On the liturgical memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes (11 February this year), the 34th World Day of the Sick will be celebrated. In his letter entitled “Take care of him”, Pope Francis wrote: “We are never ready for illness. Often, we are not even ready to admit that we are growing older. We fear vulnerability, and the pervasive market-driven culture pushes us to deny it. There is no place for fragility. And evil, breaking into our lives and attacking us, strikes us down, leaving us stunned on the ground. It may then happen that others abandon us, or that we think we must abandon them so as not to feel like a burden to them. This is how loneliness begins and poisons us with a bitter sense of injustice, to the point that even Heaven seems to close its doors. Indeed, it is difficult for us to remain at peace with God when our relationships with others and with ourselves are broken. For this reason, especially in relation to illness, it is so important that the whole Church confront the evangelical example of the Good Samaritan, so as to become a worthy ‘field hospital’: for her mission, especially in the historical circumstances we are experiencing, is expressed in providing care. We are all fragile and vulnerable; we all need that compassionate attention which knows how to stop, draw near, heal and lift up. The situation of the sick is therefore an appeal that interrupts indifference and slows the steps of those who move forward as if they had no sisters or brothers.”

At the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków–Łagiewniki, on 11 February at 12:00 noon, Holy Mass will be celebrated for those suffering from illness, disability, and old age. The Mass will be broadcast on the Sanctuary Rectorate’s website: www.misericordia.eu

Under this title, referring to the words “Jesus, I trust in You,” a retreat will take place on February 6–8 in Badín near Banská Bystrica in Slovakia. It will be led by Fr. Peter Staroštík and Sr. Jana Maria Krnáčová from the Košice community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

This is the theme of the retreat – from the series “Merciful in Everyday Life” – which will take place on February 6–8, 2026, at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. The motto will be the words of St. Faustina: “It is enough for me that I know I am loved and that I love” (Diary, 293). Each of us carries within a desire to be noticed, understood, and loved. In our daily struggles, we need a space where our suffering and pain are heard and accepted. A personal encounter with Jesus and His Word during the retreat can become a place of deep healing for our hearts. Then, filled with His love, we will be able to give others our time, attention, understanding, and true love. The retreat will be led by Fr. Radosław Czerwiński from the Archdiocese of Warmia, Vice-Rector of the Major Seminary MW Hosianum in Olsztyn, Chief Chaplain of ZHR, guardian of the “Faustinum” Community in Olsztyn, youth educator, and retreat preacher, and Sr. M. Diana Kuczek ISMM.

“I betroth you to Jesus Christ”. These are the words 2 sisters from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy will hear from Bishop Jan Zając on February 1^nd during their perpetual vows at 11:00 a.m. The ceremony will take place in the chapel with the famous Divine Mercy image and the tomb of St. Faustina at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. The vows of chastity, poverty and obedience will be made in the presence of the Superior General, Mother Miriam Janiec. The ceremony will be attended by sisters, priests, families and friends. It will be one of the most important days in the lives of these sisters, the Congregation and the Church—the espousal of God and the human soul.

On February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the World Day for Consecrated Life will be celebrated in the Church. On this occasion, we can learn more about the gift of God’s mercy that is the vocation to live according to the values of chastity, poverty and obedience. It is a day of thanksgiving for each call to religious service and for the many gifts with which institutions of consecrated life have been bestowed. The Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, thanks to the gifts received from the founder, Mother Teresa Potocka and the spiritual co-founder, St. Faustina Kowalska, are participating in the life and salvific mission of Jesus Christ by proclaiming the merciful love of God towards every human being by the witness of their lives, deeds, words and prayers. Priests and the laity also participate in this spirituality and apostolic mission of the Congregation in various ways. In particular, members and volunteers of the Association of the Apostles of Divine Mercy, “Faustinum”, who come from 89 countries worldwide, are involved in this mission.

From the heart of the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki—namely from the chapel of the grace-filled image of Jesus, the Merciful, and the tomb of St. Faustina—the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy provides a 24-hour online broadcast on the website www.faustyna.pl and its 8 language versions, as well as on YouTube on the channel Faustyna.pl. In 2025, the YouTube channel recorded over 5,100,000 views. In addition, television stations (including TV Shalom), radio stations, and the Faustyna.pl app also make use of the broadcasts. The morning Holy Mass was broadcast by Radio Doxa and Radio Droga from Vienna, while the prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy are broadcast by several dozen radio and television stations. Thanks to these radio, television, and internet broadcasts, millions of people every day at the same time cry out to God with one voice: “have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

On 1 February marks the 63rd anniversary of the death of the Servant of God Fr. Józef Andrasz, a Kraków confessor and spiritual director of St. Sister Faustina, a great apostle of Divine Mercy, who initiated the devotion to Divine Mercy at the Shrine in Kraków–Łagiewniki and, through publications, spread the devotion to Divine Mercy in the forms transmitted by her to many countries around the world. St. Faustina wrote about him that he was a “spiritual leader,” a “luminous pillar” illuminating the path to close union with God, and she lamented that there are few such priests. She wrote that he was a priest of great divine spirit, a holy and enlightened man; she recognized how pleasing he was to God and held him in reverence as one would a saint. The beatification process of the Servant of God Fr. Józef Andrasz SJ was officially opened by Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kraków, on 17 November 2024.

In connection with this anniversary, on 1 February this year, Msza św. for the intention of the beatification of the Servant of God will be celebrated in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Kraków at 3:30 p.m., in the Basilica of St. Margaret in Nowy Sącz (the parish of the Andrasz family) at 9:00 a.m., and in the Church of St. Pantaleon in Courmayeur (Italy) at 11:00 a.m.

This is the title of a film about the Servant of God Fr. Józef Andrasz SJ, the Kraków spiritual director of Saint Sister Faustina and other holy individuals, directed by Bogusława Stanowska-Cichoń. The film premiere is scheduled for February 1, on the anniversary of Fr. Andrasz’s death. Prior to the premiere, a Holy Mass with prayers for the speedy beatification of the Servant of God Fr. Józef Andrasz SJ will be celebrated at 3:30 p.m. in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Kraków.

On February 7 of this year, in Bergamo, Fr. Attilio Guelli, OFM Cap., and Sr. Wincenta Mąka from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will lead a day of recollection for members of the “Faustinum” Association and for all devotees of Divine Mercy in the city. The program includes: Holy Mass, conferences — Fr. Attilio on “My Encounter with the Merciful One” and Sr. Wincenta on “The Image and the Message of Jesus for Me” — as well as prayer during the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Eucharistic adoration, the opportunity for personal conversation, and a fraternal gathering.

People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. Specific intention for January: so that divine blessings come to us and our families on each day of 2026 and so that mercy and peace are bestowed on the world.

The work of Perpetual Chaplet is a response to the request of Jesus to constantly implore for mercy “for us and the whole world”. The work has been operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at: www.faustyna.pl since 2011. Anyone can participate in it by filling out a short form and declare to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus dictated to St. Faustina—at least once.

The Patron draw is a very good idea, every draw wins, Łukasz wrote after drawing his Patron of the year at www.faustyna.pl. Until 17 January 2026, nearly 331,200 individuals have participated in the annual Patron draw. Many participated again, while others took part for the first time. Some of their testimonies are available at Faustina.pl:

Today I found the draw for Patrons. At first I did not believe that it was more than coincidence, fate, statistics, just such a spiritual lottery. At first I didn’t know what number or digit to write, but I prayed the Lord’s Prayer that I would draw not what I wanted, but what God wanted. I wanted to enter a favorite digit, but something inspired me to enter a digit I don’t really like. I drew my Patroness – Mary, Queen of Martyrs with words from the Diary: “Suffering shall be the sign for you that I am with you” (Diary, 669). And for 30 years I have suffered from a neurological disorder, humanly incurable. The intention is to pray for all persecuted Christians in the world, that they may be valiant and persevere. Amazing!

There are no losers in this draw, everybody wins. You can draw your Patron throughout the year, whenever you need some assistance from Heaven.

Sometimes in life things happen that overwhelm us, whose meaning we do not understand. Our first reaction is often disappointment and resistance. For years we live in the past, afraid to take a step forward. We are afraid to accept the course of events because they do not align with our vision of a happy life. Why does this happen, what holds us back on our path, and how can we live in such a way that it begins to work for our good? These questions will be addressed during the retreat for women entitled “Mary – a Disciple of Her Son”, which will take place on January 23–25 at the diocesan retreat house Fides et ratio in Shchuchinsk. The retreat will be led by: s. Anastasis Omelchenko ISMM, s. Kazimiera Wanat CSFN, o. Lucjan Pocałuń.

