Brothers of Merciful Jesus

Today we visit the brothers of Merciful Jesus. This order was founded only a few years ago. A young man from Argentina was visiting Medjugorje on Pilgrimage and felt called by Our Lady to become a priest. He approached an Italian Priest, Fr Igor. And a while later in Italy he felt Our Lord wanted him to Join the Community of Merciful Jesus but it hadn’t been founded yet. He spoke to Fr Igor about it, He was very resistant to it at first, but he eventually agreed that this was what Our Lord wanted. This young man is now a priest in the order and they will have another priest next year. They have a few brothers and there are approximately 40 young men interested in joining.
After we arrived the brothers led us in Procession to St Stephens’s church which was an old very badly ruined church. During the Soviet era it was used as a cement factory. Fr. Igor told us that is was a symbol of evil. Hatred of God and materialism has desecrated the church. But good is overcoming evil and very very slowly the church is being restored.
We had a reconciliation service. Young Fr Julian gave a very good talk. One thing he said was that whether it was a good priest or a bad priest it is through Jesus we are forgiven.
We were all given a piece of paper to write down our sins. We then put them in a special fire as a sign of God’s love for us. When we confess and receive forgiveness our sin is gone. We went to a priest to confess. It was the best confession I ever made. Fr asked me questions that made me realise some things that might have kept me on the Rocky road. I thank the Holy Spirit for leading me to that priest for confession. The brothers sang hymns while the service was on.
When everyone had got confession we went with the brothers to the community house for Holy Mass. It was a tiny chapel and the crowd had to be accommodated in two rooms. In his homily Fr Igor spoke of how in Our Lord’s time there were lepers and despite the fact that they outcasts they were loved by God. In today’s world some people are like lepers on the inside although they may be beautiful on the outside, but God loves them and looks forward to their transforming. He is a Just merciful God.

After Mass we had lunch outside. It was raining a little so Fr Igor suggested we say five Hail Mary’s in order that the rain would ease. Thank God our prayers were answered. After lunch we were brought by the coach to the house which was the convent St Faustina lived in while she was in Vilnius. This is where Our Lord came to her and gave her the Chaplet. I bought her Diary and will make an attempt to read it. We recited the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. What a privilege to be able to recite it next to the room where Jesus gave it to the world.