July 2021 Diocese of Calgary

15206 Township Road 262 ▪ Calgary, AB, T3P-1A7 ▪ (587)755-1019 ▪ [email protected] www.sistersofdivinemercy.org

The Divine Mercy Centre opens its doors to those seeking rest and a deeper relationship with the Lord.

If you have any questions or would like to visit us at your convenient time, please feel free to contact the Sisters of Divine Mercy.

DIRECTION TO THE DIVINE MERCY CENTRE: From Highway 2: Take exit 275 (West Balzac), go West on (Highway 566) for about 7 minutes, pass Panorama Rd, pass Sunset Ridge Dr, turn right at the Divine Mercy Centre sign

FROM STONEY TRAIL: Take exit Symons Valley Rd, go north pass Symons Valley Ranch burnt Market, turn right on Mountain View Rd, go straight to Stop sign and turn right, Divine Mercy Centre will be on your left.

“There is not a single soul in whom Christ is not interested. Each soul has cost Him the price of His Blood.” -St. Josemaria Ecriva DIVINE MERCY CENTRE - JULY 2021 HOLY FATHER’S INTENTIONS OF THE MONTH HOW ST. PADRE PIO RESPONDED WHEN THE VATICAN SILENCED HIM Social Friendship: We pray that, in social, economic and political St. Padre Pio was banned from celebrating Mass publicly situations of conflict, we may be courageous and or even giving to his followers. passionate architects of dialogue and friendship. Many were skeptical of Padre Pio’s miraculous stigmata and all the attention he was getting from the thousands of THE SANCTUARY CANDLE: The candle next to the pilgrims who flocked to his monastery. Some in the Vatican Blessed Sacrament at the Divine Mercy Centre burns worried that Padre Pio’s fame was based on a lie and that peo-

this month for: ple were following a false prophet. They launched multiple

investigations and even planted secret listening devices to hear Needed Graces and Special Blessings his conversations. There were a few among the hierarchy who upon Lauralee Sopczak were bent on catching Padre Pio, and who insisted that he was fooling everyone and leading a double life. This culminated in To reserve any one of these candles, an effort to move the beloved friar to a different monastery please contact Sr. Katrina at (587)755-1019 and to forbid him from acting as a priest in a public manner. or email: [email protected] Furious mob comes to his defense: The local people were furious when they heard he was The vigil candles by the Blessed to be moved. According to the biography Padre Pio: The True Mary and St. are lit this month: Story published by Our Sunday Visitor, “Around 10:00 p.m., a furious mob descended upon the friary.” They barred the door In Loving Memory of from a priest they believed would take Padre Pio away. The Antonio and Tomiko Gueco crowd didn’t leave until Padre Pio spoke to them, saying, “My blessed children … Now I implore you to listen to me, as you always do, and return to your homes without harming DIVINE MERCY CENTRE WISH LIST anyone.” This made it clear to Church officials that Padre Pio could not be moved peacefully. Instead, the Vatican decided 1) Paper Towel & Toilet Paper to restrict his faculties, removing him from public life. 2) Cases of bottle water ‘Padre Pio is to be stripped of all the faculties of his priestly The month of July is dedicated to the Precious ministry except the faculty to celebrate the Holy Mass, which Blood of Our Lord. Like the Sacred Wounds of Jesus, His he may continue to do, provided that it is done in private, Precious Blood deserves special honor because of its close within the walls of the friary, in the inner chapel, and not relation to the Sacred Passion. That honor was given to it publicly in church.’ from the beginning by the Apostles who praised its redeem- ing power. (Rom 5:9 “We are justified by His Blood”; Heb. It was a difficult cross for him to bear, but he obeyed and 13:12 “and so Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people submitted to the decree. The superior of the monastery read to by His blood, suffered outside the gate”; 1John 1:7 “and the Padre Pio the decree and the saintly friar responded, “God’s blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.”) will be done … The will of the superiors is the will of God.” When Pius IX was in exile from in Padre Pio would spend the next several years in silence, cele- 1849, he has as his companion Don Giovanni Merlini. This brating Mass privately and accepting no visitors. He couldn’t even write to his spiritual children. saintly priest suggested to the pope that he make a vow to give the feast of the Precious Blook to the entire church, if Humble and obedient son: he should regain the papa territory. Without binding himself During this time many came to Padre Pio’s defense, by the vow, the pope immediately extended the feast to the submitting petitions, writing letters and even publishing whole church. books. Padre Pio was appalled by this response and urged On August 10, 1849 he made it official and them to stop, writing to the local bishop to assert his proclaimed that the 1st Sunday in July will be dedicated to dissociation with them. the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Later, ‘ I must repeat that I am very disgusted by the unworthy assigned July 1 as the fixed date of this celebration. behavior of certain false prophets who speak in my behalf … After Vatican II the feast was removed from the they should stop this false and unworthy propaganda, but calendar, but a votive Mass in honor of the Precious Blood meanwhile they have followed in their morbid fanaticism, not was established and can be celebrated in the month of July caring about the supreme authority of the church. I turn, (as well as most other months of the year). therefore, as a son most humble and completely obedient to the … With profound humility I kiss your Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul sacred ring and profess myself to your excellency your most and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, humble and obedient son.’ Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins Above all, even though the accusations put against and those of the whole world. him proved false (and he would eventually be allowed to “Here is a rule for everyday life: minister without restrictions), Padre Pio submitted to the Do not do anything which you cannot offer to God.” decree and remained silent, trusting in God’s provident plan. -St. John Vianney -www.aleteia.org Ask Mary to untangle the knots, away our peace and serenity. They are dangerous, since many and help you trust in God’s mercy knots can form a tangle which gets more and more painful and By Woodeene Koenig-Bricke, wau.org difficult to undo. But we know one thing: nothing is impossi-

