484 Hamilton St. Regina, SK S4R 2A7 (306) 949-8998 eadmoleskiw@sasktel.net eadmcanada.com JaNuary Newsletter 2016 #161 The mercy of God is His loving concern for each one of us. He feels responsible; that is, He desires our wellbeing and He wants to see us happy, full of joy, and peaceful. This is the path which the merciful love of Christians must also travel. As the Father loves, so do His children. Just as He is merciful, so we are called to be merciful to each other. Pope Francis Solemnity of Mary Jan. 1, 2016
Dear Apostles of Divine Mercy, May the New Year bring your families many blessings, as we celebrate the birth of Our Lord during this Christmas season. As we enter the New Year of 2016, January 1st we will celebrate the Feast of Mary, Mother of God. This Feast brings our attention to the fact that Mary bore the Son of God in her womb, and our salvation began through her. Let us remember to call on Mary, Our Mother, to help us in our daily lives. This month s newsletter is entitled Merciful Like the Father! These are the words surrounding the motto or logo for the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which we just began on Dec. 8th. Have you taken the time to ponder these words? What is the first image that comes to your mind after reading these words? Could it be forgiveness! Forgiveness is love. If we can t forgive, then we are not capable of love. Jesus reminded us in the prayer the Our Father that forgiveness must be a very essential part of our lives. If we refuse to forgive others, God will refuse to forgive us. Jesus says: I do not say seven times, but seventy times seven times (Mt 18:22). St. Faustina wrote, We resemble God most when we forgive our neighbors (Diary, 1148). Forgiveness can be difficult after someone has hurt us! St. Faustina wrote, He who knows how to forgive prepares for himself many graces from God. As often as I look upon the cross, so often will I forgive with all my heart (Diary, 390). Yet, the pain we all carry from injury can be like an open wound, festering with infection. Many of us carry anger and guilt for years, never resolving the situation internally. Even if the person who hurt us has no remorse, the one injured who harbors anger is the one bound in chains. Forgiveness means more than avoiding interaction with those who have hurt us. It may not be wise to try to restore a friendship with someone who has seriously wronged us, lest we expose ourselves to further harm or abuse. Even if we have to stay away from the person that hurt us, we must still let go of anger and forgive that person. Scripture is clear that as our Heavenly Father loves us, we are to love others. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a catalyst (vehicle) for great healing, which is available to us to help us forgive, just as Jesus forgave the people who hung Him on the cross. Pope Francis tells us that forgiveness is a form of mercy and that all of us should be willing to forgive others, because we are all sinners. by Shirley Oleskiw, EADM Director Page 2
OUR EADM CENTRE As the weather turns colder, our lightshow with the Nativity display has become a comforting scene for many who drive by and for the people who come to visit and pray at the Centre. Like the Magi of old, who sought a Babe and found Him in a quiet manger, so today we can find Jesus in a quiet Chapel. They found peace and joy in the Child Jesus. Here in the Chapel everyone who enters finds silence and peace. That is a great gift from Jesus in the Eucharist. On February 26, 2007 Archbishop Daniel Bohan signed a letter, granting us permission for a establishment of a Shrine to St. Faustina in the Chapel. In his directive to the Archdiocese on the Year of Mercy, he stated that by a visit any Shrine in his Diocese one can obtain the Jubilee indulgence granted by Pope Frances. Thus, by visiting our Shrine to St. Faustina & Chapel, one can obtain the Jubilee Indulgence. The conditions are: all must seek God s mercy through the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, show God s love and forgiveness, show a desire for true conversion and pray the Apostles Creed for the Popes intention. He also approved that the Image of Divine Mercy and the first class relics of St. Faustina to travel throughout the diocese. The Eucharistic Apostles (EADM) and the Knights of Columbus would coordinate this program, as per the enclosed letter on pages 13 & 14. In this Extraordinary Year of Mercy special graces are available to us, let us not waste this great period of time. The Year of Mercy packets, $1.00 ea. and Jubilee cards, $.10 ea. are available. As well we have updated our catalogue for 2016. Our Annual EADM General Meeting will be held on January 7th, after the Mass. Please come and join us and take an interest in what we are trying to accomplish here at our Shrine and Centre. On January 13th to 21st, I will also be taking the pilgrims to Guadeloupe. Pray for us to have a holy and grace filled pilgrimage. Mass will be held on Thursday, January 7th, with Rosary @6:30 pm. Annual General Meeting to Follow. The Centre will be closed from December 24-27th, January 1st and 2nd. Page 3
