The Message
Friday, February 20
A Very Special Valentine - We had a very successful workshop on Valentine Weekend. Msgr Louis Brum, pastor of Holy Spirit TX in McAllen, Texas, joyfully hosted this Divine Mercy weekend consisting of a Friday night dinner for the priests and a workshop from 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday geared to those who know about the message and are interested in taking it to their parish, family, and community.
Jose Gamez organized the workshop as part of a wider Divine Mercy blitz he is putting on in this area of Texas. On Friday evening four priests, a deacon, and two deacons in training attended. They watched "Bringing Mercy Home" as they ate their dinner and then were treated to an hour of Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, MIC. Father Seraphim began by asking if they had any questions. One of the deacons asked Father how he got involved with the message, and off we went. It was a wonderful talk by Father.
The workshop on Saturday had been well publicized by Mr. Gamez, and the parish office was getting lots of calls about the event. There was no pre-registration and so people were being told to come early as it was possible we might run out of space. I got to Holy Spirit parish before sunrise, and there were already people lined up at the door of the parish hall!
We had about 200 attend the conference. It was a day filled with excitement and joy. It didn't turn out to be standing-room only, but we had a large crowd. The highlight of the event was, of course, Fr. Seraphim. Father kept us all riveted as he related teachings and stories garnered from his intimate involvement with the Divine Mercy message. What a blessing it was to have this icon of the message of Mercy with us! He continues to travel worldwide in response to the demand for the message. After his visit here in the valley, he had one day in Stockbridge before flying off to the Philippines for several conferences! Our Lord and Lady must surely look out and provide for this man who is such an apostle of mercy. I'm sure it is very gratifying and energizing for him to be around so many who are so on fire for Our Lord.
Dr. Bryan Thatcher of Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy (EADM) shared some very valuable and inspirational thoughts about his personal testimony and also about how important it is to live God's mercy in our actions with our neighbors. I've known Bryan for several years now, but I was extremely moved when he spoke about the story of his son almost drowning — the way he, in the midst of this crisis, was able to turn with trust to Jesus and say "Your will be done." He also spoke about the EADM cenacles that number in the thousands worldwide. He gave practical advice on how to start a cenacle and how fruitful they can be.
My wife and I (Mother of Mercy Messengers, MOMM) showed attendees ways to take the message to their communities with, among other things, the use of some of our products. The film version of our flagship program "Tell All Souls About My Mercy" is one of the best ways to share the message with others. It takes people to the core of the message in a dramatic way and touches their heart to be open to the message of forgiveness. Attendees were told how they can use the DVD in their living rooms as well as in a parish event on a big screen. We also shared information of our children's program "Divine Mercy for Young Hearts" and the new companion instructional CD-ROM full of activities and worksheets.
Monday, October 23
Crossing the Bronx - We stayed last night at a hotel right across from Manhattan near the Newark airport. Our day today would take us across the Bronx to give a program and then pack up and make to two-hour drive back across the Bronx and down to Trenton where our next program is tomorrow. We spent the morning in our hotel room working on several tasks like taking care of a problem with the web site, checking and returning email and doing the accounting from the last several presentations. After packing up and checking out a little after noon, we got on 95 and headed north for a program for Religious Ed students this evening at Most Holy Trinity in Mamaroneck (pronounced Maronick) New York which is just on the other side of New Rochelle. Driving the rig anywhere near the mega metropolis of New York City is a challenge and today would be no different. I95 turns east as you cross the Hudson River on the George Washington Bridge ($24 toll one way thank you very much) before heading across the Bronx. The traffic lanes are quite skinny and with 18 wheelers all around and little sports cars zipping in and out (does anyone drive the speed limit here?) and wind whipping the rig from side to side we are given ample chances to call on the angels to simply keep us in our lane. It is truly 'by God's grace' that we make it to where we are going. And we would have the pleasure of traveling this route twice today. The computer map had shown us that the parish was just off of 95 and I had identified the exit number and the route was simple, just exit and go down and make a right and the parish is right there. What the computer map did not show was the rail line between 95 and the parish that had low clearance underpasses. Our rig is eleven feet two inches tall (OK make it twelve feet just to be safe) and here comes an underpass with a clearly marked low clearance of ten feet. With the aid of the GPS (thank God for modern technology) we made a turn and headed parallel to the rail line to try and find a workable crossing. Well