A Knotty Marriage: ble for God’s mercy! Even the most tangled knots are loosened The portrayal of Our Lady as Undoer by his grace. And Mary, whose yes opened the door for God to of Knots has only recently become well undo the knot of the ancient disobedience, is the Mother who known, but its origin dates back more patiently and lovingly brings us to God, so that he can untangle the knots of our soul by his fatherly mercy. than four hundred years. Unlike devotions that are rooted in Marian The Knot in My Life: apparitions such as Lourdes and Fatima, this one springs out of What are these “knots of our soul”? Knots of financial stress, Mary’s intercession in a troubled marriage. It happened in wayward children, addiction, illness, depression, divorce, in- September 1615, when a German nobleman, Wolfgang Langen- fertility, unemployment. . . . Most of us are dealing with at mantel, and his wife, Sophie, were experiencing serious marital least one large knot. Not all of them are the result of our own problems. In a last-ditch effort to avoid divorce, Wolfgang sought sin. Some are simply the painful situations that come from liv- counsel from Fr. Jakob Rem, a Jesuit priest who was known for ing in a fallen world. Whatever their cause, the knots can be- his devotion to Mary. Fr. Rem encouraged Wolfgang to bring his come so entangled that we fall into a sort of despair that they marital issues to Our Lady. will ever be undone. I know I have. One aspect of my life—my The two men prayed together four times over a period of finances—became so knotted that I had just about given up on twenty-eight days, and at their last meeting, Wolfgang gave trying to untangle it. Fr. Rem his wedding ribbon. (As was customary at the time, the The knot began when I left my to take care of my bride and groom were tied together with a ribbon during the mother in her last year of life—a year that extended to five. marriage ceremony, a symbol of their new unity as a couple.) The situation became complicated by the theft of her invest- While they prayed, Fr. Rem held the ribbon up to a picture of Our ments in a Ponzi scheme that wasn’t revealed until the week of Lady of the Snows, offering her “the ties of matrimony” and her funeral. It cascaded when I developed some health prob- asking her “to untie all knots” in the Langenmantels’ relationship. lems. Countless nights since then have been eroded by panic Afterwards, as the priest smoothed the ribbon, it became snowy and worry. The whole knotty mess was so overwhelming that I white. Wolfgang took heart and returned home with new hope didn’t even think about turning to Our Lady Undoer of Knots. for his marriage. However, as I began to write this article, I felt a gentle While the details are lost to history, it is known that he nudge: Perhaps it’s time to hand this area over to Mary’s and Sophie did indeed reconcile. The story of their saved care I’ve done that—and would like to report that the knot has marriage was passed down over time—first to their son, and then been completely untied. Although that hasn’t happened, I re- to their grandson, Hieronymus Langenmantel, who became a mind myself that Mary may be untying the knots, that God has priest. Around 1700, Fr. Langenmantel commissioned a painting promised us “daily bread,” and I have indeed received some. of his grandparents’ story. The artist came up with an image that As I wait, I take comfort in Pope Francis’ words: depicts Our Lady working to untie knots in Sophie and All the knots of our hearts, every knot of our con- Wolfgang’s marriage sash—symbols of the problems that had led science, can be undone. Do I ask Mary to help me trust in them to the brink of divorce. One angel presents the knotted God ’ s mercy, to undo those knots, to change? She, as a woman ribbon to Mary, and another receives the smoothened ribbon from of faith, will surely tell you: “Get up; go to the Lord: he under- her hands. stands you.” And she leads us by the hand as a Mother, our Mother, to the embrace of our Father, the Father of mercies. Faith Unties the Knot: While the illustration that normally accompanies the devotion Nothing Will Be Impossible: shows Mary untying the knots in the Langenmantels’ white What knot in your life is creating pain for you? Turn over your wedding sash, I prefer to think in terms of a necklace chain. If problem to Mary. As she works on the knot, she will point you you’ve ever owned a necklace made of fine chain links, you to Jesus. He tells us in no uncertain terms never to limit what know how easily it can knot and tangle. And you know how God can do: “Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a incredibly difficult it can be to try to pick apart those tangles. I mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here had one such chain, which became snarled from my habit of to there, ’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for tossing it carelessly into the drawer. The knots were so you ” (Matthew 17:20). impossible to undo that I finally gave up and discarded the chain. This is the image that sticks in my mind when I think about Mary Prayer to Our Lady Undoer of Knots: Undoer of Knots. Sometimes the knots and tangles in our lives Holy Mary, full of