Blessed Sacrament to host Divine Mercy service Divine Mercy Novena to begin Good Friday

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
April 8, 2004

People throughout the Diocese of Sioux City are invited to take part in the Divine Mercy Novena, a nine-day novena, beginning on Good Friday April 9, which leads up to Divine Mercy Sunday on April 18.

A Polish nun, Sister Faustina Helena Kowalska, brought the message of Divine Mercy to the world after seeing an apparition of the Lord. The novena developed out of this message. He asked her to have a picture of him drawn. The picture was a smiling Jesus with light rays coming from his heart. Some the rays were light in color and some were red. The red signifies the blood that he shed for the salvation of everyone. The light color signifies the water, which cleanses people in baptism.

Part of what Jesus said when he revealed his message of mercy to Sister Faustina in the 1930s, as noted in her diary, was, "Whoever approaches the fount of life on this day will receive complete remission of sins and punishment."

Those wishing to participate in the Divine Mercy Novena are asked to pray on their own at home the first three days. Then, for the fourth year, Trinity Heights Queen of Peace, Inc. in Sioux City will host the remaining six days beginning at 7:30 p.m. on April 12.

Each day that there is prayer held at Trinity Heights, there will be a different priest or deacon giving a reflection. The first reflection will be given by Deacon Bill Berger on April 12. The other reflections will be given by Father Raymond Weiling, Deacon Jim Sands, Father Paul Kelly, Deacon Fred Karpuk and Father Dennis Meinen.

Father Weiling will focus his reflection on Sister Faustina and her apparitions with Jesus and the message.

"I think there are many graces that come from it, even to our present day," said Father Weiling a retired priest that resides in Sioux City.

He added that people need to recognize the necessity of forgiveness for sinfulness and fact that there is hope because the Lord is infinitely merciful.

Each evening, the presenters will offer insight as to how God shows mercy in the world.

"I am going to talk about my trip to Honduras, and how it was a medical trip of mercy," said Father Kelly, who works in Hispanic ministry at Cathedral of the Epiphany. "It is an example of how people can manifest mercy in a very practical way."

Father Kelly and a group of about 20 other people went on the trip to Honduras as a medical mission trip. During his reflection on April 15, he will show slides of his trip and explain what the group did while they were there.

"It is just another opportunity for prayer, and as Christians, we are all called to be people of prayer," said Father Kelly. "Everyone has their own particular style of prayer and particular interests. This is just another aspect of prayer to pray for mercy, which is a very needed commodity in our world today."

The celebration on Divine Mercy Sunday will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church in Sioux City. The event will begin at 1:30 p.m. with exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Confessions will also be available beginning at 1:30 p.m. There will be five priests hearing confessions.

The chaplet of Divine Mercy will begin at 3 p.m. A reception in the parish hall will immediately follow the celebration. Father Bill McCarthy will lead the ceremony.

"I think it is important that this remains in one of the parishes in Sioux City," said Father Merlin Schrad, pastor at Blessed Sacrament, about hosting Divine Mercy Sunday at Blessed Sacrament. "Since I haven't experienced the Divine Mercy Sunday Chaplet, I wanted to become more aware of it and see how it fits in with the whole liturgical year. I think it is always important to hear and reflect on the mercy of Jesus. I think it is a message that is important to be heard all year long."