Divine Mercy and Marian Spirituality

           When I was a child I remember vividly asking Mother Mary to be my mother and that I would be her adoptive daughter. I am not fully sure why I did that maybe I wanted to be like the saints that I read in the books. Now, I understood because I really don't have what you can call a mother. Yes, I have a biological mother but she has not really been a mother to me. She has a mental condition that impedes her to be a "mother" to her children. She is somehow psychologically challenged. I was reared mostly by my aunts, grandma and our helpers. Same with my father, since he was always absent. He was an OFW before and me and my older brother aren't really close to him. So I asked and prayed this week to St. Joseph that he be my spiritual father. 

Last month February 2, 2023. I asked our assistant parish priest from St.Benedict, Fr. Edward Glen Galao, MGL to do the investiture of the Blue Scapular to me. Actually, a Marian priest should be the one to perform the ceremony. If no Marian priest is around then any Roman Catholic priest will do. I got the Blue Scapular from Fr. Mariusz Janiszewski, MIC. He is the Director of the Association of Marian Helpers here in the Philippines. I buy most of the books from Marian Press from them. I came to know them through Fr. Chris Alar, MIC in the United States of America. Fr. Chris is my favorite online priest and speaker. I also have his book, "Understanding the  Divine Mercy." I joined the Friends of Mercy (U.S.A) and just recently the Association of Marian Helpers here in the Philippines. I chose the Marian Fathers because I have a devotion to the Divine Mercy and I have been praying the 3'o clock prayer since I was a child and I also have a devotion to our Blessed Mother. Our Blessed Mother in Guadalupe and in Lourdes is very dear to my heart.

We have a lot of scapulars, the brown scapular of the Carmelites, (I was a former aspirant of the Order of the Discalced Secular Carmelites), I studied in exclusive private school for girls when I was in high school run by the Daughters of Charity, they have the green scapular. There are many more. I chose the Blue Scapular because I love Mother Mary when she told St. Bernadette the she was the Immaculada Concepcion. My husband and I got married at Manila Cathedral which is known as the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. 

I am now studying my Catholic roots, through Fr. Chris Alar's online teaching, in his Explaining The Faith series, everything has become clearer to me. I thought the Reformation of the Protestants was the legit belief, but I found out that Catholic has always been the true church because there is no division. The church tradition and the Bible goes hand in hand, and we have our Holy Fathers, and saints as our guide.

For those interested in getting the Blue Scapular just visit the Marian Helpers, Philippines Facebook Page.