On 22 January this year, a youth meeting entitled “Łagiewnicka 22” will take place at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. It will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the chapel with the grace-filled image of the Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, and will be led by the Sisters from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The programme includes a passage from the Diary about St. Joseph (Diary, 1203) and a commentary by Sr. Maria Faustyna Ciborowska, followed by a time of silent prayer and the worship of Divine Mercy during the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

On 22 January 2026, another meeting of the “Faustinum” Association community will take place at the church of Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome. The meeting will focus on trust in the school of St Faustina. It will be led by sisters from the Roman community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and Fr Fabio Nardelli, a Franciscan and professor at the Franciscan University “Antonianum” in Rome. The theme of the meeting will be: “Contrition and conversion and the attitude of trust.” The meeting will begin with prayer at the Hour of Mercy (3:00 p.m.) and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, followed at 3:20 p.m. by Holy Mass. The programme also includes: conferences, adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and the Rosary prayer.

It will also be possible to participate in the meeting via a Google Meet livestream.

Thus Jesus asked St. Faustina (Diary, 1565), and through her He also asks us. We can fulfill this request of Jesus by enrolling in the work “Chaplets for the Dying,” carried out by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at the Shrine in Kraków-Łagiewniki. Last year, people participating in this work supported nearly 50,000 dying persons by praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy on a chosen day and at a chosen hour. Currently, the computer system serving this work records a growing number of dying persons; therefore, more people are needed—especially during the daytime—to surround them with prayer at this most important and difficult hour of life. It is enough to choose at least one day of the week and one hour during which an e-mail will arrive with a request to pray for a certain dying person. After receiving such a notification, within 15 minutes one should reply with “amen” or click the link provided in the message, and then pray one Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Last year, people from 37 countries around the world enrolled in this work. More information and forms are available: the enrollment form, withdrawal from the work, and checking days and hours of vigil.

During the week starting on Monday, January 19, 2026, there will be disruptions in the transmission of the video feed from the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. This is due to work being carried out on the chandeliers in the chapel with the grace-filled image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. Scaffolding will be erected in the center of the chapel and will appear in the camera’s field of view. We sincerely apologize for these inconveniences, but there is no other way to carry out these necessary works, which are required for better functionality and the safety of those visiting this holy place.

Faustyna.pl and the website’s other language versions were viewed by over 2,257,000 visitors in 2025.

The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy would like to thank all Collaborators, Contributors, IT Specialists and Translators, without whom this work would not be able to develop, and all Internet users, without whom this wonderful exchange in the provision of good and bringing the message of Mercy and the entire spiritual heritage of St. Faustina to the world could not be taking place.

On the website www.faustyna.pl and its 8 language versions, the drawing of Patrons for the year 2026 is underway. In the first two days of January, more than 220,000 people drew their Patron, the largest number from Poland—over 140,000—followed by Slovaks and Spanish-speaking participants. As testimonies show, the drawn Patrons respond in a remarkable way to people’s needs and life situations. It is worth having such holy Companionship, because the Inhabitants of Heaven want to help and do help when we ask them. Numerous testimonies attest to the effectiveness of their intercession.

Under this motto, the Jesuit Fathers at the European Centre for Communication and Culture in Warsaw-Falenica are organizing a three-day retreat on 9–11 January 2026. The retreat will be led by Sr. Gaudia Skass from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, and Dr Monika Guzewicz. Together with St Faustina, participants will consciously reflect on the spaces of their faith and everyday life in order to grow in love and mercy. The program includes daily Eucharist, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the opportunity for confession, and conferences with elements of personal work.

Although the dates for these visits can change from year to year, the priests traditionally visit the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy on the Solemnity of the Epiphany (Three Kings’ Day). On that holiday, priests acting as chaplains for the Congregation, accompanied by Christmas carolers, visit the convent’s assembly halls and other common areas, the sisters’ cells, workshops and guest rooms to bless them with holy water and incense, praying for God’s blessings for all the residents and guests in this next year of their apostolic ministry.

Every year on January 1st, in the convents of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, a drawing of annual patron Saints takes place. The Diary tells us how important this was for St. Faustina. Her desire was to be accompanied and supported by Someone from Heaven on all her days of the new year. In the morning during meditation, she wrote, there arose within me a secret desire that the Eucharistic Jesus be my special Patron for this year also, as in the past. But, hiding this desire from my Beloved, I spoke to Him about everything else but that. When we came to refectory for breakfast, we blessed ourselves and began drawing our patrons. When I approached the holy cards on which the names of the patrons were written, without hesitation I took one, but I didn’t read the name immediately as I wanted to mortify myself for a few minutes. Suddenly, I heard a voice in my soul: “I am your patron”. Read. I looked at once at the inscription and read, “Patron for the Year 1935-the Most Blessed Eucharist.” My heart leapt with joy (Diary, 360).

People associated with the Congregation: priests, collaborators, Faustinum members and volunteers, friends, guests… etc. albo participate in the Patron draw, as do our online visitors at www.saint-faustina.org. Along with the Patron, they receive a message, most often from the Diary of St. Sister Faustina, and a practice of mercy, most often an intention to pray.

May the Patron Saints aid us, may they help us more and more fully; participate in the life and mission of Jesus; revealing the merciful love of God to the world!

The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy would like to thank all the collaborators, benefactors and donors, thanks to whom www.faustyna.pl was created and has now been updated in nine languages, along with all the works of mercy which are possible thanks to them. These include, above all, our “Chaplet for the dying” and the on-line transmissions from the chapel of the miracle-famous Image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina in the Łagiewniki Shrine. We all participate in the mission of Jesus, who is revealing the merciful love of the Heavenly Father to the world and bestowing His Mercy on His people. Dear IT professionals, translators, Benefactors and Donors, it is also through you that God’s Mercy is poured into the world. Let this Christmas be a time of special joy and peace, for the Lord has come to earth. He is here with us and lives in us when we are in a state of grace. May the New Year 2026, the Jubilee of Mercy, be rich in God’s grace and in mercy provided to our neighbors.

I too came down from heaven out of love for you; I lived for you, I died for you, and I created the heavens for you, said Jesus to St. Faustina, addressing these words to every human being as well. On the occasion of Christmas and the approaching 2026, we would like to express our heart-felt wishes to our collaborators, benefactors, donors, all those involved with various apostolic works of the Congregation (such as our Chaplet for the Dying and Perpetual Chaplet), online visitors to our website. May you continually discovery the presence of Immanuel – God with us – and recognize signs of His merciful love in all circumstances of your life. May you share your everyday life with Him. We also wish you all the temporal favors so that they bring you joy and lead you to an even greater love of God and fellow human beings. May the New Year be rich in God’s graces and human mercy provided to those in need. We embrace you all in our prayers. May God’s Mercy be praised in us and through us!

People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. Specific intention for December: For a spiritually fruitful experience of Advent and Christmas for us and our families, as well as for the grace of conversion and confession for those who have long not used this sacrament to make Christmas happen in their hearts too.

The work of Perpetual Chaplet is a response to the request of Jesus to constantly implore for mercy “for us and the whole world”. The work has been operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at: www.faustyna.pl since 2011. Anyone can participate in it by filling out a short form and declare to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus dictated to St. Faustina—at least once.

Christmas is associated with the custom of decorating the Christmas tree that adorns the interiors of churches, homes, in addition to city squares and other public places. The coniferous tree is a symbol of life, rebirth, longevity and fertility in many cultures. A decorated fir or spruce tree has become Europe’s most recognizable symbol of Christmas. The living tree has also become a Christian symbol of Christ as the source of life. But also some Christmas tree decorations have their own symbolic meanings, although not always recognized today: for example, the star placed on top of the tree was supposed to show the way back home from far away, the lights point to Christ, who is the light of the world, the angels are the ones who take care of the household, the paper chains reminded people about the enslavement of sin from which Jesus frees us… In modern culture, however, presents placed under the Christmas tree seem to be more important. And yet, they are also a foreshadowing of the gifts of Heaven. It is worth to look at the Christmas tree remembering about its symbolic value, which Christian culture carries, to better and more fruitfully live the joyful mystery of Christmas.

