To the editor:
This is in response to your Editor’s View piece in the April 24 issue, in particular the paragraphs headlined “Observing Divine Mercy Sunday.” Thank you for writing about it.
The first paragraph seems to indicate that there is some choice on the part of Pope Francis to observe Divine Mercy Sunday. My understanding is that Pope John Paul II made it part of our faith through a papal bull and thus infallible. Pope Francis’ choosing to canonize both new saints on Divine Mercy Sunday is because both are involved in Christ’s request that it be so.
Pope John XXIII reversed the ban vis-a-vis St. Faustina’s message. There is a miracle related to this when he reversed the paperwork regarding the approval. Had he not done that, it may have taken a lot longer.
And of course, all the miracles related to Pope John Paul II and the Divine Mercy are more well-known and outlined in the next paragraph of your piece.
As stated by Pope John Paul II, Christ has promised to us all that we would have forgiveness of sins — and, this was omitted — all punishment for sin would be forgiven. (Otherwise, we only have that with our Baptism.) We need to go to Confession and Communion and meditate of the Divine Mercy Image and intend to be merciful in the course of our lives.
For the reasons above, this is why Divine Mercy Sunday is a special day and should be celebrated by all in the course of Sunday Mass.
Kenneth R. Studinski, Janesville