God Sends Them

This morning I was favoring a back problem and taking it easy around the house. The dogs start barking and I go to the door and find an older woman standing there, asking if I was a priest ( dressed in my irish rugby shirt, shorts and no shoes..why couldnt you tell?) but saying to her yes, I was. She asked if she could pray in our small chapel. I said certainly, got the key and she and her daughter came in and prayed before the Blessed Sacrament which we keep exposed in front of the painting of Divine Mercy.

She shared with me that she and her daughter were keeping a promise they made to Divine Mercy for prayers being answered and they were making a novena by visiting 21 churches. The Mother then asked if I would bless her other family and four others got put of the car and came into the Chapel, we now have six, two other adults and two young girls.
They all made a general confession and I gave them Holy Communion and we prayed together.

I found out that they were from Canada, of Fillipino descent and very spiritual. Their appearance at 10:30 this morning brought to mind that I am a priest and God sends people from all over to our chapel and they bring blessings to us by their presence. I do not expect to see them ever again, I gave holy cards and my business card as they continued on their way.

Sometimes I wonder what I am doing and who am I really touching. Today was an example that God wants me to be there for whomever he sends. Those who live under the bridges, those who are struggling with mental problems and those pilgrims, like today, who come into our lives along their journey.

Tonight during Mass devoted to Divine Mercy and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, I will pray for all of us in need and thank God for this experience today.

Father John Joseph

Home Sweet Home

There is something comforting in "Coming Back Home". We hear this many times when people join us for our liturgies, after having been away from "church" for a long time. We have seen tears after those who have received communion.

And so too, we feel right about coming back to our Shrine Chapel, looking around at the altar, the stained glass windows, the Large Painting of Divine Mercy and other Sacred Pictures. And coming back does not mean being stuck in the past, but regrouping and strenghtening; being open again to the voice of the Holy Spirit to guide us further along our spiritual journey. As we pray in the Shrine Chapel, whether at Mass, during Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament or the Divine Mercy Novena, we are sending out to the world healing spiritual energy.

The motto of our Church is "Jesus I trust in You". It is now the right time to really practice what we preach. No longer will we be advertising through fliers, ads in newspapers, etc. Rather we will reach out personally through attraction rather promotion. Jesus will be in charge, we will depend solely on Him for his guidance as to where we, as a community are to serve him.

I can tell you that since we have returned back to the Shrine Chapel, Jesus has been sending mostly those who are unemployed, one living under a bridge and one who recently found a room, with the financial help of the Missionaries. Right now, we do not push the river, we go with the flow.....Jesus is guiding us.

Letting Go and Letting God.....Lesson to constantly learn.

Peace and Love to you all. Father John Joseph and Father Larry and our other brothers and sisters send their love.

CHRISTMAS MORNING GIFTS

Its 9:30 A.M., Both Father Larry and I got back into the house a little after 2 A.M. We had to clear up the rented space where we had our Midnite Mass, in a large auditorium that seated 400. We had spent weeks before running ads, placing announcements in store windows, putting flyers on cars, going to large events and passing them out and talking to people along the way. Between ads and renting of the space it cost us nearly 1,000.00; maybe more I havent kept count. We were not permitted to advertise on a billboard of the church so it had to be by press and out on the street.

Well midnight came, the space looked beautiful, the music was grand, a friend Doug Blevins' singng voice added that special touch. I looked around amongst the 400 seats and saw 8 people. My heart sank and I must admit for the first part of the Mass, I was nervous and didnt feel right in the space. I just couldnt concentrate, But we very grateful for those 8 who did attend.

It also says that God does not want us in that space. We spent over 2000 initially when we had our first Mass in their chapel People did not want to come at 1:30 in the afternoon, the only time we were permited to be there. We pushed and tried even asking if maybe we could move it up to around 12.00. We learned the hard way but both of us, in our late 70's are still open to learning. I am hearing that God wants us back in a appropriate Catholic oriented space. We have a wonderful chapel that people, if they seek out, will find us

We return to being Fathers of Divine Mercy and not church builders. We will be there for the spiritual needs of the community. People will see us on the street dressed in clerical clothes, celebrate Sunday morning Mass at 10, a Serenity Mass on Monday evening and a Divine Mercy Healing Mass with benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesday. We wont have to make other spaces look like a church and then have to strip them down again. What a relief.

If others some time ask us to serve their community in the space that they create and maintain, we will do that. In the meantime, no more money spent on ads or rented space that does not have our name on it. If God so ordains, people will seek us.

God has already blessed us with the best gift he can give us. Our own place to pray and worship, a place that looks and feels like a Catholic Chapel.

Our love, from our hearts, goes out to all. It is indeed a Happy Christmas. We have each other . Father Larry has taken in temporarily a man who does not have a home We will help him get settled in a place of his own. And thats what Christmas is about.
All is calm, all is bright.