This is how the mystery of the incarnation and birth of the Son of God was referred to by St. Faustina. In a beautifully poetic way, it was expressed by Franciszek Karpiński in the Polish Christmas carol:

Bóg się rodzi, moc truchleje,
Pan niebiosów obnażony.
Ogień krzepnie, blask ciemnieje,
Ma granice Nieskończony.
Wzgardzony, okryty chwałą,
Śmiertelny Król nad wiekami.
A Słowo ciałem się stało,
i mieszkało między nami.

[God is born and the night is shaken,
The Lord of Heaven lies naked,
Fire is frozen, light is veiled
The Eternal now has its limits.
He was scorned, yet clothed with glory,
Mortal King of the Ages!
And the Word was made flesh,
And dwelt among us.]

Infinite and eternal God took human form and became a man. No other religion in the world has such a god who is the Creator and Lord of all that exists, who is the One, holy, infinite, transcendent, all-powerful and all-knowing, ineffable by human or angelic reason, and at the same time so close to man in His Son embodied as a human person. The contemplation of Divine Mercy in this mystery brings the ineffable joy and awe, because God dwells among us, the Word of God, Mercy Incarnate (Diary, 1745).

Merciful love of God revealed in the nativity of Jesus is sung in liturgical hymns, and also in Christmas carols that are more secular. A particularly rich repertoire of hundreds of Christmas carols is inscribed in Polish national and religious culture. They are sung in every home, not only at the table on Christmas Eve, but also during Christmas time in churches, accompanying the liturgy and at various festive meetings. Many of these songs have lyrics and music composed by recognized poets and composers, and each year new are created. Christmas carols create a unique atmosphere of the holiday season, helping in prayer, contemplation and living the mystery of God’s Mercy revealed in the fact of the incarnation and nativity of the Son of God.

As is tradition,  on December 31 at 9:00 pm at the Shrine of Divine Mercy, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will begin in the chapel of the famous Divine Mercy image and the tomb of St. Faustina. Adoration this year will be led by the sisters and will conclude at midnight with the celebration of the first Mass. Those unable to come to the shrine can join us by watching our online broadcast beginning with vespers at 7:00 pm and continuing with adoration and Mass. Please visit www.saint-faustina.org for more information.

From March 16 to 21, 2026, for the first time, a retreat in German will be held at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki and at the St. John Paul II Center. It will be led by Fr. Josef Alber from the Diocese of Fulda, a member of the “Faustinum” Association. The program includes: the Eucharist, conferences, personal meditations, individual and community prayer, and ministry in the confessional. More information and registration are available at: www.katholische-kirche-eschwege.de under the section Spirituality / Apostolate of St. Faustina.
Registration deadline: December 30, 2025.

On Sunday, the octave of Christmas, which this year is December 28, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family, that is, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. It is also a celebration of every human family, which, like the Family of Nazareth is the work of the Heavenly Father and is intended to lead people to Him, and to be faced with many difficulties in this earthly life. Today, in times of a massive attack on the family, the crisis of marriage and family life, the Holy Family shows a happy model of community life, in which the first place is the Lord God, and  relationships between people apply the principle of love and mutual trust.

On this day, we thank God’s Mercy in a special way for the gift of our families and ask for the necessary graces for those who are experiencing difficulties and crises, and for the conflicted and broken families we ask for the grace of reconciliation, mutual forgiveness, a return on the path of mutual love and imitation of the life of the Holy Family of Nazareth. In this intention, at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, at the Image of Divine Mercy and the tomb of St. Faustina, a daily Rosary is recited at 8:30 pm, and the second Saturday of the month at 5pm Holy Mass is celebrated. You can join in this prayer online at www.saint-faustina.org where it is be broadcast.

The very word for “eve” in Polish, wigilia, comes from the word “vigil”. This particular vigil is filled with prayer, fasting and other mortifications undertaken out of love for Jesus, as a direct preparation for the celebration of His birth in the human form. According to Christian tradition, when the first star appears in the sky (referring symbolically to the Star of Bethlehem, which heralded the birth of Jesus), Poles sit down to supper in their homes, religious orders and various other communities. The wafer that Poles break with their dear ones as they exchange greetings provides an opportunity for forgiveness and reconciliation and creates an atmosphere of love in which God is present. Saint Faustina described several Christmas Eves in her Diary. She commented on her last one, which she experienced in 1937 in Krakow: Before supper, I went into the chapel for a moment to break the wafer spiritually with those beloved persons, so dear to my heart, though far away. First, I steeped myself in a profound prayer and asked the Lord for graces for them all as a group and then for each one individually. Jesus gave me to know how much this pleased Him, and my soul was filled with even greater joy to see that God loves in a special way those whom we love. After I had gone into the refectory, during the reading, my whole being found itself plunged in God. Interiorly, I saw God looking at us with great pleasure. I remained alone with the Heavenly Father. At that moment, I had a deeper knowledge of the Three Divine persons, whom we shall contemplate for all eternity and, after millions of years, shall discover that we have just barely begun our contemplation. Oh, how great is the mercy of God, who allows man to participate in such a high degree in His divine happiness! At the same time, what great pain pierces my heart [at the thought] that so many souls have spurned this happiness (Diary, 1438-1439). May God be invited to every home, every Christmas table and every human heart! Only in Him and His Mercy will the world ever find peace and man will find happiness!

It is a tradition that a solemn Mass named Pasterka („Shepherds’ Mass”) is celebrated at midnight on Christmas Eve in Polish churches and chapels, including the ones of our Congregation. It is the first Eucharist of Christmas, which commemorates the expectation and prayer of the Bethlehem shepherds arriving to greet the Son of God born in flesh. A mystical experience of Sister Faustina described in her Diary brings us closer to the joyful mystery of Jesus’ coming to earth and living in clean hearts: As Holy Mass began, I immediately felt a great interior recollection; joy filled my soul. During the offertory, I saw Jesus on the altar, incomparably beautiful. The whole time the Infant kept looking at everyone, stretching out His little hands (Diary, 347).  After Holy Communion, she writes elsewhere, I heard the words: I am always in your heart; not only when you receive Me in Holy Communion, but always (Diary, 575). We would like to wish you all to experience the joy that comes from the presence of God in our souls during the Midnight Mass, throughout the holidays and on every day of the New Year!

The most important aspect of preparing for Christmas is concern about spiritual matters, so as to prepare for the new birth of the Son of God in your soul. This is why during this period we make a number of resolutions intended to organize our spiritual life, attend retreats and participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In many shrines of Divine Mercy, including the ones in Krakow-Łagiewniki and Plock, as well as in other churches, long lines are setting up for confession. Without this, preparations for Christmas will be deprived of the deepest joy that is the presence of God in your soul and they might become just two days off from work and an opportunity to give presents which fill you with joy only briefly. You do believe that God was born in a Bethlehem manger, but woe to you if He is not born in you, wrote the poet Adam Mickiewicz.

On December 16 a novena to the Infant Jesus will start in all the convents of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, including the chapel of the miracle-famous Image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina in the Shrine of Divine Mercy. Traditionally, the antiphons sung and the Litany of the Infant Jesus recited there prepare the faithful spiritually for Christmas.

During the fourth week of Advent, St. Faustina will lead us deep into our souls, which also became the birthplace of Jesus in us. Jesus came to this world to be born in every human heart and make it happy. “I seek no happiness except in my interior”, she wrote, “in which God abides. I rejoice in God within me. Here I dwell constantly with Him; here I am at my most intimate with Him; here I safely dwell with Him, here is a place beyond the reach of human gaze. The Blessed Virgin is encouraging me to abide with God in this manner” (Diary, 454). Let us try to make the last days of Advent a time of the new birth of Jesus not only in our hearts through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but let us strive to make sure that He finds a place in many human souls through our prayer and sacrifice.

The Polish name for the votive Mass celebrating the Virgin Mary, celebrated in Advent is “roraty”. The name comes from the words of the introit which begins with: rorate caeli desuper – “Drop down ye heavens from above”. At the altar, a special candle decorated with a white ribbon is lit, symbolizing the Virgin, and the faithful hold lighted candles that illuminate the darkness inside the church while they are waiting for a sign of the coming of Christ. This candle is referred to as “roratka”. At the Shrine of Divine Mercy, this Mass is celebrated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 6.30 am. Internet users can get involved in the prayer online at www.saint-faustina.org .

