Full membership in the Confraternity is open to all Catholics who are capable of living the sacramental life of the Church (i.e., not living in an invalid marriage or other irregular state which would prevent them from fulfilling the obligations of Confraternity membership), and who meet one of the following qualifications:
- The candidate is post-abortive: has undergone or been directly involved in one or more abortions, whether the abortion(s) was surgical, chemical or through another method. In other words, the person is the father or mother of an aborted child.
- The candidate is the parent, spouse, sibling or child of a post-abortive person, and thus is also directly affected by pregnancy loss through abortion.
- The candidate is a medical professional or another person who has been directly involved in bringing about the abortions of one or more children.
- The candidate is a pro-life Catholic who wishes to join himself/herself in spiritual solidarity with those persons who are post-abortive, and to join them in the quest for healing and holiness by fulfilling all the obligations of Confraternity membership.
- The candidate is a member of a religious community which chooses to join corporately in spiritual solidarity with Confraternity members [see #4 above] — these religious communities are our “Special Prayer Partners.”
- Associate Membership in the Confraternity is open to Catholics who are not able to live the full sacramental life of the Church and to non-Catholic Christians. Associate members choose to follow our “Plan of Life” in as much as it is possible for them to do so.
Benefits of Membership:
Members of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mercy will be included in the Book of Intentions at the Chapel of Divine Mercy (of the Fathers of Mercy in Auburn, Kentucky), thus sharing in every Mass offered in the Chapel of Divine Mercy.
They will share spiritually with all priests and religious, including communities of cloistered nuns, who choose to associate themselves with the Confraternity.
Confraternity members will also pray for one another on a daily basis. In some areas, members of the Confraternity may wish to gather together for times of prayer, Eucharistic Holy Hours and spiritual retreats.