mercy – Page 3 – Communio

Mercies Remembered: Reflections and Reminiscences of a Parish Priest

A recently published book of a parish priest, Mercies Remembered: Reflections and Reminiscences of a Parish Priest, is being presented at Waterbury’s Silas Bronson Library (267 Grand Street) December 6 at 6:30pm.

Mercies Remembered is described as a collection of “heartfelt stories of mercy from his 22 years as a priest with the simplicity, humility, humor and profundity of a faith-filled life.”

Father Matthew R. Mauriello, STL, is a native of New Jersey and a priest of the Diocese of Bridgeport and is currently the pastor of the Church of Saint Roch (Greenwich, CT). Moreover, he is the president of the North American Congress on Mercy. Father Mauriello was given the honor of being an Honorary Canon of the Cathedral Basilica of Orvieto.

The book is available at the link above on Amazon or from the author, Father Matthew.

Contact:

Father Matthew R. Mauriello

Church of Saint Roch

10 St Roch Avenue

Greenwich, CT 06830-6234

203-243-8343

frmattmaurie@aol.com

Saint Mary Magdalen: a witness to the “healing power of Christ’s tender mercy.”

“Everywhere in our culture, people seem so quick to condemn. It is very hard to find words of mercy or understanding for someone who has done something wrong, many good people out there saying things they know they shouldn’t be saying.

People make mistakes. They sin. Some people do evil that causes scandal and grave harm. We can condemn the offense and work for justice — without trying to destroy the person who committed the sin.

We need to reject every temptation to shame or condemn people. Let us never be the cause of turning someone away from seeking God’s forgiveness and redemption.

Let us pray for one another this week, ask the Virgin Mary to ‘give us a faith like Mary Magdalene and hearts to forgive.'”

José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles

The Tidings, July 22, 2011

We remain images of Christ, no matter what happens…

A perplexing issue of one’s faith is accepting that no matter what we do, no matter who we become, we remain a son or daughter of God. There is no unforgivable sin except the sin of presumption against the Holy Spirit. We can do the most heinous of things, even deny God’s existence, we remain in Christ’s reach for mercy in His washing us with His own Precious Blood. History has several good examples of people doing terrible things to others and destabilizing society, but is it impossible to have mercy on these people? The question eventually becomes: Can a person who does evil things be forgiven and saved? Is forgiveness outside the realm of possibility for God, for us? If not for God, why is it that we find so difficult to be merciful toward others?

As scripture say, all have sinned and fallen short of
God’s glory (Rom 3:23) so that all of us are at some time in our lives
potentially (and unfortunately all too actually) capable of real evil. Yet no
matter how depraved people may become, they remain always images of Christ the
true Image of God. That image-quality may be soiled, tarnished, obscured and
disfigured, but is never wholly lost, never totally destroyed.

The more we
commit sin the more we weave a web around ourselves, voluntarily blocking out
his light. That is why in the incarnation God punched a hole in our self-woven
cocoon and thrust in a hand to drag us out: that is why Christ descended into
our hell of God-forsakeness – so that we could not go on pretending to
ourselves – and in that way justifying our own ghastliness to ourselves and
others.

Meeting Christ in His Mysteries

Father Gregory Collins, OSB

Sacrament of Mercy Conference

A friend, the Rev’d Canon Matthew R. Mauriello, has organized the forthcoming Conference on the Sacrament of Mercy to be held in Milwaukee, 8-9 October. There are several excellent speakers to note.

If you are in the area, perhaps you can participate. But being united in prayer is very welcomed. Perhaps the intention could be to ask the Lord to show us His mercy so that we can be merciful. In so many places and circumstances in the Church love shown to its extreme limits –mercy– is lacking. There is something wrong with this experience. Pray to Saint Matilda of Hackeborn, as Pope Benedict suggested earlier this week.

See the program here: Sacrament of Mercy Conference.pdf

Divine Mercy Sunday

In every age the Lord wants his mercy to be known to us. Over time you have no doubt noticed the Lord revealing Himself through the works of various saints: Saints Gertrude, Mechtilde, Margaret Mary Alocoque, Claude la Colmbiere, Fautina, and Blessed Francisco de los Hoyos. Most often the call to recognize divine Mercy has come in the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus which we ordinarily devote the month of June to. Today is the fruit of Saint Faustina’s mission to make known Jesus’ invitation to enter into His heart.

Today is dedicated to Divine Mercy, as recommended by Pope John Paul II based on the visions of Saint Faustina. As you might know in Memory and Identity by John Paul spoke of mercy as the limit of sin. Why not give yourself over to the work of divine mercy?

Divine Mercy Sunday is a day in which we recognize God’s looking with pity on our nothingness. Saint Faustina told us of her certainty based on your vision of the Lord that there is a certain promise from the Lord connected with this festal observance: the complete forgiveness of sins and punishment of the person who receives Holy Communion in a state of grace (that is, the person who has made a good confession). Here God promises to be merciful in giving his divine justice. Jesus is eager to love us. It is a promise of a restoration of one’s friendship with God.

I highly recommend you spend some time in prayer, if possible, at 3 pm, using the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

These graces of mercy are not limited today alone. You can receive them anytime you want … if you are open to receiving them.

Ted Kennedy: mercy or damnation? What do real Christians think?

In the week since the obsequies for Edward Kennedy, Senator, not a few self-appointed ministers of God’s justice and mercy have rendered their judgement: the Senator should not have been buried using the rites of the Catholic Church. Interesting.

The sacred Liturgy tells us what we who are baptized believe: we are sinners and God’s mercy is in abundance. Sinners need and want mercy from God almighty. I want and need His forgiveness and His tender embrace. I am sure Ted Kennedy wanted the same. Since I was not at his bedside when he was sick, nor did I hear the Senator’s confession and nor was I present when his priest gave him the Sacrament of the Sick, Viaticum and the Apostolic Pardon. Presumably he received these sacred rites before his death. In short, I don’t know the state of his soul. I do know that he wrote to the Holy Father and a kind reply was received.

Cardinal Sean O’Malley has been criticized for being a pastor of souls; he explains as much on his blog this week. The bishop of Madison, WI, Robert Morlino, has a wonderful piece on this subject and I highly recommend your reading it. Use it for you lectio. Bishop Morlino’s reflection is found here.

Is a lack of mercy to a sinner the demonstration of Christianity’s decay? What virtues are being taught and lived when Christians so violently pontificate that mercy is not possible for the sinner, even such a public sinner? Does Christianity have any real meaning left? If we break mercy from the Christian life then we no longer have a Christian religion that leads one to salvation in Christ. To whom do we witness: Christ or the self?

Divine Mercy

On one occasion Saint Faustina heard these words of the Lord:

“My daughter, tell the whole world about My Inconceivable mercy. 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 floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will I contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.” (Diary 699)

Mercy can be challenging, to some

An article by Father Julián Carrón, President of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, has been published by the Italian daily, Avvenire. The article is titled “A Challenging Mercy” and is related to the letter Pope Benedict addressed to all Bishops after the polemics about the lifting of the excommunication of bishops in the Society of St. Pius X. I recommend the article.