The Second Sunday of Easter, eighth day of the Octave, was earlier observed as the Sunday of St. Thomas the Apostle, commemorating his contact with the Risen Christ, but it is now Divine Mercy Sunday.
April 15, Second Sunday of Easter
Divine Mercy Sunday
Divine Mercy Sunday is based on the Catholic devotion that Saint Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938) advocated from her mystic conversations with Jesus. He asked her to paint the vision of his Merciful Divinity being poured from his sacred heart and specifically asked for a feast of Divine Mercy to be established on the first Sunday after Easter so mankind would take refuge in Him. The Divine Mercy devotion was actively promoted by Pope John Paul II who, on April 30, 2000, canonized Sr. Faustina and officially designated the Sunday after Easter as the Sunday of Divine Mercy in the General Roman Calendar. A year after establishing Divine Mercy Sunday, John Paul II re-emphasized its message in the resurrection context of Easter: "Divine Mercy is the Easter gift that the Church receives from the risen Christ and offers to humanity". Providentially, he died on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday in 2005, and was beatified on Divine Mercy Sunday last year.
Readings for today's Mass:
usccb.org/bible/readings/041512.cfm
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
Regina caeli - The Holy Father reflected on how Jesus appeared again to the disciples the Sunday after Easter,
convincing the Apostle Thomas that he had indeed resurrected, and how, after the Resurrection, the disciples honored
Sunday as the day for Christian religious assembly and worship in place of the Sabbath. He also pointed out
the significance of the designation of this Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday by Blessed John Paul II.
OR today.
Best wishes to Benedict XVI who turns 85 tomorrow
'In the simplicity of prayer'
Since the next issue of the OR won't come out till Tuesday, the Sunday paper has features to mark the occasion, starting with a front-page editorial illustrated with photos taken yesterday of the Holy Father and his older brother as they pray the Office of the Hours in the Pope's private chapel. The issue also includes excerpts from the essays contributed by German Finance Minister Walter Schaeuble and football icon Franz Beckenbauer to the book Benedikt XVI: Prominente ueber den Papst, along with a tribute essay by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Page 1 international news: A difficult Summit of the Americas in Colombia, in which President Obama seeks to reassure the Latin American nations; Iran resumes talks with six-nation group in Istanbul over its progrma of nuclear development; and more than 180,000 Pakistanis have fled northwest Pakistan where the terrorist guerrillas have been relentless in their activities.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 15/04/2012 16:26]