Seminarians:

Educate the Marian Priests of Tomorrow

At a time when many orders face a shortage of men willing to serve as priests or brothers, the Marians are blessed to have nearly 200 men working hard to prepare for a life of service to Christ and His Church.

Today's Marian seminarians come from diverse backgrounds and from all parts of the world. They will be the voices spreading the message of Divine Mercy throughout the world. They will be the priests who preach the gospel to the next generation.

In May, 2004, Fr. Mark Baron, MIC was ordained as a Marian priest. Father Mark said, "Vocation is all about spending yourself for the sake of Christ and the Church. It is about fulfilling that mission that God gives to each one of us in Christ. To the degree that we surrender and strive to fulfill that mission, is the degree to which we find ourselves. It calls us out of ourselves toward God and neighbor. It is very paradoxical. We give ourselves away in order to find ourselves."

The path leading to ordination can take up to 10 years. After a man hears the call to be a Marian and completes the application process, he begins a formal process of discernment, through which he and the Marian community jointly evaluate his intellectual, spiritual, and physical suitability for religious life as a Marian.

The Marians take all the time that is needed to help a candidate interested in joining the community to discern his call from God. The journey is known as formation, and it begins with the postulancy program, followed by the novitiate.

During his formation, the student lives in the Marian community and takes part in academic and spiritual study. At each stage, the young man's commitment is deepened.

Formation is a time of intense reflection. The students follow the ancient tradition of ora et labora — "pray and work." They learn the dynamics of prayer and the contemplative life, study the history of religious life and mysticism in the Church, and learn to reflectively read and pray through the Holy Scriptures. They also study the Marian constitutions, charisms, spirituality, apostolate, and the history of the Congregation.

The final step toward a total commitment as a Marian is the profession of perpetual vows.

Throughout this long process, our seminarians rely on the support of friends like you who are devoted to Mary Immaculate and Jesus, The Divine Mercy.

We pray that you will find it within yourself to offer the level of support needed to match the dedication and commitment of these young men. Please help them answer our Lord's call to "serve Christ and the Church."*

*Marian motto

The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy:

Preserve the Historic Shrine and Grounds

Each year, the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Mass., opens its arms to tens of thousands of pilgrims from around the world. With its striking natural beauty and promise of prayerful solitude, the 350-plus acres of Eden Hill serve as an oasis amidst a bustling and noisy world.

"There are certain places on earth where God chooses to manifest Himself," says Rick Bray of Somers, Conn., a frequent visitor to the Shrine. "Lourdes is one of them, and there are others. This place here is among those places. This is holy ground."

At the Shrine, we offer an opportunity to experience Divine Mercy through Daily Mass, Confessions, Rosary, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

To put it simply, this is a place where people come to draw closer to God. Men are trained on Eden Hill to be priests and brothers. The laity is trained here to help the Marians spread the message of Divine Mercy. This is the spiritual home of the Association of Marian Helpers. Literature is printed here that's sent throughout the world. And of course, our Divine Mercy Sunday celebration is one of the largest in North America.

But as with any historical property, maintaining Eden Hill with the Shrine (built between 1950-1960) is an ongoing challenge that requires a significant investment of time and financial resources.

Whether you have been touched by this place through a visit or through our many telecasts of the Divine Mercy Chaplet on EWTN, we invite you to join the Marians by making a financial commitment to preserve Eden Hill for future generations.

Rwanda: Mission of Mercy

"It is true that the Mother of God appeared in Kibeho on the day of November 28, 1981 and during the following months."

— Bishop Augustin Misago of Gikongoro, Rwanda

This approval from Bishop Misago on June 29, 2001, has helped make Kibeho the "Lourdes of Africa." Thousands make a pilgrimage there annually to a shrine that was built in honor of Our Lady of Kibeho.

At the Bishop's urging, the Marians of the Immaculate Conception are in the process of building a Formation Center near the shrine in order to help insure that the many pilgrims who now flock there receive sound teachings about Mary to avoid any misinterpretation of the apparitions.

It's fitting that the Marians call their Formation Center in Kibeho "Cana," to honor Mary's famous intervention at the wedding feast of Cana in which Jesus performed His first miracle of turning water into wine. That miracle was preceded by Mary's words to the wedding servers, "Do whatever He tells you" (Jn 2:5).

"She's instructing us to do His will," said Fr. Leszek Czelusniak, MIC, who leads the Marian mission in Kibeho.

Brick by brick, Fr. Leszek and local laborers have built a small residence for the Marian missionaries, an outdoor field altar, and a chapel, all anchored on a hilltop by an 18-foot-tall statue of Jesus, The Divine Mercy. The Marians, however, realize they haven't the infrastructure to handle the increasing needs in Kibeho. They are eager to begin the next phase of the Formation Center, a 14-bedroom pilgrim house to give people in formation a place to stay. The projected cost is $300,000.

"This is a very important place — a spiritual place," said Fr. Leszek, "and we have the opportunity to do a lot of good here."

