ORIGINS (roots) are important. 800 years of “roots” is highly significant. August 10, 2018 marks the 800th Anniversary of the official founding in the year 1218 of the Order of Mercy, also known as Mercedarians. On that date a new religious family within the Catholic Church was established. The prompting came from simultaneous apparitions by the Blessed Mother to Peter Nolasco (a merchant), Raimundo de Penafort (the Bishop) and Jaime el Conquistador (the King of Spain). Since that time Mary has been honored by all Mercedarians under the title of “Our Lady of Mercy.”
Pope Francis on May 2, 2016 addressed all the Major Superiors of the various Mercedarian institutes in remote preparation for this up-coming anniversary, “The Mercedarians, through their religious vows, have been made prophets who have received a ‘gift of the Holy Spirit for the service of the Holy People of God’ . . . you have also received a gift, and have been consecrated for a mission that is a work of mercy: following Christ, bringing the good news of the Gospel to the poor, and the liberation of captives.”
The Pope exhorted all Mercedarians not to neglect to “proclaim the year of grace of the Lord to all those who are sent to you,” namely, those facing persecution for their faith, victims of human trafficking, and school children. The Holy Father closed by saying, “I offer my blessing to each one of you and for the entire Mercedarian family, and I beg you not to forget to pray for me. . .”
Later, Pope Francis in his Message (dated December 6, 2017) to all Mercedarians in proximate commemoration of the 800th Anniversary identified three protagonists in the History of the Institute: Peter Nolasco, Our Lady of Mercy and Christ the Redeemer. He also exhorted the religious, “If God is present in your lives, the joy of bringing his Gospel will be your strength and joy. God has also called us to serve within the Church and in the community. Let us keep to this common path.”
An earlier pontiff, St. John Paul II, back in 1986 spoke directly to the Mercedarians in these words, “I would like to appeal to you to maintain, increase and spread the intense devotion, that stems from your origins, to the Most Holy Mother of God, the virgin Mary, who participated in such an exemplary manner in the redemptive task of her divine Son.
May Our Lady of Ransom [another title of Our Lady of Mercy] be for all the Mother and Model, in particular as you live your “fourth vow.”
August 10th in the year 1903 was also a significant date in the life of Blessed Margarita Maria Maturana, whose Cause for Canonization inspires this column. On that date she entered the novitiate in Berriz, Spain to become a nun. Origins are important–the beginning of fruitfulness in life, if one but cooperates with God’s grace.
The daughters of Blessed Margarita, the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz, whose convent is at Maturana in Upper Navy Hill, are part of the world-wide Mercedarian Family. Having just celebrated their 90th year here in Saipan on March 4, 2018 let us pray that their mission of mercy continue through their presence in our midst.
May Our Lady of Mercy and Blessed Margarita Maria Maturana continue to inspire women and men of today to respond to God’s call in their lives and more specifically- -to be Mercedarian.
