The Mother of Mercy
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WORLD BOARD OF TRUSTEES APOSTOLA E OF FATIMA, USA President .........................John A. Kostrubanic ERIE DIOCESAN DIVisiON Vice President ..........................John M. Walsh Treasurer .................................Walter Jakopac A Public Association of the Faithful Secretary ....................................Wayne Hagan for the Universal Church Dionne Orner • E. William Sockey III Spiritual Director .............Fr. David L. Poulson Rodney 'Andrew' Housler • Bonnie Housler Asst. Spiritual Director........Fr. Marc Solomon Kristin Stravinsky "I invoke upon you ... all Erie Diocesan Blue Army members ... joy and peace ... and my Apostolic Blessing." Pope John Paul II "I bless your work and your Apostolate." Pope Benedict XVI 2017 January, February, March, April MARY, “THE MOTHER OF MERCY” Whenever we pray the Salve How appropriate it is for us to do that during this Extraordinary Regina, the Hail Holy Queen, the Jubilee Year of Mercy which began by Papal Decree on December most popular Marian antiphon, 8th, 2015, the Marian Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Pope whether we sing it as a song or Francis deliberately chose that date to begin this Jubilee Year of pray it as a recited prayer after Mercy and I will reveal the reason why in a few minutes. each Rosary, we are honoring the But let me ask you an important and very pertinent question first. Blessed Mother Mary with two Who would you say is the most perfect example of God’s Divine words that have great prominence. Mercy? Let me ask that question again. Who would you say is the Those two words follow the first most perfect example of God’s Divine Mercy? You might be tempted Marian Title: “Holy Queen”. The to shout out: “The most miserable of all sinners”. Others might say, two words in Latin are “Mater the Prodigal Son or the Good Thief on the Cross. How about the & Misericordiae”. Translated Good Samaritan, or better yet, the Adulterous Woman. There are into English we declare Mary by those who would say, the most perfect example of God’s Divine her second Marian Title, as “The Mercy most definitely would be a saint with a dramatic conversion Mother of Mercy”. story, or a sinful past, like Saul who became St. Paul, or St. Mary We have done so for about 1,000 years of our Roman Catholic Magdalene, or St. Augustine or St. Francis of Assisi. Church’s History going back to the Middle Ages when Herman But the answer is NO to all of the above, when it comes to being Contractus first wrote those words, and monks of the abbey the most perfect example of God’s Divine Mercy. The most perfect at Cluny, along with the Cistercians, and the religious orders of example of God’s Mercy isn’t any desperado or notorious sinner Franciscans, Dominicans, and Carmelites chanted those words. at all. When it comes to the most perfect example of God’s Divine Several lines later, we also sing or say the ancient Latin words “Eia Mercy, it is none other than “Immaculate Mary”. The Immaculate Ergo advocate nostra, illous tuos misericordes oculos.” They are One. The Perfect One. The Most Perfect Human Being whoever words that petition Mary to “Turn her eyes of Mercy towards us.” lived. Conceived without sin. Born without sin. A woman who It’s easy to sing the words of the Salve Regina and it’s easy to never sinned in her lifetime. pray the words of the Hail Holy Queen but, have you ever stopped You see, Mary and Mercy are well connected. And, this is why, to reflect, to meditate and contemplate what it is you are saying the Jubilee Year of Mercy began on the Feast of the Immaculate when you call Mary “the Mother of Mercy” and when you call her Conception. Pope Francis knew what he was doing. She is the to “turn her eyes of mercy toward us?” most perfect example of Mercy from the beginning of her life to the If you say you never have, I’d like to help you appreciate the end of her life through the continuation of her life in Heaven as she deeper meaning of those words. If you say you already have, I’d now lives. Mary is the model of God’s mercy par excellence. like to shed further light on the topic. Mary, the Mother of Mercy, God, the Father of Mercy, took the initiative to fashion the the one who has “Eyes of Mercy”, we pray she turns those eyes Immaculate soul of Mary, from the very moment of her conception, towards us. preserving it from any stain of original sin, continued on page 2 FATIMA, HEAVEN’S PEACE PLAN, 100 YEARS OLD, 1917 - 2017 The cover art for this issue of OLC is an authorized reproduction of an original pencil sketch by Shawn Elmer