April 26, 2026 Fourth Sunday of Easter National Shrine of The Divine Mercy A Ministry of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary National Shrine of The Divine Mercy PO Box 951 2 Prospect Hill Road Stockbridge, MA 01262 (GPS: 11 Pine Street, Stockbridge, MA) Fr. Matthew Tomeny, MIC: Rector Fr. Robert Vennetti, MIC: Vice Rector Fr. Anthony Gramlich, MIC: Vice Rector Shrine Reception: 413-298-3931 Bus Pilgrimages: 413-298-1119 Gift Shop: 888-484-1112 National Shrine: www.shrineofdivinemercy.org Divine Mercy: www.thedivinemercy.org Marians: www.marian.org Livestream from the National Shrine Daily Devotions Daily Mass 9:00am Chaplet of Divine Mercy 3:00pm Rosary for Life 5:00pm Divine Mercy (Official) Divine Mercy Videos posted on our website daily: shrineofdivinemercy.org Dear Pilgrims, We welcome you to the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy. Please join us for any upcoming events at the Shrine along with doing a personal pilgrimage during this year. Feel free to visit our Gift Shop and stroll our beautiful grounds during your visit here. May God bless you. Sincerely in Jesus and Mary Immaculate, Fr. Matthew Tomeny, MIC Shrine Rector Monday- Saturday 8:00am, 9:00am & 2:00pm Sunday 9:00am, 10:30am & 2:00pm Please note: 2pm Mass on Saturday does NOT fulfill Sunday obligation Confessions Available Monday thru Friday 1:00pm - 2:00pm Saturdays and Sundays 1:00pm – 2:00pm 3:30pm – 4:15pm Daily Schedule
Upcoming Events For more information please visit the Shrine Calendar found on our website: https: www.shrineofdivinemercy.org April 4/28 Medicine, Bioethics & Spirituality Conference • use link: https://www.shrineofdivinemercy.org/events/hpdm-conference-0 for more information 4/29 Medicine, Bioethics & Spirituality Conference 4/30 Medicine, Bioethics & Spirituality Conference Healing Mass at 7pm • see flyer on page 10 for more information May 5/1 Medicine, Bioethics & Spirituality Conference Outdoor Stations of The Cross • see flyer on page 12 for more information First Friday Devotions at 8pm • See flyer on page 11 for more information 5/2 First Saturday Devotions at 11am Marian Teaching at 11am with Fr. Daniel Klimek • Topic: TBD Explaining the Faith Talk at 11am with Fr. Chris Alar • Topic: The Black Madonnas
WISDOM OF Pope Leo XIV Brothers and sisters, good morning! Let us continue on our path of reflection on the Church as she is presented to us in the Conciliar Constitution Lumen gentium (LG). Today we will look at the fourth chapter, which deals with the laity. Let us all remember what Pope Francis liked to repeat: “Lay people are, put simply, the vast majority of the people of God. The minority — ordained ministers — are at their service” (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, 102). This section of the Document seeks to explain, in positive terms, the nature and mission of the laity, after centuries in which they had been defined simply as those who are not part of the clergy or the consecrated life. For this reason, I would like to revisit with you a very beautiful passage that speaks of the greatness of the Christian condition: “Therefore, the chosen People of God is one: ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism’ (Eph 4:5); sharing a common dignity as members from their regeneration in Christ, having the same filial grace and the same vocation to perfection; possessing in common one salvation, one hope and one undivided charity” (LG, 32). Before any distinction of ministry or state of life, the Council affirms the equality of all the baptized. The Constitution does not want us to forget what it had already affirmed in the chapter on the People of God, namely that the condition of the messianic people is the dignity and freedom of the children of God (cf. LG, 9). Naturally, the greater the gift, the greater the commitment too. For this reason, the Council, along with dignity, also emphasizes the mission of the laity in the Church and in the world. But on what is this mission founded, and in what does it consist? The very description of the laity offered by the Council tells us: “The term laity is here understood to mean all the faithful… [who] are by baptism made one body with Christ and are constituted among the People of God; they are in their own way made sharers in the priestly, prophetical, and kingly functions of Christ; and they carry out for their own part the mission of the whole Christian people in the Church and in the world” (LG, 31). GENERAL AUDIENCE St. Peter’s Square Wednesday, April 1, 2026 Continuing series of Catechesis by Pope Leo XIV dedicated to Vatican Council II and its documents to “rediscover the beauty and importance of this ecclesial event.” Quotation from General Audience January 7, 2026 Catechesis. The Documents of the Second Vatican Council. II. Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium. 6. Living stones in the Church and witnesses in the world: the laity in the People of God"
