Second Sunday of Easter or Sunday of Divine Mercy
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
The Octave Day of Easter was traditionally called Low Sunday. After the forty fasting days of Lent, the seven days of Easter week were usually days of big meals, parties, celebrations and elaborate liturgies. We have to remember that fasting prior to the 1960s was much more common in the Church. Lent wasn't just fasting from one or two food items and abstaining from meat on Friday... Every Monday through Saturday was like Good Friday now. Only one meal was allowed and it couldn't contain any meat or meat broth. And so by the end of the sixth week of fasting, folks were ready for a party... The conclusion of all the initial Easter festivities was a much-needed rest. Hence the name, Low Sunday.
In April of the Great Jubilee year 2000, Pope St. John Paul II declared that Low Sunday would be known as Divine Mercy Sunday and that the devotions prescribed by then-Sister now-Saint Faustina would be officially recognized by the Church. This was actually a fairly controversial issue at the time. For one, St. Faustina wasn't a saint at the time. For another, her writing wasn't broadly known outside of her native Poland. For a third issue, the main text that Sr. Faustina wrote, entitled Divine Mercy in my Soul was and is theologically vague. So much so that her book was on the official list of books which could not be taught in Seminaries and Catholic schools. She has little to say about the role of repentance for personal sin. Her writing also makes a lot of assumptions about the spiritual life which a reader needs to understand before just picking up the book and reading it.
With a proper understanding, the mystical visions which have come to be known as Divine Mercy are relatively simple. The Lord asked a little nun in a small convent outside of Krakow, Poland to have an image painted and to publish a simple set of prayers that could be prayed using a typical Rosary. The image depicts Jesus with two bright rays of light flowing from His wounded side. One of the rays is blue and the other is red. Reproductions of the image typically have a line of text across the bottom reading "Jesus, I trust in You."
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy begins with a Hail Mary, an Our Father and the Apostles' Creed. On the large beads (The Our Father beads), the prayer is said "Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world." On the smaller beads (the Hail Mary beads), the prayer is said "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world." At the end, the antiphon for Good Friday's Veneration of the Cross is said three times: "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world." There are several optional closing prayers which can be added.
What makes Divine Mercy so fascinating isn't the text of the book that St. Faustina wrote. It isn't the neatness of the chaplet or even the Shrine that has been built next to the monastery outside of Krakow. What's amazing is the good fruit that has come from it. As with so many aspects of Christianity, the Lord works powerfully whether we understand why or not. The chaplet of Divine Mercy has changed a lot of lives. It's given people a hunger for repentance. It's opened hearts and it's saved marriages. I don't know why it works so well. That said, I don't know why the Rosary is so powerful either... Whatever the reason, Pope St. John Paul II gave the Church a great gift in Divine Mercy Sunday and we would all do well to pray the chaplet daily.
Upcoming Schedule
- Sunday April 19 (Divine Mercy \ Low Sunday)
- Monday April 20
- Tuesday April 21
- Wednesday April 22
- Thursday April 23
- Friday April 24
- Saturday April 25
- 9:15a Holy Mass (English, Ordinary Form)
- Sunday April 26 (Good Shepherd Sunday)
- Monday April 27
- Tuesday April 28
- Wednesday April 29
- Thursday April 30
Mass Intentions
- Sat 9:15a In memory of Marie Michelle (Charles & Susan Phillips)
- Sun 8:15a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased members of our Parish
- Sun 9:15a In memory of Rosa Gremshell
- Mon 9:15a In memory of Edwin Florence (birth)/Family
- Tue 9:15a In memory of Josephine and Billy Hodge
- Wed 9:15a In memory of Gus Gremshell
- Thu 9:15a In memory of Thomas Magoun/family
- Fri 9:15a In memory of Alex “Bubba” Jumonville/family
- Sat 9:15a In memory of Carroll Regan/family
- Sun 8:15a Pro Populo for the Living & Dead members of our Parish Family
- Sun 9:15a In memory May DiTommaso
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the protection of our world from COVID 19.
Our Return to the Lord
- Weekly Budget FY 2019-20 $2,111
- March Budget $10,555
- March Income $6,292
- March Expenses $7,774
- April Budget $8,444
- Collection Apr 11/12 $850
- April Income to Date $3,795
Stewardship Jesus meets the need of each disciple. To the fearful in the upper room, He speaks words of peace. To doubtingThomas, He provides the tangible proof of His resurrection. What do I need to become His disciple? What do I have to share that might meet someone else’s need?
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Marie Ernst (April 21), Ann Keene (April 23)
Happy Anniversary Margaret and Edward Yerger (April 19)
In Our Daily Prayers…
For repose of the soul of our friend and parishioner, Pat Bullard, who died on Easter Sunday morning.
Our Holy Father Pope Francis and Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI; Archbishop Aymond and our Diocesan leaders, our President, Governor, Mayor and national, state and local elected representatives
Our parishioners who are sick, shut-in, or otherwise in need of our prayers: Terri Brown, Libby Bullard, Connie Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Mary Ernst, Margaret Gilfoil, Susan Gilfoil, C.W. and Alyce Keene, Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Sue & Mike Rome, Delia Trichell and Don Wood
Those under full-time care: Frances Kennedy, Margaret Fortenberry of Tensas, Sharon Hansen of Gonzales, Consuelo Marsh of Lake Providence, Jean Cantrell, Marie Cedota Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Alexander (Regan), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), James Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Sara Cannon (Gilfoil), Georgie Gilfoil Breard, Hattie Brown (Lancaster), Jerry Bullard, Richard Chappuis (Johnson), Karen Cobb, Jami Cook (Wilks), Carol Dipert (Rome), Carol Dunning, Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Melinda and son, Will, Fewell (Farlow), Meg Gaumnitz (Copes), Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Cooper Harris (R Wood), Bo Holloway, Diane Johnson (Johnson), Terry Lynn Jones (Howington), Ben Lenhart (G Marsh), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Michelle McGuire (Gilfoil), Tobie McKowen (Wilks), Keith Melancon (Regan), Tucker Melancon (Johnson), Lindsay Mills, Debbie Pettis (Rome), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Linda Sanchez (Wilks), Beverly Sibile (Gilfoil), Theresa Thom (Rome), Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Teresa Vidrine (Wilks), Todd Windham
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Norman Ernst, Anna Ginn, Josh Hall, Chris Hall (USMC), Matt Hall (USArmy), Nick Hall, Emmy Lu Marsh, Maddie Oliver, Bailey Rome, Blake Sullivan, Brice Wood
Those Catholics residing at Christian Acres, Louisiana Transitional Center for Women, and our local Detention Centers and for their families and loved ones.
PRAYER FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW BISHOP Praise to you, Lord our God, our eternal shepherd and guide. In your faithfulness, grant to the Diocese of Alexandria a new bishop whose watchful care will serve to continue the good work of his predecessors. In your Love, give us a shepherd who will lead us in being Christ’s heart of mercy, voice of hope, and hands of justice. Help him to fill our minds and hearts with the truth of the Gospel, the power of the sacraments, and the desire to build up your holy Church. We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen
PLEASE LET US KNOW OF ANYONE WHO IS ILL OR HOSPITALIZED OR WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE A VISIT. PLEASE HELP US TO UP-DATE OUR PRAYER LIST BY ADVISING US OF ANYONE WHO SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE PRAYER LIST.