11 April 2021
Divine Mercy Sunday
Dear Parishioners of St. Thomas More,
With great joy, I announce to you the name chosen for the newest parish in the Archdiocese of Edmonton: Divine Mercy Parish. The Committee charged with planning for the new parish proposed this name as the community’s first choice, and I am delighted to accept it. Indeed, “Divine Mercy” is a message we want echoed and lived throughout the Archdiocese. It proclaims the good news of God’s unconditional love, which reaches our wounded world as mercy, and transforms suffering into hope.
This name, Divine Mercy, will also stand as a reminder of our mission as followers of the Lord Jesus. We who have received from our Lord the beautiful gift of mercy must in turn be agents of that mercy to others. In his first Angelus address, the Holy Father put it this way: “[God] is the loving Father who always pardons, who has that heart of mercy for us all. And let us, too, learn to be merciful to everyone. Let us invoke the intercession of Our Lady who held in her arms the Mercy of God made man.” (Pope Francis, Angelus Address, 17 March 2013).
On this Divine Mercy Sunday, let us pray that our new parish will be known and experienced as an oasis where anyone in need will find refreshment and peace in the gift of God’s merciful love.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
✠ Richard W. Smith
Archbishop of Edmonton