South San Francisco, CA June 19th, 2023 – by Elizabeth Nisperos
Spiritual and physical healing integrates forces to restore, and transform a whole person (body, mind, spirit) in several dimensions in everyday dealings with himself, other people, and God. After the global pandemic, the world needs healing. A different take on Father’s Day; usually the focus is celebrating fathers with families but we can celebrate Fathers who had vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Fr. Peter Prusakiewicz came all the way from Poland to bring two-day healing Gifts of the Divine Mercy and St Michael the Archangel, Holy Mass, Veneration of St Faustina’s First Class Relic on June 6-7 at St Veronica’s Church in South San Francisco.
The two-day event packed the church with parishioners, and visitors, including nuns from Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity, and Franciscan monks. The church smelled of incense as believers lined up to get blessings from the Blessed Sacrament for healing, installation of the scapular, and blessings of religious items (rosary, St Michael’s rock, books, scapulars, angel magazines). Two tables at the door offered the attendees to own religious objects without going all the way to Poland.
In 2018, I was lucky to visit the Basilica Divine Mercy Shrine (Sanktuarium Bożego Miłosierdzia) in Krakow, Poland where the body of St Faustina rests. Sister Faustina was an ordinary human who loved chocolates, fruits, playing jokes, and dancing, who was a cheerful, kind, and mystic visionary. When she became a nun, she informed her father who was against her becoming a nun, “Jesus is now your son-in-law.”
Link of the Divine Mercy Shrine:
https://www.saint-faustina.org/the-shrine-of-the-divine-
mercy/
Fr. Peter Prusakiewicz, an international traveler brought gifts of Healing through his mission of disseminating Divine Mercy and St Michael the Archangel. Fr. Peter is the Chief Editor of The Angels, Messengers from Loving God magazines. His connection to Sr. Faustina was because, from 1993-1996, he served as chaplain to the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy in Warsaw. St Sister Faustina was Jesus’ secretary is the story of a nun who recorded Jesus’ visitations in her diary. As a mystic, she heard Jesus’ request to make a Divine Mercy painting with rays coming from his heart and hands as symbols of inexhaustible and boundless love and mercy. Devotees say “Jesus I trust in you” and pray chaplet beads. Fr Peter resides at the General House of the Congregation of St Michael the Archangel located in Marki, Poland. On September 29, 1936, St Michael appeared to St Faustina telling her the devil didn’t like her and her mission to spread the Divine Mercy, but Jesus said St Michael would be her Special Bodyguard. The devil tried to make the nun burn her diary but he didn’t succeed. The first painting of the Divine Mercy was exhibited in the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Vilnius, Poland.
Fr Peter said “Angels are spirits, neither male nor female, never marry, and each one of us has a guardian angel. “Angels have rankings such as Highest Orders: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones; Middle Order: Dominions, Virtues, Powers; Lowest Orders: Principalities, Archangels, Angel. The most known Archangels are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael; sometimes angels appear as human in form. Also, he said, “I feel the presence of Angels here”. I believe, I saw one kneeling on the altar and thought it was a statue but when I approached the altar for the blessing, nothing was in place.
When I was on tour from south to north of France, years ago, our bus stopped at Mont Saint Michel or Saint Michael’s Mount located in a tidal island, mainland commune in Normandy. Because I’d like to observe things I’ve seen for the first time, I was always late. So the tour guide and driver said “The bus will not wait for you if you’re not here at the given time.” I enjoyed the ancient abbey, the sacred statues, the church, and the breathtaking view of the architecture surrounded by water. To my surprise, I forgot the time, and the bus was gone. I was left behind. Worried since I didn’t memorize the Hotel’s name, I felt I’ll be stranded on the island but then I heard a deep masculine voice, “Don’t worry, will fly you back to your hotel.” I don’t know how but I found my hotel when I saw buses lined up and good, I remembered the bus number.” Help came from “Agent 007 James Bond”, another nickname of St. Michael. If you’ve never visited Normandy, the place where D-Day occurred in the movie The Longest Day where the Allies took over the Nazis, please side-drop at Mont Saint Michel.
Here’s a link for a preview of St. Michael’s Mountain: https://handluggageonly.co.uk/2014/12/12/8-reasons-visit-mont-saint-michel-france/
Each healing day lasted for three hours with Mass, Blessed Sacrament exposure personalized healing, blessings for items, and installation of the scapular. Fr. Peter shows in-depth knowledge and wisdom of his topics, patience, strength, plus a sprinkle of humor. Fr Peter thanked the pastor Fr Patrick Driscoll for the invitation, Lorin or Lorraine(sp?), and the seminarians who assisted him during his services.
For the installation of St. Michael’s scapular, I was standing proxy for my niece who’s undergoing cancer treatment. She texted me “I will have my next PET scan I am claiming I’m cancer free!”, she was able to attend her daughter’s graduation and admitted bursting with joy.
Amen!
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About Elizabeth Nisperos
Elizabeth Nisperos’ is a long-time resident of South San Francisco and a lover of the arts and is a regular contributor to Everything South City. A former Commissioner of our Cultural Arts Board, Nisperos’ love of beauty spans from the visual, written word, and song. She is an award-winning Calligraphist, among many other disciplined talents.