‘Tickets flying’ for Divine Mercy Conference

This year’s 25th anniversary Divine Mercy Conference looks like being Dublin’s busiest ever, according to the chairman of the conference committee.

“Tickets are flying out,” Don Devaney told The Irish Catholic, adding “we’re seeing a major upswing in numbers coming from England, Scotland and Wales,” with some people even planning on coming from Germany and the US for the February 19-21 conference.

“This year it will start on Friday with a night for young people,” he said, explaining that “we’ll be bringing all the youth groups together under one roof – Youth 2000, Pure in Heart, Catholic Networks, and the Legion of Mary – for Mass, Confessions, and adoration.”

The liturgy at this event will be led by the Dominican Fr John Harris and the Pallotine Fr Emmet O’Hara, he said, the former saying Mass and the latter leading the Rosary, with music being provided by the Medjugorje musicians Melinda Dumitrescu and Roland Patzleiner.

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Scripture scholar Francis Hogan will start proceedings on Saturday, being followed by Philip Ryan, Joe Walsh Tours’ senior representative in Medjugorje, whose talk last year was especially popular, Mr Devaney said, with Fr Pat Collins to follow.

Fr Michael Ross will lead a reconciliation service at half two, he continued, “bringing in something of the Fatima message, talking about forgiveness, the value of forgiveness, and the healing and educational power of Confession”.

Dublin’s Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will celebrate the Eucharist at five o’clock, he said, before a healing service with Sr Briege McKenna and Fr Kevin Scallon, the day ending with night prayer at a quarter to nine.

Sunday at the conference will begin with talks from Sr Briege and Fr Pat, he continued, with Fr Kevin leading a holy hour before lunch. Cuan Mhuire founder Sr Consilio will speak afterwards before the papal nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown celebrates the conference’s closing Mass.

This is the first time for the nuncio to attend the conference, Mr Devaney said, describing as providential how the conference’s silver jubilee should fall in a year Pope Francis would designate a Jubilee Year of Mercy for the Church. “It’s a significant time, and a significant call.”

The conference is all about “encouraging people to come and receive the healing power of reconciliation, to start their lives again and encounter Jesus in new personal relationships”. Following on from last year’s conference theme, “Forgive us our trespasses”, the theme of this year’s conference continues in drawing on the Lord’s Prayer, being “As we forgive those who trespass against us”.

“We started with the theme of ‘Our Father’ three years ago,” he explained, “just getting back to basics” and trying to “bring the focus back on God the Father”. 

The “whole purpose of the conference is to glorify God’s mercy”, he said, explaining that this year’s theme is a reminder that “forgiveness is a two-sided coin”, something we both receive and are called to give.

The theme is “calling people to forgive people who have hurt us or done anything wrong to them – calling people to be merciful and let go of old wounds and start again”, he said.

For ticket information see www.divinemercyconference.com