Divine Mercy Sunday

by Fr. Michael D. Accinni Reinhardt, MA, Mdiv, MS  |  04/12/2026  |  Pastoral Corner

On Sunday, April 30, 2000, in celebration of the New Millennium, St. John Paul II canonized Bl. Faustina is a saint of mercy for the world. He also established by proclamation the Feast of Divine Mercy Sunday. St. John Paul II lived his priesthood in hope of The Divine Mercy, well before he became Pope, and dedicated his papacy to the Divine Mercy as well. Much of his love of the mercy of God was inspired by the belief found in the heart of Jesus, with which the suffrage of humanity at the hands of Nazi control over Poland could find divine relief. St. John Paul II lived the mercy of God as a remedy because he knew first-hand what the evils of communism and oppression could do.

The reality is that our history books may give credit to President Ronald Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for the 1989 collapse of the Berlin Wall, but Pope St. John Paul II also played a key role as a prominent public figure on the world stage in the downfall of communism. Pope Leo XIV can be seen currently echoing those same sentiments in being so vocal, the voice of reason and morality regarding this attack on Iran, just like St. John Paul II, he is mocked and laughed at by even Catholics, what a shame, yet what our country is engaged in does not formally meet the theological or moral criteria of just conflict, if anyone even cares to know. Someone must always be the voice of reason and be the moral gauge, even if it conflicts with political ideologies or personal stances. St. John Paul II taught us to be bold as Catholics, and not to be compartmentalized first and foremost! Someone in a public survey asked me, are you a Republican, Democrat, or independent? My response was and is always I am a Catholic! That is always the frame of reference. It is such realities that lead St. John Paul II to canonize so many. Modern-day saints of our time. St. Maximillian Kolbe is one of those saints. We, as a parish, recently enjoyed the witness of his life in viewing the movie Triumph of the Heart, a most cherished story that left us moved in spirit yet disturbed in knowing the Mercy of Jesus involves sacrifice and authentic conversion. It was obvious that for St. JPII, the remedy for all the sufferings of the world would be the witness of the faithful entering the fold of the Divine Mercy of Jesus, who would then lead us to a deeper Knowledge of the merciful love of God the Father. The world needs to know the Mercy of God; this is the mission and message of Divine Mercy flowing as the Ocean of Mercy from the Diary of St. Faustina. This Second Sunday of Easter brings to fruition the reality of such mercy made possible that Jesus, through his Paschal Mystery, has broken free from the grave victoriously conquering sin and death! We must never take this lightly, because no matter what life dishes out to us, our hope is real and known by the Divine Mercy of God. His mercy is always real to us, even in our times of falling into sin, knowing that we return to His holy waters of mercy to be bathed in forgiveness. Here at St. Catherine Laboure, we honor the Divine Mercy with our chapel named for this Feast Day, as a constant reminder of our reliance upon the mercy of God. In this same spirit, we as a community will be adding another formal Holy Hour on the third Friday of each month to be celebrated at the time of Divine Mercy, commemorating the deepest love of the Lord. Expressed as he embraced the cross! Friday, April 17, 2026, we will begin this endeavor to keep alive the devotion to the Divine Mercy as an official liturgy of the parish, while sharing components of St. Faustina’s message, and praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song. This is an intentionally different approach to how the Devotion to the Divine Mercy had been conducted here in the past, to ensure that the intentions of our Holy. We aim to ensure the Divine Mercy is clearly promoted as part of our parish ministry and that the intentions of our Holy Father are preserved. Conducted formally by our parish clergy. The Divine Mercy Devotion is not reserved for the exclusivity of groups; no ministry of the Church is. Divine Mercy is meant to be universally promoted as a gift of the Church, through one of the most prolific pontificates of our history under St. John Paul II. My prayer is that with so many of our community members free to attend at 3p.m. Holy Hour because they are retired, that we manage to fill the church each third Friday of the month, to come together, affirmed in the Divine Mercy and live of God. It's wonderful to bring our troubles, our thanksgiving, or praise, and prayers before the foot of the cross. It is here that we are comforted the most, yet all that is needed is our presence!

May You Rest in His Divine Love and Mercy,

Fr. Michael