Second Sunday of Easter - (Divine Mercy Sunday) 7th & 8th April 2018

1 Keenan Street Mona Vale NSW 2103 • Tel:9997 7311 • Fax 9012 0509 • email: o�ce@pittwaterparish.org • website: www.pittwaterparish.org

Thoughts of Fr Francis Jordan The Divine Saviour, in His great mercy, has called us to become images of himself, as far as possible. He has called us so that, through holiness our work everywhere

may be accompanied by blessings, happiness, and salvation.

Pope Francis’ April Prayer Intentions

Universal: For Those who have Responsibility in Economic MattersThat economists may have the courage to reject any economy of exclusion and know how to open new paths.

A warm welcome to our parishioners and visitors who are celebrating the Eucharist with us at Sacred Heart Church and Maria Regina Church. Fr George Kolodziej SDS Parish Priest

There is a world of di�erence between a meeting and an

encounter.

People can live in the same house, sit at the same kitchen table,

kneel in the same church pew, they can exchange many words,

they may even give each other signs of love and apparent tenderness,

and yet they may never meet in the real sense, they may really

never encounter one another.

An encounter is a strange and wonderful thing.

In an encounter, people open their hearts to one another.

They become fully present to one another. The result, life

�ows from one to the other and people are transformed.

When you have once seen the glow of happiness on the face

of a loved one, you know that a person

can have no higher vocation than to awaken that light on the

faces surrounding them.

May we never allow Christ to pass us by.

May we not con�ne Him to the margins of our lives.

May we rather invite Him into our lives.

May He become our friend, our brother and our companion on the road to the Father’s kingdom.

Thank YouI wish to take this opportunity to say thank you for your contributions and support throughout the year. Your financial contributions in our Planned Giving Programme and your generous donations throughout the year to Charitable Works Fund are greatly appreciated. I also wish to extend a warm welcome to any new parishioners to Pittwater Parish. Fr George Kolodziej SDS

Second Sunday of Easter - (Divine Mercy Sunday) 7th & 8th April 2018

For the needy, help is available by contacting the Brookvale Centre

9905 0424 during business hours.

We Pray forDeceased Anniversary

Erin CrumlinTeresa & Theodore

ShepherdTony Gerathy

Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them O Lord, And Let Perpetual Light

Shine Upon Them. May they Rest in Peace. Amen.

May Their Souls And The Souls Of The Faithful Departed,

Through The Mercy Of God, Rest In Peace. Amen.

Recently DeceasedLorraine Cox

Natasha SljokicErwin BurerMica Lizares

Quin GonzalezGeorge Malouf

If you would like the names of your relatives or friends and offerings included, please drop the envelope in to the Parish Office by Midday on Wednesdays. Thank You.

Prayers for the SickMary McHughVera Howorka

Liz RyanBrooke Baldwin

Anthony LeVal Ducker

Susan FlegoTrudie Tauer

Peter HawkinsBridget Hawton

Daryl KauferSid Kelly

Margaret BakerNoeline BechamPaulina Fabian

Madeleine ReicherNatasha BrittMilka Marov

Carol BrennanAnnette LearyEdward Hogan

Rufina CrissTayla RiddleRicky Gomez

Warwick CarpenterElizabeth DavisMary Seymour

Allessio AngelucciGiuseppina Caruso

Xavier FloryConnie Robinson

Alana de KortChiqui de Ocampo

Neave MackeyAnne GodleySally Leong

Francis StananaJenny HectorJoyce ZonagaKevin Begaud

Rachel WeldrickAntoinetta Knapp

Donald McRaeBasil Hughes

Stefanie RomeoDanny RosenSasha White

Jill EyreAnn Harvey

Jo WildThis list will be updated every month and we would appreciate it if we are advised, if further reconsideration is required. Thank you

Worldwide Marriage Encounter

A Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend is a Marriage Enrichment

experience for married couples – set in peaceful, picturesque surroundings,

away from the distractions of everyday life. During the weekend, couples have

a unique opportunity to reconnect, rekindle and refresh their relationship. Take time out of your busy schedule, to invest in your most precious asset . . .

