In anticipation of the 2025 Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope,” the third North American Congress on Mercy (NACOM III) will take place Nov. 15-17, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Under the theme “Divine Mercy and Mary: Our Hope,” the Congress will be held at Good Shepherd Church (pictured above), 2250 150 Street, in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver.
“We are excited to bring NACOM to Canada for the first time, and we invite devotees of Divine Mercy from across North America to come to Vancouver,” says Fr. Kazimierz Chwalek, MIC, NACOM III coordinator. “There are spiritually enriching presentations from inspiring, well-known speakers and powerful witnesses to God’s love and mercy; Holy Mass; Eucharistic Adoration; Confession; uplifting sacred music; book signings; and time for sharing and fellowship. Something for everyone!”
Registration is now open. Click here: forms.marian.org/nacom
Day 1: Nov. 15
The Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, CSB, Archbishop of Vancouver, will celebrate the opening Mass on Nov. 15.
“As communities, we cannot bottle up the gift of mercy we have received,” Archbishop Miller said at the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016. “We must open our doors to see who is waiting outside, perhaps without the courage or the strength to knock, because they fear our harsh judgment or rejection. But the true Church, Pope Francis says, ‘has an endless desire to show mercy, the fruit of her own experience of the power of the Father’s infinite mercy.’ After all, we are but servants at the door of God’s mercy. And that door has a name: it is Jesus.”
Mass will be followed by the first of seven talks, “Saint Faustina, Teacher of Human and Divine Mercy” by Robert Stackpole, STD, emeritus director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy.
“As we move forward toward the Jubilee Year in 2025 on the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope,’ what could be more appropriate than to turn to Our Lady, Mother of Mercy Incarnate, Jesus Christ, to prepare us for the Jubilee celebration?” says Dr. Stackpole. “As the Saints have always said, she is the right dawn that heralds the coming of her Son, both long ago in Bethlehem, and even now into the hearts of all of humanity. After all, real, ultimate hope does not come from trusting in our wealth, our weapons, our reason and our cleverness – much less in any political leader or political party. It comes from entrusting our lives to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who opens the door of our hearts to her merciful Son. So NACOM III is about turning our hearts and minds to the true source of hope, in preparation for the great Jubilee.”
A screening of the film, Love and Mercy: Faustina, will follow Dr. Stackpole’s talk.
Day 2: Nov. 16
The second day will feature five talks and several personal witness presentations. The Very Rev. Chris Alar, MIC, provincial superior, will deliver the keynote address on “Mercy and Mary: Our Hope for a Troubled World.” “The last three popes have reiterated that Divine Mercy is the most important message of our times,” says Fr. Chris. “As Pope Benedict XVI said on Divine Mercy Sunday in 2006, ‘Divine Mercy is not a secondary devotion but an integral dimension of Christian faith and prayer.’”
Other speakers include Bryan Thatcher, MD, director of the Eucharistic Apostles for Divine Mercy (EADM), who will talk about Divine Mercy in the missions. Father Patrice Chocholski, STD, on “The Eucharist: Source the Mercy and Hope”; and Sr. Inga Kvassayova, OLM, of St. Faustina’s religious order, on “The Spirituality of Mercy”. The Most Rev. Antonysamy Savarimuthu, DD, DCL, Bishop of Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, India, will speak on “Jesus, Teacher of St. Faustina”; and the Very Rev. Donald Calloway, MIC, vicar provincial, will address “The Rosary: Instrument of Mercy and Hope.”
“It is an honor to be speaking at the same event with zealous bishops and international speakers who are promoting God’s unfathomable mercy,” said Fr. Donald. “NACOM is such a blessed event because it fires up the participants and inspires them to take the message of mercy back to their local areas and share it with their neighbors. It’s going to be a packed event, so I highly encourage people to register early. I can’t wait! See you there!”
Personal witness testimonies will be heard between talks, as well as choral and musical performances. A pizza supper will be provided (RSVP required at registration).
Day 3: Nov. 17
The final day of the Congress will begin with small group sharing and a question-and-answer session with the speakers.
The final talk will be on “‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and Mercy – Theme of the Holy Year 2025 and in Preparation for WACOM VI 2026 in Vilnius” by the Most Reverend Gintaras Grušas, Archbishop of Vilnius, Lithuania, delivered via video.
Registration open
Registration is now open. Click here: forms.marian.org/nacom
For more information, e-mail [email protected].
To view the detailed schedule, click here: www.marian.org/events/north-american-
congress-mercy-2024