At the Church of St. Catherine in Bethlehem, a new parish group was launched: the Apostles of Divine Mercy. The group, inspired by St. Faustina Kowalska (the Polish holy mystic of the early 20th century), focuses on the spirituality of the Divine Mercy. The consecration of the parishioners took place on the occasion of the Mass of Divine Mercy on Sunday, April 8. At the Church of St. Catherine in Bethlehem, Br. Rami Asakrieh, the pastor, presided over the liturgy, before the relic of St. Faustina, which was brought from Poland, and the painting of Divine Mercy, which was blessed by Pope John Paul II. “Just two days before the celebration, a group from Marian movement who was visiting unexpectedly brought this relic,” said the pastor.
Mons. Leopoldo Girelli, the Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate for Jerusalem and Palestine, also participated in the Eucharistic celebration.
The new group is made up of families from the Bethlehem parish and it is led and supported by Fr. Rami.
The Apostles of Divine Mercy will have the task of trying to spread St. Faustina’s spirituality in the same place where the Savior of the world was born. The members of the group will offer their services through prayer and assistance to all those in need, and above all, they will lead Eucharistic adoration in the parish on the first Friday of each month.
“I hope this group will help spread the desire for Jesus transmitted to St. Faustina,” said Fr. Rami. “And make His Mercy known to the whole parish with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the veneration of His image, the Eucharist and with Acts of Mercy.”
The group is one of the other numerous groups that are part of the Latin parish of Bethlehem: catechism groups, youth groups, the Scouts, the Legion of Mary, the Franciscan Third Order, the Milk Grotto prayer group, choir groups, as well as the liturgical commission and the family center.