your Marriage! Weekend date: 27 – 29 April at Mt

Carmel Retreat Centre, Varroville, NSWBookings online at www.wwme.org.au

orAdrian and Janet Sullivan: on 0490 774 419 or

adrian.janet1@bigpond.com

Vinnies NSW response to shocking

homelessness statistics

The St Vincent de Paul Society is calling for urgent and immediate action on housing affordability in reaction to shocking ABS statistics on homelessness released today which show a 37% increase in people experiencing homelessness across New South Wales.St Vincent de Paul Society NSW CEO Jack de Groot said: “Given the worrying increase in New South Wales homelessness figures, it’s time the State Government tells us its plan to deal with the issue.”“The Premier understood the comprehensive need when she identified housing as her key issue – that is the need for all people to have access to safe and affordable housing.”The Society says that whilst NSW has enjoyed the benefits of an upturned economy, the reality is that those living on the margins have been cut off from this prosperity and any opportunity that comes with it.“The most vulnerable people in NSW have the right to home. We are in danger of pursuing policies of bread and circuses but showing little commitment in terms of impactful public policy to help solve the growing housing crisis. We see the ongoing focus on stadia redevelopment in a time of a housing and homelessness crisis.“We can see that the increase in homelessness rates are being pushed by a 74% increase in overcrowding – this is a direct result of the lack of safe and affordable housing across our cities and towns.”The Society has been calling the government to account on the housing affordability crisis and again calls for decisive action on affordable and social housing targets and a continued focus on cross-government solutions to homelessness.The ABS statistics show that 74,000 people were supported by homelessness services in NSW in 2016/17, a 43% increase since 2013/14, and that the rates of homelessness for young people aged 19-24 increased by 92%, and for older people by 24%.“It is unacceptable that we continue on as normal when we know that more and more of our young people and far too many elderly women are falling into homelessness at rates never seen before – this should not be the type of norm that we accept.”

“We face profound and complex problems and we need the government to look at serious solutions.”

Divine Will GroupP l e a s e j o i n u s o n T u e s d a y s f r o m

1 0 a m t o 1 1 a m a t S a c r e d H e a r t C h u r c h , M o n a V a l e M e e t i n g R o o m ,

f o r r e a d i n g s a n d d i s c u s s i o n o f L u i s a P i c c a r r e t a ’ s D i v i n e W i l l .

Our prayers and best wishes are extended to our Year 12 students who are currently completing their HSC half yearly examinations. A reminder that Applications for Enrolment closed for Year 7, 2020 on April 4, any late applications received will now join our wait list.

from Our Schools

Mater Maria Catholic College

Anointing Mass

At Nursing Homes And Retirement Villages

MINKARA NURSING HOME

Tuesday 17th Aprilat 10.30am

Anointing Mass

SEABEACH GARDENS NURSING HOMETuesday 17th April

at 11.30amAnointing & Communion

BAYVIEW GARDEN NURSING HOMETuesday 17th April

at 1.30pm Anointing Mass

ESTIA HEALTH (PENINSULAR

GARDEN NURSING HOME)

Tuesday 17th Aprilat 2.30pm

Anointing & Communion

AVALON HOUSE NURSING HOME

Thursday 26th April at 10.45am

Anointing & Communion

MARCUS LOANE NURSING HOME

Wednesday 18th Aprilat 2.00pm

Anointing Mass

BOOK REVIEWThe Power of Now

by Eckart Tolle

An amazing book that can radically change your life for the better. Learn about your true self and your false self and how to train your mind to live in the present not the past or the future, as most of us do and which he maintains is the root cause for misery in the world.

ANZAC DAY MASS Sunday,

22 April 2018 at 9.30am Mass

Sacred Heart Church, Mona Vale

We will commemorate the men and women of the

Australian and New Zealand Army, Air Force and Navy who have served their country and

especially those who gave their lives and health.

Ex Service men and Next of Kins, wearing their medals and

ribbons are requested to assemble outside the Church and are invited to march into

Church together.

Please join us at the Parish Centre after mass

for cake and morning tea. if you have any queries please

contact Terry Schubert on 9997 5925

The Catholic Parish of Pittwater

Coffee

Morning

Enjoy a barista co�ee, a slice of cake or biscuit and

friendly conversation.

Please join us at Sacred Heart Parish Centre after

the 9.30am Mass

Second Sunday of Easter - (Divine Mercy Sunday) 7th & 8th April 2018

Lorem ipsum

You now have it in Black & White.

Fr George is turning 50 in May.

As a parish family and his only family in Australia, lets Dine and Dance to celebrate

this special day with him.

At Royal Motor Yacht Club, Newport on 16 May at 6pm.

Dine at $50 per person, includes welcome drink, canapes, main meal, dessert,

coffee and tea.

Drinks available for purchase at the bar.

Dance through the Night with live music.

Tickets available at the Parish Office.

Organise your table of 10 or allow us to organise a table for you.

Time: 8am to 10.30amSchedule: 8am- Mass8.30am - Breakfast9.15am -Talk10.30am - Close

Venue: Pittwater Parish Sacred Heart Church1 Keenan Street, Mona Vale

RSVP:Wednesday 25th April 2018steven.buhagiar@dbb.org.au or 02 9847 0502

Speaker: Paul Ninnes

Founder of Realtalk International

addressing the topics of pornography use and the

sexualisation of young people

Key educator in faith, relationships and marriage.

18 and over event.

