Networking with the experts
Call it a "mercy meet-and-greet." The day before the North American Congress on Mercy, pilgrims will have the opportunity to take part in an unprecedented face-to-face forum with the "mercy pros."
The Divine Mercy Networking Forum, hosted by the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, will take place Friday, Nov. 13, at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, 3900 Harewood Road, NE, in the nation’s capital.
"We see this as a pioneering effort to bring the faithful and devotees of God’s mercy face-to-face with the experts," says Fr. Kazimierz Chwalek, MIC, vice-president of the North Atlantic Congress on Mercy and director of Evangelization and Development for the Marians, promoters of the authentic Divine Mercy message since 1941. "People often have specific questions unique to their own situations in life, and we felt inspired by the Holy Spirit to make this opportunity available."
The questions of which Fr. Kaz speaks include:
- How do I get my pastor to learn about, accept, and celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday?
- How can I share The Divine Mercy message in a more effective way with my family, friends, parish, community, and co-workers?
- How can I learn more about the message of Divine Mercy, so I can comfortably speak about it and share it with others?
In designing the agenda for the forum, Fr. Kaz says organizers selected topics that would complement NACOM. He noted many of the speakers are well known Divine Mercy promoters (see pages 16-17).
Dr. Robert Stackpole, STD, director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy and emcee of the forum, says the format "will present workshops that show how clergy and laypeople can use Divine Mercy as a practical tool for daily life. It will present pro-life strategies plus pragmatic information for those with ministries in healthcare, prayer groups, youth and children’s groups, prison work, and parishes."
Dr. Bryan Thatcher, MD, who heads Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy, echoes the practicality of the networking forum. "Many of the participants will be people who have already been touched by the message of Divine Mercy," says Dr. Thatcher. "I often am asked by these people how they can deepen that experience and at the same time participate more effectively in spreading the message and devotion. Our workshops will address these sorts of questions."
The networking forum will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with nine one-hour workshops in three concurrent sessions (see schedule on page 13).
At 3:30 p.m., presenters will participate in a panel discussion titled "Ask the Divine Mercy Experts." The day will conclude with an optional reception involving the participants and panelists. Light fare will be served.
The following is the list of participants:
Most Reverend Robert W. Finn, DD, Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph (Missouri), serves as chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Task Force on the Life and Dignity of the Human Person and as consultant to both the Pro-Life Secretariat and the Bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. As a priest in St. Louis, he was involved in planning the first archdiocesan celebrations of Divine Mercy. In his own diocese he has encouraged the Divine Mercy devotion. Shortly after becoming ordinary, he established the Diocesan Shrine to the Divine Mercy and St. Faustina.
Father Seraphim Michalenko, MIC, will serve as homilist for the 10 a.m. Mass on Sunday. Father Seraphim is a world-renowned expert in the message of The Divine Mercy. He served as vice-postulator for the canonization cause of St. Faustina Kowalska, whose revelations in the 1930s led to the modern Divine Mercy movement. He serves as director of the Association of Marian Helpers in Stockbridge, Mass. He is a familiar face to EWTN viewers from his appearances on instructive and inspirational programs dealing with The Divine Mercy message and devotion. He was directly instrumental in the publication of the very first edition in the original Polish language of St. Faustina's now world-famous Diary, as well as involved in the preparation of the same in several other versions. He also was a firsthand witness of the miracle attributed to St. Faustina’s intercession that opened the way for her being declared "Blessed" in 1993, and he coordinated the efforts that served to verify that miracle as well as a second one that led her to be declared a "saint" in 2000.
Father Kazimierz Chwalek, MIC, is director of Evangelization and Development for the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception and vice-president of the North American Congress on Mercy. Before he joined the Marians in 1980, he worked on the first Polish edition of St. Faustina's Diary. He later assisted with the English translation. He has served as director of the Association of Marian Helpers and has worked in seminarian formation. His love for Pope John Paul II led him to be the editor of the English Edition of The Making of the Pope of the Millennium: Kalendarium of the life of Karol Wojtyla, a compendium of primary sources that chronicle the life and activities of pre-pontifical period of John Paul II. Fr. Kaz was a member of the executive committee of the World Apostolic Congress on Mercy. He is vice president of the North American Congress on Mercy.
