THE COMMUNITY
OF THE BROTHERS OF MERCIFUL JESUS
"I see clearly that not only will there be a male and female congregation, but there will be a great community of lay people which would welcome everybody to practice the mercy of God toward one another" (Fragment of a letter from Saint Faustina to Father Sopocko, June 1936)
Father Igor Simonovis was a diocesan priest in
Concordia-Pordenone in northern Italy near
the Austrian border. He was pastor of four parishes in the mountain region
of Val d'Arzino,
and in one of his parishes the first community of Brothers of Merciful
Jesus came into being.
In 2000 a young Italian-Argentinean man named Julian
met Fr. Simonovis on a Marian pilgrimage. Julian asked to be helped to
discern God's will. After some time of prayer and spiritual reflection
the young man decided to follow the Lord in the Priesthood, but did not
yet know where to.
He remained in prayer prior to traveling to Italy
to continue his discernment.
The week before his trip, during Eucharistic Adoration, he became convinced
that God desired
a new community for men to be founded with the charisma of living and
spreading the devotion
to the Divine Mercy in the forms which had been revealed to St. Faustina
Kowalska and continued by Fr. Sopocko. The young man was convinced that
there was still no such community
in the Church.
At first Father Igor Simonovis refused to collaborate,
but after over a year and a half of prayer
and contemplation on the development of events, the power of divine grace
led him to the conviction that all of it was truly the will of God.
They organized their common life of prayer and study and took up theological
studies at the Major Institute of Religious Studies in Portogruaro, near
Venice. This was a time of formation to prepare them for the consecrated
life and a time of broadening their experience of the various aspects
of the spirituality of Mercy. In this way the first community of Brothers
of Merciful Jesus arose.
SIGNS OF THE WILL OF GOD
Fr. Igor Simonovis' obedience to his Spiritual Director,
Fr. Oreste Marcato (Superior
of the community of Franciscan brothers at the Shrine of Frassino in Verona),
played
a significant role. Fr. Marcato encouraged him to believe and hope that
with time,
the God of Goodness would enable him to understand everything. "We
trust," says Fr. Igor
in the name of his community, "that the God of Goodness will continue
in our community all
of the works He has already begun and lead them to the end." The
Brothers of Merciful Jesus
are united in prayer with the diocese of Bialystok, Poland and with all
of the numerous spiritual children of Father Sopocko, asking God for his
speedy beatification.
Through all of these events happening to him, Father
Simonovis affirms that obedience
to his spiritual father, Oreste Marcato, was of fundamental importance.
Father Marcato
encouraged him to believe and hope that with time, the God of Goodness
would enable
him to understand everything.
Many signs of the Divine Providence helped Father Igor
to understand that the real aspirator
of this community was Father Michael Sopocko. One of these signs was the
presence of the sisters of Merciful Jesus in Italy. The Congregation,
founded by Father Sopocko in the 1940s in Vilnius
(see Congegation),
opened a new house in the diocese of Pordenone the same year, month
and day in which Julian arrived in Italy.
Another important and definite sign of the Providence
was the official approval of the Community on July 11th 2005 by His Eminence
Card. Joseph Audrys Backis, Archbishop of Vilnius. Since then, the newly
born Community has been able to live in the spirit of Mercy right in Vilnius,
a place highly favored by the Divine Mercy where the holy image of Merciful
Jesus (see Image)
was painted and exposed to the public, where Saint Faustina received the
chaplet of Mercy and where
for centuries the venerated icon of Mother of God of Mercy (see
Icon)
has been worshipped.
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The project of the Community of the Brothers of Merciful
Jesus is founded on the personal commitment to the service of the Will
of God in the Church. Serving the Divine Mercy requires
the brothers both to know it and propagate it.
In order to know the Divine Mercy one
has to experience it. In the Community, the brothers
learn mercy not only by experiencing God's love and Mercy, but also by
growing in the awareness of the goodness of God and one's own lowliness.
Therefore, knowing His Mercy, prior to being
a pure intellectual action is also a necessary experience. For this reason
fraternity life has
a crucial role in the life of the Community: growing in fraternal love,
humbly welcoming one's
own and other's miseries for the love of God and His Church help them
to grow in the knowledge
of the Divine Mercy. The brothers of the Community strongly feel the desire
to experience
such love and to live as reconciled people in order to reconcile others.
He who experiences such love feels the
need to communicate such treasure to others.
It is in that way that the Brothers of Merciful Jesus call at the hearts
of others so that they too
can discover such treasure. All of this begins with the commitment of
prayer. In fact, the brothers incessantly pray that everyone would be
able to know of God's Mercy. Many methods are available to preach the
Mercy of God; among those offered are catechism lessons, spiritual exercises
and workshops all of which are means that lead to a greater knowledge
of Him.