FEATURING

MUSIC, TESTIMONIES AND SUPPER IN THE PRESENCE

OF THE DIOCESAN YEAR OF YOUTH CROSS

Praise and Worship

Simon is a professional actor, singer and musician. His stage experience includes Miss Saigon, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Show Boat, The Boy from Oz, the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Hair the musical. He was in the film South Pacific and for 3 years was the host of Nick Junior on Foxtel Digital.

He performed 2 of his original songs in front of 1 million people as part of World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid, Spain and has performed with corporate acts around Australia and internationally. For the last 11 years, Simon has worked in music and youth ministry at Pittwater Parish and abroad with hundreds of school students in the Broken Bay Diocese, Sydney. In December 2017, Simon was the music director of the Australian Catholic Youth Festival in Sydney. He is currently the Leader of Liturgy and Retreats at St Augustine’s college, Brookvale. Simon is thrilled to be worship leader at the Salvatorian worship night.

SIMON HYLAND

TO CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF YOUTHTHE SALVATORIAN FATHERS INVITE YOU TO A NIGHT OF

SUNDAY 29 APRILSTARTING WITH MASS AT 6PM

SACRED HEART CHURCH,2 RICHARD PORTER WAY,

PYMBLE

Caroline is a contemporary classical singer who has been performing for more than 10 years. She has been involved in many wedding celebrations and fundraising events in parishes on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and surrounds. In July of 2016, she performed as a vocalist in the Australian band at World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. In December 2017 she was a member of the house band at the Australian Catholic Youth Festival in Sydney and was honoured to perform for thousands of Christian youths. She is a passionate musician and Primary School teacher who is excited to be a part of the Praise and Worship event.

CAROLINE MULVENNACarmel Paris Rodrigues has grown up as part of a family church choir and now sings regularly at Sunday morning Mass in her local parish of Pymble.

She has performed in a number of musicals, international competitions and has also turned chairs on The Voice 2016. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Music at the Australian Institute of Music and enjoys singing pop, music theatre and spiritual. At 18 she is looking forward to many years of sharing her faith through song and is excited to be involved in Praisefest 2018.

CARMEL PARIS RODRIGUES

An Initiative of

SALVATORIANS AUSTRALIA

Second Sunday of Easter - (Divine Mercy Sunday) 7th & 8th April 2018

Parish Pastoral CouncilVeronica Thomas - Chairperson

veronicathomas@gmail.com

Pittwater Parish Ministries

CatechistsCo-Directors

Maureen Wooldridge - 9997 4694Yvonne van den Berg -

9997 7311 ext 13

Evangelisation MinistryErich Ott (Coordinator RCIA)

0409124840Sr Margaret Collis - 99744116

Sue Berg - 04 1999 1781(Coordinators Adult Faith

Education/Formation)

Hospitality MinistryNicole Ovens - Director

04 0826 9563

IT MinistryDavid Kerr

dpkerr@kerr.net.au

Legion of MaryConnie Robinson - Director

04 5800 7706

Little Hearts PlaygroupCo-Directors-Marie Bockman -

mbockman@hotmail.comMaureen Wooldridge - 9997 4694

Marriage MinistryPenny Kerr - Directordpkerr@kerr.net.au

Media & Communication Ministry

Laura Ee - Directormedia@pittwaterparish.org

Music MinistryJosh Willard - Director

9997 7311 ext 17

Pastoral Care and Communion to the Sick Ministry

Co-DirectorsDenise Bottero - 9997 6904

Maureen Suggitt - 0422970151

Parish LibraryTrish Newman - Director

9918 3973.

Sacramental Program MinistryYvonne van den Berg

9997 7311 ext 13

Social Justice MinistryTamara Harding - Director

04 0322 6699www.facebook.com/pages/Pittwa-

ter-Friends-OF-Soibada/162612300466694

Youth MinistryTBA

soul@pittwaterparish.orgAll our Ministries comply with Working

With Children Check requirements

Divine Mercy Sunday (The Feast of Mercy)Saint Faustina's Diary (Divine Mercy in My Soul), contains at least 14 passages in which Our Lord is quoted as requesting that a "Feast of Mercy" be o�cially established in the Church.

There is a very close link between the meaning of the Divine Mercy image and the liturgy of the �rst Sunday after Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday). On that day the Gospel reading throughout the Church is about the appearance of the Risen Christ in the Upper Room, and about the institution of the sacrament of Reconciliation. The rays of blood and water �owing from the Saviour's pierced Heart and the wounds on His hands and feet recall the events of Good Friday."I desire that the �rst Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy." (Diary 299) "I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine �oodgates through which grace �ow are opened." (Diary 699) "Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of My Mercy." (Diary 965)

The conditions required to receive such a great grace are: to place complete trust in God, to carry out acts of mercy, to be in a state of grace (having received the sacrament of Confession), and to receive Holy Communion.

