26 APRIL 2025
Eve of Divine Mercy Sunday:1
To those who are called, to those who are dear to God the Father and kept safe for Jesus Christ, wishing you all mercy and peace and love.
Today Pope Francis was buried in Rome's Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where on August 5, the faithful and pilgrims to Rome go to commemorate Our Lady of the Snows at this famous Marian site, one of the most important churches dedicated to Our Lady in Western Christendom.2
THE LINK TO AUGUST 6, 1945 - A ROSARY AND SCAPULAR MIRACLE
Fr. Elias Mary Mills, FI, contributed some footage from his latest pilgrimage to Japan, captured in full here:
His quick 1 minute teaser video (click above) dates back to August 6, 1945, the day when atomic bomb which decimated everything up to about one mile from Genbaku Dome in Japan:
8:15 am on August 6, 1945 — The first atomic bomb used against humans was dropped on Hiroshima
600 meters over the city and with a blinding flash, the atomic bomb exploded 43 seconds after being dropped, creating a fireball that blazed like a small sun. More than one million degrees Celsius at its center, in one second the fireball reached a radius of over 200 meters, and the surface temperatures near the hypocenter rose to 3,000 to 4,000℃.
see: https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/english/peace/1029920/1009857.html
The Hiroshima website goes on to state that this total destruction from the explosion was the case, “except for a small number (about 50) of heavily reinforced concrete buildings, most of which were specially designed to withstand earthquake shock, which were not collapsed by the blast; most of these buildings had their interiors completely gutted, and all windows, doors, sashes, and frames ripped out” .
However, Fr. Hubert Schiffer and companions lived.
Their miracle story was an conundrum for scientists and doctors — who found one common thread: the priests lived the message of Fátima — praying the Rosary every day and embracing the silent scapular devotion which Fr. Elias tells us about here in this video celebrating the April 24 beatification of Blessed Isidore Bakanja, the Scapular Martyr:
The connection between this story in Japan to today’s burial of Pope Francis at St. Mary Major is quite relevant. He and the Franciscans of the Immaculate have in the past told us of the routine in which they would greet Pope Francis who prayed there in the Basilica both before and after his trips abroad.
Also known as Saint Mary Major, Pope Francis brought to the world even today the importance of the Blessed Mother of God -- and those listening carefully might even have noticed the Rosary was prayed multiple times on the Livestream this week, a wonderful reminder of the power of prayer in common and a rich example of how we can pray the Rosary together before a funeral as a Mystical Body.
OUR LADY OF SNOWS
We associate the morning of August 5, 325 with our Lady of the Snows when Romans found snow that fell in the middle of summer on Esquiline Hill and this was the sign from Our Lady for a church to be built in that spot on one of the seven hills of Rome: it became Santa Maria Maggiore, the final resting place of Pope Francis.
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
As we contemplate the Secret of Joy in knowing the reality of the Resurrection —- that death is not the end — we have captured the main notes from this Divine Mercy Sunday talk from today — in which the entire chaplet is sung by the choir and pilgrims visiting at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy for Mercy Sunday.
This final novena session for Day 9 — is led by Fr. Chris Alar and before that segment, he provides an important “walk through” to help others “fully understand how to obtain the extraordinary graces for tomorrow’s Feast.
QUESTION: WHAT DOES JESUS DO FOR US THIS WEEKEND?
FR. CHRIS: “We can come in our brokenness and be completely cleansed.
This is what Jesus does for us this weekend.
And so I finish by saying, I hope most of you know how to get this grace, but to finish we're going to walk through with you — [so you] fully understand how to get this grace.
Jesus told Saint Faustina, that this Feast was to be on the eighth day, the day after — the “Sunday after Easter”.
Jesus told Saint Faustina that it was to be on this day because the floodgates of His mercy were open on this one day.
Now, the Easter Octave is something critical in the Church: it is the most Holy eight days of the year.
Every day of the Easter Octave from the Easter Sunday to tomorrow — Divine Mercy Sunday, eight days is celebrated as a solemnity, although every Sunday, yes, is a solemnity, these eight days are Easter.
The Jews would celebrate an octave when one feast was so big they couldn't celebrate it over one day and they'd celebrate it over eight days.
You are in the midst of that octave. On Easter Sunday, Christ opened the door to heaven.
The next seven days are symbolic of our pilgrimage on earth called life.
