‘I’ve Never Heard of It!’
It’s like the cliché my mom loves to say, “We can put a man on the moon, but we can’t cure the common cold!”
We can liberate Iraq.
We can get satellite TV.
In this day and age, there is no way anyone can make any excuse — especially with the internet — that they could not get the information or did not have access to it.
What are we talking about?
We recently moved into a new community.
Previously, in our former community, while our local bishop did not promote nor attend it, we had a large gathering that was solemnly attended to by an order of monks who ensured the needs of the faithful were met.
Now we are in one of the largest dioceses of the United States.
And yet, no one knows what we are talking about.
We call up or speak to people and the response is: “Divine Mercy what? I’ve never heard of it!”
Here we are just a few weeks away and in the fourth year since the Holy Father decreed that every Sunday after Easter was to be known as Divine Mercy Sunday, and still our local priests, laity and bishop have no concept about this incredible and God-ordained feast.
Interestingly, our new local diocese is deeply involved in the pedophile scandal (and making the news). Perhaps the local hierarchy is well-aware of John Paul’s canonization of St. Faustina and the call for the veneration and celebration of Divine Mercy after the great Feast of the Resurrection.
But perhaps the hierarchy is distracted by other activities the diocese feels is more important for them to pursue.
Like the local golf tournament they promoted at every Mass the other month as a fund-raising activity (to perhaps pay for their legal expenses?).
We finally spoke to one person in the diocese, a member of the laity, who said he was aware of the feast and was planning to do something in celebration of it.
Excitedly, we inquired what he would be doing.
If we wanted, we were told, we could attend the 7:30 a.m. Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday after which the Divine Mercy Chaplet would be prayed.
Asked if there was going to be any other activity in the day, the response was very firm that nothing else could be offered because there was “too much commotion” after the 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. Masses.
Oh.
We can liberate Iraq; watch satellite TV; surf the internet; but we can't find a local Divine Mercy Feast to attend four years after the Divine Mercy pope declares it!
We think there is a lot of work to do to put this Church of ours back on course.
And it begins by pleading with God for something His Church is in desperate need of and only He can give: Divine Mercy!
© 2003 Agnus Dei Presents!
