Hundreds at the two main Divine Mercy Sunday events sang and prayed for mercy for Trinidad and Tobago, its critical institutions and its people.
Last Sunday morning, celebrations began late in Sangre Grande due to overcast conditions. The starting and ending point of the Mercy Sunday March was St Francis of Assisi church, Brierly Street.

Two music trucks, one with the People of Praise Music Ministry, the other with the parish music ministry, accompanied the faithful through the streets under police escort. Many wore red tee-shirts and carried banners, posters and placards with messages of mercy. A third truck bore a large Divine Mercy banner.

At various points along the route - which took the march onto the Eastern Main Road, Guaico and Trainline - intercessory prayers were offered for the Parliament, the Judiciary, the education system, the health service, youth, and an end to violence in society.

The two-hour-long walk was followed by Mass. Before beginning the liturgy, parish priest Fr Ian Taylor told Catholic News the annual march, now into its third year, is for the sake of the country.

“The Church is within our country and our country is under siege. We implore the same mercy that we want for our lives, for the nation, but we bring it out on the streets so the people will know.”

He said Divine Mercy memorabilia (prayer cards, posters) and the parish newsletter were distributed along the way. He said the march seemed to have “captured the imagination of the people and their attention” as “the music was powerful”. Fr Taylor encouraged everyone to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet every day, if possible, at 3.00 p.m. 

In the Southland, the chaplet was recited a little after three that afternoon by the youth of Couva parish during the 15th annual Mercy Prayer March celebrations organised by Zion RC Community.

The march took a different route this year, starting in Marabella and ending at the Tropical Plaza, Pointe-à-Pierre car park, where a stage was constructed at the south-eastern end. The last 14 editions have been held in San Fernando proper, with the event culminating at Skinner Park.

Unlike their eastern counterparts, southern faithful could not escape heavy afternoon showers and drizzle. Many arrived at the car park drenched, including Zion co-founder, Mary Baptiste, who walked with youth at the front of the walk who carried a framed Divine Mercy image.

Recently-ordained San Fernando assistant parish priest Fr Robert Christo gave the feature address after he energized a praise and worship session that brought the majority in front the stage with the young dancing with Fr Christo as he did what he called the “Divine Mercy jig” (adapted from a Jamaica dancehall move) and the not-so-young jumping on the “Holy Train.”

In his address, he said Divine Mercy is for all humanity as through “Jesus Christ, mercy has come to the world.” He said justice and compassion equals mercy and “the only thing God is asking of us is to practice it (mercy) now towards one another…Today is a call to action, to practice mercy, to practice forgiveness, to practice compassion”.

Supporting his talk with scriptural references, he said today’s culture “does not hold mercy in high regard”. “Our hearts have grown cold and numb. We cause pain to others. We neglect others. The call of Divine Mercy today is to reverse all that.”

Fr Christo ended urging all to remember the ABC of Divine Mercy - Ask for Mercy, Be Merciful, and Completely trust in His Divine Mercy.

In a period of intercessory prayer after his talk, Fr Christo prayed for mercy, national unity, dialogue, family life, “for those who hurt us, for our enemies, for those who find it difficult to love”.- RS.