The Mission of Divine Mercy (MDM) is a small, new, contemplative Roman Catholic religious congregation consisting of Priests, religious Brothers and Sisters, Consecrated Laymen and Laywomen, and lay persons living in the world.
MDM was founded in November of 2001 in New Braunfels, Texas.
Canonically, MDM is a Private Association of the Faithful with juridic personality. We are recognized by the Archbishop of San Antonio. See Letters from the Archbishops.
In 2004 our Community purchased approximately 130 acres of land near Canyon Lake. Officially we call our home Mission of Divine Mercy, but most people just refer to it as “the Mission” or MDM. The Mission serves three main purposes:
The Mission is not a parish, nor is it a substitute for a parish. We want to be a spiritual resource for the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
No. We offer the Novus Ordo Mass.
The Mission is not a parish, and therefore we do not offer the Sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion, First Penance, Confirmation or Marriage.
Our primary ministry is to implore God’s Mercy for ourselves and our world, while seeking to be faithful to His Will through a contemplative life and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. We welcome those who wish to participate in this prayer life. Secondarily, we offer retreats in English and Spanish, especially the Encounter With Jesus which is an introduction to silent prayer and Eucharistic Adoration.
The Encounter With Jesus is a silent, guided retreat that is unique to MDM. It leads the individual to a profound encounter with Him. It is an introduction to silent prayer and adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist. The retreats are offered to either men or women, in English or Spanish. The schedule for upcoming retreats can be found on the Schedule and Retreat pages on our website.
MDM is recognized as a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization.
Amici Christi, which is Latin for “Friends of Christ”, are lay members of the MDM religious order. They are men and women, single or married, who live and work in the world and carry the message of Divine Mercy to those they live with, work with, or meet. To become an Amici Christi member is a four-year process; each year all members renew their promise. They meet monthly. The first requirement is to make the Encounter With Jesus retreat.
The Bethany Association is made up of people, near and far, who consider themselves friends of MDM. While there are no requirements other than wanting to be a friend of the Mission, there are many benefits that come from the prayers and Masses offered by our Community members specifically for our Associates. People who would like to become members of the Bethany Association can sign up on our website.
From our beginning, MDM has been supported almost entirely by donations. We have never requested financial help from the Archdiocese, which already has many needs. Relying on donations is an ongoing act of faith, because our finances are often very tight. But the Lord, and so many generous friends and benefactors, have sustained us all these years.
MDM has the equivalent of a Board of Directors; we have a Members Board.
The Mission is Roman Catholic, but it is open to all people of good will who are looking for a quiet place for prayer and meditation, and who respect the spirit of MDM.
The Mission is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Monday is our “desert day,” a quiet day of prayer and reflection for the Community, and so the Mission property is closed to the public. Since we are not a parish, our schedule for public events (Masses, Holy Hours, Confessions, etc.) often changes depending on the needs of the Community and the time of year. We strongly encourage all visitors to check our Schedule page before visiting the Mission.
The Mission is not a facility to be rented out. It is the home of our religious community, and we do not rent out our home. Instead, we invite others to join us here and participate in our scheduled apostolic activities.
The Mission does not currently have the necessary facilities nor resources needed for individual retreatants wishing to make an overnight retreat. However, individuals and small groups are welcome to come out and spend quiet time at the Mission. We ask that you contact us ahead of time in order to make arrangements.
