What Divine Mercy Sunday means to me
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

Tomorrow is Divine Mercy Sunday. Pope St. John Paul II, of happy memory, designated the Second Sunday of Easter to be Divine Mercy Sunday, so we have much to be grateful for. From an action guide published by the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops: “Each year, on the Second Sunday of Easter, the Church celebrates the Sunday of Divine Mercy. Mankind’s need for the message of Divine Mercy took on dire urgency in the 20th century, when civilization began again to lose the understanding of the sanctity and inherent dignity of every human life. In the 1930s, Jesus chose a humble Polish nun, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, to receive private revelations concerning His Divine Mercy that were recorded in her Diary. St. Faustina’s Diary records 14 occasions when Jesus requested that a Feast of Mercy be observed. On May 5, 2000, five days after the canonization of St. Faustina, the Vatican decreed that the Second Sunday of Easter would henceforth be known as the Sunday of Divine Mercy.” 

I’ve read part of the Diary, and it is beautiful in content and meaning. What is clear to me is that the Feast of Divine Mercy came directly from Jesus Christ. Again, from the action guide: “Since the legalization of abortion in our country, millions of women, men, and families have been hurt by abortion. By the age of 45, as many as 1 in 3 women have had an abortion, and a similar number of men and family members have been involved. Many inaccurately feel that abortion is “the unforgivable sin.” They need to hear that God forgives every sin of a repentant heart, even the sin of abortion. The Sunday of Divine Mercy provides an important opportunity to share Christ’s message of mercy, especially with those who have been wounded by abortion.” 

“God forgives every sin of a repentant heart, even the sin of abortion.” Divine Mercy, therefore, is God’s Mercy and Compassion in action. If you have committed or allowed abortion to take place, and you are sorry, ask God for His pardon and peace through the Sacrament of Penance. “The Sacrament of Penance is God's gift to us so that any sin committed after Baptism can be forgiven.  In confession we have the opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God. It is a holy moment in which we place ourselves in his presence and honestly acknowledge our sins, especially mortal sins.” (USCCB) 

The Sacrament of Penance, or Reconciliation needs a little preparation: 

• Examination of Conscious. 
• Sorrow for sin. 
• Firm Purpose of amendment. 
• Confess sins to the priest. 
• Carry out the penance. 

Forget about the notion of strict priests or priests who might yell at you. Those olden times are over. Priests are only too willing to help struggling souls along.  

Divine Mercy is important to me in another way. The Secular Franciscan Fraternity of which I am a member, is named Divine Mercy Fraternity. It received this name nearly 31 years ago when the fraternity was founded and when the members cast lots (secret ballot) for a fraternity name. This meeting took place on April 18, 1993, the day of the Beatification of Sr. Faustina. I was there, as I am one of the founding members. Most of our fraternity members are in heaven, the rest moved to other fraternities. 

Please pray that this fraternity will grow. We haven’t seen an increase in numbers for several years now, although we’ve been praying.  

Peace and Good,
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
April 6, 2024 

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