Let us spend the third week of this Advent contemplating the mystery of Divine Mercy in the Nativity of Christ. Sister Faustina wrote: “And the uncomprehended miracle of Your mercy is accomplished, O Lord: the Word is made Flesh, God – the Word of God, Mercy Incarnate – has come to dwell among us. You have raised us up to Your Divinity by stooping down to us here is the surfeit of Your love, the infinite depth of Your mercy. The Heavens are astounded at the surfeit of Your love. No longer does anyone fear to approach You. You are the God of mercy; You take pity on our wretchedness; You are our God, and we are Your people. You are a Father unto us, and we are Your children by Your grace; may Your mercy be praised for Your gracious coming down to us” (Diary, 1745). Let us follow St. Faustina in considering the merciful love of God in the miracle of the Son of God being born in the stable in Bethlehem and in the soul of man. Let us thank Him for wanting to be so close to us from birth through all the events of life until death, to live with us in the Father’s house and make us heirs to Heaven.

As part of the preparation for Christmas, on 20 December this year, a one-day retreat will take place at the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, under the theme: “A great light has shone in the darkness.” The programme includes the Eucharist, conferences, individual and communal prayer during the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, as well as sharing experiences of God. The retreat will be combined with the Polish tradition of sharing the “Christmas wafer” and exchanging Christmas greetings.

On December 19 this year at 6:00 p.m., at the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Świnice Warckie, another formation meeting will take place for devotees of Divine Mercy who wish to come to know God more deeply in the mystery of His merciful love and to benefit from the school of spirituality of St. Sister Faustina. The “Faustinum” community is led by s. Lilioza Gorzkiewicz, and the spiritual director is ks. Marek Zieliński. Formation meetings are held on the third Fridays of the month.

On Wednesday, 17 December, a one-day retreat for young people from the first to the third year will take place at St. Elizabeth’s Medical School in Košice, under the theme: “Maranatha, come, Lord, come.” The retreat will be led by Sr. Mariela Lengyelová and Sr. Jana Mária Krnáčová from the Košice and Hrušov communities of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Slovakia.

In the second week of Advent with St. Faustina, we would like to invite you to consider Divine Mercy in the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God. “God, You did not allow Man to perish after his fall, but in Your mercy forgave him; You forgave him in a Divine manner, not only forgiving his sin but also bestowing all manner of graces upon him. Mercy prompted You to come to come down to us Yourself and lift us up out of our wretchedness. God, the Lord of Lords, is to come down on Earth, the Immortal One is to stoop down. But where will You come down, O Lord? To Solomon’s temple? Will You have a new abode built for You? Where do You intend to come down? O Lord, what kind of abode shall we build You, if the whole Earth is Your footstool? You have prepared an abode for Yourself: the Holy Virgin, Her immaculate womb is Your dwelling” (Diary, 1745). During this week, let us follow St. Faustina in contemplating the Mercy of God in the mystery of the incarnation of His Son, Who took on a human form in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Let’s be thankful that human nature became elevated in this way, and has been present in the mystery of the Trinity through Jesus ever since.

Under this title, in the series “The Names of Jesus in the Diary”, Advent retreats will take place on 12–14 December at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. For St. Faustina, Jesus was the Lord in whom she placed complete trust and to whom she surrendered her life, desiring to fulfill His will in everything. The retreat will be led by Fr. Robert Więcek SJ, retreat preacher and Director of the National Secretariat of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, and Sr. M. Diana Kuczek of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, responsible for the formation of communities and individuals in Faustinum, editor-in-chief of The Message of Mercy, and family counselor.

On December 14 this year, Sr. Gaudia Skass of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will share the message of Mercy, recorded in the Diary of St. Faustina, with the faithful during the Sunday Masses at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish (Nowe Piaski – Kraków). During a separate meeting, she will speak about the image of the Merciful Jesus and His second coming of Christ to the earth at the end of times.

The Hour of Grace for the World is celebrated from 12.00 pm to 1.00 pm at the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is connected with the revelation of Mary on December 8^th, 1947, in Montichiari, Italy, where She said: It is my wish that every year, on 8^th December, at noon, the Hour of Grace for the World be celebrated. Many divine and bodily graces will be received through this devotion. … This Hour of Grace will produce great and numerous conversions. Hardened and cold hearts resembling this marble will be touched by divine Grace, and they will become faithful to Our Lord in loyal love. … it is my wish that the Hour of Grace for the World be made known and spread throughout the world. … Soon one will recognize the greatness of this Hour of Grace. … If anyone is unable to visit his church, yet will pray at noon at home. At the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the Hour of Grace is traditionally practiced in the chapel with the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. You can join in this prayer online at www.saint-faustina.org , where it will be broadcast live.

On November 29, spiritual preparations for the celebration of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary will begin in all the houses of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. There is to be a communal novena consisting of antiphons and the Litany of Loreto. In addition the sisters will be marking the Holy Day with an annual gift to the Mother of Mercy. Over and above the obligatory prayer in the convents’ chapels and her spiritual exercise, Saint Faustina used to make a novena which consisted in saying 1,000 „Hail Marys” each day. She admitted: Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Apart from recreation, I have only prayed and worked. I have not said a single unnecessary word during these days. Although I must admit that such a matter requires a good deal of attention and effort, nothing is too much when it comes to honoring the Immaculate Virgin (Diary, 1413). You yourselves can also take part in the prayer online, thanks to our live transmissions from the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki.

The novena of 1,000 “Hail Marys” daily, following the example of St. Faustina, is undertaken by the Sisters of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at the Shrine in Kraków-Łagiewniki and at the Shrine in Niepokalanów.

Sister Faustina would begin every Advent with Virgin Mary. Before the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, she would practice a novena with the whole Congregation, and in addition to that, she would always try to offer something more to the Mother of God (e.g. a novena of a thousand Hail Marys). She considered mercy that Mary experienced as a gift of her immaculate conception and the fullness of grace guaranteed to her by Archangel Gabriel, and the gift of Divine motherhood. The one who was chosen to become the Mother of the Son of God knows best how to experience the period of awaiting the coming of Jesus. She advised Sister Faustina: “try to make yourself meek and humble, so that Jesus, Who dwells perpetually in your heart, may rest. Adore Him in your heart, do not leave your interior” (Diary, 785). This may also be our decision for this Advent week to prepare our hearts for God’s ever more complete presence therein.

On December 3th, at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, Mass will be celebrated at 5 pm in the intentions of all the sponsors, donors and contributors of the media works carried out by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, and especially those who support the Chaplet for the Dying at  www.faustyna.pl and its language versions. Thanks to this support each year we are helping about 40 thousand dying people. Hundreds of thousands of individuals around the world can make a virtual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Łagiewniki and connect in prayer next to the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. Sisters from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy pray daily for the donors and benefactors who support the work, but this particular Eucharist will be a special gift of gratitude. You can join this celebration via the live video broadcast at www.saint-faustina.org  and in the Faustyna.pl application.

From 28 to 30 November, a retreat on Divine Mercy will take place in the parish of St. Catherine of Alexandria in the town of Šarišské Dravce, as well as in the parishes of Poloma and Krásna Lúka. At the invitation of Fr. Michal Paľovčík, it will be led by Sr. Jana Mária Krnáčová from the Košice community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. A sign of the spiritual renewal of the faithful will be the blessing of the image of the Merciful Jesus.

Under this motto, in San Romano in Tuscany, on November 28–30, a retreat will be held for the members and volunteers of “Faustinum”, aimed at good preparation for the experience of Advent and the Christmas season. It will be led by: Fr. Francesco Brasa, a Franciscan and the priest responsible for “Faustinum” in Italy, who will speak, among other things, about St. Faustina’s encounter with the Infant Jesus (the Incarnate Mercy) in the Eucharist, and Sr. Wincenta Mąka from the Roman community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, who will speak about the presence of Jesus in pure hearts. The program includes: Holy Mass, conferences, common prayer to the Divine Mercy, adoration, the rosary prayer based on the reflections from St. Faustina’s Diary, and sharing personal experiences of the retreat.

People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. Specific intention for November: for the necessary graces for the sick, the dying  as well as for the joy of heaven for the deceased.

The work of Perpetual Chaplet is a response to the request of Jesus to constantly implore for mercy “for us and the whole world”. The work has been operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at: www.faustyna.pl since 2011. Anyone can participate in it by filling out a short form and declare to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus dictated to St. Faustina—at least once.