after several turns and one-way streets and dead ends and THREE more low clearance underpasses we finally get across the rail line and head to the parish. The church was built in horse and buggy days and apparently horses and buggies didn't require the parking accommodations that modern transportation does and we looped around the church on the one-way streets hoping for a large enough area for us to fit in. We've pretty much learned to stay calm (again by God's grace) when doing this work but I began to have a tinge of anxiousness about where we were going to park and were there going to be steps to navigate (our gear is all on wheels and so a ramp or elevator makes things much easier than steps). As we rounded the last turn around the church sure enough there were empty spaces for us to park in with easy access to the church with just one step to hop over which is no problem. We were warmly received at the parish (Thank God again because that is not always the case, please pray for parish office personnel) and were able to load in and set up with no problem. The program went great and the kids prayed the chaplet and we packed up and loaded out. At 10 pm I grabbed a cup of coffee from the 24-hour diner across the street and we headed out back across the Bronx toward Trenton New Jersey. The view of Manhattan with the Empire State building at night from the George Washington Bridge is really a sight. It looks like Gotham City, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Batman warning signal shinning in the sky over the skyline. Down 95 we go passing the Newark airport where we started today with it's long line of flights strung out in the distance as they line up to land. Traffic thins out a little as we cross New Jersey. Check into the hotel and switch rooms because of a minor snitch and finally plop on the bed about 1 am. As I hit the sack I'm tempted to ask Joan what our schedule is like tomorrow but I decide to just go to sleep and let tomorrow take care of itself. Thank you God for all your grace in keeping us safe on the road and touching the hearts of those who come to our programs. Good night.
In Christ, Dave
Monday, October 16
I Think I Felt It Too - At Corpus Christi Catholic Church and School in Hasbrouck Heights New Jersey, we did a program for about 400 school children from 1st to 8th grades. At the end of the program Fr placed our Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist upon the altar in a monstrance for the praying of the Chaplet of Mercy with the children. The program was held in the Chapel of the school which had some stained glassed windows along the sides. Although I did take notice of them while we were setting up, they weren't big stained glass windows and although tastefully done they also weren't the most ornate, rather having simpler designs. I was kneeling before the altar and was stunned when Fr placed the monstrance there, because perfectly framed in the circle that holds the host there appeared the image of the Sorrowful Face of our Lord with the crown of thorns and blood dripping down His Face. After a second or two of wonderment I remembered that earlier Joan pointed out a stained glass panel that showed Jesus on the way of the cross with Veronica holding her veil and the image of the Sorrowful Face of Our Lord on her veil. I looked over my shoulder to the right and sure enough what I was seeing in the monstrance was the reflection of the Face of Jesus from that panel. It could not have been framed better, the Face filled the entire two inch circle yet with a little space around the edge as a frame. I pondered this divine coincidence as we prayed the Chaplet with the students, and they prayed beautifully. I can't help but think about Our Father in heaven listening to these small voices joined together begging for mercy upon the sick and dying and how much His Heart must be touched. After the program was all done and the students had made their way back to class and we were beginning to pack up Fr kind of offhandedly remarked something like "I could really feel the spirit moving as we all prayed". I grinned and said, "I think I felt it too".
In Christ, Dave
Monday, October 2
Attendee Reports - - My family and I were at your presentation on Saturday night at the Chicago Marriott. It was such a wonderful evening. We truely felt the presence of the Lord there. You made the ball room feel like a holy Church and your presentation was incredible. I really did feel like Jesus was taking directly to me. Thank you for all you do to spread this vital message. May Gob bless you and your ministry.
Joan - The day after we left, terrible thunderstorms pelted downtown Chicago, winds up to 60 miles an hour. We were glad we were no longer on the 31st floor of the Marriott but we are still amazed and thankful to God that we were able to Bring Divine Mercy to the Heart of the Miracle Mile.
Sunday, October 1
Heading East - Wow, what an experience this has been here on the 'Miracle Mile'. Today is a beautiful sunny day as we are driving the rig out of downtown Chicago. I just can't get over the response of the people last night and the peace I felt as we were gathered together in prayer. Three Marian priests joined us for this event; Fr. Kaz Chwalek, Fr. Michael Callea, and Fr. Matthew Lameraux. After our presentation Fr. Kaz blessed those who wished • which was everyone - with a first class relic of St. Faustina. Although confessions had not been planned as part of the evening, some of the attendees approached the priests and were able to receive this sacrament.