The preparation for the Feast is to be a novena consisting of the recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet for 9 days, beginning on Good Friday. Jesus said, "By this novena, I will grant every possible grace to souls." (Diary 796)

On Sunday, 30th April, 2000, (the canonisation of Saint Faustina and Feast of Divine Mercy), Pope John Paul II announced to the world, "It is important that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter (�rst Sunday after Easter), which from now on throughout the Church will be called 'Divine Mercy Sunday'."

The Image of Divine Mercy

The origins of this image are associated with the vision that Saint Faustina of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy had in the convent in Poland on 22nd February, 1931.

She wrote in her diary, "In the evening, when I was in my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand [was] raised in the gesture of blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From beneath the garment, slightly drawn aside at the breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale . . . After a while, Jesus said to me, "Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature; Jesus I Trust in You.

I desire that this image be venerated �rst in your chapel and then throughout the world." (Diary 47)

"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)

Jesus, when asked what the rays meant said, "The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls . . . Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter." (Diary 299)

It is of course the sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation that purify the soul and the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist that is the life of the soul. Thus Jesus is again directing us to this in�nite source of His mercy and love.

The words contained in the image, Jesus I Trust in You, are a reminder that we must totally trust in Him and show mercy always to others. Jesus said, "[The image] is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works." (Diary 742)

"My gaze from this image is like My gaze from the cross." (Diary 326) "I am o�ering 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.' " (Diary 327)

The veneration of the image is based on con�dent prayer joined with deeds of mercy, to which Jesus attached the following promises; the grace of salvation, great progress on the road to Christian perfection, the grace of a happy death, and all other graces and temporal blessings which people who practice mercy will ask Him for with trust.

The Hour of Great Mercy (Three o'clock in the afternoon)

In October 1937, Jesus recommended with particular emphasis the veneration of the hour of his death:

"At three o'clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world . . . In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion. . . ." (Diary 1320) "You can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking; it was the hour of grace for the whole world - mercy triumphed over justice." (Diary 1572)

In February 1938, Jesus said to Saint Faustina, "Try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able . . . then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant." (Diary 1572)

Jesus laid down three conditions necessary for the prayers which shall be o�ered up at the hour of mercy in order for them to be heard and answered; the prayer is to be directed to Him, it is to take place at 3.00pm, and it is to appeal to the merits of His Passion. Furthermore, it is to be a prayer full of trust and accompanied by works of mercy toward one's neighbour.

Appropriate prayers for the Hour of Mercy, frequently recited by Saint Faustina, would be:You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. (Diary 1319)O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You. (Diary 84) © Divine Mercy Publications.Used with permission from Divine Mercy Publications, Australia .

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” Mother Teresa

Using normal rosary beads, begin with:Our Father..., Hail Mary..., The Apostle's Creed.

On the �ve large beads:Eternal Father, I o�er You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

On the ten small beads:For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.

At the end of the Chaplet say three times:Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Optional Closing Prayer:Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and thetreasury of compassion --- inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in di�cult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great con�dence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938)

Sister Mary Faustina, an apostle of the Divine Mercy, belongs today to the group of the most popular and well-known saints of the Church. Through her, the Lord Jesus communicates to the world the great message of God's mercy and reveals the pattern of Christian perfection based on trust in God and on the attitude of mercy toward one's neighbours.

She was born on August 25, 1905 in Glogowiec in Poland of a poor and religious family of peasants, the third of ten children. She was baptised with the name Helena in the parish Church of Ðwinice Warckie. From a very tender age she stood out because of her love of prayer, work, obedience, and also her sensitivity to the poor. At the age of nine she made her �rst Holy Communion living this moment very profoundly in her awareness of the presence of the Divine Guest within her soul. She attended school for three years. At the age of sixteen she left home and went to work as a housekeeper in Aleksandrów, Lódz and Ostrówek in order to �nd the means of supporting herself and of helping her parents.

At the age of seven she had already felt the �rst stirrings of a religious vocation. After �nishing school, she wanted to enter the convent but her parents would not give her permission. Called during a vision of the Su�ering Christ, on August 1, 1925 she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and took the name Sister Mary Faustina. She lived in the Congregation for thirteen years and lived in several religious houses. She spent time at Kraków, Plock and Vilnius, where she worked as a cook, gardener and porter.

Externally nothing revealed her rich mystical interior life. She zealously performed her tasks and faithfully observed the rule of religious life. She was recollected and at the same time very natural, serene and full of kindness and disinterested love for her neighbour. Although her life was apparently insigni�cant, monotonous and dull, she hid within herself an extraordinary union with God. It is the mystery of the Mercy of God which she contemplated in the word of God as well as in the everyday activities of her life that forms the basis of her spirituality. The process of contemplating and getting to know the mystery of God's mercy helped develop within Sr. Mary Faustina the attitude of child-like trust in God as well as mercy toward the neighbours. O my Jesus, each of Your saints re�ects one of Your virtues; I desire to re�ect Your compassionate heart, full of mercy; I want to glorify it. Let Your mercy, O Jesus, be impressed upon my heart and soul like a seal, and this will be my badge in this and the future life (Diary 1242). Sister Faustina was a faithful daughter of the Church which she loved like a Mother and a Mystic Body of Jesus Christ. Conscious of her role in the Church, she cooperated with God's mercy in the task of saving lost souls. At the speci�c request of and following the example of the Lord Jesus, she made a sacri�ce of her own life for this very goal. In her spiritual life she also distinguished herself with a love of the Eucharist and a deep devotion to the Mother of Mercy.