Father Donald Calloway, MIC, will speak on the topic "Mary: Mother and Masterpiece of Mercy." A convert to Catholicism, Fr. Donald is a member of the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception. Before his conversion to Catholicism, he was a high school dropout who had been kicked out of a foreign country, institutionalized twice, and thrown in jail multiple times. After his radical conversion he earned a B.A. in philosophy and theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, H, M.Div. and S.T.B. degrees from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., and an S.T.L. in Mariology from the International Marian Research Institute in Dayton, Ohio. He is the editor of two books: The Immaculate Conception in the Life of the Church (Marian Press, 2004) and The Virgin Mary and Theology of the Body (Marian Press, 2005). He is the author of the book Purest of All Lilies: The Virgin Mary in the Spirituality of St. Faustina (Marian Press, 2008). His new book, No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy, will be released in January. Father Donald is the house superior of the Marian House of Studies in Steubenville.
Father Anthony Gramlich, MIC, is rector of the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Mass.
Father Joseph Roesch, MIC, member of the Marians' General Council in Rome. Father Joe has been heavily involved in establishing the Marians' new Divine Mercy mission to the Philippines. He was host of the "Cenacle of The Divine Mercy: EWTN Program Series II."
Father Daniel Leary, who has been leading men’s and women’s retreats for more than 12 years. His focus on Divine Mercy as an instrument for healing and grace has drawn many people closer to Christ, strengthened their faith, and led to an enriched prayer life rooted in the sacraments. Ordained in 1997, he serves as pastor at Jesus the Divine Word Church in Huntingtown, Md.
Brother Michael Gaitley, MIC, hopes to be ordained a priest next year. He lives in Stockbridge, Mass., and is an assistant to Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, MIC, on matters relating to the message of The Divine Mercy. He has appeared several times on EWTN.
Brother Richard Mary Dolan, MIC, is a theology seminarian at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. He is Fresh Anointing's college outreach coordinator for the Washington, D.C., area, ministering to young adults from 18-35 but primarily to college-age students. He leads a discussion group and helps out with retreats, catechesis, prayer teams, and a weekly Life in the Spirit seminar.
Dave and Joan Maroney are founders of Mother of Mercy Messengers (MOMM), an apostolate of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. MOMM is dedicated to taking the heart of the mercy message emanating from the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Mass., to local parishes and schools. They've also produced two best-selling DVDs, "Tell All Souls About My Mercy" and "Divine Mercy for Young Hearts."
Dr. Robert Stackpole, STD, is director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy, an apostolate of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. He is the author of several books, including Divine Mercy: A Guide from Genesis to Benedict XVI (Marian Press). He is also the writer of the popular "Divine Mercy Q&A" column on thedivinemercy.org.
Dr. Bryan Thatcher, MD, is the founder of Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy (EADM), an apostolate of the Marians Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, that's based in Riverview, Fla.
Marie Romagnano, RN, is the founder of Healthcare Professionals for Divine Mercy, an apostolate of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception that specializes in training healthcare professionals and caregivers on the healing power of The Divine Mercy message in caring for patients. She is the founder/president of Medlink, a critical care service in the Boston-Worcester, Mass., area. She is the author of Nursing with the Hands of Jesus and the organizer of Divine Mercy conferences for healthcare professionals.
Patrick Massari is a graduate of Georgetown University who practices civil rights law in Washington, D.C. He started the Divine Mercy Cenacle at Our Lady's Center in Ellicott City, Md., a Marian shrine and bookstore, where he also serves on the board of directors. He is a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, in Ellicott City, and serves as lector. He's a member of the Legion of Mary. He also serves in prison ministry.
