Divine Mercy
Saint Faustina
Saint Faustina Kowalska was a Polish nun who died in 1938 at the age of 33, as Archbishop of Crakow, Pope John Paul II, re-introduced her cause for beatification. Six months later he was elected Pope. Saint Faustina was beatified on April 18th 1993 and Canonised on April 30th 2000. On the occasion of the Cannonisation of Saint Faustina, Pope John Paul declared the 'Feast of Mercy' a feast day for the universal Church.
Jesus gave Saint Faustina The Chaplet of Mercy with instructions to recite it in the form of a Novena, for nine days, at any time but particularly from Good Friday to the following Saturday. For each day of the novena, Jesus gave a separate intercession for which the Chaplet of Divine Mercy is then prayed. He asked that The Feast of Mercy be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Jesus also asked Saint Faustina; "At three o'clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners... This is the hour of great mercy for the world. In this hour I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion.. As often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My Mercy.."
Saint Faustina saw Jesus clothed in a white garment, One hand raised in blessing, the other touching the garment at the breast, from which emanated to two large rays, the one red and the other pale, denoting blood and water. Jesus told her to paint this image, with the signature:
Jesus I trust in You. He asked that image be venerated throughout the world, and solemnly blessed on the Feast of Mercy.
In her diary, Saint Faustina recorded promises from Jesus connected with Devotion to the Divine Mercy:
Saint Faustina saw Jesus clothed in a white garment, One hand raised in blessing, the other touching the garment at the breast, from which emanated to two large rays, the one red and the other pale, denoting blood and water. Jesus told her to paint this image, with the signature:
Jesus I trust in You. He asked that image be venerated throughout the world, and solemnly blessed on the Feast of Mercy.
In her diary, Saint Faustina recorded promises from Jesus connected with Devotion to the Divine Mercy:
- "I promise that the soul that will venerate My image will not perish."
- "What great graces I will grant to souls that will recite this Chaplet.. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite Mercy.. I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one.. When a soul realises the gravity of its sins, let it not despair, but with trust throw itself into the arms of My Mercy, as a child into the arms of its beloved mother..."
- "I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners.. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My Mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion (on that day) shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near Me, even though its sins be of scarlet."
- "When this Chaplet is said at the beside of a dying person, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the Just Judge but as the Merciful Saviour."
- "The prayer most pleasing to Me is prayer for the conversion of sinners . Know my daughter that this prayer is always heard and answered."
How to Recite the Chaplet
Optional Opening Prayers ( known as the 3 o'clock prayer)
You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
(Repeat three times)
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!
1. Make the Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2. Our Father
Our Father, Who art in heaven.
hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen.
3. Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace.
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women.
Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
4. The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
In Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.
Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
5. The Eternal Father
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son.
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
6. On the 10 Small Beads of Each Decade
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
7. Repeat for the remaining decades
Saying the "Eternal Father" on the "Our Father" bead
Then 10 "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion" on the "Hail Mary" beads.
8. Conclude with Holy God (Repeat three times)
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
9. Optional Closing Prayer
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion is inexhaustible.
Look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us.
So that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent,
but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will,
which is Love and Mercy itself.
On January 22, 2020 Sr. Gaudia Skass, OLM spoke about the spiritual warfare in which all Christians are engaged, whether they know it or not. If our life’s goal is heaven and we want to help others to get there, then there will be a lot of fighting on the way. St. Faustina described many of her battles in her diary. She left us an amazing source of inspiration about how to win. In this talk Sr. Gaudia discusses this crucial topic of spiritual warfare for our lives in reference to the life of Jesus himself as well as Saint Faustina’s life and her writings.
On February 22, 2020 Sr. Gaudia Skass, OLM shared the second part of her talk on spiritual warfare. In the second part Sister talks about how to get prepared for all kinds of battles in our lives and shares with us 3 rules on how to win. Having in her mind the context of the whole “Diary” of St. Faustina she draws 3 overarching strategies which Jesus gives us in the passages quoted below. Listen to this inspiring talk to face your daily battles with confidence and boldness!