About Divine Mercies Inc.

Divine Mercies Inc. is a Roman Catholic nonprofit dedicated to preserving, recording, and transmitting the lived witness of priests, religious brothers, and religious sisters before their histories are lost. Through deeply thorough, honest, yet reverent testimony, we ensure that the legacy, sacrifices, and spiritual contributions of clergy and religious are documented with accuracy for future generations.

Our mission integrates the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy with community development, vocational discernment, and testimony-based evangelization. With special emphasis on at-risk youth and intergenerational transmission of faith, we exist to strengthen Catholic witness through truth, mercy, and service—fostering authentic discipleship rooted in the Gospel and the lived experience of those who have consecrated their lives to Christ and His Church.

Who We Are

Divine Mercies Inc. is a Private Association of the Christian Faithful under Book II of the Code of Canon Law, Title V, Associations of the Christian Faithful (cann. 298 to 329). We exist to form and mobilize faithful Catholics for works of charity, evangelization, and vocational renewal.

Legal Status

Divine Mercies Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity.

EIN: 92-0616190

Our Mission

To foster community development by encouraging Christian vocational discernment, especially in at-risk youth, through deeply thorough, honest, yet reverent testimony.

What We Do

The Works of Mercy

Each Work of Mercy is a distinct mission within the larger mission of Divine Mercies Inc. Each page explains the Scriptural foundation, the Church's development over time, and practical ways to serve, volunteer, and support that mission.

Catholic Witness and Vocational Discernment

We preserve and share faithful testimony to strengthen Catholic identity, support discernment, and encourage service rooted in the Gospel.

Clergy and Religious Interviews (In Development)

We are building an interviewing initiative, including a future AI interviewer, to reverently record the lived witness of clergy and consecrated religious in partnership with volunteers.

Board of Directors and Officers

Divine Mercies Inc. is governed by a diverse Board of Directors and Officers whose combined experience spans nonprofit administration, finance, compliance, real estate, community development, public service, marketing, and Catholic religious life.

Executive Officers

Shpresa Grishaj

Shpresa Grishaj

Chief Executive Officer

Holds a BS in International Management from Dominican University New York. With over 19 years as a licensed real estate professional and 14 years of experience in nonprofit payroll, finance, compliance, HR systems, and financial reporting at a major human services organization, she brings expertise in accounting, audits, benefits administration, compliance, and organizational controls. Bilingual in Albanian and English, she serves as chief steward of mission execution, accountability, and strategic growth.

Lush Grishaj

Lush Grishaj

Chairman of the Board

Serves as spiritual director and governance leader with responsibility for oversight of conflict-of-interest compliance and board integrity. Maintains trusted standing with parish leadership and Archdiocese youth and young adult ministry leadership, with proven capacity to mobilize faith-based volunteers across parishes. Safeguards mission fidelity and Catholic identity throughout organizational operations.

Kristian Grishaj

Kristian Grishaj

Treasurer

Completed business studies at St. Thomas Aquinas College and Manhattan University. Brings 14 years of operational and financial management experience in a family-owned business and 4 years in construction project management including budgeting and contracting. Provides strong asset stewardship, record integrity, and fiscal oversight with fiduciary responsibility for nonprofit financial controls.

Marcel Grishaj

Marcel Grishaj

Secretary

Holds a BA in History from Dominican University New York. Provides over 10 years of management experience and 4 years in financial services recruiting and professional services coordination. Demonstrates strengths in documentation, compliance, record-keeping, and governance support. Fluent in English and Albanian with proficiency in Spanish.

Young woman in beige sequined top smiling near vibrant pink roses in a garden setting

Xhulia Grishaj-Preldakaj

Vice President and Director

Holds dual bachelor's degrees in Marketing and Marketing Management from Dominican University New York and Baruch College (Zicklin School of Business). Provides experience in strategic planning, brand coordination, business operations, and entrepreneurship with skills in organizational management, marketing strategy, and international collaboration. Fluent in Albanian and English with high proficiency in Italian. Supports organizational growth, communications strategy, and international engagement.

Board of Directors

Jolanta Choinska

Jolanta Choinska

Director

Provides over 20 years of experience assisting leadership of a Roman Catholic religious community with deep background in religious elder care within the Archdiocese of New York. Fluent in English and Polish. Offers essential perspective on religious life, care, and mission alignment.

Man in light blue shirt smiling at desk with Divine Mercies logo on wall behind him

Anthony Matoski

Director

Anthony Matoski is a young, bright, and discerning director whose life reflects resilience, strong family foundations, and practical skill. Born September 9, 2001, and shaped by early years in Australia before being raised in the United States by his mother within a close-knit extended family, he chose a technical path in welding. His hands-on work in family-owned apartment management and construction gives him grounded judgment and real-world insight. On the Board, he asks thoughtful, probing questions that deepen understanding and challenge assumptions, helping Divine Mercies pursue its mission with clarity, integrity, and purpose.

Middle-aged woman with glasses and pulled-back hair wearing a beige blazer over a white blouse, seated at a wooden table in an office setting

Barbara E. Burke

Director, Divine Mercies Incorporated

Barbara E. Burke was born in the Bronx, New York, an only child of two only children, with no siblings or immediate next of kin. From an early age, her life took on a distinct and deliberate path of faith and service. Embracing a vocation as a consecrated virgin in the Roman Catholic Church, Barbara has devoted her entire life to Christ, foregoing marriage, family life, and personal gain in favor of total spiritual commitment.

Professionally, Barbara served for many years as a psychiatric nurse at Rockland Psychiatric Hospital, where she cared for and supported individuals facing profound mental health challenges. Her work was marked by patience, dignity, and a deep respect for the human person, reflecting both her clinical skill and her faith-driven compassion.

In retirement, Barbara's focus has only intensified in its devotion. She has dedicated herself fully to the life of the Church and to the mission of Divine Mercies Incorporated. She has played a quiet but foundational role in shaping the organization's spiritual direction, contributing to its faith formation efforts and the development of its digital presence and outreach.

With no heirs, Barbara has chosen to leave all that she has to the Church through this mission, a final act that reflects the same totality of self-gift that has defined her life. Her witness stands as one of fidelity, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to God, offering a profound example of a life lived entirely in service to something greater than oneself.

Professional headshot of a middle-aged man with dark hair wearing a navy blazer and white dress shirt against a white background

Michelangelo Giordano

Director (Outgoing)

He is an accomplished businessman and founder of a highly successful catering company, a devout Roman Catholic, and a board member of Abbott House and other nonprofit organizations. He is also a successful real estate professional and a devoted family man.

He brings exceptional value to the organization through his extensive relationships across the Roman Catholic Church within the Archdiocese of New York, the Lower Hudson Valley, and beyond. Fluent in Italian, he is well positioned, together with Julia, to engage effectively with the Roman Chancery.

How to Support the Mission

Support can be directed to a specific Work of Mercy as a restricted gift, or to the general mission for the Board to allocate where most needed.

Divine Mercies Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity • EIN: 92-0616190