Divine Mercy in Action - Inspired by the Diary of St. Faustina
Once, a pain pierced my soul, and I began to pray: “Most merciful Jesus, I beseech You through the intercession of Your Saints, and especially the intercession of Your dearest Mother who nurtured You from childhood, I beg You, Jesus, look not on our sins, but on the tears of little children, on the hunger and cold they suffer. Jesus, for the sake of these innocent ones, grant me the grace that I ask of You now.” At that moment, I saw the Lord Jesus, His eyes filled with tears, and He said to me, You see, My daughter, what great compassion I have for them. Know that it is they who uphold the whole world. (Diary 286)
Introduction
The Divine Mercy charity, “Help Us Dry The Tears” Foundation, (H.U.D.T.) was founded by Val Conlon who felt compelled to do so, when he read this in the Diary of Saint Faustina.
“Divine Mercy in Action” became its working name to make it more identifiable with the message from Jesus. To Val, the real message that Jesus brought to humanity in the Divine Mercy revelations was: You must live Mercy in this life if you expect to obtain in the next.
In the revelations of Divine Mercy, Jesus asked that His mercy be spread in “deed, word and prayer”, and he qualified this by saying first ‘in deed’. But it is important to be active in all three ways.
"I demand from you deeds of mercy which are to arise out of love for me. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it". (Diary 742)
The mission that HUDT “Divine Mercy in Action” undertook as a result was to help the destitute and homeless children in Eastern Europe after the fall of Communism, especially abandoned and suffering children that became street children after overflowing orphanages became too full to take them in. We started in Romania by giving them everything they needed to survive, not only in a material way but also trying to fill the spiritual void left behind after communism, with the message of God's Divine Mercy.
We also found it a great opportunity for a “Catholic Charity” to sow the seed for renewal of the faith in Eastern Europe, so as well as saving lives we could bring the message of Divine Mercy in an effort to help save souls as well. Remember, Jesus gave this message to mankind in Eastern Europe and we believe this is where He intended it to be used most. It is a mission so important now in Eastern Europe at a time when people's spiritual nature is susceptible to other evil influences and other evil cults.
“Divine Mercy in Action” has taken it on itself to influence this faith renewal through the work we carry out there. As our humanitarian work melts people’s hearts, we make it clear that these works of Mercy are inspired by our Catholic belief in the revelations of the message of Divine Mercy. And as our projects are seen to be saving many children’s lives, they cannot be objected to by any authority, even those who are still influenced by socialist or communist ideals.
So the space once occupied by a communist socialist ideal which looked after the poor, is now being occupied by our charity “Divine Mercy in Action”, who now look after the poor.
But in our work we also try to cater for their spiritual hunger, and try to help their search for spirituality and the meaning of life. We do this by making the message of Divine Mercy, available to them. As it was given by our Lord in Eastern Europe at a time when communism was taking over, it seems especially meant for Eastern Europe after the long indoctrination of the young with Communism and Socialism.
We have established a foothold in what was once a space occupied by a Socialist inspired doctrine, Communism and we have filled that space with a Catholic inspired doctrine, Divine Mercy.
We have become the new missioners for Jesus Christ in this part of the world where communism once flourished until Jesus chose an Eastern European Pope, John Paul II, who was deeply involved in the Message of Divine Mercy. A Pope, who it is acknowledged by the world today, as probably the one person most responsible for the defeat of communism. But the faithless void left behind in most of Communist Eastern Europe has to be filled.
So we try to sow the seed of Catholic renewal, and to help save lives with food, medicine and education and souls with the message of Divine Mercy. It is a great mission to feed their material needs but also their spiritual needs in the name of Jesus the Divine Mercy. This is what Jesus asked of us through Saint Faustina to be active with His message of mercy, in deed, word and prayer. To partake in these three, He said, is the final hope for salvation.
Divine Mercy Publications
Divine Mercy Publications, is a publications group that Val Conlon started in 1985. Val was first touched by this message from Jesus in 1980 when he came across a little leaflet or pamphlet that mentioned the revelations which led him on a journey of discovery that brought him to Poland and later Stockbridge, Massachusetts, to research the writings by this nun. It resulted in his total conversion, and all that happened in his promotion of this devotion since.
The Charity “ Help Us Dry The Tears” or Divine Mercy in Action is primarily financed by “Divine Mercy Publications” and donations from devotees of Divine Mercy, but as our Charity work does not restrict itself to any religious denomination or nationality, we accept and seek donations from all who are interested in helping children without hope.