God’s presence, during your life become so ensnarled that we begin to think it’s hopeless even to you accepted the Father’s will with full humility, and the devil try undoing them. The idea that we can bring these problems to was never able to tie you up with his confusion. Since then, Mary, asking her to carefully pick them apart and make the you have interceded for all our difficulties, as you did at the “chain” of our lives fit to wear again, is one of the most wedding feast of Cana. Full of kindness and patience, you comforting aspects of this devotion. For me, at least, it brings up show us how to untie the knots of our lives. By always being the image of Mary patiently and tirelessly tweezing apart the our mother, you arrange and clarify the ties that link us to the knots until, at last, the chain lies smooth and clear. Lord. Pope Francis has talked about this devotion and how Holy Mary, Mother of God and of us all, you untie the Mary’s faith “unties the knot of sin.” This idea alludes to Mary’s knots of our lives with a mother’s heart. We place our inten- role in salvation history. St. , writing in the second centu- tions in your hands [mention your prayer request], and we ask ry, put it this way: “The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by you to disentangle every knot and confusion. Through your the obedience of Mary. What the virgin Eve bound by her grace, intercession, and example, protect us from all evil, and unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosened by her faith.” untie the knots that keep us from being united to God. Free We, too, can be bound by our own disobedience, Pope from confusion and error, may we find him in all things, keep Francis explained. When we do not follow God’s will for our our hearts in him, and serve him always in our brothers and lives, “a kind of knot is created deep within us.” These knots take sisters. Amen. ANNOUNCEMENT DIVINE MERCY MESSAGE Our Lord is truly present in the Eucharist, and St. Faustina wrote in her diary, “The next night what a gift it is to adore Him in the Blessed Sac- I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to rament! Sometimes, we are not able to make our follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place way to a Church. Thankfully, through Adoration full of fire in which there was a great crowd of livestream, we can bring our Lord directly into suffering souls. They were praying fervently, our homes and mobile devices. but to no avail, for themselves; only we can Go to adoration, even if it’s just for 5 minutes. come to their aid. The flames which were Jesus desires to be with you, to have you gaze upon Him, as He burning them did not touch me at all. My Guardian Angel did so lovingly gazes upon you. For Adoration Livestream, please not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their visit www.sistersofdivinemercy.org greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God. When I went to the ONLINE GIVING: Online Giving is a convenient and garden one afternoon, my Guardian Angel said to me, “Pray for secure way to donate to the Sisters or to the needs of the Centre. the dying.” And so I began at once to pray the rosary with the You can set up a monthly giving schedule and designate a gardeners for the dying. specific amount so that no further action on your part is needed. You can also donate one-time online if you wish. Please visit “I do not reward for good results but for the patience www.sistersofdivinemercy.org (click Donate). Thank you and hardship undergone for My sake.” for your kindness and generosity. May the Lord bless you and your family abundantly. (Our Lord to St. Faustina, Diary 86)

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: The Church encourages all Catholics to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) frequently. Please take advantage of this opportunity to make a good confession. And please also reach out to the Catholics you know that have been away from the regular practice of our faith and invite them to seize the chance to begin again.

MASS INTENTION: If you would like to have a Mass celebrated for your special intentions, please contact Sr. Katrina at (587)755-1019. When we face the death of someone, even a person who is not Catholic, to have a Mass offered for the repose of his soul and to offer our prayers are more beneficial and comforting than any other sympathy card or bouquet of flowers. To have a Mass offered on the occasion of a birthday, anniversary or special need is appropriate, beneficial and appreciated.

“Think well. Speak well. Do well. These three things, through the mercy of God, will make a man go to Heaven.” -- St. Camillus de Lellis Reception of the Eucharist As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In JULY 2021 order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (Canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION (If it is not possible for you to receive Holy Communion sacramentally, do not omit to make a spiritual one, such as the following)

“My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sac- rament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacra- mentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.”