Among others, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. is the patron saint of prisoners, media communications, journalists, eating disorders, families and the pro-life movement. He is also well known as the patron saint of people suffering from the disease of addiction. During the time that the Pilgrimage of the Relic of St. Maximilian Koble will be at our pastoral ministry of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, the parish will host a 7:00 p.m. non-denomination prayer service, held on Wednesday, March 16th. If you or someone you love suffers from addiction or if you want to pray for those who do, please feel free to join them for this prayerful event.
In addition to the prayer service, please join Our Lady of the Angels Province friars,
Fr. Carl Zdancewicz, OFM Conv. (Pastor) & Fr. Joe Angelini, OFM Conv. (Parochial Vicar),
and the parishioners of Our Lady of Mercy parish for veneration of the relics from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, March 16-17, 2016.
You are also encouraged to begin your morning at the Parish’s 8:30 a.m. Daily Mass and then stay for some peaceful and prayerful veneration each of those days.
The Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church location is the last opportunity for veneration in North Carolina. The relics will be moving onto our two pastoral ministries in Florida. The first weekend in April, the tour continues with a stop at St. Lucie Catholic Church, in Port St. Lucie.
The friars serving there, including the Pastor – Fr. Mark Szanyi, OFM Conv. and Parochial Vicars – Fr. Curt Kreml, OFM Conv., Fr. Paul Gabriel, OFM Conv. and Fr. Daniel Pal, OFM Conv., look forward to your visit. Check back to our website for another new News Item with more details or call St. Lucie Parish at (772) 878-1215 .
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church is also a Holy Door location for the Diocese of Charlotte. Take this opportunity to enter through the Holy Door for this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, celebrate the Eucharist with the parish family and venerate the Relics of The Martyr of Charity, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. Consider visiting Friar Carl at Our Lady of Fatima Mission (211 West Third Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101) while you are in the area on Wednesday, as Confessions are heard from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. This will lead you one step closer to obtaining a Year of Mercy Jubilee Indulgence ~ (requirements: 1. Cross through a Holy Door signalling the deep desire for true conversion. 2. Go to confession. 3. Receive the Holy Eucharist “with a reflection of mercy.” 4. Make a profession of faith. 5. Pray for the pope and for his intentions.)
Order your own copy of this interpretive biography of Coventual Franciscan Friar and Martyr of Charity, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., written by our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James E. McCurry OFM Conv.
Follow up by Friar Carl:
Our Lady of Mercy hosted the relic of St. Maximilian Kolbe from March 16-17, 2016. The Charlotte Catholic community came to venerate the relic and learn more about this Polish martyr. About 200 people to celebrate St. Maximilian Kolbe’s life and death. On Wednesday, March 16, 2016, Our Lady of Mercy celebrated with a prayer service for those suffering from addictions of any sorts and for their families. Two local protestant ministers came and provided meditations on scripture passages from the Gospel of St. Luke and then gave recovery witness talks to the community and invited those present to give witness to the disease of addiction. 75 people attended and a rock band from a neighboring parish provided the music for the occasion. God certainly provided His Holy Spirit to bring so many good people to Our Lady of Mercy Church to venerate St. Maximilian Kolbe life.