The holy People of God, therefore, is never a formless mass, but the body of Christ, or, as Saint Augustine said, the Christus totus; it is a community organically structured by means of the fruitful relationship between the two forms of participation in the priesthood of Christ: the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial priesthood (cf. LG, 10). By virtue of Baptism, the lay faithful participate in the very priesthood of Christ. Indeed, “the supreme and eternal Priest, Christ Jesus, since He wills to continue His witness and service also through the laity, vivifies them in this Spirit and increasingly urges them on to every good and perfect work” (LG, 34). In this regard, how can we fail to recall Saint John Paul II and his Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici (30 December 1988)? In it, he emphasized that “the Council, with its rich doctrinal, spiritual and pastoral patrimony, has written as never before on the nature, dignity, spirituality, mission and responsibility of the lay faithful. And the Council Fathers, re-echoing the call of Christ, have summoned all the lay faithful, both women and men, to labour in the vineyard” (no. 2). In this way, my venerable Predecessor relaunched the apostolate of the laity, to which the Council dedicated a specific Document, which we will talk about later (cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree Apostolicam actuositatem, 18 November 1965). The vast field of the lay apostolate is not confined to the Church, but extends to the world. Indeed, the Church is present wherever her children profess and bear witness to the Gospel: in the workplace, in civil society and in all human relationships, wherever they, through their choices, show the beauty of Christian life, which foretells here and now the justice and peace that will be accomplished in the Kingdom of God. The world needs to “be permeated by the spirit of Christ, and more effectively fulfil its purpose in justice, charity and peace” (LG, 36). And this is possible only through the contribution, service and witness of the laity! It is an invitation to be the Church ‘which goes forth’ that Pope Francis spoke to us about: a Church embodied in history, always open to mission, in which we are all called to be missionary disciples, apostles of the Gospel, witnesses of the Kingdom of God, bearers of the joy of Christ whom we have encountered! Brothers and sisters, may the Easter we are preparing to celebrate renew in us the grace to be, like Mary Magdalene, like Peter and John, witnesses of the Risen One! Summary of the Holy Father's words: Dear brothers and sisters, In our ongoing catechesis on the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, we turn today to consider the laity. Rather than limiting itself to defining the laity for what they are not, the Second Vatican Council sought to shed light on their innate dignity as members of the People of God and underline the peculiarity of their role in the mission of the Church. Having been incorporated into Christ through Baptism, the laity are made sharers in their own way in his priestly, prophetic and kingly office. The Church is present wherever her children profess the Gospel and bear witness to Christ. For this reason, lay men and women are particularly called to carry Christ’s presence to all spheres of life and so transform them from within by bearing witness to the beauty of a life in Christ and the elevating power of his grace. Picture of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV from ShopMercy: https://shopmercy.org/pope-leo-xiv-prayer-card.html From the General Audience of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on April 1, 2026: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/audiences/2026/documents/20260401-udienza-generale.html
POPE FRANCIS MORNING MEDITATION THE ONLY WAY APRIL 18, 2016 Sunday Gospel insights from the: Teachings of the Popes Saint Pope Pius X Pope Pius XII Pope John XXIII Saint Pope John Paul II Pope Benedict XIV Pope Francis The instructions for Christian life are quite simple. There is no need to go searching for advice: suffice it follow a voice, as sheep do with their shepherd. The image of Jesus the Good Shepherd was the focus of Pope Francis’ homily during Mass at Santa Marta on Monday morning. The liturgy of the day offered a sort of “echo of the readings” of the Fourth Sunday of Easter, which is called “Good Shepherd Sunday, in which Jesus presents himself as the ‘Good Shepherd’”. Commenting on this theme in the Gospel of John (10:1-10), the Pontiff highlighted “three realities” on which he chose “to reflect a bit: the door, the way, and the voice”. First the “door”. The Gospel passage presents Jesus’ words: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber”. This is the first image, Francis emphasized: “He is the door: the door by which to enter the sheepfold is Jesus. There is no other”. It is worth noting, the Pope said, that Jesus always spoke to the people using “simple images”. Indeed, “those people all knew what a shepherd’s life was, because they saw it every day”. Therefore those who heard him understood very well: “the sheepfold is entered only through the door”. Those who would rather enter the fold “through the window or by some other means are criminals”. The Gospel defines them as thieves or robbers. Thus it is all very clear: “One cannot enter into eternal life through another way that is not the door, that is, which is not Jesus”. And, the Pontiff added, the Lord “is the door of our life — and not only of eternal life but also of our daily life”. Thus, for example, any decision can be taken “in the name of Jesus, through the door of Jesus”. Or, to use “simple language”, one can take it by “smuggling”. But the Lord “speaks clearly”. The sheepfold is entered “only through the door, which is Jesus”.
