Get on Board the "Mercy Train"

For more than 30 years, until her death in 2022 at age 91, Therese (Mika) Tirpak promoted the Divine Mercy devotion with thousands of people. She embraced her calling to be St. Faustina's helper, as a secretary to the Secretary of Divine Mercy. Therese attended Chicago Teachers College and the Chicago Conservatory of Music, majoring in Elementary and Music Education. She taught for more than 25 years at Harriet Beecher Stowe School (Chicago Public Schools, Illinois), Mentor Headlands School (Ohio), and Our Lady of Perpetual Help School (Glenview, Illinois). In 1962, Therese married Michael Tirpak. They had two children. During the decades when she was a full-time mom and homemaker, Therese volunteered for various organizations, especially her parish churches and schools, and was active in the Polish-American Community. She loved music, song, and dance -- everything from folk to classical. Above all, she loved her Catholic faith and every opportunity to share it with others. Therese was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish for 42 years, helping to organize and lead the Divine Mercy Holy Hour, the Mercy Sunday Celebration, and the annual Easter Basket Blessing. Therese's son, Tom Tirpak, is an expert in business process management and Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MS in Engineering Management from Northwestern University. He has more than three decades of experience with global companies in the telecommunications, aerospace, financial services, and automotive industries. Tom is an award-winning author of numerous technical and business articles and has served as an editor for Research-Technology Management since 2008. Tom is passionate about learning and teaching and has delivered multiple corporate and academic training programs. As a voice actor, recently performing in The Merry Beggars' dramatization of the life of St. Thomas Aquinas, he knows the power of effective storytelling. Get on Board the "Mercy Train" is his first major faith-based publication, drawn from personal experiences and his mother's stories. Tom married Madelyn in 2003; they have six children, 10-20 years old. He is an active member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Glenview, Illinois, involved as a lector, choir member, and mentor for seminarians. In 2024, Tom and his family gave a Divine Mercy testimony at the National Eucharistic Congress. He enjoys family walks and bike rides, travel, languages, and exploring new technologies.