Catholics mark Divine Mercy day

Apr 24, 2017

Divine Mercy day is commemorated in remembrance of God's great message conveyed through Sister Faustina of Krakow, Poland, as God revealed the pattern of Christian perfection based on trust in God.

Hundreds of Catholics braved the chilly Sunday morning and thronged the Uganda Martyrs Shrine Munyonyo  city suburbs to mark the Divine Mercy Sunday.

At 8am the Shrine was mostly empty, but people made a visit to the Martyrs Shrine to venerate Sister Faustina's relic and also to attend Mass.

A couple of hours later, the shrine was filled to capacity with excited Christians, many of whom had made the pilgrimage.

The elderly Charles Kamoga of Kakiri in Wakiso and Maria Nannyonga, 85, of Katende along Masaka road were among the pilgrims at the annual ceremony

Christians also participated in donating blood as sign of alms and mercy to others.

"We are beginning our day with the Consecration to Merciful Love, talk by Fr Raymond, then the events of the day," Fr Ulman a.ka Male said. "This is one of the special days in Catholic Church."

  apal uncio to ganda rchbishop ichael ugust lume receives offertory during ivine ercy unday ass at ganda artyrs hrine unyonyo on pril 23 2017 Papal Nuncio to Uganda, Archbishop Michael August Blume receives offertory during Divine Mercy Sunday Mass at Uganda Martyrs Shrine Munyonyo on April 23, 2017

 



 The mass was led by Papal Nuncio to Uganda, Archbishop, Michael August Blume, assisted by Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, Vicar General of Kampala Archdiocese, Msgr Charles Kasibante, who represented Archbishop of Kampala, Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga.

Archbishop Blume tasked Christians to emulate Sister Faustina and show compassion.

Divine Mercy day is commemorated in remembrance of God's great message conveyed through Sister Faustina of Krakow, Poland, as God revealed the pattern of Christian perfection based on trust in God.

The Catholic Church started celebrating this day in 2000 after Pope John Paul II announced sister Faustina, a saint.

She was born on August 25, 1905 in Gogowiec in Poland in a religious peasants' poor family, the third of ten children. Faustina died on December 5 1938.

This Sunday is designated in "The Liturgy of the Hours and the Celebration of the Eucharist" as the "Octave Day of Easter."

 It was officially called the Second Sunday of Easter after the liturgical reform of Vatican II. Now, by the Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the name of this liturgical day has been changed to: "Second Sunday of Easter, or Divine Mercy Sunday.

Kasibante asked the congregation always to emulate St Faustina as they do good things to others not only  to those they knew but to all they see  need God's mercy.

However, Fr Achilles Mayanja, the patron of Divine Mercy in Kampala, encouraged Christians to always receive sacraments as they are church obligations.

"He said that on this celebration Plenary Indulgence is obtained by observing the usual dispositions that are on place for the granting of this grace through the Intercession of the Catholic Church that is: Sacramental Confession, Holy Communion, to pray for the intentions of the pope.

Blume also launched Ground construction of the Divine Mercy chapel to be sponsored by Emmanuel Katongole the managing director of CIPLA

 

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