New festival commemorates Feast of Divine Mercy

There are festivals that represent every facet of life in Louisiana from the fish in the sea to roaming animals and even the birds of the air.

Now, there will also be a festival denoting the Divine mercy of God.

Greg Mitchell is a business entrepreneur, a missionary and is outspoken about the love God has for his people and the mercy he is willing to give.

Former Pope John Paul II initiated the Feast of Divine Mercy for the first Sunday following Easter in 2000 and in 2002, canonized Sr. Faustina (making her St. Faustina). to whom Jesus appeared.

The story of Divine Mercy comes from the nun’s diary as she served in a convent in Plock, Poland. She wrote “I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in the gesture of blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From beneath the garment slightly drawn at the breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale. In silence I kept my gaze fixed on the Lord; my soul was struck with awe, but also with great joy. After a while, Jesus said to me: “Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and (then) throughout the world.”

“The merciful Savior also promised that the soul who will venerate this image “will not perish” and even promised such a soul “victory over (its) enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death.” (Diary, pg 48.)

Mitchell said the festival would include something for all ages. “There will be a workshop for 10 - 12 year olds; Deacon Cody Miller , who sings and writes music, will be here preaching; French Catholic Gospel singer Gene Norman will be here also along with a Christian rock youth band from St. Theresa’s church in Abbeville. St. Francis Cabrini’s Gospel Choir under Delores Broussard will perform and there will be an Adult Evangelization tent to answer questions about all of the area Catholic churches.

“It’s interesting how we in Kaplan decided to call the event Mercy Fest. That’s also how the Vatican is naming their same workshop, concert and conference in Rome,” said Mitchell.

Mitchell and his wife, Colleen, have five sons: Quinn, Gabriel, Brenden, Evan and Kolby - ranging from nine years to nine months. They’ve recently been living and working as missionaries in Costa Rica with Frank and Gene Summers with their Family Mission Company. They’ve also served in St. Vincent in the Grenadine Islands.

Originally the family was from the New Orleans area and when Hurricane Katrina took out their funding base, they moved back to the states and landed in Kaplan.

He said that “God has made things easy putting on this festival. The donations have helped, we have tents, time and talent from all these people and the sound production company helping us is the same one that produces Irma Thomas’ work for the Jazz Festival in New Orleans.”

“Everything is free - the food, drinks. We do ask for donations to help pay for some of the physical aspects of the festival,” said Mitchell.

At the festival, there will be a Eucharistic and Divine Mercy procession, an opportunity for the sacrament of confession and ending in a Mass at 4:00 p.m. that afternoon.

Mercy Fest will be held in Kaplan at the St. Francis Cabrini Church grounds beginning at 10:00 a.m. ending after Mass about 5:00 p.m.

Volunteers for all or part of the day are welcomed and you can call Greg Mitchell at 643-2827. For more information on the festival, contact missionfamily@cox.net.

For more information on Divine Mercy Sunday on the internet you can go to www.thedivinemercy.org.