Missionaries of Divine Mercy

Love without Cost

By Henrietta Gomes
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 3/8/07)

Braving the blistering cold and gusty winds last Sunday morning, a modern day St. Francis handed out chains with blessed miraculous medals at Franklin Square Park at 13th and K Streets N.W. in Washington, proclaiming, “Let this be a reminder to you that this is not your home. Heaven is your home.” After whistling to get the attention of the city’s homeless, who stood in line to get chili and bread, Kellie Ross, clad in a simple white dress and fleece, yelled, “If you want to get your feet washed come see me.”
In an almost surreal sight, 50 volunteers joined Ross, the co-founder of the Missionaries of Our Lady of Divine Mercy, an outreach group from Holy Trinity Church in Bristow, to enter the park in the heart of the nation’s capital where many homeless dwell, and see Christ in them and be Christ to them. “We’re here to change one soul at a time,” said Ross about the ministry that started over a year ago.
The outreach to the homeless is not the typical sandwich distribution of big cities. These volunteers not only set up a large buffet style table with hot food, but they come bearing foot washing kits. They sit on little stools and humbly wash the feet of the homeless and then clothe them with brand new socks. The air is filled with a sense of reverence as two guitarists lead praise and worship songs. The music was just the starting point for the prayerful tone of Sunday’s picnic, where nearly 150 men and some women were fed. After having their fill, and while some still waited to get their feet washed, several of the park residents joined the volunteers for a rosary procession around the park. Touting pictures of Divine Mercy and Our Lady of Guadalupe, the volunteers attracted more people for the procession as they wound their way through the park. The prayers were interspersed with Ross ebulliently calling upon others to join. fr. jack fullen
Many of the homeless recognized Ross and her volunteers and were happy to participate. “I’m just a fool for Jesus,” said Ross, noting that she strives to make the poor and homeless comfortable. “I do whatever it takes to bring a soul to Christ.”
Regarding their mission, Ross said, “We are a little grain of sand. We’re feeding them with mercy and we try to develop a relationship with them. We’re allowing God to use us.” She explained, “We’re called to be servants to others. To come here is a ministerial calling to serve. Everything is a prayer.” She emphasized the importance of just being with the poor and listening to them. Ross, who is a nurse by profession, noted that many of them have not taken off their shoes in months, and encourages them to have their feet washed and disinfected.
The ministry is a profound integration of deep prayer and radical action and Ross makes it clear that her passion for social justice does not supersede her fervent love and longing for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. In fact, Ross spends time in adoration each day for strength and sustenance in her ministry and encourages other members of the group to do the same. “We want to change the world through prayer,” said Ross, who noted that there are two people who pray 24 hours a day for the intentions of the ministry. Work without prayers is empty, she said.
The image of Divine Mercy is the impetus behind the ministry, which stemmed from a Divine Mercy Prayer Group at Holy Trinity Parish. After reading the Diary of St. Faustina, to whom Jesus appeared in the 1930s in Poland, Ross felt compelled to spread the devotion of God’s fathomless mercy. The prayer group started with the help of Father Jack Fullen, a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, who serves at Holy Trinity.
“It’s all a miracle of God. God is glorifying Himself through this ministry,” said Ross, who takes no credit for the work. “I have nothing in me but wretchedness, but God takes this wretchedness and uses it.” The image of Divine Mercy as appeared to St. Faustina is universal, explained Ross. It teaches people to trust in Jesus. She spoke about receiving God’s mercy in the sacraments, and she added, “Mercy is a verb. We pray, we listen and we act with faith and trust.”
The message of mercy transfigured into action has drawn many to the ministry of the missionaries. Theresa Fortman, 19, a student at George Mason University, conceded that she initially thought it might be “weird” to wash the feet of the homeless. However, she has found that washing their feet “is absolutely beautiful.” Fortman, who has worked with the ministry for a year said, “This is an amazing way to serve Jesus. I can see how beautiful the homeless are and this just means the world to me.”
As she cheerfully scrubbed the foot of a resident in the park, Emi Curi said with a smile, “This is what I’m called to do.” Curi, a parishioner of Holy Trinity Church, came Sunday with her two teenage sons. “I love the poor and the homeless. They preach to me,” she said. “I go to daily Mass, but I get my greatest homilies here. They teach me about humility, abandonment, surrender and trust.”
The most significant aspect of the group’s charism is that all their work is done with great love. “I feel in my heart that love transcends every affliction in this world,” said Matthew Burrell, shelter coordinator for SERVE, (Securing Emergency Resources through Volunteer Efforts), who came with his wife and son to support the missionaries and counsel those living in the park. “It’s the love of Christ,” said Burrell, who is not Catholic, but sees God’s mercy.
“It’s amazing what happens,” said Ross about the service in the park. “There’s so much holiness, joy, love and fellowship.”
Aside from their work in the park, the missionaries have a free clothing store in Manassas called the House of Mercy. Run entirely by volunteers, the overtly Catholic store provides free clothing to the poor and homeless. Images of the Blessed Mother and Divine Mercy are plastered on the walls and the Eternal World Television Network plays in the background. Instead of price tags, all items have prayer cards attached to them.
Although the clothing is used, only the best is distributed, according to Susan Loving, communications director. The shoes and socks, however, are brand new. There is a sense of dignity in giving out new shoes, said Loving. The poor and homeless in the area are given vouchers from nearby shelters, including SERVE, which enables them to pick out five items from the store each month.
All who come to volunteer at the House of Mercy are required to spend at least 15 minutes of prayer during their shift. “If you can’t get into the right frame of mind you can’t serve the poor,” said Loving. The main goal is “to project Christ. It’s not about the food and the clothes. It’s about giving them hope and providing human contact.”
The ministry transcends the temporal needs of the poor and homeless. “There’s a huge hunger for God,” said Ross. The goal is to “Bring people hope. We’re trying to do corporeal works of mercy.” In essence, she said their ministry strives to be “love without cost.” That love continues every Wednesday during Lent, when the missionaries host Supper with Mercy, a free dinner for the poor in the Manassas area. “We will not rest until we toil for our neighbors, said Ross. The group also invites anyone to learn about the Catholic Church and ask questions.
Evangelizing and serving the poor was not always a way of life for Ross, who recalled her days living “in great sin.” She said, “I was living an immoral life. There was emptiness. I sought to be consoled and the more emptiness I found.” After a conversion back to the faith she was baptized in, Ross found herself yearning to continue to learn more about the Church. “If you give your heart to Jesus your heart will never be the same,” she said. Over a year ago, Ross made a radical decision to give away all her fashionable clothing and jewelry and now dresses simply. “God was calling me out of darkness and into the light.”
As the foot washers put away their kits, and the other volunteers packed up the dishes and tables, Father Fullen reminded the crowds that the missionaries will return to the park in three weeks on March 25. He also reminded them of something more significant: “This is not our final home.” Father Fullen, co-founder of the mostly lay organization, said, “We are all homeless. Heaven is our home. Our real home is heaven. Don’t be sad here. Do not get discouraged.”
When going through trials and difficulties it is hard to remember that God has a plan, said Ross. “Yes, there are still hardships and temptations that assail us, but He will not leave our side,” she said with fervor. “That’s where ‘Jesus I trust in You’ comes in. It’s all about total surrender to Jesus. Our goal is to serve, hand by hand, knee by knee, soul by soul.”
For more information or to donate new shoes or slightly worn clothing contact the House of Mercy at 703/659-1636.

Henrietta Gomes can be reached at hgomes@catholicherald.com.