A celebration of Divine Mercy and the life-giving grace of the sacraments took place at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Saturday 25 May, as US priest and author Fr Chris Alar MIC launched his latest book, Understanding the Sacraments: God’s Grace Guaranteed.
The event drew faithful from across Melbourne for a morning of prayer, teaching and Eucharistic celebration. It marked the first public presentation of Fr Alar’s new work, which explores the biblical and theological foundations of the Church’s seven sacraments and their essential role in the life of faith.
The morning began with the Rosary, followed by Mass celebrated by Fr Alar. In his homily, he reflected on the example of Mary and the power of her yes to God, linking the Marian feast of the Visitation to the grace that flows from the incarnation.
It is Christ who acts in the sacraments, who communicates the grace. So you are guaranteed the grace.
‘The whole Hail Mary is in the Bible,’ he pointed out, affirming the scriptural basis of Marian devotion and the Rosary. ‘We don’t go to Mary instead of Jesus—we go to Jesus through Mary, just as God gave us Jesus through Mary.’
He concluded his homily with a reminder of the day’s purpose: ‘We will be talking about the single greatest gift in the universe—the gift that came from that very God–man that was announced that day … the sacraments.’
Do you know bartenders now hear more confessions than Catholic priests? That’s a problem. We need to get back to Confession. That’s where we receive God’s mercy.
In his talk following the Mass, Fr Alar spoke with conviction about the sacraments as the ‘only guaranteed way’ to receive God’s grace, calling on Australian Catholics to reclaim their sacramental identity. ‘These are not just symbols,’ he said. ‘Sacraments do something; they’re actual grace. They’re not symbols of grace.’
He continued, ‘It is Christ who acts in the sacraments, who communicates the grace. So you are guaranteed the grace. It does not depend on the holiness of the minister … Sacraments are not magic spells, magic words or objects that have some kind of power. They’re moments of God’s grace allowing you divine life.’
Speaking at length about Baptism, Reconciliation and the Eucharist, he drew from Scripture and the Church Fathers to explore each sacrament’s biblical roots and purpose.
Quoting from 1 Peter and the Gospel of John, he underlined the centrality of Baptism for salvation. ‘ Baptism allows all the other sacraments,’ he explained, pointing out that through Baptism we receive ‘the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit’, as well as virtues like faith, hope and love. ‘ You can’t love like Christ does without the supernatural virtues of faith, hope and love.’
Turning to the sacrament of Confession, Fr Alar passionately affirmed its place in Catholic life and practice, referring to a startling piece of US research he had recently read about. ‘Do you know bartenders now hear more confessions than Catholic priests?’ he said. ‘That’s a problem. We need to get back to Confession. That’s where we receive God’s mercy.’
Fr Alar also addressed common misconceptions about the Eucharist. ‘We don’t receive the body and blood of Christ as he was on this earth,’ he said. ‘We receive the glorified body of the risen Christ. It’s not a symbol. It is Christ himself.’
Sanctification happens through the sacraments. That’s where we are made spotless.
Referring to the Mass as the ‘only perfect form of prayer’, he described it as ‘God the Holy Spirit offering God the Son to God the Father’—a divine circle of mercy and grace.
‘All comes from God and all must return to God,’ he said, summarising the Church’s understanding of salvation history through the lens of Divine Mercy. ‘Creation by the Father, redemption by the Son, and sanctification by the Holy Spirit. That sanctification happens through the sacraments. That’s where we are made spotless.’
Copies of Understanding the Sacraments: God’s Grace Guaranteed were available for purchase after the event, with all proceeds staying in Australia to support the ongoing promotion of the message of Divine Mercy.
The book launch at St Patrick’s was one stop on Fr Alar’s multi-city tour of Australia and New Zealand, which included further talks at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Keysborough later that day. As he told those gathered in the Cathedral, Australia was the first country he chose to visit as part of the global launch—‘because I believe you are key’ in bringing the Good News of Christ’s salvation to the world, he said.
Banner image: Fr Chris Alar MIC delivers the homily at a Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral on 25 May.
All photos by Dino Dimar, courtesy of Divine Mercy Australia.