The Gospel of John continues, and the words of the Lord offer another important element: that of the “way”. Indeed, we read that the gatekeeper opens the door to the shepherd, that “the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him”. Here, Francis offered a second key word: “way: following Jesus”. This too involves everyday life: indeed, we speak of the “way of life, of everyday life”, which “is following Jesus”. Here too the instruction is clear: “Do not go astray!”, the Pope advised. It is Jesus “who is the door through which we enter and through which we exit with him to follow the way of life”. It is Jesus who “shows us the way”. Thus, “those who follow Jesus do not go astray”. The direction is clear, but there are many occasions to go astray, so the Pontiff hypothesized a situation that might present itself: “Yes, Father, but things are difficult.... Many times I do not clearly see what to do.... They told me that there was a fortune teller and I went there; I went to a fortune teller and he read my cards...”. The Pope’s advice was immediate: “If you do this, you aren’t following Jesus! You are following someone else, who gives you another, different way”, because “there is no one else who can point the way”. This describes a problem that Jesus warned us about: “There will be others who will say: the way of the Messiah is this, this.... Do not listen! Do not listen to them. I am the way!”. This, the Pope said, is certain: “If we follow him we are not mistaken”. Finally, the third word: “voice”. The sheep follow Jesus “because they know his voice”. The Pontiff expanded on the concept to prevent any misunderstanding: “Know the voice of Jesus! Do not imagine that I am speaking about an apparition, that Jesus will come and say to you: ‘Do this’. No, no!”. Someone might ask: “Father, how can I recognize Jesus’ voice? And also protect myself from the voice of those who are not Jesus, who come in through the window, who are robbers, who destroy, who deceive?”. Once again the recipe is simple, with three instructions. First of all, Francis suggested, “you will find Jesus’ voice in the Beatitudes”. Therefore, those who teach “a way contrary to the Beatitudes are those who have entered through the window: they are not Jesus!”. Then, Jesus’ voice can be recognized in those who “speak to us about the works of mercy. For example, in Chapter 25 of St Matthew”. Thus, the Pope clarified, “if someone tells you what Jesus says there, it is the voice of Jesus”. Last, the third indication: “you can recognize the voice of Jesus when they teach you to say ‘Father’, that is, when they teach you to pray the Our Father”. The Pontiff’s conclusion: “Christian life is so simple! Jesus is the door. He leads us along the way and we recognize his voice in the Beatitudes, in the works of mercy and when he teaches us to say ‘Father’”. The Pope added a prayer: “that the Lord help us to understand this image of Jesus, this icon: the shepherd, who is the door, points the way and teaches us to hear his voice”. Morning Meditation of Pope Francis , April 18, 2016 https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/cotidie/2016/documents/papa-francesco-cotidie_20160418_the-only-way.html Cover Pictures of Popes St. Pius XII, Pius X, John XXIII, St. John Paul II, and Benedict XVI: https://marian.org/mary/teaching-of-the-popes Cover Picture of Pope Francis: https://marian.org/articles/pope-francis-rest-peace
Get to know the Diary of… Saint Faustina “You know that I understand no other voice but Yours, O Good Shepherd. .” J.M.J. Cracow, 1936 O Divine Will, be my love! + Eight day Retreat, October 20, 1936. My Jesus, I am going into the wilderness today to speak only with You, my Master and my Lord. Let the earth be silent, and You alone speak to me, Jesus. You know that I understand no other voice but Yours, O Good Shepherd. In the dwelling of my heart is that wilderness to which no creature has access. There, You alone are King. O my Jesus, the Life, the Way and the Truth, I beg You to keep me close to You as a mother holds a baby to her bosom, for I am not only a helpless child, but an accumulation of misery and nothingness. From the age of seven, I experienced the definite call of God, the grace of a vocation to the religious life. It was in the seventh year of my life that, for the first time, I heard God’s voice in my soul; that is, an invitation to a more perfect life. But I was not always obedient to the call of grace. I came across no one who would have explained these things to me. 584When you reflect upon what I tell you in the depths of your heart, you profit more than if you had read many books. Oh, if souls would only want to listen to My voice when I am speaking in the depths of their hearts, they would reach the peak of holiness in a short time. + Lord, You know that since my youth I have always sought Your will and, recognizing it, have always tried to carry it out. My heart has been accustomed to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, to whom I am faithful. In the midst of the greatest din I have heard the voice of God. I always know what is going on in my interior… The mercy of God, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, the voice of the Lord who speaks to us from the throne of mercy: Come to Me, all of you. Jesus: Be not afraid of your Savior, O sinful soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to lift yourself to me. Child, do not run away from your Father; be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear your soul is to Me! I have inscribed your name upon My hand; you are engraved as a deep wound in My Heart.
