The Divine Mercy Corporation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established to facilitate fundraising in the United States for Padre Martín Scott’s religious community Siervos de la Divina Misericordia. While he is commonly known as Padre Martín Scott, his formal name is Rev. P Ricardo Scott Chavanches. The name “Chavanches” was his mother’s maiden name, and it is traditional in Peru to also use a mother’s maiden name. When he was a priest in the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. he was known as Father Richard Scott. After he founded the community, he took “Martín” as his community name, so that is why he is now known as Padre Martín Scott.
Please keep in mind our “corporation” is actually an all-volunteer staff of four dedicated individuals. Because there is no paid staff, you can be confident that over 95% of your donation directly supports Padre Martín and his community. There are minimal administrative costs we cannot avoid, but we strive to limit these costs (or have them donated) where possible.
Divine Mercy Corporation is led by Deacon Frank Salatto, who is based in Maryland. He met Padre Martín when Padre was a diocesan priest and helped form the non-profit when the new religious order was founded.
The second branch of support grew in San Antonio, Texas now led by Jim Peterson who has been working with the ministry since 2011. Jim relocated to San Antonio after 22 years of service in the U.S. Air Force and now works in marketing for a Fortune 100 company. Jim manages the website and can be reached by emailing him at jpeterson@divinemercycorp.org.
We are a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and all donations to Divine Mercy Corporation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. We thank you and bless you for your support!
Padre Martín Scott, formally Rev. P Ricardo Scott Chavanches, attended Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmittsburg, Maryland. In May 1988 he was ordained a diocesan priest for the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. For the next 15 years he was assigned to several parishes in the diocese. In 2003 he was granted permission from the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. to move to Peru with all of his priestly faculties. He is the founder of the religious community called “Siervos de la Divina Misericordia” in Chosica, Peru. He is a missionary priest whose religious community lives entirely off Divine Providence. The charism of his religious community life is based on the messages concerning our Lord’s infinite Divine Mercy given to Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska.
Brother Rafael is a Seminarian from Bogota, Colombia. He entered the community in October 2013 at the age of 19. He felt the calling to the priesthood at age 15 and would make jokes with his friends about being a priest. They only thought he was joking, but he felt he had to joke because he didn't want them to make fun of him. He spent three months in discernment with a Colombian priest who had a Lay community. A close friend of Padre Martín's in Colombia met him and remarked to her friend, "This boy has a vocation." He was introduced to Padre Martín when Padre was visiting Colombia in July 2013. His friends told him that Padre would ask The Lord as they were talking whether or not "Miguel" (his given name) was right for the community, and that Padre could say no. Within five minutes Padre Martín told him The Lord was waiting with open arms for him in Peru. Their first conversation occurred right after a Mass while Padre was dressed in vestments. Afterward when Rafael saw him in his habit (the first priest he had ever seen in a habit), he thought to himself, "I want to be like him." Rafael has a gift of joy and he wants to share that joy with the world. He is convinced many people who are sad can feel joy through him, and he realizes that this joy is a tremendous gift from God.