April 4, 2024

Dear Friends,

First Friday (April 5) and First Saturday (April 6) fall during this holy Week of Easter.  The two hearts that suffering so much for love of us on Calvary will help us live the Risen Life of our Lord.  These two commemorations will be observed at St. Joseph Chapel (400 South Blvd. West, Pontiac, MI 48341) with the solemnity due to the Easter Octave—the holiest week of the year.

We will have the relic of St. Faustina starting Friday through Sunday.

Divine Mercy Sunday is this Sunday, April 7.  Our schedule is as follows.

(10:30 am) Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament & Confessions

(11:30 am) Talk: Jim Miller, Lay Apostle of Divine Mercy

(12:30 pm) Rosary

(1:00 pm) Holy Mass: Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM & Fr. Joe Lang

(2:15 pm) Exposition & Confessions: followed by the relic of St. Faustina: Veneration & Blessing

(2:20 pm) Talk: Jim Miller, Lay Apostle of Divine Mercy

(3:00 pm) Hour of Mercy: Chaplet of Divine Mercy & Eucharistic Benediction

From 11:30 am, two priests will be available for Confessions on Divine Mercy Sunday (DMS).  The Exceptional Grace offered ONLY on DMS only requires you go to Confession 20 days before or after DMS.  (A Plenary Indulgence requires a week before or after.)  This Grace is like a second Baptism because it not only removes all temporal punishment but also remits all sin.  A Plenary Indulgence only does the former.  Plus, for a Plenary Indulgence one must not be attached to sin (hard to determine) but that is not required for the Extraordinary Grace of DMS.  That’s a great deal!  One must fulfill all the ordinary Plenary Indulgence conditions to obtain this Grace—Holy Communion on the day of (being in a state of grace), praying for the Holy Father, venerating the Image of Divine Mercy and, like in all things, have TRUST in Jesus’ loving mercy.

FOUR more seats need to be filled for the 8-person table that my confrere in religious life (a holy man), Brother Louie, will sit at at the Lakes Area Right to Life Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser this Saturday, April 6, from 6:00-9:00 pm at St. Patrick Church in White Lake (9086 Hutchins Rd.).  Terra Sancta Ministries has already reserved this table.  It is $25 per seat.  Please contact me (see below).  If you just want to attend without sitting at the table, it is only $20/ticket.  Purchase tickets at lakesarearighttolife.org.

To communicate with me, please DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL but email me directly at  [email protected] or call/text me at (313) 727-9784.  Risen Redeemer, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us!

In Jesus, Mary & Joseph,
Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM
Spiritual Director of Terra Sancta Ministries