Perhaps this iconic quality explains why Stockbridge was a haunt of Norman Rockwell, author Catharine Maria Sedgwick, and sculptor Daniel Chester French. I am sure that Saint Faustina never had reason to sigh and remark “Ah, New England!” but I am sure she is well pleased with the National Divine Mercy Shrines’ location.
In any case, it was St. Faustina that led Seasons to the National Shrine of Divine Mercy to accompany Jeff Petryk and Mercysong Ministries at the masses over Mercy Sunday weekend, the time of year when the National Shrine of Divine Mercy is inundated with 18,000 pilgrims. Yes, 18,000.
Driving through the town from the Yankee Inn (not to be confused with the Liberty Inn, which was a mental invention on my part) one passes by quiet brick and board houses settled on neat green lawns as properly as a fine lady at a picnic (can you tell how delighted I was?). The whole air of the Stockbridge, from the antique stores to the ice cream parlor, seemed to radiate “well, we’ve done it this way for the past hundred years, why stop now?”
On Mercy Sunday Peter and I had to arrive at the Divine Mercy Shrine at 7:30 am (which meant getting up in Yankee/Liberty Inn at 5:30 am to get ready, pack and drive over) and Peter took his coffee and reflectively sat on one of the still-empty wooden benches, gazing at the mountains that curled around the back of the outdoor shrine like a crown. “Many a poem has been written while staring at the Berkshires,” Mary Flynn remarked in a crusty British accent.
Besides the amazing blessing of getting to experience Mercy Sunday at the National Shrine of Divine Mercy with other Catholics from around the world (and some who had seen us on Life on the Rock) singing “The Helmsman” before mass on Mercy Sunday, randomly running into Emily Davis, AND staying at a hotel where there was an attractive Hispanic man who made incredible omelets (trust me, when a stranger in a strange land like New England, good breakfast is quite a blessing) we also got to spend time with some of the wonderful Flynn family.
The Flynn’s are the multi-talented family behind Mercy Song Ministries. After just meeting them it felt like we had known them for years (though apparently Peter has known Mary Flynn for years since they go to Franciscan University together, and she has even guest stared with Postscript).
Mr. Flynn is the author of “Seven Secrets of the Eucharist,” a brilliant little book that will change the way you go to communion. Erin Flynn’s Album, “Though the Darkness,” has great songs, including an awesome rendition of “Yet I Will Praise.” Brian Flynn has several albums and is a gifted songwriter. We had a chance to accompany the Flynns on some of their songs (Peter got to play keyboard on Brian’s Prolife song and was so pumped!) and sometimes I would be enjoying the lyrics so much it was hard to remember to play!
To read up on the Flynns and their music, you can pay a visit to their website:
http://www.mercysong.com
And also can check out the Flynn’s singing the Divine Mercy Chaplet (in the National Shrine of Divine Mercy):
Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Finally, to learn more about Mercy Sunday or the Divine Mercy Shrine (since all of this probably sounds like Swedish if you are not Catholic) check out:
http://thedivinemercy.org
Ever wonder what 18,000 people looked like? Well, here you go!
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