Hundreds pray at the area-wide Divine Mercy Sunday

Intermountain Catholic

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Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was included in the Divine Mercy Sunday celebration at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church. See more photos on Facebook. IC photos/Marie Mischel

SANDY — Members of various parishes throughout the Salt Lake area gathered at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church in Sandy on April 27 for a Divine Mercy Sunday celebration.

In 2000, Pope John Paul II designated the first Sunday after Easter "Divine Mercy Sunday," promoting the message that Saint Faustina Kowalska received when Christ revealed himself to her in 1931. Jesus asked St. Faustina to paint the image of him wearing a white robe, his right hand raised in blessing and his left hand resting on his heart, from which rays of white and red light flowed. This image now is known as "The Divine Mercy." Jesus also spoke to St. Faustina, telling her, among other things, "Let no sinner be afraid to approach me."

In his welcome to those attending the St. Thomas More holy hour, Deacon John Kranz said, "You have an opportunity to open your hearts, receive and then share the divine mercy message that we are going to share with you this afternoon. … It is through the exercise of mercy that we most easily see Christ’s mercy flowing through our lives. This is true whether we are the recipient or the giver of mercy. This is how we recognize him living, breathing among each and every one of us."

About 300 people attended the celebration, in its second year as an area-wide event, although the parish has celebrated its own Divine Mercy Sunday for several years.

Two years ago, attendance at the celebration outgrew the parish’s chapel, so last year "we decided to do it in the church," said Greg Werking, who organized the event. "It’s a big jump from the small chapel to the big church, so I said, ‘We’re going to have to invite some other people,’ so we invited Saint Vincent’s and Blessed Sacrament [parishes] last year, and this year we decided to invite Saint John’s and all the other churches … because not every church has a Divine Mercy Sunday celebration."

Many of those who attended participate in the celebration each year.

"I always come. I have great devotion to the Divine Mercy," said Jenny Zuehlke, adding that she often prays the Divine Mercy Chaplet on her own. "Lord knows we all need Jesus and his mercy."

Jaime and Shelley Luna said they, too, try to attend Divine Mercy Sunday every year. This year’s celebration, which included music provided by cantors Melinda Kirigin Voss and Vincent Clark, as well as the "Our Father" sung by children of Saint Vincent de Paul Parish, was "very inspiring," Jaime Luna said.

The celebration included Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and recitation of the Luminous Mysteries. Afterward, the Sacrament of Reconciliation was available; priests from four parishes were available to hear confessions.

Being able to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation was a highlight of the celebration, Werking said.

"It’s such a blessing to see the priests and the deacons support Divine Mercy Sunday," he said. "I’m just so grateful for the priests stepping up and helping us out. … I think we had a lot of different parishes represented here at this service. I would love to put it on the calendar (as an annual diocesan event) and get more people here."