Rwanda could use it. This is a land still reeling in the aftermath of a civil war 13 years ago that claimed the lives of nearly a million people. In Kibeho, itself, 25,000 people were massacred.

"We still see terrible wounds that affect people," says Fr. Leszek especially the youth. But we also see a real hunger for God."

The Marians, through their devotion to Mary and their expertise in the message of The Divine Mercy, can play a huge role in bringing peace and reconciliation to Rwandans. They've already helped many to understand Mary's central message in Kibeho, which is one of prayer, penance, fasting, conversion, reconciliation, the importance of the Rosary, and preparation for the return of Jesus.

Although still incomplete, the Marians' Formation Center has already hosted a national pilgrimage for the youth, conferences, retreats, Eucharistic adoration, and prayer events.

"I think that in five years, our center will be famous throughout Africa," says Fr. Leszek. "What we do, we do for God. We are always open to the call of God. It is the will of God, as Our Lady of Kibeho reminded us, to have harmony in the world. Her message in Kibeho is a message for the world: to pray, pray, pray, and repent. That's what it's all about."

Cameroon: Build a Center/Educate a Child

Because the Marians performed dedicated work in other parts of Africa, Bishop Jan Ozga of Cameroon invited them to take over a parish in Atok. The parish had been abandoned — without the sacraments or spiritual guidance — for more than five years. Upon assuming the parish, the Marians found that the faith of many baptized Catholics had waned.

Many other problems exist, both as a result of extreme poverty and the lack of Christian faith and morals. Adequate food, clothing, housing, and education are not available. Children are treated as second-class citizens, often receiving only the scraps of food left over from their parents' meals. Handicapped children are abandoned by their families. Marriages are not sanctified, which compounds problems of abandoned women and children .

The parish includes 25 villages that are connected by roads that are impassable during much of the year due to severe contrasts of rain and drought. To address many of these problems, we are building a Pastoral Formation Center. This center will be used as a home for orphans and handicapped adults. It will also be used to train catechists from the various villages. Once trained, these catechists can return to their villages and teach their neighbors about our faith.

Cameroon: Build a Center/Educate a Child

Because the Marians performed dedicated work in other parts of Africa, Bishop Jan Ozga of Cameroon invited them to take over a parish in Atok. The parish had been abandoned — without the sacraments or spiritual guidance — for more than five years. Upon assuming the parish, the Marians found that the faith of many baptized Catholics had waned.

Many other problems exist, both as a result of extreme poverty and the lack of Christian faith and morals. Adequate food, clothing, housing, and education are not available. Children are treated as second-class citizens, often receiving only the scraps of food left over from their parents' meals. Handicapped children are abandoned by their families. Marriages are not sanctified, which compounds problems of abandoned women and children .

The parish includes 25 villages that are connected by roads that are impassable during much of the year due to severe contrasts of rain and drought. To address many of these problems, we are building a Pastoral Formation Center. This center will be used as a home for orphans and handicapped adults. It will also be used to train catechists from the various villages. Once trained, these catechists can return to their villages and teach their neighbors about our faith.

Ukraine:

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program / Free Dental Clinic

Since 1991, the Marians in Ukraine have restored 9 churches and built 20 new churches. The people are spiritually hungry. The Marian Fathers help lift people's hearts, bring hope, evangelize those who had not known God, and provide the daily Sacraments to those who had been denied them for so long.

Because God was "outlawed" under Communism, many people escaped their problems by turning to alcohol. Although governmental statistics state that only a small percentage of Ukrainians are addicted to drugs and alcohol, Marian estimates are that 70% of the population is either directly or indirectly affected by alcoholism.

The people of this region also must contend with little income. They live on a meager $3 per day.

Many children have been abandoned and abused. Many seniors are also mistreated and rejected by their children. Marians have established homes for both homeless children and seniors. To help eliminate the root of the problem, the Marians plan to establish an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program in Mogyliv-Podilskyj.

To help them with a basic healthcare need, a retired dentist in Denver has donated all of his equipment to the Marians in Ukraine. A dentist will volunteer two days each week to provide free dentistry. An estimated construction estimate to build a dental clinic for those with no access to dentistry is $50,000.

Please help the Marians counteract the misery caused by enforced atheism, and help bring God’s mercy to Ukraine.

Ukraine:

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program / Free Dental Clinic

Since 1991, the Marians in Ukraine have restored 9 churches and built 20 new churches. The people are spiritually hungry. The Marian Fathers help lift people's hearts, bring hope, evangelize those who had not known God, and provide the daily Sacraments to those who had been denied them for so long.

Because God was "outlawed" under Communism, many people escaped their problems by turning to alcohol. Although governmental statistics state that only a small percentage of Ukrainians are addicted to drugs and alcohol, Marian estimates are that 70% of the population is either directly or indirectly affected by alcoholism.

The people of this region also must contend with little income. They live on a meager $3 per day.

Many children have been abandoned and abused. Many seniors are also mistreated and rejected by their children. Marians have established homes for both homeless children and seniors. To help eliminate the root of the problem, the Marians plan to establish an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program in Mogyliv-Podilskyj.

