and in a fashion that imitates Mary. Like her, we should be totally submissive to God and disposed to His will. “God alone” should be the cry of our hearts. Jesus did not condemn the possession of material things. He Himself had rich friends. Money itself is not the root of all evil. Rather, it is “the love of money that is the root of all evil” (1 Tim 6: 10). We must not let material things be our god. Poverty in itself has no intrinsic merit or virtue, however. It is good insofar as it removes the roadblocks that impede our progress on the spiritual path. Poverty helps keep us from becoming distracted by things of this world that don’t really matter. Spiritual poverty allows abandonment to Divine Providence and frees us from anxiety about the future. It enables us understand that all things, no matter their monetary value, are to be used for our daily needs and to give honor and glory to God. If we have a nice car, we should thank God for His blessing on us, as all good comes from Him. But we should realize that these “things” |do not make us beautiful or rich in God’s eyes. As Christians, we must realize that we are already rich in Jesus Christ, and that “for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). We are already rich, because we are baptized sons and daughters of God! What makes a man rich? Is it material goods or the love of God in our hearts? True satisfaction comes only from the Lord. No amount of money, no position of authority, and no material item can bring lasting inner peace. “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps 37:4). 5 14510015 The 10 evangelical virtues of Our Lady © 2023 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. Most Sorrowful Most Merciful Most Patient Most Poor Most Pure Most Obedient Most Humble Most Prudent Most Faithful Part 7 Most Devout ‘Mercy Unbound’ Series Going Strong The Internet series called “Mercy Unbound” is going strong and has posted more than 130 wonderful interviews from a plethora of guests. You can watch the video or listen to it as a podcast at DrBryanThatcher.com Click on “Watch” at the top and you will see the variety of speakers and topics. The shows are all free. Please subscribe and share as that will help the series grow and get more exposure on YouTube. Help us spread the word about the truth and beauty of our faith!
GET YOUR EADM LAPEL PIN with a donation of $25 or more to the ministry. EV-LPEADM EADM Logo Shirts Polo-shirt $25 EV-PSEAS EV-PSEAM EV-PSEAL EV-PSEAXL EV-PSEAXXL Vilnius Image Shirt Wear your faith on your sleeve, or at least on your shirt, with these Ts and polos. $22 EV-DMTSS EV-DMTSM T-shirt $15 EV-TSEAS EV-TSEAM EV-TSEAL EV-TSEAXL EV-TSEAXXL EADM Key Chain Bring this symbol of your faith with you on your daily commute. EV-DMKC $12 EADM Tote Bag Be organized and share your faith when you use this delightful tote bag! EV-TBDM $15 Evangelize on the Go! with our exclusive line of EADM products EV-DMTSL EV-DMTSXL EV-DMTSXXL To order: Visit ShopMercy.org/eadm or call 1-800-462-7426. EADM relies on your generosity to keep the ministry running. Help us continue to bring the message of Divine Mercy to a hurting world. Please donate to EADM today. Call 1-800-462-7426, visit Marian.org/eadm, or use the enclosed envelope. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Want to start a cenacle? Visit TheDivineMercy.org/cenacle for details. After reviewing, please call 1-877-380-0727 for more information and materials. Perfect Sacrifice Rekindle Eucharistic amazement with this contemplative CD by Annie Karto. EV-PSCD $15 Overshadow Me Songs praising God’s goodness in voice and string. By Annie Karto. EV-OMCD $16 Effective March 1, our new address is: Dr. Bryan Thatcher, EADM,12452 Horseshoe Bend Drive, Lithia, FL 33547.
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