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Australian duo take up St Faustina’s cause

Pair on mission to spread devotion to the Divine Mercy
Australian duo take up St Faustina’s cause
The Australian duo with the Singapore devotee
Published: January 06, 2012 08:18 AM GMT
Updated: January 06, 2012 08:49 AM GMT

Invoking the Divine Mercy on the sick, the lonely and the troubled is the passion of an Australian duo currently on a visit to India. Joy Hunt, 68, and associate Ian Gaudery say that “modern day challenges leave many tense, disturbed and in need of God’s Divine Mercy.” The Australians, who have toured more than six countries in the last 25 years, are currently in the southern city of Mangalore to spread devotion to the Divine Mercy. “We have been invited to Mangalore, Mysore and Vijayapuram dioceses of South India,” Hunt said, adding that India has more potential with regard to “in-depth spirituality.” She has been committed to the cause since 1988, when the Combined Society of Mary was established in Australia, and is now its president. Hunt, who has visited India 18 times in the last 15 years, says she has spread the devotion in more than 90 dioceses, addressing approximately more than 2.5 million people. She recalled that in Hyderabad in 2004, a woman with a heart problem was cured. “After the fourth decade of the Divine Mercy chaplet, she began to dance and later her cardiologist said ‘she has a new heart’.” This time we have come with a relic of Saint Faustina, said Gaudery. He said “the Divine Mercy devotion was ignited by Saint Faustina, whose diary is one of the great sources of valuable, mystical and spiritual writings the Church possesses.” St Faustina, a Polish nun who was canonized in 2000, spread devotion to the Divine Mercy through her diary which noted the messages she received from God. The Australians have also taken the devotion to Singapore, Sri Lanka, the Samoan Islands, the Tokelau Islands, and Fiji among other places. “This is officially accepted devotion by the Catholic Church and we go as per invitation by the archbishops and bishops,” says Hunt. They undertake promotional tours for two months every at their own expense. The pair is also accompanied by a Buddhist convert, Maria Tine from Singapore. Tine, who has opened a Divine Mercy Home for children in Tanzania, said: “I was enlightened through Divine Mercy devotion in 1999.” She said “many conversions have taken place in my family and among others I know which I believe are Divine Mercy miracles”. Hunt and Gaudery were encouraged to take up the ministry by Fr Henry Poszlusny, a Polish priest who knew Saint Faustina’s family well. “Every year around 2000 major miracles through intercession to the Divine Mercy are reported in Poland while there could be many more which are not reported,” Hunt said. “Through us, many hearts have been touched and three new churches have been named after the Divine Mercy. That is the success of the mission.”

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