To help them with a basic healthcare need, a retired dentist in Denver has donated all of his equipment to the Marians in Ukraine. A dentist will volunteer two days each week to provide free dentistry. An estimated construction estimate to build a dental clinic for those with no access to dentistry is $50,000.

Please help the Marians counteract the misery caused by enforced atheism, and help bring God’s mercy to Ukraine.

Defray the Prayerline Phone Expense

Each year the Divine Mercy Intercessory Prayerline touches the lives of more than 299,000 people with 898,000 prayer intentions.

The Divine Mercy Intercessory Prayerline is a vital service to people who carry serious burdens or everyday struggles and concerns. Because of the personal nature of these calls, callers are never asked for more than their first names.

All callers, many of whom are elderly and live on a limited income, use a toll-free number. No donations are ever requested. Callers are able to grieve, pray, and receive the Lord's mercy through our Divine Mercy Prayerline.

Cargo of Mercy:

Send a Computer/Send Medical Supplies and Basic Needs

Of the 6 billion people on our planet, 2.8 billion live on less than $2 a day. For those who do work, the conditions are often deplorable and the wages grossly inadequate.

To end the cycle of poverty, the availability of modern technology and new skills are necessary. When young people are trained to use the donated computers and sewing machines, they gain the necessary job skills to improve their economic situation.

Help the Marians through our lay outreach ministry, the Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy, to send gifts of healing and hope for a brighter future. The medicine, medical supplies, religious articles and sewing machines are donated. Each refurbished computer costs $250. Help us purchase computers so we can help people, especially the young, gain important job skills.

Cargo of Mercy:

Send a Computer/Send Medical Supplies and Basic Needs

Of the 6 billion people on our planet, 2.8 billion live on less than $2 a day. For those who do work, the conditions are often deplorable and the wages grossly inadequate.

To end the cycle of poverty, the availability of modern technology and new skills are necessary. When young people are trained to use the donated computers and sewing machines, they gain the necessary job skills to improve their economic situation.

Help the Marians through our lay outreach ministry, the Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy, to send gifts of healing and hope for a brighter future. The medicine, medical supplies, religious articles and sewing machines are donated. Each refurbished computer costs $250. Help us purchase computers so we can help people, especially the young, gain important job skills.

Brazil: Build a Hospital

The current Good Shepherd Hospital — a tiny 5,000 square-foot wooden building — must be demolished and rebuilt. The present hospital violates new government health regulations in that it is made of wood, a material conducive to spreading infection.

Our Good Shepherd Hospital in Turvo is the only hospital in the county. It serves a large community that suffers from very high rates of infant mortality, infectious diseases, respiratory illnesses, and complications from malnutrition and contaminated drinking water.

The Marians need funding to build a new facility to comply with the new governmental health laws. The new brick facility will be 22,000-square feet and will include new beds and better equipped rooms for patients. It will provide space for more advanced equipment, such as x-ray and ultrasound scanners, and will allow the Marians to expand their services.

This is truly a community hospital in that it is largely operated by volunteers. Both skilled and non-skilled laborers from the parish are donating their services to the construction project. Even with all of this support, there is not enough state or local funds to support the construction. The Marians have raised approximately one third of the required funds. Please help us finish this project so we can care for these people who desperately need medical care.

Evangelization:

Help MOMM travel with message

With a van full of audio and visual equipment and over-sized sacred images, Joan and Dave Maroney — Mother of Mercy Messengers — drive around the country. The husband-and-wife team gives dramatic presentations of St. Faustina's Diary to about 100 parishes each year. Their innovative style of presenting The Divine Mercy message and devotion has captured the hearts of tens of thousands of people.

Divine Mercy presentations are tailored to adults or school children. Parish presentations usually are given within the sacredness of a church, placing participants in the presence of our Eucharistic Lord. To set the mood, Joan and Dave use meditative music and illuminated images of Jesus (The Divine Mercy), our Blessed Mother, St. Faustina, and the Shroud of Turin. Based on the Diary of St. Faustina and sacred scripture, this dramatic presentation powerfully communicates the message of God's merciful love.

The presentation for school children speaks directly to them. "The school program is a catechism in many ways," says Dave. "It's a teaching on the Church in a more informal, interactive format. In the high school program, the students can really relate to the sinful soul, the despairing soul, and the suffering soul in St. Faustina's Diary. The message of mercy is one of hope and healing for young people."

In bringing the message from the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy to local parishes, Joan and Dave end each presentation with the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Their goal is to get people to trust our Lord, pray the chaplet, and understand the passion of Christ, specifically through the eyes of His Blessed Mother.

Although this is a message of healing and grace, Divine Mercy as a way of life is emphasized. Dave and Joan encourage people to lives of mercy in their workplace and in their families.

"The more we understand how merciful God is, the more we can be merciful to others." - Joan Maroney

Make a General Gift to the Marians

One of the Marians' charisms is to bring God's mercy wherever the need is greatest. Making a general gift will allow the Marians to direct your donation to the area most in need.