Advent is approaching, Sister Faustina wrote in her Diary. I want to prepare my heart for the coming of the Lord Jesus by silence and recollection of spirit, uniting myself with the Most Holy Mother and faithfully imitating Her virtue of silence, by which She found pleasure in the eyes of God Himself.  I trust that, by Her side, I will persevere in this resolution (Diary, 1398). This year, the first Sunday of Advent falls on 30^th of November. Liturgically, Advent and the new year in the liturgy of the Church begins with vespers on November 29^th. It constitutes a time of joyful anticipation of Christmas, spiritual preparation for this holiday and for the second coming of Christ on Earth, in addition to building our sensitivity to His everyday coming to us here and now, as St. Faustina did, through exercise in silence and recollection of spirit. The joy of experiencing the mystery of faith which tells us of the birth of the Son of God in human flesh, Mercy Incarnate, depends on this expectation and spiritual preparation.

On November 29, a day of recollection with the Mother of God will take place at the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Rio de Janeiro. Mary is the One who, even without understanding everything, trusted completely and said “yes” with faith and hope. Participants of this retreat will reflect on how to unite their own “yes” with Her “yes,” which transformed history; how Mary’s example helps renew trust in God, even in moments of uncertainty, so as to live with hearts open to God’s will.

On November 22 of this year, another meeting of the “Faustinum” Association community will take place at the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome. During the meeting, the topic of trust in the school of St. Faustina will be discussed. The meeting will be led by the sisters from the Roman community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and Fr. Łukasz Brus, the rector. The theme will be: “The Supernatural Virtue of Love and the Attitude of Trust.” The gathering will begin with prayer at the Hour of Mercy (3:00 p.m.) and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, followed by Holy Mass at 3:20 p.m. The program also includes conferences, adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and the Rosary with meditations from St. Faustina’s Diary.

It will also be possible to participate via Google Meet.

November is a special month of acting out of mercy towards the dead, whose souls are maturing in Purgatory to fully experience love. Saint Faustina visited that place in her mystical experiences and described it in the Diary: … I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames which were burning them did not touch me at all. My Guardian Angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God. I saw Our Lady visiting the souls in Purgatory. The souls call her ‘The Star of the Sea’. She brings them refreshment. I wanted to talk with them some more, but my Guardian Angel beckoned me to leave. We went out of that prison of suffering. [I heard and interior voice] which said, My mercy does not want this, but justice demands it (Diary, 20).

Sister Faustina put this question to her deceased sisters while walking by the convent’s cemetery in Krakow-Łagiewniki. She received the following answer: We are happy in the measure that we have fulfilled God’s will (Diary, 515 and 518). Afterwards, the Saint meditated at length on how she was fulfilling the will of God and how she was using the time of her earthly life. This is something to think about when we visit the graves of our loved ones at this time of the year. Every cemetery contains unusual life stories of many people and at the same time it reminds us of the transience of human life, provoking thoughts on its meaning and purpose. Through the life of St. Faustina and her mystical experience, God, who wants happiness for every human being in both this and eternal life, reminds us in a powerful way where happiness lies and how to achieve it.

On 17–21 November, the annual retreat for priests will take place at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. This year’s theme is: “Mercy in the Psalms – how to renew faith through praying with the Psalms?” For the participants, this retreat will be an opportunity for a personal experience of the Father’s mercy, which enables one to be a witness of His love in priestly ministry. The retreat will be led by Fr. Piotr Kwiatek from the Kraków Province of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin — a psychologist, psychotherapist, retreat preacher, and lecturer. It is organized by the Association of the Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum”; more information is available at: www.faustinum.pl

On 17 and 18 November, a meeting of the custodians of the Shrines of Divine Mercy from all over Poland, as well as representatives from Lithuania, France, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, will take place at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. In Poland alone, there are over 30 Shrines of Divine Mercy and several dedicated to St. Faustina. Photos and contact details are available in the “Shrines of Divine Mercy” section at: www.saint-faustina.org

Sister Faustina wrote in her Diary: My beloved native land, Poland, if you only knew how many sacrifices and prayers I offer to God for you! (Diary, 1038) and There is no day in which I do not pray for you (Diary, 1188). And when she begged Jesus for a blessing for Poland, He said to her: For your sake I bless the entire country (Diary, 39) and For your sake I am blessing the earth (Diary, 980, 1078). Another time, He said: For your sake I bless the world (Diary, 1061). Now, when she has a greater ability to act, she has not ceased her intercession in Heaven. May she today, in the light of the mystery of God’s Mercy, show the modern generations the treasure which is our Homeland with all its heritage, and may she support all our people in their efforts for the common good and moral rebirth of Poles, so that they confidently turn to God in Whom the world finds peace and human beings find happiness.

The beautiful tradition of celebrating rosary devotions in October is deeply ingrained in the religious life of the Church in Poland. The devotions are held in every church and in many chapels. In the Shrine of Divine Mercy, the devotion is celebrated in the Convent’s chapel with the miraculous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, every day at 07:00 pm and at 06:30 pm on Sundays, public holidays and the first Friday of the month. In order to pray the rosary in Krakow-Łagiewniki, you can also join in the on-line transmission. Rosary meditations in the spirit of the Divine Mercy and human mercy (including the writings of St. Faustina) are also available in our Misericordia store at the Łagiewniki Shrine and on our website: www.saint-faustina.org

People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. Specific intention for October: for faith and love in families and for the reconciliation of marriages broken and in crisis.

The work of Perpetual Chaplet is a response to the request of Jesus to constantly implore for mercy “for us and the whole world”. The work has been operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at: www.saint-faustina.org since 2011. Anyone can participate in it by filling out a short form and declare to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus dictated to St. Faustina—at least once.

October 23 marks the beginning of a novena to be celebrated before the 163^th anniversary of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, which was founded in Warsaw on the feast of All Saints, November 1, 1862, by Mother Teresa Ewa Countess Potocka of the Sułowski Dukes. God called St. Faustina Kowalska (spiritual co-founder) to this Congregation, to whom He gave the message of Mercy and sent her on a prophetic mission to proclaim it to the world. In this novena, Sisters in all the Congregation’s convents in Poland and around the world will give thanks for the graces received throughout the history of the Religious Community, ask for the grace to make God’s mercy present today and trust in the mercy of the Holy Trinity for the coming years of witnessing and apostolic service.

At the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, this novena will be celebrated on weekdays at 7 p.m. and on Sundays at 6:20 p.m., followed by an October rosary service.

The first day of November is celebrated in the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy as the day when the Church pays homage to all the Saints and, additionally, as the anniversary of the establishment of the Congregation in Poland. On this day, in 1862,  Archbishop Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński consecrated the first chapel and House of Mercy in Warsaw at ul. Żytnia. On this day, the sisters refer especially to the early history of their Congregation. They commemorate its founder, Countess Teresa Ewa Potocka nee Sułkowska, who accepted the invitation of Archbishop Szczęsny Feliński and came to Warsaw to aid “fallen” women in returning to a life of dignity, and to establish a house for them inspired by the House of Mercy in Laval (France), which became the model for their apostolic work and religious life. Together with the Church, the sisters also revere all those who have achieved the goal of their lives: eternal union with God. These saints also include the Divine Mercy apostle, Sr. Faustina Kowalska, raised to the altars as a saint and known all over the world. Saint Faustina was the spiritual co-founder of the Congregation, along with St. Archbishop Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński and the deceased sisters, pupils and Divine Mercy apostles who were members of the association “Faustinum” and who participated in the mission of the Congregation by making the merciful love of God present in the world through their lives, deeds, words and prayers. The sisters in all the convents their gratitude for the Congregation’s past, entrusting its present and future to God’s mercy, so that all Divine plans for it are fulfilled.

On the Feast of All Saints, the Church honors those raised to the altars, known by name and biography, but also all the priests, other consecrated persons and lay faithful who have reached the goal of human life that is eternal union with God in love. There are more saints who live among us than there may seem to be. One piece of evidence for this is the history of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, which has been intertwined with the lives of many unusual people, in addition to St. Faustina Kowalska. Throughout the over 160-year-long existence and activity of the Congregation, some of these individuals were raised to the glory of the altars by the Church. They include Archbishop Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński, who was a co-founder of the Congregation; Pope St. John Paul II, who visited Łagiewniki so often and has done so much for the mission of Mercy; Bl. Julian Nowowiejski, the Bishop who invited the sisters to Płock and who wrote the first history of the Congregation; Bl. Jan Balicki, who initiated the Congregation’s works in Przemyśl and served the sisters and their pupils for three years; Bl. Maria Karwowska, who spent her formation period in the Łagiewniki convent and Bl. Michael Sopoćko, the Vilnius confessor of the convent on the Antokol and spiritual director of St. Faustina. The following are included as candidates for sainthood: the fathers who served as confessors to the convent in Krakow-Łagiewniki: the servant of God Fr. Wojciech Baudiss, S.J.; Fr. Bernard Łubieński (Redemptorist); Fr. Stanisław Bednarski, S.J.; Fr. Stanisław Podoleński, S.J.; Fr. Marian Morawski, S.J.; Fr. Józef Cyrek, S.J.; or the servant of God Fr. Jacek Woroniecki, O.P., the author of The Mystery of Divine Mercy, which was copied from the original manuscript by the sisters in Łagiewniki. This list of saints, blessed and servants of the Lord is much longer, particularly because it can include individuals who did not cooperate with the Congregation permanently, but had a different type of relationship with it. Today, too, saints are among us. They are the people fascinated by the merciful love of Jesus, who participate in His life and His mission to reveal the mystery of Divine Mercy to the world.

