Thousands flock to shrine despite storms and mud
STOCKBRIDGE — More than 16,000 people endured the elements Sunday at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge to observe Mercy Sunday.
By all accounts, the weather was as bad as it has ever been on Mercy Sunday, the Catholic holiday celebrated the week after Easter in observance of the Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ. The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, opened in 1950 and located on the campus of the Congregation of Marians, generally hosts the largest observance of the holiday in the Northeast.
A spokesman for the National Weather Service reported 2-4 inches of rain falling in Southern Berkshire Sunday during the day. Temperatures were in the 40s.
"It's certainly as bad as it's been since I've been here," said the Rev. David Lord, pastor of the shrine.
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I actually thought it was the mud and rain that attracted these wonderful people. You know, mud and rain are right up there with Apple Pie.
This goes to show that faith knows no bounds. Rain drops keep fallin' on my head ... God's mercy is even better than this website. (But, just barely. I think it is the franticness of B-16s wave that gives God's mercy the edge).
I was really touched to see all those people in the pouring rain. One question though: What was up with Cardinal O'Malley? Does he always bark his way through Mass like that? I heard him speak at Cardinal Hickey's funeral two years ago and he sounded normal.
My theology prof was there (he's the director of the Divine Mercy Institute) and when I asked him how the weekend was he commented "Wet. Really wet. Really really wet."
I guess this picture tells all.
But why is the music always so awful?
My husband and I went to a Divine Mercy celebration that included all the churches in the deanery. It was like being caught in a time warp, 1970s retro, soft rock renditions of the chaplet (the one used on EWTN on the weekends), of the Agnus Dei, and of the Gloria--and that dreadful piano. The crucifix over the altar borders on pornography. The pastor of the church and the head of deanery were both ordained in the '70s. Does that explain it? We used to attend Mass at that church, but the strain became too much. This celebration was worse than we feared, and we feared much: a self-indulgent, self-congratulatory' smug spectacle reminding God how lucky he was to have us.
When I attend liturgies like that I end up thinking to myself "Lord have mercy on us!" so perhaps it is in fact quite appropriate.