All of us, just like the Jews wandering in the desert, are searching for the promised land. That promised land is Heaven. Now seven is the perfect numbers to the Jews in regards to time or creation, but the number eight is the perfect number to the Jews in regards to eternity.
Now, Jesus says to us in scripture in the book of Revelation that he is the groom we are the bride.
So what happens on the eighth day when you die and I die?
Christ our groom will come for us, and he is going to seek out his bride.
You know that that's what the entire Bible is allow?
The entire Bible is a love story of God see how is waiting bride. His wayward bride is Israel. The new Israel is the Church.
Who is the church?
You.
So the whole Bible is about God seeking out his wayward bride.
The church, you.
And on that eight day when you eternity into the service you, that door that Christ opened on Easter Sunday, he wants to take me through it — home to the weddings feast of the Lamb. Home to the wedding in Heaven.
That's where the Mass is: a foretaste of the celebration of the wedding feast of the land in heaven.
But in order for Jesus to take the through that door, you have to be what?
Spotless.
All spotless people, please come forward.
Okay, then we have a problem.
Jesus is going to be a very lonely groom.
If he finds us with any stain on our soul, our soul is our wedding garment.
If he finds our wedding garment is stained in any way, he cannot take us to the wedding feast of the lamb.
Remember the parable of the King that threw the wedding feast for his son, and there is a man on the side and he says, how did you eat in here?
You do not have the white wedding garment, and he threw a out, locked the door, where there were gnashing and grinding of teeth.
Jesus is going come to you, seek you out on the eighth day. He's gonna want you to be his bride to take you home to meet his mother and his father, God the father Mary his mother, but in order to do that like any Jewish man, his bride to be needed to be spotless, and if he finds a stain we need to address it — and that stain is sin, or the result of sin is the temporal punishment due to sin.
Now, how do we wipe out the sin — is confession, but Jesus doesn't stop there.
He offers us an opportunity to wipe out all the temporal punishment due to sin that is also a stain on our wedding garment.
Now, if Jesus says on paragraph 699 of the diary of St. Faustina: that the soul that has been to confession, you can go today, if you've been in the last few days you're in a state of grace, you're fine.
You can even go tomorrow.
But the soul that has been to confession, so it is not aware of any grave sin on its soul, and the soul that receives Holy Communion will receive the complete forgiveness of all sin and all punishment due to sin.
Your soul will be wiped clean, like no other time other than your original baptism.
This is what is so important!
And so we go before the Lord cleansed.
So on this day I beg you, get to confession if you haven't.
Receive Holy communion in the next hour within our visual mass or tomorrow.
Receive holy communion and ask Jesus for this grace, and Jesus will give it to you when you come back to your, I would say pew, but your bleacher make a prayer something like this. (It doesn't have to be this exact prayer, it can be one from your own heart, but make a prayer something like this):
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have Mercy on me a poor sinner.
Jesus Christ, you promise Saint Faustina: the soul that has been to confession (I have), and the soul that receives holy communion (I just did) will receive the complete forgiveness of all sin and punishment.
Jesus, please give me this grace. Amen
And he has to or he lied to Saint Faustina, and nobody will claim that.
If you're not comfortable with private revelation, then do the plenary indulgence.
The difference, yes, they both have forgiveness a sins of temporal punishment and difference is you have four conditions, yes, confession, communion, that's the same as extraordinary promise. The intentions as a Holy Father, but you can have no attachment to sin even venial. As I always like to say, good luck.
But that's okay, you should still do it. Off the plenary indulgence for a holy soul, but take that extraordinary promise for yourself.
What you have to do is confession, communion, and trust in God's Mercy; have rectification of the will that I want to change in my life, Lord.
Stop being lukewarm, start becoming hot.
Get on fire with zeal.
And this grace, as Father Seraphim said, there is no other grace in your lifetime that is great other than your original baptism.
It's like a second baptism and it's not a second baptism, you don’t get baptized twice.
But it's like a second baptism, because that's the only other time that in everything is wiped away. Sin and all punishment. If you have perfect love and perfect contrition and no attachment to sin, and yes you can too, but for the rest of us, myself, probably most of you I'm guessing, we are not quite there yet!
So let us ask the Lord this day for this extraordinary promise.
Amen?
Alleluia.
God bless”
Pray Day 9 with Amelia via TheHolyRosary.Substack.com here:
A ROSARY FOR DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
The Church needs our prayers!