The Shrine in Łagiewniki has one of Krakow’s oldest cemeteries. It is a religious cemetery established in the late 19^th century in the back of the former garden of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. Here lie the remains of sisters, chaplains, pupils and other persons connected with the convent in Łagiewniki. Also the body of St. Faustina used to be buried here for 28 years. Another Sister who was interred here is Sr. Faustina’s Superior General, Mother Michael Moraczewska. Others include Sr. Kaliksta Piekarczyk who devoted her life for the intention of saving Krakow during World War II, Mother Ksawera Olszamowska who offered hers for the intention of establishment of the Feast of Divine Mercy in the Church and the message of Mercy, along with many sisters who offered up their daily lives for different intentions. The Convent’s cemetery is right outside the southern wall of the basilica in the Łagiewniki Shrine and is often visited by pilgrims. Near the eastern wall of the basilica, there is a military cemetery from the time of WWI. No individual graves are found here. Instead, there is a large cross and an obelisk with a plaque which says that 266 soldiers from 15 European countries are buried in this place. During the Great War, part of the Congregation’s garden was converted into a large military hospital for over 1,000 patients. It had several temporary wards, where soldiers of different nationalities were treated for typhoid fever, cholera, dysentery, pox and scarlet fever – in other words, infectious diseases. Some of the soldiers who could not be saved died in this hospital, which was why they were buried in the cemetery outside the Convent’s wall.

The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy expresses gratitude to all Benefactors and Donors for supporting the apostolic works that are used by thousands of Internet users and dying people in need of prayerful support. Thank you for the gifts sent to support the work of “Chaplet for the Dying,” on-line broadcast from the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki and the website: www.faustyna.pl and its versions in foreign languages. In these gifts of the heart, the mercy of God is visible, which is poured out on the world through human hearts and hands. In their daily prayers, the sisters respond with prayer, commending all the Donors and Benefactors to God’s mercy and asking for God’s blessing and needed favors for them. Let God’s Mercy be glorified in all this!

As part of this series, on October 24–26 this year, a retreat on prayer that transforms life will be held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. The retreat will be an opportunity to experience, as St. Faustina did, that an authentic encounter with the merciful Lord takes place only when we stand in truth — and that changes our life.

The retreat will be led by Fr. Dr. Samuel Karwacki, OSPPE, Doctor of Theology of the Interior Life, long-time spiritual director of the Pauline Seminary and national moderator of the Spiritual Adoption of the Conceived Child, together with Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, president of the Association of Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum,” author of books and formation notebooks of “Faustinum.”

Under this motto, taken from the Gospel of St. Luke (Lk 10:41), a retreat for women will be held on October 24–26 this year at the diocesan retreat house Fides et ratio in Shchuchinsk, Kazakhstan. The program will include meditations on the Word of God, workshops, and conferences. The retreat, organized as part of the “Samaritan Woman” project, will be led by Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Petropavlovsk, Sr. Kazimiera Wanat, and Fr. Lucjan Pocałuń.

Bishop István Katona, an honorary member of the Association of the Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum,” passed away on October 21 at the age of 97. He was an apostle of Divine Mercy in Hungary, where he spread the message of Divine Mercy given by St. Faustina and transplanted the work of “Faustinum” from Kraków-Łagiewniki, caring for the formation of the Apostles of Divine Mercy in the Hungarian language.

He was born on October 3, 1928, in Nagykáta. He studied theology in Szeged and was ordained a priest in 1953. In December 1989, he was consecrated bishop and began his ministry in the Diocese of Vác. The Bishops’ Conference entrusted him with the task of supporting and coordinating the work of the newly revived Catholic schools. He carried out this responsibility until 1996 as chairman of the Catholic School Office. From 1997 he served as auxiliary bishop in Eger, and in 2013 he retired. Bishop Katona also chaired the national council of the “Mercy” Foundation. In 2003, after turning 75, he submitted his resignation to the Pope, but St. John Paul II asked him to continue his ministry. In 2013, at the age of 85, István Katona was the oldest active bishop in Europe.

On October 17 at 6:00 p.m., in the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Świnice Warckie, the first formation meeting will take place for the devotees of the Divine Mercy who desire to deepen their knowledge of God in the mystery of His merciful love and to draw from the school of spirituality of St. Faustina. The emerging “Faustinum” community will be led by Sr. Lilioza Gorzkiewicz, with Fr. Marek Zieliński serving as spiritual director. Formation meetings will be held on the third Friday of each month.

From October 11–15, a retreat on Divine Mercy will take place at the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Jastrzębie Zdrój. Based on the Word of God and the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina recorded in her Diary, it will be led by Sr. Anna Maria Trzcińska from the sanctuary community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. The program includes, in addition to the Eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation celebrated by priests, conferences, prayer at the Hour of Mercy, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and the Rosary with St. Faustina.

October 16 marks the 134th anniversary of the birth of Fr. Józef Andrasz, SJ, the Krakow confessor and spiritual director of St. Faustina. On this occasion, a Holy Mass will be celebrated for his beatification in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Krakow on October 16 at 6:00 p.m.

The beatification process of the Servant of God Fr. Józef Andrasz, SJ, was officially initiated by Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski, Metropolitan of Krakow, on November 17, 2024, in the Archdiocese of Krakow. The first session of the diocesan tribunal took place on February 3, 2025, marking the symbolic opening of the diocesan phase.

On October 10–12, 2025, the Sisters of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy are organizing days of reflection for women at the Retreat House of St. Faustina in Zakopane-Krzeptówki. The retreat will be led by Fr. Dr. Paweł Gabara.

From October 8–14 this year, a pilgrimage of consecrated persons to Rome will take place on the occasion of the Jubilee Year celebrated in the Church. Delegates from almost all convents of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland and abroad will also take part. They will give thanks for the gift of vocation, life, and the entire spiritual heritage of St. Faustina, and will pray for new and generous vocations.

On October 11, at 6.30 a.m., Mass will be celebrated in the intention of all those who have become involved in the work on the Chaplet for the Dying and the Perpetual Chaplet at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. At the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, we will implore that more people join in these works, bringing mercy to those most in need. This Holy Mass is an expression of gratitude to the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy for jointly bringing the message of God’s merciful love for man to the world. May it bring great glory to Divine Mercy in human souls.

On October 5th we celebrate the 87th anniversary of the birth into heaven of the Apostle of Divine Mercy – the day of her liturgical memorial, and in all convents of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy – a liturgical solemnity. She belongs to the circle of the great mystics of the Church, a prophet sent by Jesus to the whole world with the message of Mercy. Millions of people around the globe draw from her school of spirituality recorded in the Diary. Saint John Paul II simply said of her that “she is a gift of God for our times, a gift from the land of Poland for the whole Church.”

Her impact on the life of the Church is expressed, among other things, in the widespread practice of devotion to Divine Mercy in the forms she transmitted. Today, there is hardly a country without an image of the Merciful Jesus; the Feast of Mercy was inscribed into the universal calendar of the Church in the year 2000, to be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter; the Chaplet of Divine Mercy is prayed even in tribal languages, though dictated in Polish, as was the entire message of Mercy; ever greater popularity is gained by the practice of prayer at the hour of Jesus’ death on the Cross – the Hour of Mercy – as well as by spreading veneration of Mercy. The Apostolic Movement of Divine Mercy, the “congregation” that Jesus himself requested, is among the largest movements in the contemporary Church.