Soul: Lord, I hear your voice calling me to turn back from the path of sin, but I have neither the strength nor the courage to do so. Jesus: I am your strength, I will help you in the struggle. Soul: Lord, I recognize your holiness, and I fear You. Jesus: My child, do you fear the God of mercy? My holiness does not prevent Me from being merciful. Behold, for you I have established a throne of mercy on earth — the tabernacle — and from this throne I desire to enter into your heart. I am not surrounded by a retinue or guards. You can come to me at any moment, at any time; I want to speak to you and desire to grant you grace. I understood that all striving for perfection and all sanctity consist in doing God’s will. Perfect fulfillment of God’s will is maturity in sanctity; there is no room for doubt here. To receive God’s light and recognize what God wants of us and yet not do it is a great offense against the majesty of God. Such a soul deserves to be completely forsaken by God. It resembles Lucifer, who had great light, but did not do God’s will. An extraordinary peace entered my soul when I reflected on the fact that, despite great difficulties, I had always faithfully followed God’s will as I knew it. O Jesus, grant me the grace to put Your will into practice as I have come to know it, O God. When I was set at peace and taught how to follow God’s paths, my spirit rejoiced in the Lord, and it seemed to me that I was running, not walking. My wings were spread for flight; I soared into the very heat of the sun, and I will not descend until I rest in Him, in whom my soul has lost itself forever. And I subjected myself totally to the action of grace. God stoops very low to my soul. I do not draw back, nor do I resist Him, but I lose myself in Him as my only treasure. I am one with the Lord. It is as if the gulf between us, Creator and creature, disappears. For a few days, my soul was in a state of continuous ecstasy. God’s presence did not leave me for a single moment. And my soul remained in a continuous loving union with the Lord. But this in no way interfered with the performance of my duties. I felt I was transformed into love; I was all afire, but without being burned up. I lost myself in God unceasingly; God drew me to himself so strongly and powerfully that sometimes I was not aware of being on earth. I had impeded and feared God’s grace for so long, and now God himself, through Father Andrasz, has removed all difficulties. My spirit has been turned towards the Sun and has blossomed in His rays for Him alone; I understand no more... [The sentence breaks off here and begins a completely new thought in the next line.] When I had gone to the chapel for a moment, the Lord gave me to know that, among His chosen ones, there are some who are especially chosen, and whom He calls to a higher form of holiness, to exceptional union with Him. These are seraphic souls, from whom God demands greater love than He does from others. Although all live in the same convent, yet He sometimes demands of a particular soul a greater degree of love. Such a soul understands this call, because God makes this known to it interiorly, but the soul may either follow this call or not. It depends on the soul itself whether it is faithful to these touches of the Holy Spirit, or whether it resists them. I have learned that there is a place in purgatory where souls will pay their debt to God for such transgressions; this kind of torment is the most difficult of all. The soul which is specially marked by God will be distinguished everywhere, whether in heaven or in purgatory or in hell. In heaven, it will be distinguished from other souls by greater glory and radiance and deeper knowledge of God. In purgatory, by greater pain, because it knows God more profoundly and desires Him more vehemently. In hell, it will suffer more profoundly than other souls, because it knows more fully whom it has lost. This indelible mark of God’s exclusive love, in the [soul], will not be obliterated. Seeing Father Sopocko’s sacrifice and efforts for this work, I admired his patience and humility. This all cost a great deal, not only in terms of toil and various troubles, but also of money; and Father Sopocko was taking care of all the expenses. I can see that Divine Providence had prepared him to carry out this work of mercy before I had asked God for this. Oh, how strange are Your ways, O God! And how happy are the souls that follow the call of divine grace! Diary 725, 298, 7, 584, 1504, excerpt 1485; 666, 142 ,1556, 422
The Gift Shop is open daily 9:30am – 4:30pm Find us at: www.divinemercy Shrine Bulletin Board Oil blessed in honor of St. Faustina is available at the Shrine Reception desk. A suggested donation of $5.00 which would go to support Shrine Ministries. www.shrineofdivinemercy. org/get-involved/ Volunteering is a wonderful way to share your gifts and God’s Mercy with our pilgrims. Please follow the link below to learn more about volunteering at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy.
