His Excellency Bishop David L. Ricken, of the Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin, delivers a powerful homily at the 2026 Divine Mercy Sunday Solemn Mass at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Divine Mercy Sunday is an incredibly important day of grace. And it's essential to reflect on the profound connection between Divine Mercy and the Eucharist, the greatest expression of God's mercy. Father Mark Baron, MIC deepens our understanding of this sacred mystery and how it invites us to trust in God’s mercy more fully. Then meet Mother of Mercy Messengers, a Marian apostolate dedicated to spreading the message of Divine Mercy across the country, touching hearts and transforming lives.

Fr. Mark reminds us that Advent is not Christmas—it is a penitential season meant to awaken our souls, sharpen our spiritual vision, and prepare us to stand before the Lord. Across the 24 Churches that make up the Catholic Church, Advent (or its equivalent) is lived with deep seriousness: 40-day fasts, vegan disciplines, weeks of total abstinence, and long seasons of preparation. Their witness challenges us in the Roman Rite to rediscover what this season truly is: a call to repentance, renewal, and readiness.