The influence of her life and mission of proclaiming the message of Mercy to the world is also visible in the dedications of churches. Saint Faustina is patroness of Łódź and other places, of schools, works of mercy, various associations and communities. Her name is given to girls at baptism and chosen by the young at confirmation. She was Patroness of the World Youth Days in Sydney and Krakow. She inspires scholars, theologians, people of culture, art and media, and is among the best-known and most beloved saints of the Catholic Church. Her relics are venerated in almost 130 countries worldwide, including an Orthodox church in Bucharest and the Anglican Shrine of Divine Mercy in Great Britain. Across the globe, theological symposia, diocesan, national, continental and world congresses are held, drawing their dynamism precisely from the life and mission of Saint Faustina. The radiance of this “gift of God” embraces the whole Church and the world, but it is meant to reach every person and prepare the world for the second coming of Christ.

October 5 marks the 87^th anniversary of the Apostle of Divine Mercy’s death. The day was recalled by the late Sister Eufemia Traczyńska as follows: On October 5, at dinner time, there was a bell. It was known that Sr. Faustina was dying. We dropped whatever we were doing and as we were, we went to see her. The chaplain was already in the infirmary with a few of the sisters. We prayed together. We prayed for a long time: the prayers for the dying, litanies and other prayers. We prayed for so long that even the evening Mass was held a little later than usual. At some point, Sr. Faustina gave a sign for Mother Superior to lean toward her, and she said that she would not die yet, and that she would let us know when she would. The sisters left. … When I returned to my cell, I entered the chapel and prayed for the souls in purgatory, asking that they awaken me when Sr. Faustina was dying, because I really wanted to be with her at the moment of her death. I was afraid to ask Mother Superior outright, for we young novices were not allowed to go in there, in case we should be infected with tuberculosis. Sister Amelia was allowed in, because she was already sick. I went to bed at the usual time and immediately fell asleep. Suddenly, someone wakes me up: “Sister, if you want to be present at the death of Sr. Faustina, get up now.” I immediately realized that a mistake had been made… The one who came to wake Sr. Amelia, got into the wrong cell and came to me instead. As soon as I could, I woke Sr. Amelia, I put on my smock and cap, and quickly ran to the infirmary. Sister Amelia followed. It was around eleven at night. When we came there, Sr. Faustina seemed to slightly open her eyes and she smiled a little, and then bowed her head and that was it… Sister Amelia said she probably just died. I looked at Sr. Amelia, but I did not say anything. We prayed on. The candle was burning all the time.

            It was the day that Sister Faustina waited longingly for, as she awaited her full union with Jesus to dwell forever in the Father’s house, the heavenly homeland, as she used to say. She promised: I shall not forget you, O poor Earth, thought I feel I shall immediately sink completely in God, as in an ocean of bliss; but it will not prevent me from coming back to Earth and fortifying and encouraging souls to trust in Divine mercy. In fact, being submerged in God will give me unlimited scope for action (Diary, 1582). She faithfully keeps her word, interceding for many graces and earthly blessings to all who confidently turn to her for help. After all, Jesus said to her: “Do whatever you wish; distribute graces as you wish, to whomever and whenever you wish” (Diary, 31).

The liturgical feast of St. Faustina, October 5^th, at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in the chapel with the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, Holy Mass will be celebrated at 7.00 am, 8.30 am and 7.00 pm. Prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be recited at 3pm, as on all days. From 9.00 pm, Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament will be led by Sisters from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. The evening of grace and praise will end at 10.45 pm, i.e., at the hour when St. Faustina departed to the House of the Lord. In the basilica, Holy Masses will be celebrated at: 9.00 am, 10.30 am, 12.00 pm, 13.30 pm, 3.20 pm, 6.00 pm.

Attention! The Holy Mass at 12:00 will be celebrated in the basilica.

On October 5, which is the anniversary of St. Faustina’s birth in Heaven, the site where the Apostle of Divine Mercy left the earth to go to the Heavenly Father’s house, will be opened to visitors. Usually, it is unavailable for pilgrims, because it is inside the religious cloister. Entering the Shrine, you can only see a plaque and the window of the old infirmary decorated with flowers. On October 5, however, the oratory, in which the relics of St. Faustina body are deposited, along with more than a hundred relics of other saints and blessed, will be made available to pilgrims from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm.

The liturgical feast of St. Faustina at the Shrine of Divine Mercy at the Old Market Square will be preceded by a retreat triduum with sermons by Fr. Marek Tomulczak SAC, delivered during Holy Mass at 5:00 p.m.

On October 5, the Eucharist will be celebrated at 8:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 5:00 p.m. The solemn Mass at 12:00 noon will be presided over by Bishop Szymon Stułkowski. As every day at 3:00 p.m. – prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

Throughout the day, visitors may tour the museum, and after each Mass – St. Faustina’s rolls will be distributed.

From October 3–5, at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, an International Conference will take place under the theme: “New and pioneering themes in the writings of St. Faustina and their impact on the life of the Church.” Speakers from Poland and other countries will participate. The individual topics will be presented in a way accessible to the audience (panel), and the program will also include: the Eucharist, prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet, an evening of adoration, a visit to St. Faustina’s cell, a film about the Apostle of Mercy and her influence on people’s lives, as well as a meeting with the director.

The Conference is organized by: the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków, the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, the Rectorate of the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, and the Association of the Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum.” Proceedings will be translated simultaneously into English.
More information: www.faustinum.pl

The celebrations in honor of St. Faustina at the Shrine of the Birth and Baptism of St. Faustina in Świnice Warckie will begin on Sunday, October 5. On that day, Holy Masses will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 4:00 p.m. The Eucharist at 12:00 noon will be preceded by a procession with the Saint’s relics, departing from Głogowiec at 10:00 a.m. The Hour of Mercy will be combined with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the Rosary. We warmly invite all devotees of Divine Mercy and friends of the Mystic from Głogowiec to join this celebration.

Before the Feast of St. Faustina, from October 2–4 of this year, a triduum of Holy Masses will be held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, celebrated at 5:00 p.m. The theme of the homilies is: “On a pilgrimage of hope with St. Faustina on the paths of everyday life.” The triduum will be led by Fr. Sławomir Czajka, Doctor of Biblical Theology, lecturer at the Institute of Biblical Studies of KUL, and director of the St. Casimir Theological Institute in Radom.

Every day in Poland, an average of more than 1,000 people pass away. Globally, at any given moment, countless individuals require not only medical assistance but, more importantly, spiritual support. This spiritual care is crucial in the final hours as individuals transition from this world to eternity. The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy runs the Chaplet for the Dying initiative, offering swift assistance—sometimes within 20 seconds—through mobile and Internet communications. This aid is facilitated by individuals who participate through prayer or financial support.  This year, volunteers from 40 countries have pledged their support, but more are needed to urgently provide prayers for those in their final moments. To learn more about participating and to access the entry form, visit www.saint-faustina.org

The Sisters warmly invite you to this beautiful work of mercy, and they surround the participants with their prayer. The next Holy Mass for their intentions, as well as for a happy death for the dying and the joy of heaven for those who have already departed this world, will be celebrated on September 30 at 5:00 p.m. in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, before the miraculous image of the Merciful Jesus and at the tomb of St. Faustina.

People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. Specific intention for September: mercy and peace for the whole world, and especially for those nations that suffer persecution, lack of freedom, freedom to profess their faith and respect for their human rights.

The work of Perpetual Chaplet is a response to the request of Jesus to constantly implore for mercy “for us and the whole world”. The work has been operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at: www.faustyna.pl since 2011. Anyone can participate in it by filling out a short form and declare to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus dictated to St. Faustina—at least once.

On September 26, the novena before the liturgical feast of St. Faustina begins, during which the Sisters in all the houses of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy recite the chosen novena text and the Litany to St. Faustina. On the website: www.saint-faustina.org, four novenas to the Apostle of Divine Mercy based on the texts from her Diary, as well as the Litany, are published.

On September 28, we will be celebrating the anniversary of the beatification of Fr. Michael Sopocko. At 3 pm on squares, corners and intersections of the streets in crowded cities, as well as in other public places and at rural crossroads, people will gather to recite the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.  The participants will pray for mercy for themselves, their loved ones, their homeland, the Church and the world. Everyone can join. The event is held to remind us about the message of God’s mercy that Jesus gave to St. Faustina. Just find a place at an intersection and recite the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, individually or in a group. If this is impossible – you can connect spiritually. More:  www.iskra.jezuici.pl.

