Divine Mercy Center in Clinton Township named Archdiocesan Shrine

March 26, 2021 — Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron announced today that he has granted the title of Archdiocesan Shrine to The Divine Mercy Center in Clinton Township, in recognition of the Center’s service as a popular place of pilgrimage and its mission of sharing the mercy of God with the people of southeast Michigan.

The Center, founded in 2006 and located at 33826 Beaconsfield in Clinton Township since 2013, is under the care of the Servants of Jesus of The Divine Mercy, a lay association of the faithful whose mission is to encourage people to experience the mercy of God, to minister with love and compassion, and to open the door to healing through which all may pass. It is also home to The Women of Jesus’ Merciful Passion, an emerging women’s community aspiring to become a religious order.

“With its designation as an archdiocesan shrine, we recognize that the Shrine of Jesus The Divine Mercy will continue its service as a sacred place of pilgrimage, a font of tremendous grace and aid for many of Christ’s faithful, and a welcoming reflection of God’s enduring mercy to all souls,” said Archbishop of Detroit Allen H. Vigneron.

The Catholic devotion to the Divine Mercy began in 1935 with the first public display of the image of Divine Mercy, a depiction of Sister Faustina Kowalska’s vision of Jesus. Devotion grew following the 1939 publication of Sister Kowalska’s diaries and Pope John Paul II’s designation of Divine Mercy Sunday, the Sunday after Easter, in 2000. Visitors to the new shrine in Clinton Township can enjoy the 13-acre campus which includes walking paths, outdoor Stations of the Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows Rosary gardens, the image of Divine Mercy, and places of prayer dedicated to patron saints including Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Joseph, the Infant of Prague, and St. Therese of Lisieux.

To mark the new shrine’s designation, the Center will be open to the public from 2-4 p.m. on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 11, with Eucharistic Adoration and an opportunity to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with the Women of Jesus’ Merciful Passion at 3 p.m. Visitors also will have access to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Atrium, a prayer box, prayer intention candles, the gift shoppe, and outdoor gardens. Archbishop Vigneron will celebrate a private Mass the same day, which will be recorded and available on the Center’s website and social media channels.

“We are excited to see the outpouring of Jesus’ Divine Mercy upon this community and the fulfillment of God’s blessings upon this ministry,” said Catherine Lanni, foundress of the Servants of Jesus of The Divine Mercy. “What a blessing it is to continue the work of this ministry which propagates the mercy of God.”

The Servants of Jesus of The Divine Mercy lay association was established in 2003. The Center, opened in 2006, hosts Prayer Ministers who are on site daily to welcome, pray with, and assist all visitors. Eucharistic Adoration is available throughout the week and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy is prayed daily at 12 p.m. The ministry also provides weekly Holy Mass and Reconciliation on Fridays and will resume free daily lunch for visitors when COVID safety guidelines will allow. The Spiritual and Corporal works of mercy, such as food outreach events and visiting nursing homes, hospitals, and residences are regular manifestations of the mission of The Servants of Jesus of The Divine Mercy.

The Shrine of Jesus the Divine Mercy is now one of four shrines encompassing an entire campus in the Archdiocese of Detroit, along with Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Riverview; St. Joseph Shrine in Detroit; and the Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak, which was designated in 1998 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and thus will continue to hold a preeminent place in the Archdiocese of Detroit. In addition to these four campus shrines, there are several smaller shrines in locations throughout the Archdiocese, including a Shrine to St. Anne inside the Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit and a Shrine to St. John Paul II within Our Lady of Orchard Lake Chapel.

The Shrine of Jesus The Divine Mercy is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and every second Tuesday of the month from 7 to 9 p.m. Mass is celebrated at 11 a.m. on Fridays with the Sacrament of Reconciliation available for one hour prior to Mass. More information about the Shrine of Jesus The Divine Mercy is available online at sjdivinemercy.org.

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