Julia’s Weekly Shrine Round-up: 10/31

By Julia Rose

Hello again, and Happy All Hallows' Eve, as "Halloween" should be known! "Hallow" means "holy," as today is the day before the great Solemnity of All Saints (not a Holy Day of Obligation this year, as it falls on a Saturday).

My colleague, Chris Sparks, has some great advice for parents in his Halloween article: Don't let your kids dress up like witches, ghosts, and demons! "Bring on the angels and the saints, the knights who will slay the dragons and the princesses who will rule their lands with justice and peace," he says. "Dress your children in the raiment of the lords and ladies of the heavenly court." Great advice!

And tomorrow, please remember the saints who are dear to the Marians and are represented here on Eden Hill, including St. Stanislaus Papczyński, St. Faustina, and the Great Mercy Pope, St. John Paul II. And, of course, St. Joseph, who welcomes pilgrims along our entrance drive!

Please keep in mind that there are two Marians whose causes for canonization are in progress and are in need of miracles: Blessed George Matulaitis, the Marian Renovator, and the Venerable Servant of God Casimir Wyszynski, one of the earliest Marian superior generals. Maybe you can obtain through their intercession the miracle needed to move their causes along to the next stage! To report graces received through these holy Marian Fathers, please e-mail graces@Marian.org.

Tomorrow, November 1, is also a First Saturday! Please join us in person or online at 11 a.m. for an "Explaining the Faith in 15 Minutes" talk by Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, on All Saints' Day, followed by devotions. Learn more here.

Queen of the Volunteers
Ask anyone on Eden Hill, and they will tell you: The smooth operation of the National Shrine depends upon a small army of 600-plus dedicated volunteers, year-round. And the person who recruits and oversees them is Aggie Bourque, our Volunteer & Event Coordinator! Now in her third year, Aggie has actually been preparing for this role for three decades, all because of her mom.

“The Shrine was very special to my mother," she explains. "She was in the choir with Br. Ken Galisa, MIC, and they would sing at Divine Mercy Weekend every year.”

After an invitation from her mother to volunteer, Aggie became the coordinator for the area for disabled pilgrims on Divine Mercy Sunday, a role which she continued to fulfill for 30 years. She joined the Shrine full-time following the pandemic. “God wanted me to have this job, and I am very grateful that I do," she says.

Every week, there are 10-12 volunteers on Eden Hill, acting as greeters, ushers, and golf-cart drivers. For major events like Divine Mercy Weekend, the number swells to several hundred.

“I love the people," Aggie says.  "The people who volunteer are so giving and love Jesus. It’s a win-win."

Interested in volunteering your time and talent at the National Shrine, any time of the year? Please do! Here's how to apply.

Volunteer, then convert!
Speaking of our volunteers, I had a chance to meet many and hear their inspiring stories at the annual Year-Round Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, held at the St. Faustina Center this week. Many Marians were also there, including Fr. Chris Alar, Fr. Mark Baron, and Fr. Matthew Tomeny. 

Rebecca from St. Jerome Parish in Holyoke, Massachusetts, began volunteering in April 2024, and is a familiar face as a greeter in the vestibule of the Shrine.

She has an amazing story! When she started volunteering, she was not a Catholic. Her friend, a Catholic revert, introduced her to the Shrine. After listening to Marian Fr. Chris Alar’s homily at Mass, she thought, “Wow, maybe I could do this." 

"The place itself is very reverent, and that’s what really affected me.”

Over time, she found herself at the Shrine more often, frequently attending Fr. Chris’ Saturday "Explaining the Faith" talks. On her very first day as a volunteer on Divine Mercy Sunday, a Marian brother engaged her in conversation about the Sacraments. The encounter sparked a deeper dive into the Catholic faith, leading to her conversion one year later!

“It’s just the beginning for me," she says with a big smile. "It’s a life-long journey.”

43 years and counting!
From a new volunteer to a veteran: Meet Arthur (below), a fellow “Maniac” (born in Maine) like me, who now attends St. Joseph Parish in Stockbridge. After being drawn to the Marians because of their devotion to the Blessed Mother, he joined the community and became a Marian brother for 13 years, serving as head of maintenance as well as the director of the former minor seminary.

Today, while no longer a brother, Arthur has remained committed to supporting the National Shrine.  And two years after leaving the Congregation, he met his beautiful wife, Chris, and was called to the vocation of marriage.

As part of the core team that helps organize Divine Mercy Sunday, Arthur has watched the weekend evolve over the past 43 years, growing exponentially from 10-12 buses of pilgrims to 253 buses at its largest!

Every Thursday, you can find Arthur in the Our Lady of Mercy Candle Shrine, where he and two other volunteers light more than 1,800 7-day candles while praying the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet, all for various prayer intentions.

"Divine Mercy means God’s ultimate love for us," he says. "We cannot even begin to mirror His love and forgiveness.”

Volunteering as a group
In a beautiful way, Kate (above) from St. Peter’s Parish in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, has found another way to spread the message of Divine Mercy. As a member of the Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy, she volunteers along with her cenacle, otherwise known as a prayer group.

Kate, who, like Arthur, began lighting candles at the Our Lady of Mercy Candle Shrine in 2013, is now facilitator of her cenacle. Every Wednesday, she and the other 10 active members pray at the Shrine during Eucharistic Adoration for all the intentions received by the prayerline. Once a month, they also meet in Memorial Hall to read and discuss various passages from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and passages of Scripture.

Over the years, Kate has also served as a volunteer at Rachel’s Vineyard retreats, a special outreach for women and men seeking healing after abortion. 

Thank you to Arthur, Kate, Rebecca, and all our volunteers who deserve to be recognized! If you ever meet volunteers on Eden Hill, please don’t hesitate to thank them!

That's all for today! Have a safe All Hallows' Eve and a blessed All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day!