| WHAT IS THE DEVOTION TO THE DIVINE MERCY? THE DEVOTION TO THE DIVINE MERCY is a « Charity » and a « private Association of the faithful » whose goal is to make known and to put into practice confidence in the Mercy of God based on the messages given by Jesus to Sister Faustina. It is important that this devotion not be simply one of action, but must also include prayer. Besides, by being welcoming in the office or during telephone conversations, we endeavor to transmit through word the great Tenderness and infinite Divine Mercy of God. We try to respond to the request that Jesus made to Sister Faustina: »My daughter, if I demand through you that people revere My mercy, you should be the first to distinguish yourself by this confidence in My mercy. I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it. I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: The first – by Deed, The second – by Word, The third – by Prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy, and I demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works. » (Diary of Sister Faustina, no. 742) THE FIRST – BY DEED. Our office, where we promote devotion to the Divine Mercy through various tasks: mailings, responding to mail and telephone inquiries, and through the sales of religious articles as well. Our store is located in the basement of the rectory of Saint-Nazaire’s parish (111 Bélanger avenue, Lasalle) . The office is open from 9:30 am to 11:30 am and from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, Monday through Thursday. THE SECOND – BY WORD. It is certain that the volunteers who work for the Devotion of the Divine Mercy certainly try their best to witness and to spread God’s infinite mercy by word of mouth. We listen to those experiencing spiritual difficulties in order to be a spiritual support for them. THE THIRD – BY PRAYER. Every third Friday of the month, from September to June, we have a prayers mid-afternoon which starts at 2:00 pm and finishes around 4:00 pm with the holy Mass. A resource person gives a teaching on Divine Mercy. Also, every year, we celebrate the Feast of the Divine Mercy, the first Sunday after Easter, as requested by our Lord to Sister Faustina. This day of prayer begins at 1:00 pm and ends after the high solemn mass at 4:15 pm. (We have an outdoor procession, Eucharistic adoration, confessions, the Way of the Cross, recitation of the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and mass.) Father Stephan Roy has been appointed Ecclesiastical Assistant of the Devotion to the Divine Mercy by the archdiocese of Montreal. All others, working for the Devotion, are laity. This apostolic work is done mostly by volunteers. The devotion relies on donations contributed generously by the public in order to operate. We are working towards one purpose: that the Divine Mercy be better known in our neighbourhood, in our country and in the whole world. |