Believing in Jesus’ Devine Mercy
Creating a ‘cenacle’ as your work of faith.
Deacon Patrick Constantino | Photos courtesy Dcn. Constantino
If we believe that Jesus rose on Easter Sunday, we can keep him always alive in our hearts through believing in his Divine Mercy.
“Whoever approaches the fount of life on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment.” Our Lord to St. Faustina (Diary 300).
“The soul that will go to confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” Our Lord to St. Faustina (Diary 699).
“I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to confession and receive holy communion on the feast of my mercy.” Our Lord to St. Faustina (Diary 1109).
To receive the extraordinary graces for oneself, the only condition is to receive Holy Communion worthily on Divine Mercy Sunday, which means being in a state of grace. The most special grace promised by our Lord for Mercy Sunday is nothing less than the equivalent of a complete renewal of baptismal grace in the soul.
Given the extraordinary graces that one receives on Mercy Sunday, the time after Communion is an excellent time for the communicant to intercede for loved ones on earth and to begin undertaking indulgenced works, as established by the Church, for the sake of the souls in purgatory.
St. John Paul II granted a plenary indulgence for special devotions to the Divine Mercy on Divine Mercy Sunday and these indulgences can be obtained for the suffering souls in purgatory.
To obtain this plenary indulgence for a soul in purgatory means they would go immediately to heaven.
Photo courtesy Fr. Anton Nyo
This sacred day allows the faithful to obtain a PLENARY indulgence by following three conditions and devotions:
1. Sacramental Confession (twenty days before or after Divine Mercy Sunday)
2. Eucharistic Holy Communion and
3. Prayer for the intentions of Our Holy Father, the Pope
In addition, taking part in the prayers and devotions in honor of the Divine Mercy or, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, saying the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus.
In every Catholic Church on Maui, there is an enthroned image of the Divine Mercy. To all our Divine Mercy prayer groups on Maui: A message from a Messager of Christ.
A Word from a Member of the Eucharistic Apostle of the Divine Mercy-Hawai‘i Cenacles.
Dear Friends in Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
Greetings and Peace! You are reading this cenacle formation manual for a special reason. You are being invited by the Holy Spirit to answer the call to become a Eucharistic Apostle of the Divine Mercy (EADM). In the same way, that Our Lord Jesus had called a few of us to start the EADM Hawai‘i cenacles, He has chosen you to help Him spread the urgent messages of His Divine Mercy in your community.
With many prayers and discernment, we began the formation process for the EADM Hawai‘i cenacles totally trusting in the Lord’s guidance. I would like to share with you how the Lord called us to form this Divine Mercy ministry (not just another prayer group) here in the beautiful Aloha State.
In July 2003, the Lord put me in contact with the EADM headquarters in Florida, where they encouraged me to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet before the Blessed Sacrament for the sick and the dying. They also encouraged me to start a Divine Mercy cenacle in Hawai‘i. I was a little hesitant with the idea of starting a cenacle. I had to pray for guidance and discernment.
During a visit to the Adoration Chapel at St. Theresa Co-Cathedral, I noticed a copy of the Marian Helper, a monthly magazine produced by the Marians of the Immaculate Conception on the sign-in table. I thought the picture on the cover looked like Dr. Bryan Thatcher, the Founder/Director of EADM, and I became curious. But I did not touch it. Instead, I proceeded to greet the Lord first. As I was praying my novena to St. Theresa to offer petitions including discernment on this EADM project, I asked to give me a confirmation if He wants me to go ahead with the cenacle formation. As soon as I said that I interiorly heard “Pick up the magazine on the way home.” As I continued my novena, I kept hearing “Don’t forget to pick up the magazine.”
It happened about three times. On my way out, I picked up the magazine (dated Summer 2002) which featured Dr. Thatcher and his son with the cover title “Son’s recovery inspires ministry of mercy.” When I opened the magazine, my fingers stopped at page twelve right away. And the title of the article that caught my attention? “How To Start and Grow A Cenacle.” It showed a picture and the name of the cenacle development leader I had been in contact with. At that very moment, I knew I must obey the Lord and convey this message to you, who are being called to be an Apostle of The Divine Mercy.