Let us sing the “Ave Maris Stella” on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday.3
Invite someone you know to pray the Glorious Mysteries tomorrow. Below is a Rosary structure curated by Fr. Nuno Rocha for a Rosary led by children prior to the Divine Mercy Sunday Mass tomorrow.
We invite you to unite in prayer with his students who will pray for Pope Francis.
Here are some starting points for roadmapping your Liturgical Rosary Decade:
A ROSARY FOR DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY and for the REPOSE OF THE SOUL OF POPE FRANCIS LED BY CHILDREN IN PORTUGAL
GREGORIAN CHANT: SING THE “AVE MARIS STELLA” (LATIN)
Leader begins: “The Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
Kiss the cross of your Rosary and make the Sign of the Cross.
Prayers of Reparation — Sing the “Meu Deus” or recite the “My God, I believe I adore, I hope and I love you” prayer 3 times.
Recite the other prayer of reparation taught by the Angel of Portugal, “Santíssima Trindade” | Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, etc.
Recite the “COME HOLY SPIRIT” prayer. Optionally, you can sing the “VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS”
Read the First Mystery: The Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Read from the Gospel of Matthew 28, 1-84
In the style of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, say:
“We offer you, Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of your glorious resurrection; and we ask you, through this mystery and the intercession of your Most Holy Mother, for the conversion of sinners to trust in Jesus and that God may have mercy on the Holy Souls in Purgatory and for their liberation on this Divine Mercy Sunday.”5
BASIC LITURGICAL DECADE STRUCTURE FOR THE ENTIRE ROSARYOur Father; Hail Marys (10); Glory Be
O Mary Conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls into heaven, and help those most especially in need of thy mercy.
Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, Pray for Us.
O Glorious St. Joseph, Pray for Us.
*NEW* For Pope Francis: Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
Second Mystery: The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven
Read from Acts. 17, 326 (See footnote below)
In the words of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, say: We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy glorious Ascension, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, a firm hope and a great longing for Heaven. (“The Secret of the Rosary”)
See prayers above from 7.
Sing a hymn at the end of the decade.
CANTOR: SING THE “REQUIEM AETERNAM” - REFRAIN ONLY
Third Mystery: The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon Our Lady and the Apostles
Read from the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2:1-4
In the words of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, say: We offer Thee, O Holy Spirit, this decade in honor of the mystery of Pentecost, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Mary, Thy most faithful Spouse, Thy holy wisdom so that we may know, really love and practice Thy truth, and make all others share in it. (Composed by St. Louis Marie de Montfort, “The Secret of the Rosary”)
See prayers from 7.
Fourth Mystery: The Assumption of Our Lady to Heaven
Reading: "Henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me" (Lk 1:48-49).
In the words of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, say: We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of Thy Holy and Blessed Mother in body and soul, into Heaven, and we ask of Thee, through these two mysteries and through her intercession, for the gift of True Devotion to her to help us live upright lives and die a Holy Death [seeking God's Divine Mercy].
SING: MARIAN HYMN OF CHOICE
Fifth Mystery: The Crowning of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven and Earth
"And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (Rev 12:1 ).
In the words of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, say: “We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this last decade in honor of the glorious crowning of Thy Blessed Mother in Heaven, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through Her intercession, the grace of perseverance and increase of virtue until the very moment of death and after that the eternal crown that is prepared for us. We ask the same grace for all the just and for all our benefactors.” (Composed by St. Louis Marie de Montfort, “The Secret of the Rosary”)
CONCLUDING THE ROSARY
STRUCTURE CURATED BY FR. NUNO
Recite 3 AVÉ MARIAS with the MIRACULOUS MEDAL PRAYERS after each one
Recite the Salvé Regina (Hail Holy Queen)
Recite the Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Recite the Litany of Divine Mercy
Read from the Diary of St. Faustina, Entry 950
Pray any prayer for Mercy
Invite others to pray for Pope Francis.
Create a similar outline for any Rosary so others can follow the structure or cut and paste the prayers to create a script for your Rosary Prayer group.
Thank you for listening to the Rosary Hour Podcast.
FOOTNOTES
Reviewed by Izzy and Karen
c.f. EWTN News Nightly / EWTN Vatican, 2024-08-05
Learn this tune from Chant School:
OPTIONS: "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen"' (Lk 24:1-5).
Translated from Portuguese — from Terço for Children by Fr. Nuno Rocha (Season 3 Spiritual Director), for April 27, 2025 - Divine Mercy Sunday Rosary led by his classes to honour the memory of Pope Francis.
"So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God" (Mk 16:19).
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