Sights & Sounds: Experiencing Divine Mercy in Rahway, NJ

April 12 was a special day at Divine Mercy Parish in Rahway, NJ. Not only was it Divine Mercy Sunday, celebrated the Sunday after Easter, but 19 parishioners who had completed the parish’s OCIA program also received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

At the morning Mass, Father Alex Cruz, pastor of Divine Mercy, told the congregation that God’s mercy was the source of true hope in life. He also encouraged parishioners to recite the simple prayer that Saint Faustina had received by divine revelation: “Jesus, I trust in You,” which is at the heart of the Divine Mercy devotion.

The parish had a Divine Mercy gathering later in the day, which included a recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet and an opportunity for parishioners to go to confession. Jesus promised St. Faustina that those who prayed the chaplet “will be embraced by My mercy during their lifetime and especially at the hour of their death.”

DMP04 - Divine Mercy Church altar

A vibrant, multihued parish

Originally founded in 1854 as Saint Mary’s, the red-brick church dates to 1888. The architect was Jeremiah O’Rourke, who also designed Newark’s Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart and many other Catholic churches in the area. As in O’Rourke’s other church designs, both Gothic and Romanesque influences are visible.

In 2010, St. Mary’s merged with nearby Saint Mark’s Catholic Church, and the two communities then became today’s Divine Mercy Parish. The old St. Mark’s Church was unfortunately razed in 2018, but two of the church’s bells are on display in front of Divine Mercy, “to honor and in memory of all the priests who served it and the parishioners both living and deceased.”

In contrast to the stately red-brick exterior, the inside of the church presents a vibrant array of colors and details. Particularly striking are the large, colorful stained-glass windows depicting biblical scenes. There are also dozens of religious statues that seem to fill every nook and cranny of the sacred space and the church grounds.

This vibrant, multihued church also reflects the rich diversity of the Divine Mercy family. The parish serves a wide range of believers, with Masses in English and Spanish, a thriving Hispanic ministry, and a lively Filipino presence.

“I fell in love with this parish the moment I arrived here,” Father Cruz told Jersey Catholic.