Feast of Divine Mercy: Pangasinan Reflection

For the Feast of Divine Mercy Pangasinan Reflection, kindly go to “From the Pastor’s Notebook”.

San Fabian Church, one of the Featured Churches in the CBCP’s Visita Iglesia

The church of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, is featured as one of the churches in the Visita Iglesia online of the CBCP.

Visita Iglesia online  is a project of the CBCP Media Office which offers a "virtual experience of celebrating Lent, the Holy Week and Easter at the comfort of one's room."

It was primarily launched for overseas Filipino workers.

The website offers the  pasyon (sung readings of the Gospel account of Christ's Passion). It  invites the visitors to watch videos of the Seven Last Words, read homilies and take part in the Stations of the Cross via a computer with an Internet connection.

The church of the Epiphany of the Lord in Lingayen, Pangasinan is also featured in the website.

In the video, Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest of San Fabian, gives a short history of the parish. He also mentions the special devotion of the parish to the Divine Mercy. “The Divine Mercy devotion has become a vehicle in the formation of the BECs of the parish”, he said. He then invites the visitors to “come and join us, pray with us …. here in the parish of St. Fabian.”

"The liturgy is a community act and being so it is most meaningfully celebrated in the context of the community or the parish," CBCP media director Msgr. Pedro Quitorio said in the group's website.

Parish celebrates MERCY Sunday

19 April 2009 – San Fabian. The Feast of the Divine Mercy was celebrated in the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr this Sunday, joining the whole Church in celebrating this great feast.

This Feast was granted to the Universal Church by Pope John Paul II on the occasion of the canonization of Sr. Faustina on 30 April 2000. In a decree dated 23 May 2000, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stated that "throughout the world the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that mankind will experience in the years to come."

Concerning the Feast of Mercy Jesus said: Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. (Diary300)

The whole of Sunday afternoon was devoted by the Parish for the observance of this great Feast. A Holy Hour in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction was celebrated. While this was being celebrated, the Sacrament of Reconciliation was made available for the hundreds of parishioners and devotees of Divine Mercy. A Holy Mass was celebrated at 4,30 PM.

These were done in accordance to wishes of Jesus when He spoke to St. Faustina: the soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will I contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy. (Diary 699).

The images of the Divine Mercy were blessed after the Mass. This was followed by a procession in honor of The Divine Mercy.

Testimonies from the parishioners were shared regarding how their devotion to the Divine Mercy has greatly affected their lives. Some bore testimonies to the miracles they have received from the great Mercy of God.

(One was about the miracle received by Danny of Barangay Bigbiga. Although, he was not able to give his story, Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the Parish Priest, could attest to the wonderful grace that God has given to Danny).

  

The parishioners joining in the procession during the Feast of The Divine Mercy

Parish joins in the Celebration of the 2nd Archdiocesan Congress on Divine Mercy

5 April - San Fabian. The Second Archdiocesan Congress on Divine Mercy was held recently in the Parish of St. Thomas Aquinas, Mangaldan, Pangasinan. It was celebrated last 4 April 2009, Saturday, a day before the start of the Holy Week. The 2nd Archdiocesan Congress came following the First Archdiocesan Congress on The Divine Mercy which was celebrated last year at the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr. Many devotees and the faithful of the parish who had been touched and transformed by the Mercy of God attended the one day affair.

The congress had three major talks on the Divine Mercy. The first talk on “Divine Mercy in Scriptures” was given by Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza. “Pastoral Implications of the Divine Mercy Devotion” was shared to the participants by Most Rev. Jesus A. Cabrera, DD. The third talk on “Celebration of God’s Mercy ” was given by Most Rev. Renato P. Mayugba, DD who also celebrated the Mass on that day at the Parish Church of St. Thomas Aquinas. More than five hundred devotees from the different parishes of the Archdiocese participated in the congress.

The Apostles of the Divine Mercy of the Parish of St. Thomas Aquinas (Mangaldan) led by Sis. Silvana de Vera and Sis. Lourdes Campued organized and prepared the hosting of this year’s congress. Msgr. Renato P. Mayugba, DD during the mass also announced that the Third Archdiocesan Congress on Divine Mercy will be celebrated next year in the Parish of St. Ildephonse, Malasiqui, Pangasinan.