One very important aspect of the project
in the Community is the bestowing of the sacraments, especially the Reconciliation
and Anointing of the Sick. It is the largest pastoral area in which
a brother can offer his service. It is the wish of the brothers to always
be present where there
are moral miseries to minister to, but most especially they are present
to help desperate souls
so that with the grace of God they may grow in trusting Him, helping them
to repeat again
and again "Jesus, I trust in you!" Another particular commitment
in their project is to pray
and to take care of children, and especially those in moral and spiritual
danger.
The brothers have been entrusted by Cardinal
Backis with a house and a church to help them
in realizing His Will. Named in honor of Saint Stephen, the house is able
to hold twelve people. The brothers welcomed the gift with great joy,
because it totally fulfilled their needs for God's project. The complex
is located near the train station in a place considered to be one of the
physically and morally poorest areas of the city. In the reconstruction
of the house and Church,
the brothers are receiving help from the Archdiocese; however, the endeavor
being such an expensive one, they are trust in the generosity of many
people so as to fulfil the project of God.
THE COMMUNITY OF THE BROTHERS OF MERCIFUL JESUS
EURO
Deutsche Bank AG, Frankfurt
SWIFT: DEUTDEFF 100-947671400
Banca Beneficiaria/ Benefitiary Bank
AB bankas "Hansabankas", Savanoriu 19, Vilnius
SWIFT: HABALT22 LT 847300010102380104
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Cloister of the Brothers of Merciful Jesus after remodeling
15th July 2007 Cardinal Juozas Audrys Backis consecrated the Cloister and the first brothers professed their perpetual vows.
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15th September 2008 Brother Julian Gonzalez was ordained a priest.
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The beatification of Father Michael Sopocko - Bialystok, Poland (see The beatification)
OBLATES OF THE MERCY OF GOD
Oblates are not an ordinary association of the faithful but rather a movement inspired by the spirituality and devotion of the Divine Mercy. At its core is the Eucharistic Sacrifice, in which Jesus is constantly offering himself for every one of us. The oblates aim to unite all of their prayers, work, difficulties and suffering with the one and only Sacrifice of Jesus. This is meant to help them completely, trustfully and joyfully surrender to the will of God in all aspects of their lives.
TASKS OF THE OBLATES
Membership in the oblates is free and open to all. Oblates are not bound by any vows. Everyone, depending on personal ability, undertakes to cooperate in the work of the Brothers of Merciful Jesus by praying, giving offerings and material support.
SEVEN PEARLS OF OBLATES
I. Spreading the Divine Mercy devotion in one's environment (e.g. at home, at work, with family, amongst friends) by handing out pictures of Merciful Jesus and materials about to the Divine Mercy devotion, especially the writings of Saint Faustina and Blessed Father Michael Sopocko.
II. Daily prayer of Chaplet of Divine Mercy in the form dictated by Jesus to Saint Faustina.
III. Keeping the Hour of Mercy, the hour of Jesus' death on the cross at 3 p.m.
IV. At least once a year, before the Feast of Divine Mercy, but after Good Friday, saying the Novena of Divine Mercy in the form dictated by Jesus to Saint Faustina.
V. Full participation in the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass on the day of the Feast of Divine Mercy
VI. Spreading the Divine Mercy devotion by example of your life and apostolate (acts of mercy and establishing prayer groups).
VII. Participation at least once a month in the Holy Mass for the work of the Brothers of Merciful Jesus.
COMMITMENT OF THE BROTHERS WITH REGARD TO OBLATES
The
oblates partake of the spiritual treasure of prayers of the Brothers of
Merciful Jesus by breviary praying, daily Adoration of the Eucharist and
saying the rosary. One day a week (Wednesday) all the prayers of the brothers
are offered for the oblates. The Holy Mass celebrated that day also contains
the same intention.
The Brothers, whenever possible try to organize retreats, formation meetings
and pilgrimages in the footsteps of Saint Faustina and Blessed Father
Michael Sopocko. They issue a formation and information quarterly entitled
"The Voice of Father Michael Sopocko" to which all oblates are
invited to contribute.
To join the oblates, please
send an application confirming your desire to become
a member along with your personal information and current address
to the Community of the Bothers of Merciful Jesus.
CONTACT:
The Community of the Brothers of Merciful Jesus
sv. Stepano gatve, 37
LT 03 210 Vilnius LITHUANIA
tel. 0037 05 250 59 79
e-mail: gesuemaria@gmail.com
PRAYER INTENTIONS:
e-mail: fgmisericordia@gmail.com
www.oblatesofmercifuljesus.com
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