The years she had spent at the convent were �lled with extraordinary gifts, such as: revelations, visions, hidden stigmata, participation in the Passion of the Lord, the gift of bilocation, the reading of human souls, the gift of prophecy, or the rare gift of mystical engagement and marriage. The living relationship with God, the Blessed Mother, the Angels, the Saints, the souls in Purgatory — with the entire supernatural world — was as equally real for her as was the world she perceived with her senses. In spite of being so richly endowed with extraordinary graces, Sr. Mary Faustina knew that they do not in fact constitute sanctity. In her Diary she wrote: Neither graces, nor revelations, nor raptures, nor gifts granted to a soul make it perfect, but rather the intimate union of the soul with God. These gifts are merely ornaments of the soul, but constitute neither its essence nor

its perfection. My sanctity and perfection consist in the close union of my will with the will of God (Diary 1107).

The Lord Jesus chose Sr. Mary Faustina as the Apostle and "Secretary" of His Mercy, so that she could tell the world about His great message. In the Old Covenant — He said to her —I sent prophets wielding thunderbolts to My people. Today I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart (Diary 1588).

The mission of Sister Mary Faustina consists in 3 tasks:– reminding the world of the truth of our faith revealed in the Holy Scripture about the merciful love of God toward every human being.

– Entreating God's mercy for the whole world and particularly for sinners, among others through the practice of new forms of devotion to the Divine Mercy presented by the Lord Jesus, such as: the veneration of the image of the Divine Mercy with the inscription: “Jesus, I Trust in You”, the feast of the Divine Mercy celebrated on the �rst Sunday after Easter, chaplet to the Divine Mercy and prayer at the Hour of Mercy (3 p.m.). The Lord Jesus attached great promises to the above forms of devotion, provided one entrusted one's life to God and practiced active love of one's neighbour.

– The third task in Sr. Mary Faustina's mission consists in initiating the apostolic movement of the Divine Mercy which undertakes the task of proclaiming and entreating God's mercy for the world and strives for Christian perfection, following the precepts laid down by the Blessed Sr. Mary Faustina. The precepts in question require the faithful to display an attitude of child-like trust in God which expresses itself in ful�lling His will, as well as in the attitude of mercy toward one's neighbours.

Today, this movement within the Church involves millions of people throughout the world; it comprises religious congregations, lay institutes, religious, brotherhoods, associations, various communities of apostles of the Divine Mercy, as well as individual people who take up the tasks which the Lord Jesus communicated to them through Sr. Mary Faustina.

The mission of the Blessed Sr. Mary Faustina was recorded in her Diary which she kept at the speci�c request of the Lord Jesus and her confessors. In it, she recorded faithfully all of the Lord Jesus' wishes and also described the encounters between her soul and Him. Secretary of My most profound mystery — the Lord Jesus said to Sr. Faustina — know that your task is to write down everything that I make known to you about My mercy, for the bene�t of those who by reading these things will be comforted in their souls and will have the courage to approach Me (Diary 1693). In an extraordinary way, Sr. Mary Faustina's work sheds light on the mystery of the Divine Mercy. It delights not only the simple and uneducated people, but also scholars who look upon it as an additional source of theological research. The Diary has been translated into many languages, among others, English, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, Hungarian, Czech and Slovak.

Sister Mary Faustina, consumed by tuberculosis and by innumerable su�erings which she accepted as a voluntary sacri�ce for sinners, died in Krakow at the age of just thirty three on October 5, 1938 with a reputation for spiritual maturity and a mystical union with God. The reputation of the holiness of her life grew as did the cult to the Divine Mercy and the graces she obtained from God through her intercession. In the years 1965-67, the investigative Process into her life and heroic virtues was undertaken in Krakow and in the year 1968, the Beati�cation Process was initiated in Rome. The latter came to an end in December 1992. On April 18, 1993 our Holy Father John Paul II raised Sister Faustina to the glory of the altars. Sr. Mary Faustina's remains rest at the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Kraków-Lagiewniki.

Second Sunday of Easter - (Divine Mercy Sunday) 7th & 8th April 2018

Divine Mercy Sunday (The Feast of Mercy)Saint Faustina's Diary (Divine Mercy in My Soul), contains at least 14 passages in which Our Lord is quoted as requesting that a "Feast of Mercy" be o�cially established in the Church.