Forgiveness 9. In the parables devoted to mercy, Jesus reveals the nature of God as that of a Father who never gives up until He has forgiven the wrong and overcome rejection with compassion and mercy. We know these parables well, three in particular: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the father with two sons (cf. Lk 15:1-32). In these parables, God is always presented as full of joy, especially when He pardons. In them we find the core of the Gospel and of our faith, because mercy is presented as a force that overcomes everything, filling the heart with love and bringing consolation through pardon. Pope Francis in his Papal Bull # 9 gives us direction on how we should live and forgive, From another parable, we cull an important teaching for our Christian lives. In reply to Peter s question about how many times it is necessary to forgive, Jesus says: I do not say seven times, but seventy times seven times (Mt 18:22). He then goes on to tell the parable of the ruthless servant, who, called by his master to return a huge amount, begs him on his knees for mercy. His master cancels his debt. But he then meets a fellow servant who owes him a few cents and who in turn begs on his knees for mercy, but the first servant refuses his request and throws him into jail. When the master hears of the matter, he becomes infuriated and, summoning the first servant back to him, says, Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you? (Mt 18:33). Jesus concludes, So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart (Mt 18:35).This parable contains a profound teaching for all of us. Jesus affirms that mercy is not only an action of the Father, it becomes a criterion for ascertaining who His true children are. In short, we are called to show mercy because mercy has first been shown to us. Pardoning offences becomes the clearest expression of merciful love, and for us Christians it is an imperative from which we cannot excuse ourselves. At times how hard it seems to forgive! And yet pardon is the instrument placed into our fragile hands to attain serenity of heart. To let go of anger, wrath, violence, and revenge are necessary conditions to living joyfully. Let us therefore heed the Apostle s exhortation: Do not let the sun go down on your anger (Eph 4:26). Above all, let us listen to the words of Jesus who made mercy an ideal of life and a criterion for the credibility of our faith: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Mt 5:7): (Cont d on page 5) Page 4
the beatitude to which we should particularly aspire in this Holy Year. As we can see in Sacred Scripture, mercy is a key word that indicates God s action towards us. He does not limit Himself merely to affirming His love, but makes it visible and tangible. Love, after all, can never be just an abstraction. By its very nature, it indicates something concrete: intentions, attitudes, and behaviours that are shown in daily living. The mercy of God is His loving concern for each one of us. He feels responsible; that is, He desires our wellbeing and He wants to see us happy, full of joy, and peaceful. This is the path which the merciful love of Christians must also travel. As the Father loves, so do His children. Just as He is merciful, so we are called to be merciful to each other The image of Divine Mercy symbolizes the Sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation. God is always there, ready to forgive. There are no limits to His mercy! Our Lord told St. Faustina, Apostle of My mercy, proclaim to the whole world My unfathomable mercy (Diary, 1142). His mercy is so great that we will never be able to comprehend it; it is like an ocean that has no bottom. All we have to do is trust in Him and float in the great ocean of mercy. We must float and not try to swim against the current of God s Will. We must lay back and let the current take us where God wants us to go. In the calm of the water, we must try to forgive others. In his Papal Bull #17, Pope Francis writes, So many people, including young people, are returning to the Sacrament of Reconciliation; through this experience they are rediscovering a path back to the Lord, living a moment of intense prayer and finding meaning in their lives. Let us place the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the centre once more in such a way that it will enable people to touch the grandeur of God s mercy with their own hands. For every penitent, it will be a source of true interior peace. I will never tire of insisting that confessors be authentic signs of the Father s mercy. We do not become good confessors automatically. We become good confessors when, above all, we allow ourselves to be penitents in search of His mercy. Let us never forget that to be confessors means to participate in the very mission of Jesus to be a concrete sign of the constancy of divine love that pardons and saves. We priests have received the gift of the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins, (Cont d on page 6) Page 5
