Tag Archives: Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy

Liturgical Year, Men's communities, News

Mercedarians Issue Purgatory Video Series

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Purgatory Video Series Is First of its Kind

A unique series of video prayers has been produced to help the faithful in praying for the holy souls in Purgatory.

The video series consists of 30 video prayers, one for each day of the month. The series was made in preparation for November, the month traditionally dedicated to pray for the souls in Purgatory. The YouTube series premieres November 1 and is the brainchild of Fr. Daniel Bowen of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy.

“Many Catholics have forgotten about the souls in Purgatory. But they still need our prayers,” Father Daniel said. “Videos have become so widespread today that we have to use this new medium to help others pray.”

“This series breaks new ground; it seems to be the first series of 30 days of video prayers for the holy souls in Purgatory,” said Father Daniel said.

Father Daniel, who narrates the 30 days of prayers, took each day’s reflection and prayers from an old prayer book issued by his order, “Daily Thoughts and Prayers for Our Beloved Dead.”

The video meditations begin with this:

“When we love, we remember; and this memory, the effect of love, is not a barren thought. It resolves itself into DEEDS for the loved one…. Most pitiful Jesus, let thy Precious Blood flow down into Purgatory and refresh and revive the captive souls suffering there.”

Readers can sign up for email reminders of the 30 Days of Prayer at https://forms.gle/hN9xQnBXMBqmCLvv5. The reminders begin November 1st.

A new promotional video explaining the need for prayers for the dead is at https://youtu.be/hKnOxcz90go

Friars of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy are present in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida and New York. Their charism is Redemptive ministry—setting Christian captives free.  Visit the Mercedarians’ website at www.OrderofMercy.org for more information.

Contact: Fr. Daniel Bowen, O. de M., 727-348-4060 frdanielbowen@gmail.com
Vocation Director, Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy

Men's communities, News

Mercedarians Adopt Iraqi Archdiocese

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Most Rev. Mashar Warda, second from right, speaks to the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy members in Rome.
Most Rev. Mashar Warda, speaks to Mercidarian members in Rome.

With the very existence of Christianity in the Middle East in peril, one religious order is responding to the cries of the persecuted as they have since the eleventh century. The Mercedarians, known formally as the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, have adopted the Archdiocese of Erbil, Iraq, an act in keeping with their charism of rescuing Christians whose faith is in danger.

The number of Christians in Iraq has drastically diminished the past ten years from 1.2 million to 300,000 due to persecutions which Pope Francis in a recent letter called, “unspeakable, inhuman and inexplicable.” Most Rev. Mashar Warda, Chaldean Archbishop of Erbil, shed light on the appalling situation stating, “There is a real sale of Christian slaves, especially women and children, that they take to sell in markets.” He explained that Christians in Erbil face dire circumstances if they do not flee the region confronting forced conversion to Islam, a heavy tax or, in many cases, death.

The Mercedarians are seeking to relieve the pain and suffering of Christians in the land of Abraham. The Roman Province of the Mercedarians has officially adopted the Archdiocese of Erbil, quickly donating several thousand euros and offering prayers for the Archdiocese. The Mercedarians will also be sending a friar from each country that the Order is in to embark on a fact-finding mission to find other ways in which the Order may aid the persecuted. Archbishop Warda has specifically asked for assistance in establishing a Catholic university in an attempt to save what culture can still be salvaged.

san_piedro_nolasco1The recent adoption of the Archdiocese of Erbil is in keeping with the charism of the Mercedarians who were founded by St. Peter Nolasco in 1218 to redeem Christian captives from their Muslim captors. Members of the Order take a unique fourth vow to give up their own selves for others whose faith is in danger. The need for this vow is as necessary today as it was eight hundred years ago with forces such as ISIS seeking to forcefully repress Christianity. By adopting the Archdiocese of Erbil and seeking to ease the pain of the persecuted, the Mercedarians are once again heroically fulfilling their motto: “my life for your freedom.”