The admission of Helena Kowalska – Saint Sister Faustina – to the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy was described in a memoir by Sr. Borgia Tichy, who later became her superior at the Vilnius house.

Fragments from the life of Sr. M. Faustina Kowalska that come back to my memory reach as far back as the moment of her entry into the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. I clearly remember the moment – it was in Warsaw at Żytnia 3/9 – in 1924, when one day, during the midday recreation, the then portress, the late Sr. Klara Himmer, entered the assembly hall and announced to the Mother General, Leokadia Cielecka, a “new vocation”. In response, the Mother General immediately delegated the late Mother Małgorzata to the gate to examine it. After a short while, Mother Małgorzata returned and reported aloud: “Nothing extraordinary.” – “Unremarkable, a bit older than usual, rather frail in build, a servant, a cook by profession, and what’s more – possessing not even the smallest dowry or trousseau.” Since Mother Cielecka was not particularly enthusiastic about vocations from that background, she wanted to refuse immediately. The superior of the Warsaw house, Mother Michaela, who was present at recreation, asked if she could personally see this vocation. She received permission gladly.

After a while, returning from the parlour, Mother Michaela stated that despite the mentioned shortcomings, the candidate made a very good impression on her, and therefore she proposed not to reject her outright but to set some conditions, and if fulfilled, she could ask for admission again, with a specific date indicated.

One year later, precisely on time, Helenka Kowalska appeared at the gate, renewing her request. This time she was not refused. She remained at Żytnia as an aspirant.