and we are responsible for this. None of us wields power over this Sacrament; rather, we are faithful servants of God s mercy through it. Every confessor must accept the faithful as the father in the parable of the prodigal son: a father who runs out to meet his son despite the fact that he has squandered away his inheritance. Confessors are called to embrace the repentant son who comes back home and to express the joy of having him back again. Let us never tire of also going out to the other son who stands outside, incapable of rejoicing, in order to explain to him that his judgement is severe and unjust and meaningless in light of the father s boundless mercy. Many confessors must not ask useless questions, but like the father in the parable, interrupt the speech prepared ahead of time by the prodigal son, so that confessors will learn to accept the plea for help and mercy pouring from the heart of every penitent. In short, confessors are called to be a sign of the primacy of mercy always, everywhere, and in every situation, no matter what. In #14 Pope Francis tells us, The Lord Jesus shows us the steps of the pilgrimage to attain our goal: Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back (Lk 6:37-38). The Lord asks us above all not to judge and not to condemn. If anyone wishes to avoid God s judgement, he should not make himself the judge of his brother or sister. Human beings, whenever they judge, look no farther than the surface, whereas the Father looks into the very depths of the soul. How much harm words do when they are motivated by feelings of jealousy and envy! To speak ill of others puts them in a bad light, undermines their reputation and leaves them prey to the whims of gossip. To refrain from judgement and condemnation means, in a positive sense, to know how to accept the good in every person and to spare him any suffering that might be caused by our partial judgment, our presumption to know everything about him. But this is still not sufficient to express mercy. Jesus asks us also to forgive and to give. To be instruments of mercy because it was we who first received mercy from God. To be generous with others, knowing that God showers his goodness upon us with immense generosity. Page 6
A New Year A New Beginning As we begin this special designated Year of the Jubilee of Mercy we will be graced with many blessings. Let us not let them go to waste, and take advantage of this special time. It s a time to make assessments and make new beginnings. It s never too late to make a change for the better. We are constantly changing, learning, and growing through our daily experiences. This year 2016 will offer us another opportunity to grow in holiness. We can make decisions to change for the better and grow closer to God. We can listen to the Holy Spirit and discover the will of God for ourselves in our lives. Our earthly life is a struggle toward perfection and eternal life. We can pray for the gift of knowing and understanding ourselves better as God knows us. Sometimes we have faults of which we are not aware, family and friends may see them, but we may not. We can ask Jesus to make us aware of these faults and help us to deal with them with patiently. St. Faustina tells us, O my Jesus, You do not give a reward for the successful performance of a work, but for the good will and the labor undertaken (Diary, 952). In this Year of mercy, let us make a special effort to do works of Spiritual and Corporal works of mercy. Even if we can t do many, we can always pray for others. In faith and humility, we can continue to grow in holiness, knowing that our God of love and mercy is with us, encouraging us every step of the way. by Shirley Oleskiw 15th Annual EADM Meeting Thursday, January 7, 2016 Rosary @ 6:30 pm, Mass @7:00 pm Annual Meeting @ 7:45 pm Annual Reports Coffee and Dainties Please plan to attend! Page 7
Mary Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church Solemnity of Mary, Jan. 1st, 2016 The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ, and therefore the Mother of God, our redeemer. In her life on earth, Mary suffered seeing her Son suffer. She is also our patroness for the Year of Mercy. St. Faustina wrote, I heard the voice of Our Lady: Know, My daughter, that although I was raised to the dignity of Mother of God, seven swords of pain pierced My Heart (Diary, 786). She remained steadfast to the end without wavering beneath the cross, beside Jesus, joining herself to His sacrifice witnessing the salvation of all mankind(ccc#964). Among Jesus last words on the cross He gave His Mother to us. So Mary became our Mother and the Mother of all the living. The Feast of Mary, Mother of God which we celebrate on January 1st, reminds us that the Blessed Virgin Mary, is our Mother as well, and that she brings us all to Her Son and instructs us, Do whatever He tells you (Jn 2:5). By her charity Mary joined Jesus in bringing about the birth of His Church. Therefore, our Holy Catholic Church has named her Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church. St. Faustina wrote, Then I saw the Blessed Virgin unspeakably beautiful. She came down from the altar to my kneeler, held me close to herself and said to me, I am Mother to you all, thanks to the unfathomable mercy of God. Most pleasing to Me is that soul which faithfully carries out the will of God.... Be courageous. Do not fear apparent obstacles, but fix your gaze upon the Passion of My Son, and in this way you will be victorious (Diary, 449). She remained steadfast to the end without wavering beneath the Cross, beside Jesus, witnessing the salvation of all mankind. This is the mystery, the wonder that Mary treasured and pondered in her heart (Luke 2:19). She trusted in God in everything that she did and she carefully observed all the ways God was working through her. She didn't let God's words and deeds become memories, she kept them alive in her heart. God doesn't want His truths to fade from our minds either. He wants us to imitate Mary by keeping His promise alive in our hearts throughout the year. by Shirley Oleskiw Page 8