There is a very close link between the meaning of the Divine Mercy image and the liturgy of the �rst Sunday after Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday). On that day the Gospel reading throughout the Church is about the appearance of the Risen Christ in the Upper Room, and about the institution of the sacrament of Reconciliation. The rays of blood and water �owing from the Saviour's pierced Heart and the wounds on His hands and feet recall the events of Good Friday."I desire that the �rst Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy." (Diary 299) "I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine �oodgates through which grace �ow are opened." (Diary 699) "Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of My Mercy." (Diary 965)

The conditions required to receive such a great grace are: to place complete trust in God, to carry out acts of mercy, to be in a state of grace (having received the sacrament of Confession), and to receive Holy Communion.

The preparation for the Feast is to be a novena consisting of the recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet for 9 days, beginning on Good Friday. Jesus said, "By this novena, I will grant every possible grace to souls." (Diary 796)

On Sunday, 30th April, 2000, (the canonisation of Saint Faustina and Feast of Divine Mercy), Pope John Paul II announced to the world, "It is important that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter (�rst Sunday after Easter), which from now on throughout the Church will be called 'Divine Mercy Sunday'."

The Image of Divine Mercy

The origins of this image are associated with the vision that Saint Faustina of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy had in the convent in Poland on 22nd February, 1931.

She wrote in her diary, "In the evening, when I was in my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand [was] raised in the gesture of blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From beneath the garment, slightly drawn aside at the breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale . . . After a while, Jesus said to me, "Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature; Jesus I Trust in You.

I desire that this image be venerated �rst in your chapel and then throughout the world." (Diary 47)

"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)

Jesus, when asked what the rays meant said, "The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls . . . Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter." (Diary 299)

It is of course the sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation that purify the soul and the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist that is the life of the soul. Thus Jesus is again directing us to this in�nite source of His mercy and love.

The words contained in the image, Jesus I Trust in You, are a reminder that we must totally trust in Him and show mercy always to others. Jesus said, "[The image] is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works." (Diary 742)

"My gaze from this image is like My gaze from the cross." (Diary 326) "I am o�ering 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.' " (Diary 327)

The veneration of the image is based on con�dent prayer joined with deeds of mercy, to which Jesus attached the following promises; the grace of salvation, great progress on the road to Christian perfection, the grace of a happy death, and all other graces and temporal blessings which people who practice mercy will ask Him for with trust.

The Hour of Great Mercy (Three o'clock in the afternoon)

In October 1937, Jesus recommended with particular emphasis the veneration of the hour of his death:

"At three o'clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world . . . In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion. . . ." (Diary 1320) "You can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking; it was the hour of grace for the whole world - mercy triumphed over justice." (Diary 1572)

In February 1938, Jesus said to Saint Faustina, "Try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able . . . then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant." (Diary 1572)

Jesus laid down three conditions necessary for the prayers which shall be o�ered up at the hour of mercy in order for them to be heard and answered; the prayer is to be directed to Him, it is to take place at 3.00pm, and it is to appeal to the merits of His Passion. Furthermore, it is to be a prayer full of trust and accompanied by works of mercy toward one's neighbour.

Appropriate prayers for the Hour of Mercy, frequently recited by Saint Faustina, would be:You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. (Diary 1319)O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You. (Diary 84) © Divine Mercy Publications.Used with permission from Divine Mercy Publications, Australia .

Using normal rosary beads, begin with:Our Father..., Hail Mary..., The Apostle's Creed.

On the �ve large beads:Eternal Father, I o�er You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

On the ten small beads:For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.

At the end of the Chaplet say three times:Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Optional Closing Prayer:Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and thetreasury of compassion --- inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in di�cult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great con�dence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938)

Sister Mary Faustina, an apostle of the Divine Mercy, belongs today to the group of the most popular and well-known saints of the Church. Through her, the Lord Jesus communicates to the world the great message of God's mercy and reveals the pattern of Christian perfection based on trust in God and on the attitude of mercy toward one's neighbours.

She was born on August 25, 1905 in Glogowiec in Poland of a poor and religious family of peasants, the third of ten children. She was baptised with the name Helena in the parish Church of Ðwinice Warckie. From a very tender age she stood out because of her love of prayer, work, obedience, and also her sensitivity to the poor. At the age of nine she made her �rst Holy Communion living this moment very profoundly in her awareness of the presence of the Divine Guest within her soul. She attended school for three years. At the age of sixteen she left home and went to work as a housekeeper in Aleksandrów, Lódz and Ostrówek in order to �nd the means of supporting herself and of helping her parents.

