Wesley parish to start Diving Mercy devotions

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
Sept. 21, 2006

WESLEY - Interest in Divine Mercy Devotions has been gaining momentum ever since the late Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina on April 30 of 2000, but for many people the Divine Mercy message and devotion are not well known.

One parish in the Diocese of Sioux City - St. Joseph Church in Wesley - hopes to change that. They have opted to hold monthly Divine Mercy Devotions. St. Joseph will hold its first devotional service at 6 p.m. on Sept. 27. Beginning in October, the devotions will be held on the third Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m.

Through encouragement and support from some fellow parishioners who attend daily Mass, parishioner Deb Trenary decided to start these devotions in the parish.

"It's a devotion fairly unknown to people that highlights God's unending mercy," she said. "The graces of his mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust, the more we will receive."

Trenary pointed out that it was during this past Lenten season when she discovered the beauty of The Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

"There are so many graces you can receive for yourself and others by praying the Chaplet, especially for the dying and the conversion of sinners, which includes all of us. But there is even more to Divine Mercy. In St. Faustina's diary, we can learn about her amazing life of sacrifice and the revelations given to her," she said.

Trenary explained that through St. Faustina's diary, the saint can help people understand specific elements of the devotion - The Feast of Mercy, (most important); the Divine Mercy image of Christ with the words "Jesus, I Trust In You"; The Chaplet of Divine Mercy; the significance of the 3 O'Clock Hour; and spreading the honor of Divine Mercy; all of which have special promises and conditions attached to them.

"If you prepare yourself for the Feast of Mercy, which is now called Divine Mercy Sunday, in the ways revealed by Jesus to St. Faustina, you can receive an abundance of graces and complete forgiveness of all past sins and punishment," said the Wesley parishioner. "In the Divine Mercy Devotion, we are called to a deeper understanding that God's love is unlimited and available to everyone - especially the greatest sinners."

At the monthly devotional services, they plan to pray/sing The Chaplet of Divine Mercy using a CD that features a modern version from the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Ma. They will also listen to at least one song each month from another CD - "Through the Darkness", by Erin Flynn. From month to month they will also highlight a variety of Divine Mercy prayers, excerpts from St. Faustina's diary and more.

"My hope is that those who attend will discover a love for this devotion and that it might lead them to Divine Mercy Sunday, which is always the first Sunday after Easter," said Trenary.

People from surrounding parishes are invited to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Trenary at the St. Joseph Parish Office in Wesley - (515) 679-4279 or her home - (515) 583-2439.