Study Scripture For the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has requested that we study scripture, especially the Gospels of the Evangelists. In his Papal Bull # 16 on mercy he writes, In the Gospel of Luke, we find another important element that will help us live the Jubilee with faith. Luke writes that Jesus, on the Sabbath, went back to Nazareth and, as was his custom, entered the synagogue. They called upon him to read the Scripture and to comment on it. The passage was from the Book of Isaiah where it is written: The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and freedom to those in captivity; to proclaim the year of the Lord s favour (Is 61:1-2). A year of the Lord s favour or mercy : this is what the Lord proclaimed and this is what we wish to live now. This Holy Year will bring to the fore the richness of Jesus mission echoed in the words of the prophet: to bring a word and gesture of consolation to the poor, to proclaim liberty to those bound by new forms of slavery in modern society, to restore sight to those who can see no more because they are caught up in themselves, to restore dignity to all those from whom it has been robbed. The preaching of Jesus is made visible once more in the response of faith which Christians are called to offer by their witness. May the words of the Apostle accompany us: he who does acts of mercy, let him do them with cheerfulness (cf. Rom 12:8). Holy Reminders Our Apostolate offers a new way to remind us of our faith. These Holy Reminders have clips, birthstone of every month, and medals of Jesus, Mary or the Saints. Also these are available with relics. They can be clipped on to your luggage, cell phones, key chains, zippers, luggage or back packs. The cost for the Holy Reminder is a donation of $2.00 each or $4.00 for the Holy Reminders with Relics, plus postage. Choice of month available, but not medal, as limited quantity. Page 9
Healing Our Broken World By Opening Our Hearts It can be amazing how much compassion we can show, just by opening our hearts to those around us. Pope Francis in his Papal Bull #15 given us the following instructions, In this Holy Year, we look forward to the experience of opening our hearts to those living on the outermost fringes of society: fringes which modern society itself creates. How many uncertain and painful situations there are in the world today! How many are the wounds borne by the flesh of those who have no voice because their cry is muffled and drowned out by the indifference of the rich! During this Jubilee, the Church will be called even more to heal these wounds, to assuage them with the oil of consolation, to bind them with mercy and cure them with solidarity and vigilant care. Let us not fall into humiliating indifference or a monotonous routine that prevents us from discovering what is new! Let us ward off destructive cynicism! Let us open our eyes and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme and mask our hypocrisy and egoism! It is my burning desire that, during this Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. It will be a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of poverty. And let us enter more deeply into the heart of the Gospel where the poor have a special experience of God s mercy. Jesus introduces us to these works of mercy in his preaching so that we can know whether or not we are living as his disciples. Let us rediscover these corporal works of mercy: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. And let us not forget the spiritual works of mercy: to counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish sinners, comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear patiently those who do us ill, and pray for the living and the dead. Mercy is love that seeks to lessen the misery of others Page 10
Living Mercy Forgiveness is living mercy. By loving our neighbor, as Jesus has asked us to do is no simple matter. It requires effort and wanting to do the will of God. Pope Francis in his Papal bull #12 tells us, The Church is commissioned to announce the mercy of God, the beating heart of the Gospel, which in its own way must penetrate the heart and mind of every person. The Spouse of Christ must pattern her behaviour after the Son of God who went out to everyone without exception. In the present day, as the Church is charged with the task of the new evangelization, the theme of mercy needs to be proposed again and again with new enthusiasm and renewed pastoral action. It is absolutely essential for the Church and for the credibility of her message that she herself live and testify to mercy. Her language and her gestures must transmit mercy, so as to touch the hearts of all people and inspire them once more to find the road that leads to the Father. The Church s first truth is the love of Christ. The Church makes herself a servant of this love and mediates it to all people: a love that forgives and expresses itself in the