Feast of Divine Mercy in Tel Aviv

Each year, the Feast of the Divine Mercy is a special occasion for the large Filipino community in south Tel Aviv because the chapel and pastoral center is named for the Divine Mercy. This year, the feast was an even bigger celebration because of the visit of Bishop Shomali. He celebrated the mass, assisted by Father David Neuhaus, Patriarchal Vicar for the Hebrew speaking Catholics who is coordinator of the Pastoral among Migrants and serves as Filipino Chaplain, Father Ric Fernando, priest in charge at Divine Mercy Chapel (DMC), Fathers James and Teofilo, priests from the Philippines and Father Carlos from Deir Rafat.

The solemn mass was enriched by the singing of the DMC choir and the enthusiastic participation of the hundreds of faithful who gathered for the celebration. In his homily, Bishop William elaborated on a homily of Pope Francis: the Lord never tires of forgiving us and we should never tire of asking His forgiveness and forgiving our neighbors. Bishop William’s heartfelt words were attentively received by the faithful.

After the mass, the Bishop was thronged by faithful seeking his blessing. He paid special attention to the children who attended, all of them integrated into the religious education program at DMC.

After mass, a sumptuous feast was enjoyed by all in the courtyard. Before going back to Jerusalem, Bishop William blessed the food and those present. After his departure, the program continued with short speeches, songs, dance and much joy.

Praise the Lord for He is merciful indeed!