entitled “In God We Trust”. At the time, Shawn was an inmate at the Crawford County Correctional Institution. He drew it from photographs of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue provided to him by volunteers from the Catholic Prison Ministry. Our Lady’s message is summarized in the single word: “Pray”. The cross is inscribed with the initials of the Crawford County Jail and the word “hope”. Blessed copies suitable for framing are available for a donation from St. Anthony Church at (814) 398-4234. Donations help provide New Catholic Answer Bibles to inmates at CCCI. HOME Welcome the Hearts of MARY continued from front ENTHRONEMENT Jesus and Mary into and made her soul the very masterpiece of His Mercy. Later PROGRAM your Home today ... on, as a teenage girl, Mary’s “Yes to DECEMBER 2016 Self-Surrender”, by her words to the Angel Gabriel at the annunciation, Let the Sacred Heart of Jesus shine in our and consecrate ourselves to you forever. Receive would confirm her role in God’s hearts this Christmas season. Listen carefully us and possess us entirely. Purify, enlighten and Divine Plan of Mercy: “I am the to the tug at your heart that Jesus is strongly sanctify us so that we may love you, Jesus, with handmaid of the Lord, Let it be done encouraging all of you to have your homes the heart of Mary, and love you, Mary, with the to me according to thy Word.” enthroned to the Sacred Heart of Jesus with heart of Jesus. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have Jesus revealed to Sr. Maria consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. mercy on us! Oh Sorrowful and Immaculate Faustina Kowalska in a vision In our current world of lovers of money and Heart of Mary, pray for us and save us!“ recorded in her diary that Love & pleasure rather than God, we need the pure (St. Margaret Mary of Alacoque’s first part of the Mercy are God’s greatest attributes. light that only Christ can bring to our homes, Act of Consecration to the Two Hearts.) our hearts, and our family. We need not worry The Love & Mercy of God are the “He loves, He hopes, He waits. If He came same thing. Love and Mercy are two though, for we are the children of our Eternal down on our altars on certain days only, Father who desperately loves each one of us and sides of the same coin. The word some sinner, on being moved to repentance, for Mercy in Latin “Misericordia” at Fatima Jesus assured us “that He would rein might have to look for Him, and not finding in spite of His enemies and all opposition.” Jesus is composed of two words: miseri, and Mary will be the victor in the fierce struggle Him, might have to wait. Our Lord prefers to and cordia. Miseri which comes from against the forces of evil we are witnessing. This wait Himself for the sinner for years rather Miserere, means to have pity upon is where the Home Enthronement program helps than keep him waiting one instant.” or to feel compassion for or with. Jesus and Mary to triumph in our homes with our (Saint Peter Julian Eymard) Cordia is the Latin word for heart. families. When we enthrone the Sacred Heart of Jesus and our Blessed Mother are waiting for We know that the heart since ancient Jesus we are asking him to rein not only in our you to invite them into your home and hearts times has been well associated with hearts, homes and lives but also in the hearts, in an intimate way. Won’t you answer their love. Mercy, that is, Misericordia, homes and lives of everyone everywhere and in call? Let us together celebrate the families that is the love emanating from the all nations of the world. recently had their homes Enthroned: Please heart, Cordia, which embraces, has Let us together with our families pray: “Hail contact Kristin Stravinsky at 903-495-2020 pity upon and feels compassion for most loving Hearts of Jesus and Mary! We to schedule your Home Enthronement for the human person. We are asking venerate you. We love and honor you. We give more information. Mary, the Mother of God, and the Special Thanks to Ann O'LearY for helping with the following Enthronements: Mother of Mercy, to embrace us in AUGUST 7: Diana and Darrel Rose (and family, sisters and foster children) with Father Jerry our suffering in the very same way AUGUST 14: Janet and Al Arment with Father Jerry that she participated in the passion, OCTOBER 16: Barb and Donnie Weingart with Father Romey Hontiveros a new pastor of St. Dominic’s in suffering, and death of her Son, Westfield, NY and is starting a Legion of Mary in Jesus Christ and embraced His body Westfield and wants to do Home Enthronements when it was taken down from the Kim Glancy cross.