Today we head east. Our next stop is in the Boston area and we have 983 miles to drive and three days to get there. So off we go, out of the city and down the turnpike…, 982…., 981…
In Christ, Dave
Saturday, September 30
Mercy Comes to the Miracle Mile - Downtown Chicago - In a ballroom at the Marriott Hotel on Michigan Avenue, the center of the Miracle Mile, one of the most opulent and exclusive shopping districts of the world, a group of faithful are gathered together shedding tears and opening their hearts to God's love and praying for mercy for the whole world.
Dave • God takes us to ALL kinds of places, and in this case in connection with the National Catholic Development Conference, He brought us to a beautiful hotel and a beautiful city. Our room was on the 31st floor with views of the city skyline against a sparkling blue backdrop of Lake Michigan. Simply put, we go where Our Lady leads us. I had no idea there was a destination such as this on this tour. I knew we were going to downtown Chicago, but this place was an unexpected treat. Not to say that driving our RV with trailer in tow through the crowded streets was easy or unstressful, just ask Fr. Michael Callea, MIC • director of the Divine Mercy Apostolate office in Stockbridge. He had hooked up with us for presentations in Kenosha, WI and rode into the city with us. Fr. Michael said it definitely was a "memorable experience."
Joan • Dave pulled up in front of the hotel; heads turned toward the big white rig from Texas, and Father Michael and I jumped out with all our bags • as if jumping off a train. We scrambled into the hotel to get our rooms and drop off the bags while Dave drove around the busy streets waiting for me to return to go with him to park the vehicle and trailer in a lot several blocks away. My husband deserves a gold medal for his patience and skill in driving our rig • especially in these crowded city streets! He is amazing and I am sure it is due to God's grace that we have been able to safely travel all these years.
Friday, September 29
Program at Marian Parish - Last night we were at St. Peter's in Kenosha, WI. 150 people attended and it was a beautiful evening. Some nights just seem to be very spirit filled and last night was one of them. There were many tears during the program and many went to confession during adoration. The Marian Fathers not only run the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, MA, but they also have several parishes around the country and St. Peter's is one of them. It was a special event for us to come to this Marian parish and to see Fr. Bill Hayward MIC again.
Today we drive south into downtown Chicago. We will be giving our program at the Marriot on the Miracle Mile as part of a national conference for Catholic non-profit organizations. I'm getting mentally prepared to drive our rig into the city. Pray for us!
In Christ, Dave
Monday, September 25
On Our Way, Kenosha, Wisconsin - We left Home/Office in on Friday and after 4 days on the road we have arrived at our first stop in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It's been smooth sailing so far and that is what traveling down the road seems like sometimes in our rig, sailing, and if you've never been sailing I can tell you that it is usually not the most fast paced activity. On the highway we typically move along a little slower than the general flow of traffic and so it takes us a little longer to get where we are going. Call me a tortoise if you will but safety, gas mileage, lower stress, and avoidance of encounters with the Patrolman kind all weigh in on the side of taking it slow. By God's grace it's been seven years and some 200,000 some odd miles without any incident. Please pray for our continued safety.
But here we are on the shores of Lake Michigan, a long way from Center Point, TX, getting ready to present the first program on our Fall tour. Tomorrow we set up at St. Mark's here in Kenosha. Although It's always melancholy leaving home but we are both refreshed after a summer break from touring and excited about traveling and presenting these wonderful programs that God has given us to share with folks. More to come soon!
In Christ, Dave
Tuesday, August 29
MOMM Gears up for Fall Tour - All sorts of details are being finalized, loose ends are getting connected and even some last minute programs are being booked for MOMM's upcoming fall tour. Margie Stone is the MOMM booking manager and she has grown a phone receiver on her ear as she arranges over 20 events from Kenosha Wisconsin to Staten Island New York. Joan has been juggling her customary dozen or so projects communicating with Stockbridge and contacts in the field. Dave says the rig will be all packed up for the scheduled departure as he and Joan leave home base in mid-September heading north out of central Texas for a week of programs in eastern Wisconsin. After a short stop for a conference in Chicago our intrepid travelers will head east to Massachusetts where a local organization has set up several MOMM events for the area.
