Julia’s Weekly Shrine Round-up: 12/12

By Julia Rose
ShrineofDivineMercy.org

Eden Hill remains a winter wonderland! The snow adds a beauty and serenity to the grounds of the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy at this time of year. It's a great time to visit! Remember we're open all year 'round, every day of the week!

Yesterday we sang "Happy Birthday" to the Marian Fathers! 355 years young! And today we honor Our Lady of Guadalupe on her feast day! She's not just Patroness of the Americas, but also Patroness of the Unborn.

And one of the very special places here at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy is the Shrine of the Holy Innocents, tucked behind the Mother of Mercy Outdoor Shrine. This honors all children who have died, whether they were victims of a mass shooting (like the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre), miscarried, aborted, or stillborn, as well as their families who are grieving.

Displayed beautifully in the center of the Shrine is a bronze statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe (shown at top), surrounded by tiles with the names of the children who have died. A small statue of St. Juan Diego kneels before her.

"We wanted Our Lady of Guadalupe in the center because she is the Patroness of Life,” Fr. Anthony Gramlich, MIC, explains. “Our Lady of Guadalupe is empathizing with men and women who are coming in with child loss, because Our Lady has a child in her womb. She is showing that she is pregnant, she is with them, and that she is with all these children that are around her.”

Watch this week's episode of "Living Divine Mercy" on Our Lady of Guadalupe, featuring Fr. Daniel Klimek.

A holiday treat!
Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of getting a peek inside the Marians’ Residence next to the Shrine Chapel. Traditionally not open to the public, as the Marians live there, the Residence was one of the four properties chosen to be part of the “Historic Holiday Property Tour,” a private ticketed event sponsored by the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce.

During my tour I was welcomed at the entrance by Kelly Palmer (above), our manager of human resources, who has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce for almost three years.

"We enjoy partnering with the Chamber of Commerce," Kelly says. “It creates community connection, and benefits us by getting word out there that we are just a short drive up the hill. Our participation in Chamber events supports their mission and, in turn, our membership helps us to support our mission as well.”

With more than 700 tickets purchased, it’s safe to say that the event was popular! Brother Ken Galisa, MIC, and Br. Stephen Camara, MIC, were on hand to answer questions and offer insights on the historic house dating from the late 1800s. Purchased by the Marian Fathers in 1943, it is just one of the many properties on Eden Hill they’ve made their home.

After learning about the interesting history of the Residence, a special surprise came at the end of the tour: festive treats! We were greeted with warm hot chocolate, coffee, and delicious pastries and cookies, all made by Craig, a long-time friend of Eden Hill who also runs the Eden Hill Café.

Journeying through faith
The tour brought many first-time visitors to the Shrine, including Colleen (below) from Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Merrimack, New Hampshire. 

Growing up with a Catholic father and a Baptist mother, Colleen was raised in both faiths. She came to the United States from Jamaica at 6 years old, when her mother got a job at  Boston College (my alma mater!).

“It’s interesting. I’ve been on a journey through so many different religions, but I always seem to come back to the Catholic Church,” Colleen says. 

The Shrine was Colleen’s first introduction to Divine Mercy, and it deeply resonated with her. “You know what God gives us? He gives us grace, and he gives us mercy," she says. "God’s love is so deep for us that sometimes we forget.”

Colleen shared a particularly powerful story of love and mercy. After buying lunch one day, she felt called to go to a homeless shelter. There she encountered a homeless man who asked her for 50 cents. “I looked into his eyes, and I saw hunger,” she recalls. She suddenly remembered all of the food she had just bought, and gave it to him.

“And you know what he said? ‘Thank you with a grateful heart. Thank God you were there.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, no … it’s God. It’s Him working through all of us.’”

What a beautiful story, especially during this holy season of Advent, when remembering the least fortunate is especially important! As Fr. Mark Baron, MIC, said in a recent homily, “The traditional penitential practices are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Do something that shows that God matters in your life, because He does matter.” Amen!

Watch Episode 2 of "Journey through Advent" with Fr. Anthony Gramlich, MIC.

The Giving Tree
Speaking of Advent, there's a wonderful tradition this time of year at the National Shrine: the Giving Tree (below).

Set up just to the left of the main altar, the Giving Tree is adorned with mini stocking ornaments. Choose one and you’ll find tucked inside a scroll that lists the age of a girl or boy to purchase a gift card for, along with their interests. You are welcome to bring the gift card to the Shrine or mail it using the envelope provided.

Please join us between now and the deadline, Dec. 16! And the ornament is yours to keep!

Next to the Giving Tree is the statue of the Infant of Prague. Please join us and pray the Christmas/Infant of Prague Novena starting Dec. 16.

Wishing you a wonderful end to the second week of Advent! Halfway there! God bless and see you next Friday!
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