Do you feel called to a religious vocation? VOCATION DIRECTOR ‘”I’m so glad you’re here.” Father Donald Calloway, MIC, welcomes you to the Marian Vocation Office in the Marian House of Studies, Steubenville, Ohio. Just by coming to this page, you’ve shown that you are open to wherever our Lord is calling you. Whether or not your vocation is as a religious—and whether or not you’re called to the Marians of the Immaculate Conception—I’m here to help you. Please look through the information we have prepared for you in the Vocation section. If you would like to glad to send you printed information on the Marians of the Immaculate Conception. From my own experience, I can tell you that my Congregation is totally consecrated to Mary Immaculate, faithful to authentic Church teaching, obedient to the Pope and Magisterium, and intensely Eucharistic. Please feel free to call or email me. You also might want to come to a Vocation Retreat. You may ask or tell me anything in confidence. You will not receive any phone calls or materials without your request. Discerning a vocation takes prayer, time, and guidance. Please use this prayer to help you consider where God is calling you. Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC Vocation Director Write :Vocation Director ● Marians of the Immaculate Conception ● 350 Belleview Blvd. ● Steubenville, OH 43952 Email: [email protected] May our Merciful Savior bless you and guide you. In the love of Mary Immaculate. Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC Vocation Director https://marian.org/vocations VOCATION PRAYER Hail Mary, full of grace; all generations call you blessed. Hail Mother of God, when asked by the angel to bear the Son of the Most High, filled with faith, you responded: “Let it be done unto me.” Holy Mother of Jesus, at the wedding feast at Cana, you prompted your Son to perform His first sign. Be with us as we discern our life’s work and guide us in the way we are called to follow in the foosteps of your Son. Holy Mother of the Savior, at the foot of the Cross you mourned the death of your only Son. Bless and embrace the loving parents of all priests, deacons, brothers and sisters. Holy Mother of the Good Shepherd, turn your motherly care to this nation. Interceded for us to the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers to the harvest in this land dedicated to your honor. Queen of Peace, Mirror of Justice, Health of the Sick inspire vocations in our time. Let the word of your Son be made flesh anew in the lives of persons anxious to proclaim the good news of everlasting life. Amen. Prayer from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
MARIANS OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Yes, I want to Help! How to help Please visit www.marian.org/ukraine/ to make a donation for Ukraine relief. One-hundred percent of funds received are sent directly to Ukraine and used to purchase humanitarian aid and medical supplies. Please do not mail medical supplies to Ukraine! Instead, please contact the Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy: 1-877-380-0727 or e-mail [email protected] to answer any of your questions. Because shipping via container is more cost effective, we prefer whatever monetary donations you can give rather than you sending medical supplies. Please know that boxes previously sent to the Marians or the EADM office were sent to Project C.U.R.E. and will be on fu-ture containers.
Embrace Life! Be A Hospice Volunteer. Do you have a talent to share? A contagious passion for just about anything? Would you like a appreciative audience? Want an easy way to make a big impact in someone’s life? Do you want to spend your precious free time making a difference in someone’s life? This is an opportunity for you. We are currently looking for HOPSICE VOLUNTEERS on a regular, periodic or as needed basis. You can play cards, read papers, or have a nice conversation with patients. We provide training. You must be at least 18 years old to apply. Please contact Lori Johnson, Volunteer Coordinator, at 413-443-2994 Or email: [email protected] Visit their website for more information: https://hcib.org/ Jesus said to St. Faustina: "... I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it" Diary of St. Faustina, 742 Excerpt from Comfort the Sick-Park of a Series on Corporal Deeds of Mercy. To read in full go to: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/articles/comfort-sick
The Image of Divine Mercy I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I myself will defend it as my own glory. (Diary 48) In 1931, our Lord appeared to St. Faustina in a vision. She saw Jesus clothed in a white garment with His right hand raised in blessing. His left hand was touching His garment in the area of the Heart, from where two large rays came forth, one red and the other pale. She gazed intently at the Lord in silence, her soul filled with awe, but also with great joy. Jesus said to her: Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory (Diary, 47, 48). I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this image with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You (327). I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and [then] throughout the world (47). At the request of her spiritual director, St. Faustina asked the Lord about the meaning of the rays in the image. She heard these words in reply: The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him (299). By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works (742). These words indicate that the Image represents the graces of Divine Mercy poured out upon the world, especially through Baptism and the Eucharist. Many different versions of this image have been painted, but our Lord made it clear that the painting itself is not what is important. When St. Faustina first saw the original image that was being painted under her direction, she wept in disappointment and complained to Jesus: "Who will paint You as beautiful as You are?" (313). In answer, she heard these words: "Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush lies the greatness of this image, but in My grace" (313). From The Image of The Divine Mercy www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/image
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