September 25, 2014 - ‘ Faustina ’ Live Drama Brings a Modern Message of Mercy to Audiences Across

EVENT: Faustina: Messenger of Divine Mercy , the live theatrical one-woman drama performed by actress Maria Vargo and directed by Leonardo Defilippis of Saint Luke Productions, will be presented at several locations across the Archdiocese of Boston.    

DETAILS: Friday, October 3, 7:30 p.m. at Duxbury Performing Arts Center in Duxbury, MA,  

Saturday, October 4, 7:00 p.m. at St. Ann Parish in Dorchester, MA, Sunday, October 5, 7:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish in Holbrook, MA, and Friday, October 7, 7:00 p.m. at St. George Parish in Framingham, MA. Admission varies by location.    

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION: In Faustina: Messenger of Divine Mercy, audiences experience firsthand the spirit and life of Polish mystic Saint Faustina, whose personal encounters with Jesus have inspired a world-wide devotion to Christ’s Divine Mercy. A parallel modern story within the drama offers audiences a compelling personal connection to the current moral issues of our times.     

Audiences are calling the production a “wake-up call.”    

Faustina: Messenger of Divine Mercy is an inspiring dramatic portrayal not to be missed. The production runs ninety minutes, and is suitable for ages 13 and up.    

ABOUT FAUSTINA KOWALSKA: She was born Helena Kowalska in 1905, into a large peasant family in Poland. She really had no potential for greatness – a poor girl, destined to be a housekeeper, with no education or prospects. Yet she longed for God, and despite the protests of her parents, and after a vision of Jesus telling her to head for Warsaw and become a nun, she secretly hopped on a train. Upon reaching the city, she knocked on the doors of convents until The Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy finally took a chance on this young girl, and let her in. As a nun she took the name Sister Maria Faustina, and spent the rest of her life doing menial work as a cook and as a gardener.    

In 1930, the mystical visions started for the young nun, Sister Faustina Kowalska. Jesus appeared to her in a white garment, with rays of white and red light emanating from near His heart. He asked her to paint His image, with the message, “Jesus, I trust in You” across the bottom. That was the beginning of a very special mission that took years to develop into a powerful devotion for the Church – the Divine Mercy.    

Jesus continued to speak through Sister Faustina, with an urgent message for our times, and He gave her a special prayer, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, which spread throughout the world like wildfire. Faustina continued to keep a diary of her visions, until she died of tuberculosis in 1938.  

It was Pope John Paul II who declared the Sunday after Easter as Mercy Sunday, and in April 2000, Faustina Kowalska was declared the first saint of the 21 st Century.    

ABOUT THE ACTRESS: Maria Vargo is a Hollywood-based actress and a member of the Screen Actors Guild- American Federation of Television & Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Actors’ Equity, and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.    

Vargo brings a wealth of experience in theater and film to the role of FAUSTINA. Her résumé includes numerous roles in film, television, and theater, in addition to work as an artistic director and producer. Aside from her work on stage and screen, Maria Vargo’s many talents encompass a far-reaching spectrum from singer, songwriter to voice teacher for actors. She looks forward to sharing the message of God’s endless mercy with the world, since she has experienced His mercy in her own life.    

ABOUT SAINT LUKE PRODUCTIONS: For over three decades, Saint Luke Productions has produced live dramas, feature films, and television, radio, and web programming on the lives of the saints and the scriptures. Their feature film Thérèse was a grassroots hit, playing in movie theaters for more than a year. The company is well known for their other films and popular live productions, including Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz and Vianney, which are also currently touring the country. Saint Luke Productions brings the quality of a professional production right into the local community, meeting people where they live with performances that include talented actors, theatrical lighting, sets, video imagery, and original musical scores.    

For more information about Saint Luke Productions, visit www.stlukeproductions.com .  

Productions in the Archdiocese of Boston  

Faustina: Messenger of Divine Mercy ( www.DivineMercyDrama.com )  

Friday, October 3, 2014 - 7:30 p.m.

Duxbury Performing Arts Center
73 Alden Street
Duxbury, MA 02332
Admission: $8.00 Each - Suitable for Ages 13 & Up
Contact Information: Jeffrey Bishop
781-585-5294 or [email protected]
Sponsored by: Plymouth Bay Parish Collective

Saturday, October 4, 2014 - 7:00 p.m.
St. Ann Parish - School Hall at Pope John Paul II Academy
239 Neponset Ave.
Dorchester, MA 02122
Admission: Donation of $10 each or $25 per family of 3 or more.
Priests, religious, seminarians, and students free.
Tickets and Information: Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy
617-288-1202 ext. 114
Sponsored by: Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy

Sunday, October 5, 2014 - 7:00 p.m.
St. Faustina Feast Day Performance
St. Joseph Church
153 South Franklin Street
Holbrook, MA 02343
Admission: $10 each - Suitable for Ages 13 & Up
Information: Barbara Gorman
781-767-4107 or [email protected]

Tuesday, October 7, 2014 - 7:00 p.m.
St. George Catholic Church
74 School St.
Framingham, MA 01701
Admission: Tickets - Individual - $12; Family of 4 or more $35; Youth 16 and under - Suitable for Ages 13 & Up
Contact Information: Leslee Willitts at St. George Church Office
508-877-1950 ext. 3 or [email protected]