Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
Divine Mercy & Outreach Ministry
Beginning on Divine Mercy Sunday 2018 we launched a new parish ministry of Mercy and Outreach, in the spirit of Divine Mercy message and under the patronage of Sister Faustina. This ministry born of our Love for God, is a manifestation of our Love for Neighbor. Love Serves. Our mission is to reach out to others by word, deed, and prayer as we encourage them to trust in God’s merciful love. We will first and foremost serve to minister to the spiritual poverty of those in need of the healing and reconciling mercy of God, whether they are now baptized members of the ‘Mystical Body of Christ, the Church’ or have yet to receive the gift of their salvation. Secondly, we will minister to the temporal poverty of those in need.
Parish support of the financial needs and further growth of this ministry…
- The parish will
- Increase the visibility and availability of the ‘Parish Poor Box’ and allocate all money collected in the ‘Parish Poor Box’ to this ministry, and to the specific projects that are initiated throughout the year.
- make online giving categories in order for parishioners and others to be able to support particular areas of this ministry.
- creation of a dedicated page on the parish website for the Divine Mercy Ministries and creation of a new Divine Mercy Ministry group in the ‘MyParishApp’
- support and encourage partnering with other parish and diocesan organizations and groups as well as other Christian Churches.
These are the missionary tasks which will be undertaken by the disciples of Christ who discern that they are called to participate and the support that can be expected of the parish... (please click on the ministry title in order to go to the specific ministry page)
In his second encyclical, Rich in Mercy, Pope Saint John Paul II offers an extended meditation on the mystery of God’s mercy, which he calls “the greatest of the attributes and perfections of God” (Dives in Misericordia, 13). He returned to this theme throughout his pontificate:
As a gift to humanity, which sometimes seems bewildered and overwhelmed by the power of evil, selfishness, and fear, the Risen Lord offers His love that pardons, reconciles, and reopens hearts to love. It is a love that converts hearts and gives peace. How much the world needs to understand and accept Divine Mercy! Lord, who reveals the Father’s love by Your death and Resurrection, we believe in You and confidently repeat to You today: Jesus, I trust in You, have mercy upon us and upon the whole world. ~ St. Pope John Paul II, Regina Caeli message prepared for Divine Mercy Sunday, April 3, 2005 What is mercy if not the boundless love of God, who confronted with human sin, restrains the sentiment of severe justice and, allowing Himself to be moved by the wretchedness of His creatures, spurs Himself to the total gift of self, in the Son’s cross …? Who can say that he is free from sin and does not need God’s mercy? As people of this restless time of ours, wavering between the emptiness of self-exaltation and the humiliation of despair, we have a greater need than ever for a regenerating experience of mercy. ~St. Pope John Paul II, Regina Caeli message, April 10, 1994 |
In his encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, Pope (Emeritus) Benedict XVI reminded us:
“…the exercise of charity became established as one of her essential activities, along with the administration of the sacraments and the proclamation of the word: love for widows and orphans, prisoners, and the sick and needy of every kind, is as essential to her as the ministry of the sacraments and preaching of the Gospel. The Church cannot neglect the service of charity any more than she can neglect the Sacraments and the Word.” The mission of Divine Mercy Outreach is to demonstrate the mercy of Christ by our support of those in need in the parish and throughout the local community, aswe serve them striving to meet the temporal needs, as Christ taught us. Thank you for being an instrument of that love, that Divine Mercy, in the lives of others through generous donations of our parishioners and friends of the parish as well as the active servants who are eager and willing to share their time, talents and skills. The Divine Mercy Outreach aspires to attend to the needs of parishioners and persons in the local community. |
An essential element of our efforts to engage in spiritual and corporal works of mercy, as individuals and as a parish family, is prayer. Prayer in thanksgiving for the blessings through Gods love and mercy; Prayer to know how to be a good steward of those blessings; Prayer for an increase of faith and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in me; Prayer to know how God calls me to share my blessings and gifts with others.
Prayer of Discernment
Father God, through your Son my Lord…
I give you thanks for all the ways in which your Love and your Mercy is poured out to me.
I ask for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as I reflect on the gospel call to holiness and living the imitation of Christ as a missionary disciple.
I ask you to guide me in my discernment and show me how to be faithful in the plans I make, the actions I take, and the love I share.
Give me the courage to allow my love to be sacrificial, joy in my generosity, and hope in the compassion I show,
especially to those most in need of your mercy.
Create in me a more open heart and a greater awareness of my need to grow, to change, to be transformed,
so that I may be a better steward of your gifts for the salvation of the world.
I repent of the sins I have committed and ask for your Mercy to be poured out upon me and upon the whole world.
I repent of my sins of omission. I ask you to help me become merciful, to receive Your mercy and let it flow through me to others.
I ask you to help me to forgive others as you have forgiven me.
Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!
Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You.
Amen.
I give you thanks for all the ways in which your Love and your Mercy is poured out to me.
I ask for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as I reflect on the gospel call to holiness and living the imitation of Christ as a missionary disciple.
I ask you to guide me in my discernment and show me how to be faithful in the plans I make, the actions I take, and the love I share.
Give me the courage to allow my love to be sacrificial, joy in my generosity, and hope in the compassion I show,
especially to those most in need of your mercy.
Create in me a more open heart and a greater awareness of my need to grow, to change, to be transformed,
so that I may be a better steward of your gifts for the salvation of the world.
I repent of the sins I have committed and ask for your Mercy to be poured out upon me and upon the whole world.
I repent of my sins of omission. I ask you to help me become merciful, to receive Your mercy and let it flow through me to others.
I ask you to help me to forgive others as you have forgiven me.
Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!
Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You.
Amen.