Mid October is not exactly a bad time to be in New England. Joan says, "We go where people call us to come to. God seems to always call us to special places at special times of the year." Dave adds, "The beauty of the places and people we encounter in this mission is to us a firm testament to God's grace abounding on this earth. Our very first outing in this work took us along a track following the springtime from southern California all the way up the Pacific Northwest into central British Columbia. As we traveled north we happened to follow the peak of the spring berry harvest and would stop along the way to enjoy the local fruits and such. We hiked up to a mountain meadow in Revelstoke, Canada and saw the same spring wildflowers we had seen in southern Cal two months earlier. This work is a mission but it is also an incredible adventure. Sometimes I feel like I am married to 'Joan Wilder' from the movie Romancing the Stone. Depending on how the scheduling works out we might have a day or two to sightsee some fall foliage, God's will be done."
After Massachusetts Dave and Joan have a busy schedule in northern New Jersey including a visit to an interesting section of the sprawling metropolis just across from Manhattan that Dave and Joan have been to before know as Bayone, New Jersey. Dave relates, "Beyone is more like an island than a city or neighborhood. It is on the water with the Statue of Liberty just offshore. To get there we have to cross two of those huge bridges that seem to go all over around Manhattan and with our big rig navigating the perennial construction in the heavy traffic is a challenge. Toss in there getting in the correct toll lane and I'll tell you sometimes this ole' Texas boy seems a bit out of place. Sometimes I feel like I am wearing a big white Texas ten-gallon hat with 'HOWDY!' painted all over the rig but somehow we seem to manage. Tolls are different for the different bridges but I remember paying $24 to go across one bridge last visit." This visit to the area on this tour includes a visit to a parish on Staten Island.
The MOMM show then heads west to Pennsylvania and Ohio before heading back to home grounds by mid-November. Check out the MOMM schedule online for full details.
May God bless you one and all.
Thursday, December 1
MOMM Goes to Jail - There is a special joy to be able to reach out to those most in need of His mercy. We are grateful to have recently been given the chance to present Divine Mercy to the inmates at a women's correctional facility northeast of Houston, Texas. We spoke to a room filled with more than 60 women in great pain, each of them yearning to find God in their lives. We saw a great deal of crying, but even more than this, a great deal of healing and appreciation for the great gift of mercy. One young woman even told us that our presentation had made her whole stay at the facility worthwhile! In the past, she had been forced into a life of crime to support a seemingly undefeatable drug habit. We are encouraged to think that she is now shedding this old skin and preparing for a life renewed.
There is a great lack of ministry presence in prisons, and those who are in contact with prisoners must wait a long time after a prisoner's release to reestablish contact with them. We want to spread awareness to everyone interested in realizing Works of Mercy here is a golden opportunity! Forging bonds with those just released from an institution will help them to stay on the right path and readjust to life in the world. Think of this as a sort of sponsorship, or better yet, a spiritual adoption. It stems from your desire to show mercy and compassion to someone in need, and ends in them incorporating these gifts to live a life that is likewise full of mercy and compassion!
Thursday, November 10
MOMM Completes Successful Northeast Tour! - We are enjoying a short rest back home in Texas after completing a whirlwind tour through Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The road can be a tiring place, but we've persevered, presenting a variety of different Divine Mercy programs to our audiences.
Friday, November 4
Exciting New Product: Divine Mercy for Young Hearts! - We have been hard at work on our new product, "Divine Mercy for Young Hearts." We are thrilled to announce that the DVD of this program is due to arrive very soon, and that nearly 100 copies have already been ordered through presales. This program is something truly wonderful, a warm and instructive lesson in the Catholic faith, crowned with the special gift of Divine Mercy.
"Divine Mercy for Young Hearts" will be available in DVD as well as VHS. The CD audio form has already appeared in the Marian Helper catalogue.
Tuesday, November 1
Welcome to the MOMM Blog! - Over the past few years, the world's use of computers has grown astronomically. We don't think we're the only ones who often wonder how the heck we managed before email, before websites, before blogging.
We, Dave and Joan Maroney of the Mother of Mercy Messengers (MOMM), constantly send emails to our friends, family and colleagues worldwide. We have established a presence on various websites to let people know what we're doing, where we're going, and what products we have produced. Now it only seems fitting that we create a blog (for the uninitiated, this is short for web-log) to allow us to communicate with all of you on a more regular and casual basis. We can't wait to share our little anecdotes from our many travels, whether they be as simple as a flat tire in Tucson or as moving as the conversion of heart we see in so many of those who attend our programs.
So stay tuned! We'll be back soon with more!