gift of oneself. Consequently, wherever the Church is present, the mercy of the Father must be evident. In our parishes, communities, associations and movements, in a word, wherever there are Christians, everyone should find an oasis of mercy. We can begin the Year of Mercy by forgiving ourselves, this can be accomplished by going to confession, we can began a new way of living. We can be freed from all the guilt and sins of our past life. When we begin in this way, it will be easier to forgive others and live mercy. Spending time in prayer, especially by spending an hour with Jesus before the Blessed Sacrament will reap great rewards in your life. Jesus is mercy, and He loves us and knows our needs, even before we tell Him. So let us go with confidence to our Merciful Father, ask His forgiveness, and then turn to our brothers and sister who are all God s children. by Shirley Oleskiw Our 3 sided display board, for the travelling Relic of St. Faustina Divine Mercy Display Board This is the display board used by the Knights of Columbus with the traveling relics of St. Fasutina. Get one for your church for the Year of Mercy. They cost $60.00 plus shipping. Page 11
Indulgence: For Jubilee Year of Mercy Conditions This is how an indulgence is defined in the Code of Canon Law (can. 992) and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 1471): An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the Saints. An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin. The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead. Mass and a wonderful homily by Fr. James Owolagba, our spiritual director about the Mercy of God. After Mass we shared a luncheon, sang many carols, exchanged gifts and just enjoyed each others company with the Lord. We gifted Father James with a Divine Mercy stole, and our adopted family with gift certificates. I thank everyone who came out to celebrate with us. by Shirley Oleskiw EADM Christmas Party On December 3rd, the Board, Fr. James Owolagba, and our adorers celebrated a wonderful evening. The evening began with the recitation of the rosary, the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Page 12
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Week Twenty-three Diary, 137-145 READING ASSIGNMENT TO PREPARE FOR THIS WEEK; Scripture Mt 10: 12-13; Jn 14:27; Gal 5:22 Catechism #736, 1832 WEEK OVERVIEW The readings focus on inner peace and discernment of God s will. Sister Faustina writes on pure love and inner peace and how her soul was in a state of great peace. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are also reviewed. LEARNING AND DISCUSSION: 1) How can peace be helpful in discernment? 2) Is peace a fruit of the Holy Spirit? 3) How can we better find true peace for ourselves and others? LESSON GOALS At the end of the discussion, members should understand: The need for being careful and testing one s inspirations, as well as the inner peace found in conforming to God s will, That pure love is capable of great deeds. Week Twenty-four Diary, 146-151 READING ASSIGNMENT TO PREPARE FOR THIS WEEK; Scripture Eph 6:10-20 Catechism #2731, 2729 WEEK OVERVIEW The writings focus on the interior struggle of the soul, as well as the role of trust and suffering in spiritual advancement. Saint Faustina writes of a vision of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the importance of doing little things well in our daily lives. LEARNING AND DISCUSSION: 1) What are the interior difficulties she writes about? (Diary, 147) 2) Can we trust and be afraid of suffering? (Diary, 149 and 1517) 3) Saint Faustina had a dream about St. Therese of the Child Jesus. How can we do little things in life in a more caring and loving way at home and at work? LESSON GOALS At the end of the discussion, members should understand: The interior difficulties of discouragement, dryness, heaviness of spirit, temptation - and how to combat them through prayer and a sacramental life, The little things matter in our daily lives and we need to focus how to do them in a more loving and caring fashion.
Divine Mercy Billboard with Jubilee logo T h a n k you Jesus and o u r d e a r sponsor for responding to our billboard campaign! This billboard on First Avenue North & Albert Street in Regina is a great blessing. Jesus made many promises to the faithful who would work to spread His Image of mercy throughout the world. We have saved many souls to date. We thank God for helping us in this effort. Please pray for the goodness of this soul who has been so kind to us. Divine Mercy Prayer Times in EADM Chapel & Shrine Monday - Open: 10:00 am-4:00pm. Tuesday - Open: 10:00 am-4:00 pm. Wednesday - Open: 10:00 am-4:00pm. Thursday - Open: 10:00 am-4:00 pm except when we have Mass or Liturgy, as stated in our newsletters Rosary @ 6:30 followed by Mass @ 7:00 pm. Masses are usually the first Thursday of the month. Friday, Saturday & Sunday - Open: 2:00-4:00 pm. Daily: 3:00 pm - Chaplet of Divine Mercy & DM Praises. Hourly: Divine Mercy Chaplet for the Sick & Dying. Any changes are posted on bulletin board at entrance to Offer For Newsletter Subscribers! Do you want to be kept informed about the activities of EADM Canada? For a donation of $30.00 you can receive a official receipt as well as a one year subscription to our Newsletter as a gift.