Julia’s Weekly Shrine Round-up: 10/3

By Julia Rose

Hi! I’m Julia, and I recently joined the Editorial Department at the Marian Helpers Center here at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy. I’m excited to be a part of the Marian Fathers’ mission of evangelization, and that includes reporting on what’s happening at our amazing and beautiful National Shrine.

Join me every Friday as I get to know better this treasure on Eden Hill and meet some of the pilgrims. I hope this will encourage you to plan your own pilgrimage to Stockbridge in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. The National Shrine is open year-round, and everything you need to know is posted on ShrineofDivineMercy.org.

And please e-mail me with your pilgrim stories and photos! 

Let’s get started!

Pilgrims and Fall Foliage
It's October, and the perfect time to visit the Shrine! The weather is beautiful, and as the leaves transform into their beautiful autumn colors, I am reminded again of how there isn’t anything quite like fall in New England. 

There's a steady stream of buses making the climb up Eden Hill, with pilgrims arriving from as far away as Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and, this week, Miami, Florida! And you never know who you're going to meet.

The other day, the star of "The Chosen," Jonathan Roumie, paid a visit and attended the 2 p.m. Mass in the Shrine. He was on a pilgrimage with Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart, Founder of the Daughters of Nazareth in the Archdiocese of Boston! While our meeting was brief, I was blessed to hold Mother Olga’s hand and receive a kiss on the cheek from her.

A busy weekend ahead!
Today is First Friday, and that means devotions tonight at the National Shrine at 8 p.m. Please join us in person or watch here on TheDivineMercy.org, on YouTube at our channel Divine Mercy (Official), and on our Facebook page Divine Mercy (Official).

And of course tomorrow, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, is First Saturday. After the Blessing of the Animals at 10:30 a.m. (details here), join us for a talk by Fr. Mark Baron, MIC in the Shrine at 11 a.m. (his topic sounds fascinating: "The Unsuspected Marian Spirituality of St Francis of Assisi"), followed by devotions. Please join us in person or online.

Curious about these monthly devotions (as am I)? Click here.

And, of course, Oct. 5 is the feast of St. Faustina. Because it falls on a Sunday this year, the celebration is moved to Monday. We're expecting a large crowd of pilgrims, so please join us! A full day of wonderful events are planned, including a special talk by Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, a Blessing with the Relic of St. Faustina during the Hour of Great Mercy, and a book signing by Kevin Wilson of his book, The Saint I Knew!, featuring St. Faustina. More details here.

Speaking of Relics...
Did you know that on Eden Hill, the Marian Fathers have several first-class relics of St. Faustina? In the St. Faustina Chapel (above), located to the right of the altar in the Shrine, there is a reliquary that holds a bone fragment of the Apostle of Divine Mercy. This is encased in the kneeler for proper veneration. And there's another relic in the Our Lady of Mercy Oratory chapel in the Marian Helpers Center. 

“The relics of St. Faustina, as all relics of Saints do, point us to the understanding of the sacredness of the human body and the holiness that should reside there," explains Fr. Gabe Cillo, MIC. "Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Sacred Scripture. So, God uses the body as an instrument to communicate grace, inspiration, and healing to us.” 

He adds, "Remember: St. Faustina was human like us. If we trust in God’s mercy for us by the help of His grace, we, too, can become great saints!”

Pro-life Pilgrims
Don and Sue (above), a retired couple from St. Joseph’s Parish in Arlington, Texas, drove all the way to the Berkshires for one special reason: to visit the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy.

Fans of our weekly EWTN program, "Living Divine Mercy,"  they also listen to Fr. Chris Alar's online talks, and were especially excited to meet him following Mass. From attending the guided Stations of the Cross on Friday morning to the monthly Healing Mass (next one: Oct. 30) and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, their visit was full.

“This is all just perfect. I mean we couldn’t have planned it any better,” Sue says. In particular, she found the statue of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (above), located in the Holy Family Shrine, especially moving. 
 
As strong advocates for the lives of the unborn, they prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Rosary outside an abortion clinic in Fort Worth, Texas, twice a week for several years until it closed. “I pray that God will have mercy on these mothers," Sue says. "We have seen several people who have decided not to have an abortion,” including one woman who got pregnant while in medical school and went on to have her baby, eventually becoming a doctor. 

The Shrine of the Holy Innocents, located behind the Mother of Mercy Outdoor Shrine, honors the lives of all children who have passed away, including those who were aborted or miscarried. Please visit and light a candle in remembrance of those children.

More news and pilgrim views next Friday! Have a great weekend!
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