Julia's Weekly Shrine Round-up, May 22
By Julia Rose
jrose@Marian.org
Can you believe it's Memorial Day already, the unofficial start of summer?
Just a few weeks ago, Shrine Rector Fr. Matthew Tomeny, MIC, was officially commissioned as a Navy chaplain. His service reminds us to honor the memory of our veterans who served our country and paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
Here on Eden Hill, in the Marian Cemetery, flags are flying next to several graves of priests and brothers who served in the military, including Fr. Larry Dunn, MIC (above), and Fr. John Kobza, MIC.
Please keep all our veterans in your prayers and continue to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. It is an act of mercy, and a precedent that the Marian Founder, St. Stanislaus Papczyński (a military chaplain himself), set!
Join us in-person or online for a new talk by Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET on "Pentecost," anticipating Sunday's feast. Watch on YouTube at our channel Divine Mercy (Official), and on our Facebook page Divine Mercy (Official).
All are invited to the Life in the Spirit Ministry Retreat tomorrow from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. ET in the St. Faustina Center, organized by the Mother of Divine Mercy Catholic Charismatic Group. Walk-ins welcome; arrive by 8 a.m. Details here.
Please join us for the monthly Healing Mass next Thursday, May 28 at 7 p.m. ET, celebrated by Fr. Anthony Gramlich, MIC. Details here.
My Evangelization Mission to D.C.!
Last weekend, I was fortunate to take my first "road trip" to our nation's capital to attend "Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee Of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving," held on the National Mall on May 17. The date was significant, as 250 years ago, the Continental Congress called for a day of “prayer, fasting and humiliation" on May 17, 1776, in advance of the release of the Declaration of Independence a few weeks later.
I registered as a member of the media, representing Marian Press. It was amazing to meet Catholics and Christians of all ages, united in their desire to praise God and ask for His blessings on our country. Claudia from Texas summarized it best: “We’re reclaiming America back to Jesus. It’s symbolic. It’s spiritual. We're seeing a shift, especially in the Catholic young kids and the Christian young kids.”
The day-long event included talks by government leaders (Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio), Christian pastors and priests (including Cardinal Timothy Dolan), and Christian musicians (Chris Tomlin).
I was especially impressed by Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays Jesus in the very popular TV series "The Chosen," who opened his talk reminding all that it was Ascension Sunday. He encouraged the crowd to go to Confession, and closed with, "Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us and pray for us.”
Bishop Robert Barron gave an equally powerful address, referencing St. Thomas More, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, demonstrating how American history and Catholic history have always been intertwined.
I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Alveda King (speaking above), the niece of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a renowned pro-life activist. Although she is not Catholic, she had beautiful words to say about how mercy unites us as Christians.
“God’s mercy and grace are what we must rely on as Christians, regardless of our faith and denomination," she said. “I believe God’s mercy and grace comes in and helps us to learn to love each other. We’re one blood and one human race … .” Amen!
Following the event, I headed to "Pizza to Pews," a gathering for young Catholics arranged by Anthony Gross (above) and Kate DePetro. Keep an eye on these two — they've tapped into a genuine grass-roots movement as more and more members of my Gen-Z generation rediscover the Catholic Church and return to the practice of their faith.
Stay tuned for more in-depth interviews from this event in the coming weeks!
Visiting the Marian Scholasticate
While in Washington, I paid a visit to our Marian House there, also called the Marian Scholasticate. It's located on the campus of The Catholic University of America, and next door to the magnificent Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the equally impressive St. John Paul II National Shrine.
I had the chance to meet the House Superior, Fr. David Smith, MIC (above, left); Fr. Fidele Malanga, MIC (above, right); Fr. Diego Maximino, MIC; and Br. Keith Andre, MIC (who is an amazing cook!).
"We perform a lot of different ministries that let the people know that the Marians are here," Fr. David told me. "Just being here in our nation's capital is helpful in spreading our mission." In particular, he noted the ministry of the Marians to the Pentagon, the Quantico Marine Corps Base, and both Reagan National and Dulles International Airports.
The Scholasticate's chapel is a place of beauty and peace, with stained-glass windows depicting the Mysteries of the Rosary. At the back is "An Angel Frees the Souls of Purgatory," a 17th-century painting by Lodovico Carracci (below). On each side of the painting, there are lists of the people to pray for, specifically for the repose and purification of their souls.
More on my D.C. adventure in the weeks ahead!
God bless, everyone, and have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!
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