'Mercy Rocks'

Parsippany parish to celebrate ‘Mercy Rocks’ event just ahead of Jubilee Year of Mercy

PARSIPPANY  St. Christopher Parish here plans to celebrate and promote a greater understanding of God’s infinite love and mercy — especially among young people — on Dec. 5 during “Mercy Rocks,” which will examine the Lord’s gift of mercy through two much-anticipated events in the universal Church — the Jubilee Year of Mercy, which starts on Tuesday, Dec., 8, and World Youth Day 2016 — and its ever-expanding devotion to Divine Mercy. This dynamic event, which is set for 6:30 p.m. in St. Christopher Church, combines several forms of worship and devotion — Eucharistic Adoration, Benediction, veneration of religious relics and a procession — with other activities, such as witness talks about faith and vocation and a performance by a contemporary Christian musical group.

“At ‘Mercy Rocks,’ people, especially the youth, can worship, pray and sing together. It will be a way to prepare for the Jubilee Year of Mercy and the World Youth Day (WYD) and an opportunity to promote Divine Mercy. We want the young people to experience God’s forgiveness and get closer to God,” said Father Jakub Grzybowski, St. Christopher’s parochial vicar, who created and has been developing the event. “In the Church, we need more young people. We want to show them that Church is exciting and talk to them about using their talents to become active in the parish — that it’s not an obligation, but something that they like,” he said.

“Mercy Rocks” will start with short witness talks about faith and vocation by priests, religious and lay people who will be invited to speak. There will be introductions of various members and ministries of St. Christopher’s and the presentation of the Cross of WYD, which will be held in Krakow, Poland, from July 25 to 31, 2016 and will, in part, explore God’s endless mercy.

Father Miroslaw Krol of the Pope John Paul II Shrine in Linden in the Newark Archdiocese will speak about and present relics from St. Faustina Kowalska and St. John Paul II, both considered “apostles of Divine Mercy.” The relics, carried by a representative of the parish youth, will be part a procession to be accompanied by music, incense, processional candles and the singing of “Ave Maria” by Patricia Jarosz. All will be invited to venerate the relics. In addition, a short film about God’s mercy will be shown, Father Grzybowski said.

Divine Mercy is based on the writings of St. Faustina, a Polish nun who followed Jesus’ command to spread the following message of the devotion before her death in 1939 — to ask for the Lord’s mercy, praying constantly, repenting for sins and asking him to pour out his mercy on the world; extend that mercy to others; and trust in him completely. During his pontificate, John Paul, also a native of Poland, established Divine Mercy Sunday on the Sunday after Easter.

“Mercy Rocks” will continue that evening with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, accompanied by the “Adoring Cano” song by the a musical group from St. Christopher’s youth ministry, and praying the Divine Mercy chaplet with an adoration song and a Benediction hymn, “Blessed Are the Merciful.” After, the youth ministry band will perform a concert of original and popular spiritual songs. Parish and visiting priests in attendance will give the faithful the opportunity to receive the Lord’s mercy in the Sacrament of Penance, said Father Grzybowski, a native of Poland, who was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Serratelli in May.

The Jubilee Year of Mercy opens on Dec. 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and closes on Nov. 20, 2016, the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

[Information: (973) 539-7050.]