At the age of seven she had already felt the �rst stirrings of a religious vocation. After �nishing school, she wanted to enter the convent but her parents would not give her permission. Called during a vision of the Su�ering Christ, on August 1, 1925 she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and took the name Sister Mary Faustina. She lived in the Congregation for thirteen years and lived in several religious houses. She spent time at Kraków, Plock and Vilnius, where she worked as a cook, gardener and porter.

Externally nothing revealed her rich mystical interior life. She zealously performed her tasks and faithfully observed the rule of religious life. She was recollected and at the same time very natural, serene and full of kindness and disinterested love for her neighbour. Although her life was apparently insigni�cant, monotonous and dull, she hid within herself an extraordinary union with God. It is the mystery of the Mercy of God which she contemplated in the word of God as well as in the everyday activities of her life that forms the basis of her spirituality. The process of contemplating and getting to know the mystery of God's mercy helped develop within Sr. Mary Faustina the attitude of child-like trust in God as well as mercy toward the neighbours. O my Jesus, each of Your saints re�ects one of Your virtues; I desire to re�ect Your compassionate heart, full of mercy; I want to glorify it. Let Your mercy, O Jesus, be impressed upon my heart and soul like a seal, and this will be my badge in this and the future life (Diary 1242). Sister Faustina was a faithful daughter of the Church which she loved like a Mother and a Mystic Body of Jesus Christ. Conscious of her role in the Church, she cooperated with God's mercy in the task of saving lost souls. At the speci�c request of and following the example of the Lord Jesus, she made a sacri�ce of her own life for this very goal. In her spiritual life she also distinguished herself with a love of the Eucharist and a deep devotion to the Mother of Mercy.

The years she had spent at the convent were �lled with extraordinary gifts, such as: revelations, visions, hidden stigmata, participation in the Passion of the Lord, the gift of bilocation, the reading of human souls, the gift of prophecy, or the rare gift of mystical engagement and marriage. The living relationship with God, the Blessed Mother, the Angels, the Saints, the souls in Purgatory — with the entire supernatural world — was as equally real for her as was the world she perceived with her senses. In spite of being so richly endowed with extraordinary graces, Sr. Mary Faustina knew that they do not in fact constitute sanctity. In her Diary she wrote: Neither graces, nor revelations, nor raptures, nor gifts granted to a soul make it perfect, but rather the intimate union of the soul with God. These gifts are merely ornaments of the soul, but constitute neither its essence nor

its perfection. My sanctity and perfection consist in the close union of my will with the will of God (Diary 1107).

The Lord Jesus chose Sr. Mary Faustina as the Apostle and "Secretary" of His Mercy, so that she could tell the world about His great message. In the Old Covenant — He said to her —I sent prophets wielding thunderbolts to My people. Today I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart (Diary 1588).

The mission of Sister Mary Faustina consists in 3 tasks:– reminding the world of the truth of our faith revealed in the Holy Scripture about the merciful love of God toward every human being.

– Entreating God's mercy for the whole world and particularly for sinners, among others through the practice of new forms of devotion to the Divine Mercy presented by the Lord Jesus, such as: the veneration of the image of the Divine Mercy with the inscription: “Jesus, I Trust in You”, the feast of the Divine Mercy celebrated on the �rst Sunday after Easter, chaplet to the Divine Mercy and prayer at the Hour of Mercy (3 p.m.). The Lord Jesus attached great promises to the above forms of devotion, provided one entrusted one's life to God and practiced active love of one's neighbour.

– The third task in Sr. Mary Faustina's mission consists in initiating the apostolic movement of the Divine Mercy which undertakes the task of proclaiming and entreating God's mercy for the world and strives for Christian perfection, following the precepts laid down by the Blessed Sr. Mary Faustina. The precepts in question require the faithful to display an attitude of child-like trust in God which expresses itself in ful�lling His will, as well as in the attitude of mercy toward one's neighbours.

Today, this movement within the Church involves millions of people throughout the world; it comprises religious congregations, lay institutes, religious, brotherhoods, associations, various communities of apostles of the Divine Mercy, as well as individual people who take up the tasks which the Lord Jesus communicated to them through Sr. Mary Faustina.

The mission of the Blessed Sr. Mary Faustina was recorded in her Diary which she kept at the speci�c request of the Lord Jesus and her confessors. In it, she recorded faithfully all of the Lord Jesus' wishes and also described the encounters between her soul and Him. Secretary of My most profound mystery — the Lord Jesus said to Sr. Faustina — know that your task is to write down everything that I make known to you about My mercy, for the bene�t of those who by reading these things will be comforted in their souls and will have the courage to approach Me (Diary 1693). In an extraordinary way, Sr. Mary Faustina's work sheds light on the mystery of the Divine Mercy. It delights not only the simple and uneducated people, but also scholars who look upon it as an additional source of theological research. The Diary has been translated into many languages, among others, English, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, Hungarian, Czech and Slovak.

