St. Elizabeth Catholic Church Blog: April 2026

St. Elizabeth Social Justice Committee Activities - Reducing Nuclear Weapons ~ Photo and commentary provided by Deacon Chris Barrett

Social Justice Committee

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

"Reducing Nuclear Weapons"

Parishioners Chris Barrett and Eileen Tarr met with two of U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan's aides at her district office here in Richmond, including Taylor Thornhill, 2nd from right, former aide to Sen. Tim Kaine.

Chris and Eileen were representing our parish Justice Ministry Committee, as well as the Richmond area Franciscan Justice Circle and were appealing to Congresswoman McClellan to co-sponsor House Resolution 317 to reduce nuclear weapons.

~ Photo and Commentary by Deacon Chris Barrett

Labels: Social Justice Committee Activities 2026

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Second Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday - April 12, 2026

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Second Sunday of Easter

Divine Mercy Sunday

April 12, 2026

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Today we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. This special celebration takes place on the Second Sunday of Easter every year. This is an important feast in the Catholic Church that originates in the 1930's when Jesus revealed himself to St. Faustina of Poland. He asked on numerous occasions that a feast day be dedicated to the Divine Mercy and that this feast be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. This Feast, which had already been granted to the nation of Poland and been celebrated within Vatican City, was granted to the Universal Church by Pope John Paul II on the occasion of the canonization of Sr. Faustina on 30 April 2000.

On this Sunday, I encourage you to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet using the Rosary:

(Repeat 3 times) O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!

Pray the Our Father, Hail Mary and the Apostle's Creed

For each of the five decades

(On each "Our Father" bead of the rosary, pray):

Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

(On each of the 10 "Hail Mary" beads, pray):

For the sake of his sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Concluding prayer (Repeat 3 times) Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Pope Leo XIV has reminded us of God's mercy and care for us through his beloved Son.

"All of us are alive today thanks to a relationship, a free and freeing relationship of human kindness and mutual care. That human kindness is sometimes betrayed. As for example, whenever freedom is invoked not to give life, but to take it away, not to help, but to hurt. Yet even in the face of the evil that opposes and takes life, Jesus continues to pray to the Father for us. His prayer acts as a balm for our wounds; it speaks to us of forgiveness and reconciliation."

-- Pope Leo XIV, Homily, Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents & the Elderly, June 1, 2025

Easter Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

~ Image Source

Labels: |||Divine Mercy Sunday 2026, Fr. Jim's Jots