Hundreds of devotees and participants to the 2nd Archdiocesan Congress on Divine Mercy join Msgr. Renato P. Mayugba, DD in celebrating the mass culminating the congress.

Bishop Mayugba invites devotees to the 2nd Archdiocesan Congress on Divine Mercy

In a circular letter addressed to the parish priests and chaplains of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Msgr. Renato P. Mayugba, DD, the Auxiliary Bishop, issued an invitation to the devotees of the Divine Mercy to the 2nd Archdiocesan Congress on The Divine Mercy. In his letter, the bishop, to show the significance of the octave of Easter, wrote that “on the octave of Easter, Christ appeared again to the eleven and, calling the attention of Thomas, showed his wounds that wrought our redemption”.

The 2nd Archdiocesan Congress is to be held at the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Mangaldan, Pangasinan on 4 April 2009, Saturday from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The First Archdiocesan Congress on The Divine Mercy was celebrated last year at the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr.

The program will have three major talks on the Divine Mercy. The first talk on "Divine Mercy in Scriptures" will be given by Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza. "Pastoral Implications of the Divine Mercy Devotion" will be shared to the participants by Most Rev. Jesus A. Cabrera, DD. The third talk on "Celebration of God's Mercy " will be given by Most Rev. Renato P. Mayugba, DD who will also celebrate the Mass on that day at the Parish Church of St. Thomas Aquinas.

The message and devotion to Jesus as The Divine Mercy is based on the writings of Saint Faustina Kowalska, an uneducated Polish nun who, in bedience to her spiritual director, wrote a diary of about 600 pages recording the revelations she received about God’s mercy. Even before her death in 1938, the devotion to The Divine Mercy had begun to spread.

St. Faustina, the Secretary of Mercy

St. Faustina has been called the “Secretary of The Divine Mercy”. On October 5, 1938, Sister Faustina (Helen Kowalska) died in a convent of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Cracow, Poland. She came from a very poor family that had struggled hard on their little farm during the terrible years of WWI. Sister had had only three years of very simple education. Hers were the humblest of tasks in the convent, usually in the kitchen or the vegetable garden, or as a porter.

On February 22, 1931, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ appeared to this simple nun, bringing with Him a wonderful message of Mercy for all mankind. Saint Faustina tells us in her diary under this date:

"In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, 'paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.'"

Some time later, Our Lord again spoke to her:

"The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous; the red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My most tender Mercy at that time when My agonizing Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross....Fortunate is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him."

The Second Archdiocesan Congress on The Divine Mercy

The theme of the 2nd Archdiocesan Congress is “The Flames of Mercy are burning!” It is a proclamation of the unfathomable mercy of Jesus on the whole world, and the need for us to propagate the message and devotion of the Divine Mercy. It also will help the devotees in the proper celebration in the parishes of the Divine Mercy Sunday which will be celebrated this year on 19 April 2009, the First Sunday after Easter.

Divine Mercy Newsletter Vo. 4,1

22 March – San Fabian. The “Divine Mercy Newsletter” is already out for distribution and for reading by the devotees. The newsletter is a publication of the Apostles of the Divine Mercy of the Parish of St. Thomas Aquinas, Mangaldan, Pangasinan. It is being distributed however for the whole Archdiocese. It usually comes out before Holy Week, and in time for the celebration of the Feast of Mercy on the first Sunday after Easter. This year, the Feast of Mercy is celebrated on April 19.

The newsletter highlights the following: updates on the celebration of the 2nd Congress on Divine Mercy as well as updates on the celebration of the Mercy Sunday.

To download and read the Newsletter, kindly click the link: Divine Mercy Newsletter Vol.4,1 It is in the .pdf format.

The Flames of Mercy are Burning!