Who are the Eucharistic Apostles of the Divine Mercy?
This worldwide apostolate is the lay outreach ministry of the Congregation of Marians of The Immaculate Conception (MIC), headquartered in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Under the MIC’s direction, the mission of the EADM is to encourage the laity to propagate the Divine Mercy and the Truth of the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and then live the message in their local areas. They are seeking people who will form small faith groups (cenacles) that will pray, study scriptures, the teaching of the Church based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the diary of St. Faustina and at the same time perform corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
Why a Divine Mercy Cenacle?
Because it is time for action! Divine Mercy is more than a message or a devotion. It is a Way of Life! The Spirit of Mercy is rebuilding the Church to be the hands and feet of Christ to feed the poor, to pray for the sick, to minister to those in prison, to visit the lonely, etc. We are asked to be merciful to those in need of God’s healing love and mercy. Praying is good but “Faith without works is dead!” (James 2:14-26). We are all being called to a deeper journey and relationship with Christ. While the Blessed Mother has prepared us spiritually (through her Rosary groups and other prayer groups), she always pointed to her Son, Jesus. She is inviting us now to come closer to her Son in the Holy Eucharist and turn to His Mercy. Strengthened by the graces obtained by our devotion to Holy Mary, the cenacle members will have an increasing desire to serve Christ among the poorest of the poor, the lonely and the destitute and the spiritually and physically sick.
We pray you too may respond to this invitation to live a Merciful and Eucharistic life with The Divine Mercy—Jesus Christ! If you already belong to a prayer group, this cenacle will be an additional way to strengthen your faith and spirituality. Let us set Hawai‘i ablaze with the fire of God’s Divine Mercy!
Aloha in the hearts of Jesus and Mary
Rose Balayan was the lay facilitator from 2004 to 2021 for Hawai‘i EADM cenacles. Despite her lengthy illness, she and her team members came to Maui to help us start our cenacle and train us. God called her home in 2021. Lumi Fernandez of the EADM said, “Rose Balayan had done extraordinary work as the Facilitator of the EADM of Hawai‘i.” She said, “We all know by now that the Diocese of Honolulu is dedicated to the Divine Mercy due to the effort and humble act of the late Rose Balayan.” Lumi also shared, “On September 14, 2019, EADM along with Rose Balayan came to Maui on their own expense to train us and help us to start our own cenacle by doing a complete presentation to all of us and giving materials needed, it was very successful!” We miss Rose a lot! But with her guiding us from Jesus we will continue because Jesus we trust in You! Amen!
If you are interested in starting a cenacle, contact Joybelle Agustin, Myla Onellion and Sanrios Balthazar or your parish Divine Mercy prayer group!
On July 1, 2022, Patrick Constantino retired as a Deacon for the Roman Catholic Church in Hawai‘i, after serving for thirty-five years and becoming on June 18, 1987, the first Deacon of Filipino ancestry for the Roman Catholic Church in Hawai‘i. For twenty-two years, he served as Administrator at Holy Rosary Church in Pā‘ia, St. Rita Church in Ha‘ikū and St. Gabriel Church in Ke‘anae. His last assignment before retiring was at St. Joseph Church in Makawao.
Prior to his ordination, Constantino was in government—first appointed in 1966 as Assistant Sergeant of Arms by the Speaker of the House Elmer F. Cravalho. When Cravalho became Maui’s first Mayor, Constantino became his Executive Assistant—the first of Filipino ancestry. Later, Constantino became the first County Treasurer of Filipino ancestry and the first County Grants Administrator and Risk Manager of Filipino ancestry.
Constantino is married to his lovely wife Corazon for sixty-two years. They are blessed with four children, eleven grandchildren, and fifteen great grandchildren.