Sister Mary Faustina, consumed by tuberculosis and by innumerable su�erings which she accepted as a voluntary sacri�ce for sinners, died in Krakow at the age of just thirty three on October 5, 1938 with a reputation for spiritual maturity and a mystical union with God. The reputation of the holiness of her life grew as did the cult to the Divine Mercy and the graces she obtained from God through her intercession. In the years 1965-67, the investigative Process into her life and heroic virtues was undertaken in Krakow and in the year 1968, the Beati�cation Process was initiated in Rome. The latter came to an end in December 1992. On April 18, 1993 our Holy Father John Paul II raised Sister Faustina to the glory of the altars. Sr. Mary Faustina's remains rest at the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Kraków-Lagiewniki.

First Reading Acts 4:32-35A reading from the Acts of the ApostlesThe whole group was united, heart and soul.

The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed for his own use anything that he had, as everything they owned was held in common.The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and they were all given great respect.None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from them, to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any members who might be in need.

The word of the Lord

Responsorial Psalm Ps 117:2-4. 15-18. 22-24. R. v.1

(R.) Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlastingor

(R) Alleluia.

Let the sons of Israel say:‘His love has no end.’Let the sons of Aaron say:‘His love has no end.’Let those who fear the Lord say:‘His love has no end.’ (R)

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;his right hand raised me up.I shall not die, I shall liveand recount his deeds.I was punished, I was punished by the Lord,but not doomed to die. (R)

The stone which the builders rejectedhas become the corner stone.This is the work of the Lord,a marvel in our eyes.This day was made by the Lord;we rejoice and are glad. (R)

Second Reading 1 Jn 5:1-6A reading from the first letter of St JohnAnyone begotten by God has already overcome the world.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christhas been begotten by God;and whoever loves the Father that begot himloves the child whom he begets.We can be sure that we love God’s childrenif we love God himself and do what he has commanded us;this is what loving God is –keeping his commandments;and his commandments are not difficult,because anyone who has been begotten by Godhas already overcome the world;this is the victory over the world –our faith.Who can overcome the world?

Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God;Jesus Christ who came by water and blood,not with water only,but with water and blood;with the Spirit as another witness –since the Spirit is the truth.

The word of the Lord

Gospel Acclamation Jn 20:29

Alleluia, alleluia!You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me;happy are those who have not seen me, but still believe!

Alleluia!

Gospel Jn 20:19-31A reading from the holy Gospel according to JohnAfter eight days, Jesus came in and stood among them.

In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you,’ and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.’‘As the Father sent me,so am I sending you.’

After saying this he breathed on them and said:‘Receive the Holy Spirit.For those whose sins you forgive,they are forgiven;for those whose sins you retain,they are retained.’

Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him:‘You believe because you can see me.Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’

There were many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.

The Gospel of the Lord.

REFLECTION by Dianne Bergant CSS Today we consider the presence of the Risen Lord. Where is he found? Each of the readings offers an answer to this question. The Risen Christ is found in the community of believers who follow the example of Jesus. Even non-believers recognised something marvellously different about the Christian community, and they exclaimed: These Christians, see how they love one another.The Risen Christ is found in those who accept the truth of the resurrection on the word of others. The word of God preached by others has often brought us out of darkness into light, from the stranglehold of death to the birth of new life. The preaching of the disciples has been not only instructive, it has also been transformative.The Risen Christ is found in the forgiveness of sin. Jesus made the frightened disciples ministers of divine forgiveness. The Spirit reconciles sinners with God and, thereby, with the rest of the believing community. Forgiveness is a tangible sign of Christ’s mystical presence.The Risen Christ is found in the physical manifestation of Christ's own wounds, the wounds that he offered to be touched. Since the community is the body of Christ, we touch the wounds of Christ when we touch the wounds of the community, when we go out to the sick and infirm, the dispossessed and the violated. As shocking as these wounds may appear, they are really glorious, because the Risen Lord has identified with them and has made them his own.

© Dianne Bergant CSS

Second Sunday of Easter - (Divine Mercy Sunday) 7th & 8th April 2018

The Living Word

The family is essential for the future of the world and the Church. Everyone first learns what love means in their family, as they become aware that they are loved, and learn how to love in return. This is essential so that people can grow into mature individuals.

Second Sunday of Easter - (Divine Mercy Sunday) 7th & 8th April 2018

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Liturgy for the Week

09/04 Monday The ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD Is 7:10-14, 8:10; Heb 10:4-10; Lk 1:26-38

10/04 Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter Acts 4:32-37; Jn 3:7-15

11/04 Wednesday St Stanislaus, bishop, martyr Acts 5:17-26; Jn 3:16-21 12/04 Thursday of the Second Week of Easter Acts 5:27-33; Jn 3:31-36

13/04 Friday of the Second Week of Easter Acts 5:34-42; Jn 6:1-15

14/04 Saturday of the Second Week of Easter Acts 6:1-7; Jn 6:16-21

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