21 March-San Fabian. The 2nd Archdiocesan Congress of the Divine Mercy has been scheduled on 4 April 2009, Saturday. The St. Thomas Aquinas Parish of Mangaldan, Pangasinan is the host of the congress. The theme of the congress is “The Flames of Mercy are Burning”, taken from the Diary of St. Faustina, when Jesus spoke to her with these words:

My daughter, speak to priests about this inconceivable mercy of Mine. The flames of mercy are burning Me-clamoring to be spent; I want to keep pouring them out upon souls; souls just don't want to believe in My goodness. (Diary, 177)

The First Archdiocesan Congress of Divine Mercy was celebrated last 21 June 2008 at the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr. During that congress, there were about 600 devotees who took part in the said congress. Majority of the delegates came from the host parish of St. Fabian and the neighboring parish of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Mangaldan, Pangasinan. These two parishes have the most number and active devotees of the Divine Mercy.

It is expected that more devotees and parishes will take part in the second congress. Three talks are to be shared during the day: Divine Mercy in Scriptures by Rev. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, Divine Mercy Spirituality by Most Rev. Jesus A. Cabrera, DD and Divine Mercy and the Church by Most Rev. Renato P. Mayugba, DD. Registration starts at 7:30 AM. The program and activities will end by 4:30 PM. Participants are advised to bring their baon.

The Logo of the 2nd Archdiocesan Congress on Divine Mercy

Formation of BECs through the Devotion of the Divine Mercy

Last 19 July 2008, the first neighborhood community consisting of ten (10) families was formed in the parish. The next day, two other communities were formally introduced to the community apostolate program of the parish, the "Divine Mercy Family Evangelization Program". Five more communities consisting of ten families each were formed. Through this program, the parish hopes to strengthen already existing Basic Ecclesial Communities, and form new communities. The program is hinged on the popular devotion of the parish, which has gained a wide acceptance among the parishioners, the devotion to the Divine Mercy.

The basic understanding of the Basic Ecclesial Community falls on the following, as expressed in the Archdiocesan Pastoral Assembly (1997): it is a small community whose members are united with each other, and to their pastor; it is a community which gathers around the Word of God and nourished by the Eucharist and the Sacraments. Most of these communities emerge mostly among the poor at the grassroots.  What then is the "Family Evangelization Program" and what role does the devotion to the Divine Mercy play in the formation of these neighborhood Christian communities?

The first community formed called themselves "Kapayapaan Uno" because the families come from a certain geographical area called "Purok Kapayapaan" in Barangay Anonang. The ten families have been neighbors for a long time, bound by blood relations, primarily, and informal association. Hence, they have known each other for quite a while. The underlying factor that would keep the families together, and hence, that will provide a common, continuing activity of the families is the devotion to the Divine Mercy through the "Visitation of the Image" from one house to the next. The image of the Divine Mercy will stay in one family for a week, after which, it will "visit" the next family. While the image stays in one house, the family is encouraged to pray daily the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and the Three o'clock prayer, both elements of the devotion. 

On the first day, the members of the family welcome the Image. Together with the other families, they pray the devotional prayers welcoming the image, as well as the consecration of the family to the Divine Mercy. After a week, the ten families gather together at the home where the image is. They will hold a Bible Sharing, i.e., they share the Word of God. The sharing of the Word is a basic activity of the community. This is also the opportunity for them to discuss relevant issues affecting their lives. It is also in this Prayer/Bible Sharing that Catholic Doctrines and Practices will be discussed and lived. The parish team provides the families with the catechism and questions to be reflected upon for the week.

The Divine Mercy Family Evangelization Program Pamphlet. (.pdf) in Pangasinan.

Archdiocesan Congress on Divine Mercy

22 June 2008, Saturday. The first ever Archdiocesan Congress on Divine Mercy was held in the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr with the participation of about six hundred devotees coming from the different parishes of the Archdiocese. Majority of the participants came from the host parish and the Parish of St. Thomas Aquinas, Mangaldan, Pangasinan. The Congress was conceived and encouraged by Msgr. Renato P. Mayugaba, DD, the Auxiliary Bishop of Lingayen-Dagupan. - more -