Harold Cassidy, a Pro-Life attorney from New Jersey, served as chief counsel in the famous Baby M case, the first case in the United States to strike down surrogate parenting contracts as illegal, unenforceable, against public policy, and exploitive of women. Among his many achievements, he was selected Person of the Week by ABC World News with Peter Jennings.
Terry Muzones was born in the Philippines in 1946, and received a bachelor of science in zoology in 1964 from the University of Santo Tomas. She emigrated to the United States in 1968. She works as a sales and reservation agent for United Airlines. Terry has been working as a volunteer at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, in Stockbridge, Mass., for approximately 10 years as a "Voice of the Shrine" on Divine Mercy Weekend. She has been involved with the Eucharistic Apostles of the Divine Mercy and has traveled to different countries forming cenacles. Other volunteer work involves working with the prison ministry at the Shrine of St. Maximillian Kolbe, in Libertyville, IL. She is also involved with the Secular Franciscans and also helps With Mercy and Justice, an organization geared towards helping women and children and domestic abuse. Terry's goal is to save souls and spread the message of The Divine Mercy in every household.
Janis Clarke is a singer, songwriter, and speaker who recently launched "Word for Life Rosary Mission." In collaboration with renowned scripture scholar Fr. Francis Martin, Janis produced "Commuter Rosary" CDs to draw Catholics deeper into the Word, the sacraments, and the new evangelization. She sang for Pope John Paul II in Toronto during World Youth Day 2002 and received his blessing. In 2006, she founded the Eucharist for Life Children's Mission, which encourages children to pray for priests, for the unborn, and for mercy on the whole world in communion with the Blessed Mother and the Holy Innocents. She lives in Gaithersburg, Md.
Marlene Schlecht, a delegate to last year's World Apostolic Congress on Mercy in Rome, is the facilitator of the Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy cenacle at her parish, St. Peter's in Kenosha, Wis., where she also has helped start youth ministry and bereavement ministry programs. Marlene is also a lector, an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, a catechist for confirmation and RCIA programs, and president of the St. Peter's Women's League. She is involved in a hospital ministry and has long been involved with supporting religious vocations. She was involved in the start of a parish twinning mission with the Marians in Rwanda. She enjoys working to promote the works of the Marians and Divine Mercy.
Dr. John Bruchalski, MD, founded of the Tepeyac Family Center in Fairfax, Va., in 1994 with the mission of establishing an obstetrical and gynecological facility that combines the best of modern medicine with the healing presence of Jesus Christ — providing affordable healthcare to women, in particular, those with crisis pregnancies. In 2000, he founded Divine Mercy Care, a non-profit organization performing spiritual and corporal works of mercy in northern Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. He serves as chairman of Divine Mercy Care's board of directors. In 2005, Tepeyac Family Center became a part of Divine Mercy Care and currently operates as the first Catholic health care facility in the Diocese of Arlington.
Kellie Ross will give a talk titled "Imitating Christ through the Image of Divine Mercy." She is the co-founder and director of Missionaries of Our Lady of Divine Mercy in Manassas Va., which operates the House of Mercy, a thrift store that provides free clothing and new shoes as well as spiritual resources to the poor and needy. The Missionaries opened a new mission in June in the west African nation of Cote d'Ivoire. After her powerful conversion in 1998, Kellie declared, "I spent half my life offending God. In the second half of my life, Divine Mercy is my ministry in reparation."
Drew Mariani is a radio talk show host and managing editor at Relevant Radio, based in Green Bay, Wis.
Theresa Bonopartis has been involved in post-abortion work and counseling for 20 years. She will address the Congress on the topic "Where Mercy Meets Faithfulness," touching on how God not only healed her from an abortion but radically changed her life. From Westchester County, New York, Theresa is director of Lumina, a post-abortion referral service that operates under the auspices of Good Counsel Homes founded by Christopher Bell and Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR.
