Wednesday, March 8th, 2017
7:00pm
St. Patrick Church
991 S. Waukegan Rd
Lake Forest, IL 60045
Admission: $10 (suitable for ages 13 & up)
Reserve will-call tickets at: stmarydivinemercy@gmail.com or (847) 234-7016
The Story
Saint Faustina was born Helena Kowalska in 1905. She was raised in large a Polish peasant family and grew up a poor girl with little education or prospects. But when Jesus appeared to her, telling her to head for Warsaw and become a nun, she secretly hopped on a train for the city. Arriving penniless, she went throughout Warsaw knocked on the doors of convents until the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy finally accepted her. In 1930, Sister Faustina, as she was then called, began to receive regular mystical visits from Jesus. In these visions, He asked her to spread devotion to His Divine Mercy. Christ’s mission for Faustina was fulfilled after her death, when Saint John Paul II declared the Sunday after Easter to be Divine Mercy Sunday. Devotion to Christ’s Divine Mercy continues to grow worldwide. In April 2000, Faustina Kowalska was declared the first saint of the 21st century.
The Production
Riveting. That's the overriding reaction of audiences who've experienced this inspiring religious theater production. Actress Maria Vargo is captivating as Saint Faustina, the Polish mystic who was pivotal in creating the worldwide devotion to Christ's Divine Mercy. Maria Vargo also plays the Modern Woman, who looks back with heart-wrenching honesty on her sins, sorrows and sufferings. Faustina brilliantly captures the message that no matter what a person has done in his life, God is infinitely merciful. When Leonardo Defilippis decided to produce this Catholic play on Divine Mercy, he based it on the Diary of Saint Faustina. Her story is one of overcoming doubt to fulfill the will of God. Throughout her life and the play, Saint Faustina learns the meaning of the words, “Jesus, I trust in You.” Defilippis also wanted to tell a modern story that would resonate in the hearts of today’s audiences. Therefore, the production features two parallel narratives. In one, Divine Mercy touches the life of a dying man without faith. In the other, a modern woman, full of all the sins and anxieties of our age and culture, comes to know the peace of Christ. Together, these three stories contain all the elements of Saint Faustina’s message – mercy, trust, and forgiveness.
The Actress
Maria Vargo is a Los Angeles-based actress. She is delighted to be playing the role of St. Faustina in Saint Luke Productions’ Faustina: Messenger of Divine Mercy. An accomplished professional actress, her resume includes numerous roles in both theater and film. She also served as the artistic director and producer for a faith-based theater in Los Angeles. In addition, Maria is a talented singer, songwriter, and voice teacher. Her passion for music led her to produce a Christian CD entitled Fire Tries Iron. She also uses her talents to serve God by singing as a cantor at Mass. Aside from her artistic pursuits, she is a speaker on chastity and sexual abstinence. In this capacity, served as a missionary to Uganda in 2011.
Maria is 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.
Watch the Trailer
