B6 CYO Snapshot -iv Couple devoted to Divine Mercy Mike Latona/Catholic Courier ^ FAIRPORT — A series of perhaps not-so-coincidental events led to Sharon and John Norton's devotion to the Divine Mercy. Sharon Norton recalled that in if 19°.l, during the Sacred Heart Con­ ference in Syracuse,, she was sell­ z I ing rosaries that she makes. A video display about Divine Mercy at a •nearby booth caught her eye.'and o later tha't weekend a friend gave her an image of the Divine Mercy. Not long after the conference, Sharon and John stumbled upon a Chaplet of Divine Mercy being - «; prayed on the Eternal Word Televi­ sion Network — and both immedi­ ately started praying. Today, the the 1930s St. Faustina.had similar 3 S Nortons are leaders and organizers visions in which, she later said, Je­ for the Rochester-based Rays of sus asked for a Divine Mercy feast o Mercy Apostolate of Divine Mercy. to be established for the redemp­ A key date for the Nortons and tion of sinners. In 2002 Pope John other Divine Mercy devotees is Paul announced a plenary indul­ coming up shortly: Divine Mercy gence — a remission of the tempo­ Sunday, which takes place on the ral punishment deserved for sins — Sunday following Easter; will be for those who fully participate in celebrated April 18. In many Divine Mercy Sunday. ? churches worldwide, the day will be The Nortons are looking forward | marked by special Masses along to a special 3 p.m. Mass on Divine j with confession, exposition of the Mercy Sunday at their.parish. Holy I Blessed'Sacrament, Benediction, Spirit in Penfield. They also noted 3 and7or a chaplet — a series of that Divine Mercy devotion takes I prayers that uses the rosary. Divine place throughout the year — in the I Mercy Sunday was instituted by form of chaplets and other devo­ § Pope John Paulsll in 2000, the same tions — at such parishes at ,St. s year he canonized Sister Mary Jude's in Gates, St. Stanislaus in Mike Crupi/Catholic Courier I Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun Rochester and St. John the Evange­ | who died in 1938 at age 33. list in Greece. In addition, John I A cornerstone of devotion to St. serves as grand knight,'for the local Making a move Faustina is the aforementioned Di­ Knights of Mercy — an effort to vine Mercy image — the widely cir­ spread Divine Mercy devotion Tom Way (left), who plays for St. Ambrose Church's Catholic Youth culated painting of Christ, pointing among the Knights of Columbus. to his heart, with the words "Jesus Organization boys basketball team, tries to put up a shot over the out­ 1 trust in you" appearing at the bot­ However, the Nortons feel that stretched arm of Utopians (St. Thomas More/St John the Evangelist) tom. The image depicts Christ as he most parishes do not prioritize Di­ player Jim Bauman Feb. 29 during the CYO high school boys Class A is purported to have appeared to St. vine Mercy Sunday to a suitable final at Bishop Kearney High School. The Utopians defeated St. Faustina on Feb. 22, 1931. During degree. Ambrose to claim the championship. "The reality is, we certainly haven't done enough," John re­ marked. Part of the problem, he Answers from page B19 (No. 38) said, is that "some priests have an tional Shrine of the Divine Mercy in so involved with Marian confer­ R u I E N 1 L E s W E E T unfounded opinion of what they're Stockbridge, Mass. Many relics ences, which were held annually in supposed to do" on Divine Mercy A a A 3 * c 1 0 N Q R A E from their travels are displayed in Rochester from 1994 to 2002. 1 o N 8 « E G S E R A S E Sunday. But his wife said that noth­ thejr Fairport home. "I would say, to a major, degree, N A 2 A R E T H a A S S E S ing elaborate is required: "You The Nortons were among the or­ those who are into Divine Mercy 1 ; S T A V E D • T R _Ui T H don't have to have a special Mass or ganizers of a Divine Mercy Confer­ are also Marian," John said. » 1 T E E T H 1 C A L a chaplet. All the priest has to do is ence last'August that attracted 300 "You can't be one without the oth­ «• I " 0 M A D » - o P E talk about Divine Mercy." participants to Rochester's Theatre er. We kind of laugh and call it the 0 V * i" " V * » p E N On the other hand. Divine Mercy on the Ridge, as well as-a Divine Marian connection," Sharon added. T 0 c R E I* s T hr " 3 E devotion is a constant for the Nor­ Mercy seminar in November that 0 N 0 IL 0 Q M A S I fir 8 tons,. who were confirmed as brought 70 people to Greece's St. s 1 0 E AH N E E s o N EDITOR'S NOTE: For more infor­ •H Catholics in 1989 along with their John the Evangelist Church. Al­ a A T T L E D 0 c T R 1 N E mation about Divine Mercy activi­ two daughters. The couple has though no similar conferences are A 1 0 L 1 N A M e M E S A ties in the Diocese of Rochester, call A • M' 1 T E" M I R N E R journeyed to St. Faustina's home­ planned for this year, the Nortons 585/425-8875, Numerous Web sites L E E c H E S T S °- A T S land; attended her 2000 canoniza­ said they would like to help stage also contain detail about Divine 1 tion in Rome; and visited the Na- one in the future. The couple was al­ Mercy devotion. .