The Greatest Day of the Year?!
The Greatest Day of the Year?!
To always be close to Jesus, that’s my life plan. - Bl. Carlo Acutis
Over the decades I have always claimed that April 27th is the greatest day of the year! As you can probably guess April 27th is my birthday. Anyone who knows me knows I love birthdays in general and mine in particular! (Celebrating a few years ago with my Godson and his sister.)
This year April 27, 2025, truly is a great day. Being the second Sunday of Easter it is Divine Mercy Sunday. It feels very special that I am able to celebrate my birthday on Divine Mercy.
In addition, this year the world wide Church is also celebrating the canonization of the the first Millenial* saint. On Sunday the 27th, Pope Francis will officially recognize the sainthood of the amazing yet ordinary Carlo Acutis.
*Millennials are individuals born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s.
In this blog post, I want to provide you with basic information about both Divine Mercy and Carlo Acutis that you can use for your own parish communications.
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
Bulletin Blurb
Divine Mercy Sunday: A Feast of Trust
Celebrated on the Sunday after Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday is a powerful reminder of God’s boundless love and mercy. Inspired by the visions of St. Faustina Kowalska, this feast was established by Pope John Paul II in 2000 to draw our hearts to the mercy flowing from Christ’s Passion.
The Divine Mercy image, showing rays of red and white light streaming from Jesus’ heart, bears the words: “Jesus, I trust in You.” These words call us to place our trust in His mercy and extend that mercy to others.
Jesus promised great graces to those who venerate the image, go to Confession, and receive the Eucharist on this day. The Divine Mercy Chaplet and Novena are also powerful devotions that lead us deeper into this mystery.
This Sunday, let us open our hearts to God's mercy—and live it out through trust, forgiveness, and compassion.
Facebook Post
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🕊️ Divine Mercy Sunday is a powerful invitation to trust in Jesus and receive His boundless mercy. Join us this Sunday as we venerate the Divine Mercy image, pray the Chaplet, and open our hearts to forgiveness and grace. ✝️ Jesus, I trust in You! #DivineMercySunday #CatholicFaith #JesusITrustInYou
Feel free to amend the above caption to reflect either your parish's Divine Mercy celebration or that of a neighboring parish. And click here to download the Facebook Post.
Links to Share
The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy (shrineofdivinemercy.org)
The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, located in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, is a sacred site dedicated to the message of Divine Mercy as revealed to Saint Faustina Kowalska. Established by the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, the shrine has been a place of pilgrimage since the 1940s. It was officially designated a National Shrine by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1996.
ChurchPop's 7 Facts to Know About the Amazing Divine Mercy Devotion
Through Saint Faustina, Our Lord gifted humanity with several channels to access the timeless message and incredible graces found in His Mercy. Read about five forms of devotion to Divine Mercy and a few bonus facts!
Catholic News Agency's 5 Reasons to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
The feast of Divine Mercy is celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter and is associated with the prayer of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, a pious practice revealed to the Polish Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska by Jesus himself that has spread throughout the world.
YouTube Videos to Share
Saint Luke Productions' Patti Defilippis shares some history of Saint Faustina Kowalska and the Divine Mercy.
Divine Mercy Sunday Explained: How to Receive the Graces - Ask a Marian
Father Chris Alar, MIC, walks you through exactly what to do to receive the grace of the extraordinary promise Jesus offers on this one day of the year: Divine Mercy Sunday.
CANONIZATION OF BLESSED CARLO ACUTIS
Bulletin Blurb
Bl. Carlo Acutis to Be Canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday!
Carlo Acutis was born in 1991 in London, England to Italian parents. Shortly after his birth, the family returned to Milan, where Carlo grew up. Carlo loved people, computers and especially the Eucharist. He attended daily Mass, prayed the Rosary, and had a deep desire to help the poor. He became fascinated by Eucharistic miracles and so using his computer skills he built a website (miracolieucaristici.org) documenting the various Eucharistic miracles from around the world. Sadly he died from leukemia at the age of 15. Known as “the first millennial saint,” Carlo reminds us that holiness is indeed possible in our modern world.
Carlo Acutis will be canonized on Sunday, April 27, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. Rome time in St. Peter’s Square. In addition to it being Divine Mercy Sunday, it is also the Church’s Jubilee of Teenagers.
Blessed Carlo—pray for us!
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📣 "The Eucharist is the highway to Heaven!" – Blessed Carlo Acutis
On April 27, 2025, Blessed Carlo Acutis will be canonized in St. Peter’s Square! Born in 1991, this tech-savvy teen used his love of computers to spread devotion to the Eucharist—creating a website on Eucharistic miracles before passing away at just 15.
Carlo’s life proves that holiness is possible—even today. 🙏✨
His canonization falls on Divine Mercy Sunday during the Jubilee of Teenagers. What a witness for our youth!
Blessed Carlo Acutis—pray for us! 🕊️💻⛪
Feel free to use the above caption along with the Facebook post which you can download if you click here.
Links to Share
Carlo Acutis' website on the Eucharistic Miracles of the World
On this website created by Carlo himself you will find a virtual museum of Eucharistic Miracles.
Catholic News Agency's 10 things you should know about Blessed Carlo Acutis
National Catholic Register's Witness of Carlo Acutis Encourages Italian Millennials to Live Their Faith
Three young adults shared with the Register how Carlo’s example has influenced their lives, highlighting the relevance of his message today.
YouTube Videos to Share
Who is Carlo Acutis? An Interview with His Mom
Last year during a pilgrimage to Italy, Chris Stefanick had the opportunity to meet and interview Antonia Salzano, Carol Acutis' mom.
Carlo Acutis: The First Millennial Saint on the Path to Sainthood
Join EWTN as they explore Carlo's life, passion for the Eucharist, and his remarkable impact on believers around the world.
As you can see the excitement and joy of Easter Sunday continues throughout the Easter Octave and well into Sunday, April 27th! I hope you find the above information useful and that it saves you some time as you go about your evangelizing efforts.
See ya soon!
P.S. Be sure to download your FREE bundle of Holy Week and Easter Facebook posts and captions.
