Parish marks Divine Mercy with installation of relic

More than 1,500 people – about 600 more than most weekends – attended Masses at Divine Mercy Parish in Schuyler April 22-23 as part of a Divine Mercy celebration that included a Eucharistic procession led by the Knights of Columbus, Latino music and dancing and installation of an important relic.

"The Lord blessed us with great weather and it was a great celebration, carnival, music and food," said Father Gerry Gonderinger, pastor.

The relic, a bone fragment of the patroness of Divine Mercy, St. Faustina Kowalska, recently was given to the parish, and it was installed on Divine Mercy Sunday during a holy hour at St. Mary Church, Father Gonderinger said.

A group in Omaha devoted to Divine Mercy helped with the celebration, which included using a public high school gym and grounds for two Masses and the carnival, Father Gonderinger said.

Divine Mercy Parish, which includes a large Latino population, held bilingual Masses at the school and a Mass in English at its second church in town, St. Augustine, Father Gonderinger said.

The prayers, Masses and festivities ran from 3 to 8 p.m. April 22 and 8 a.m. to the 5 p.m. holy hour April 23 for installing the relic at St. Mary Church.

"The relic of St. Faustina, who promoted the spirituality of the Divine Mercy, solidifies the connection of the Divine Mercy Parish with this devotion," Father Gonderinger said. "Our parish name must be more than a name, it should describe our spirituality. As we receive the Divine Mercy, we hope to share it as well."