On the eve of the feast of St. Faustina, on September 28 this year (Sunday) at 9:30 a.m. in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, a French choir from the Lourdes area will pray in song in honor of the Apostle of Divine Mercy. In the Chapel of the Divine Mercy and at the tomb of St. Faustina, they will perform works by Mozart, Fauré, Rossini, Pergolesi, Ramírez, and Bepi De Marzi, accompanied by pianist Dominika Grzybacz. The message of Mercy will be shared with them and a tour of the Łagiewniki Shrine will be given by Sr. Sangwina from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

From September 1^st, at the Shrine of Divine Mercy, in all the chapels of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, and in some parishes, special evening devotions will begin in honor of Divine Mercy, with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. This form of devotion was introduced in 1993 (after the beatification of Sister Faustina), to follow the monthly forms of worship practiced in May, June or October. The celebrations in September will include the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, recited or sung for the intention of mercy for our homeland and the world. September is the month of the revelation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy by the Lord Jesus and the outbreak of World War II a few years afterwards. These circumstances, as well as the situation in the modern world, are especially urging us to cry for the mercy of God for us and the whole world.

On September 22 this year, at the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome, the first meeting of the “Faustinum” Association community in the new formation year will take place, devoted to the school of trust of St. Faustina. The meeting will be led by the sisters from the Roman community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and Fr. Łukasz Brus. The theme will be: “Faith as the Source of the Attitude of Trust.” The meeting will begin with prayer at the Hour of Mercy (3:00 p.m.) and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, followed by Holy Mass at 3:20 p.m. The program includes: conferences, prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Holy Mass at 3:20 p.m., and afterwards conferences, adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and the Rosary.

Participation is also possible via live transmission on Google Meet.

From September 18–21 this year, at the Shrine of Our Lady in Licheń Stary, the 5th Congress of Young Consecrated Persons will take place under the motto: “Behold the Man”, with the participation of the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. The Eucharist on these days will be presided over by Bishop Krzysztof Wętkowski, Bishop Artur Ważny, and Bishop Jacek Kiciński CMF. The program also includes: the Liturgy of the Hours, adoration, conferences – among others by Fr. Amadeo Cencini, FdCC, on the theme: “Virginity: to love God with a human heart, so as to love man with a divine heart” and “Virgin sensitivity: the relational pedagogy of mystery”, as well as panel discussions and workshops.

From September 19 to 21, a retreat for women will be held in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Tashkent under the theme: “If you knew the gift of God” – based on the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman at the well (Jn 4:1-42). The inspiration for these spiritual exercises are the words of St. Faustina recorded in her Diary: “I cannot live without God, but I feel that God also cannot find happiness without me…” (Diary, 1120). The retreat will be led by Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, Sr. Kazimiera Wanat, and Sr. Madlen Hofmann.

On September 20, at the Shrine of Our Lady Queen of Families in Wambierzyce, another youth festival “Light For Life” will take place. The program includes the Eucharist, inspiring conferences on topics of interest to young people, and thematic zones led by Fr. Łukasz Plata, Marta Przybyła, Artur Skowron, and Sr. Tobiana Domiter from the Krakow community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The meeting will conclude with a final concert featuring the band TAU.

On Monday, September 15, it will be 20 years since the presence and apostolic service of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Slovakia began. On this occasion, at 10:00 a.m. in the parish church of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, a solemn Eucharist will be presided over by Bishop Stanislav Stolárik, during which new members will be admitted to the Association of Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum.” The program will also include a thanksgiving adoration and, at the conclusion of the celebration, the Hour of Mercy prayer and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The Superior General of the Congregation, Mother Miriam Janiec, will participate in the celebration.

The first convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Slovakia was established in the village of Nižný Hrušov near Vranov nad Topľou. It was erected on September 15, 2005, by the Superior General of the Congregation, Mother Gracjana Szewc, and solemnly consecrated by Archbishop Alojz Tkáč of Košice. The first superior of the community was Sr. M. Faustyna Olszewska from Poland. The other members were two Slovak sisters: Sr. M. Clareta Fečová (the current superior of the convent) and Sr. M. Tymotea Čandová. The sisters also served for several years in Bratislava and currently continue their ministry in Nižný Hrušov and Košice.

On September 14 and 15, in Sacrofano, Rome, a Congress of Mercy groups will take place under the theme: “To love, to hope, to practice mercy – a path open to all.” Participating will be Sr. Tymoteusza Kmiotek and Sr. Wincenta Mąka from the Roman community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

Program
September 14
9:30 – Opening, morning prayer
10:00 – Presentation of various mercy groups
10:30 – “Hope does not disappoint” – lecture by Fr. Luigi Maria Epicoco, theologian and writer
12:00 – “Experiencing mercy and practicing mercy” – lecture by Fr. Fabio Rosini
15:00 – Hour of Mercy and Chaplet of Divine Mercy – Sisters
15:30 – Time of testimonies from representatives of various groups, including the Sisters
18:00 – Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Cardinal Angelo de Donatis
21:00 – Eucharistic Vigil

September 15
13:30 – Holy Mass at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Rome, presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri
15:00 – Hour of Mercy and Chaplet of Divine Mercy
15:30 – Jubilee pilgrimage and passage through the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica
17:00 – Vigil in St. Peter’s Square on the occasion of the Jubilee with Pope Leo XIV

On 13 and 14 of September, we will be celebraring the 90^th anniversary of the revelation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Jesus taught humanity two prayers: Modlitwy Pańskiej, when the Apostles asked Him for it, and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which He dictated to St. Faustina in Polish, in the Vilnius convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1935. As she noted in her Diary: In the evening when I was in my cell, I saw an Angel, the executor of divine wrath. He was clothed in a dazing robe, his face gloriously bright, a cloud beneath his feet. From the cloud, bolts of thunder and flashes of lightning were springing into his hands; and from his hand they were going forth, and only then were they striking the earth. When I saw this sign of divine wrath which was about to strike the earth, and in particular a certain place, which for good reasons I cannot name, I began to implore the Angel to hold off for a few moments, and the world would do penance. But my plea was a mere nothing in the face of divine anger. Just then I saw the Most Holy Trinity. The greatness of Its majesty pierced me deeply and I did not dare to repeat my entrietaties. At that very moment I felt in my soul the power of Jesus’ grace which dwells in my soul. When I became conscious of this grace, I was instantly snatched up before the Throne of God. Oh, how great is our Lord and God and how incomprehensible His holiness! I will make no attempt to describe this greatness, because before long we shall all see Him as He is. I found myself pleading  with God for the world with words heard interiorly.

As I was praying in this manner, I saw the Angel’s helplessness: he could not carry out the just punishment,which was rightly due for sins. Never before had I prayed with such inner power as I did then.

The words with which I entreated God are these: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ for our sins, and those of the whole world; for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us.

The next morning, when I enered chapel, heard these words interiorly: Every time you enter the chapel, immediately recite the prayer which I taught you yesterday. When had said the prayer, in my soul I heard these words: This prayer will will serve to appease My wrath. You will recite it for nine days, on the beads of the rosary, in the folllowing manner: First of all, you will say one OUR FATHER and HAIL MARY and the I BELIEVE IN GOD. Then on the following words: ‘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 on the whole world.” In conclusion, three times you will recite these words: „Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and thw whole world”  (Diary, 474-476).

In consequent revelations, the Lord Jesus associated many great promises with this prayer, on the condition it is recited in the spirit of trust in Him and mercy towards one’s neighbors. The general promise states that trustful recitation of the Chaplet can help a person acquire anything which is compliant with the will of God. Moreover, He provided us with additional promises, which apply to the joyful grace and the grace of serene death, without fear and apprehension. They can be obtaied not only by thise who pray the Chaplet trustfully, but also by the dying at whose side the prayer is said in a proper manner.

Today, apart from the call Jesus, I trust in You!, it is the best known prayer to Divine Mercy, recited on all continents and languages, even in those of small tribes. More information on the Chaplet and its story can be found here.

The “Community of Mercy,” operating at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Melbourne, Australia, is leading a pastoral initiative of praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy in the countries of Australia and Oceania. On September 14 – the day of the revelation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to St. Faustina – at 3:00 p.m., the faithful of this part of the world will join in prayer, asking for peace in the world and in our hearts, for the necessary graces for the Holy Church and its shepherds, especially for people who are lost and doubting, for mutual mercy and reconciliation among people, as well as for personal intentions.

This prayer initiative, organized twice a year (on May 18 and September 14), also includes the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy and devotees of Divine Mercy from other countries and continents. More information: www.worldchaplet.org.

Under this motto, the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy is organizing a retreat with a workshop element for women aged 18–35 who wish to discern their vocation to consecrated life. The event will take place at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. A time of silence, prayer, workshops on the retreat theme, and the opportunity to talk with a priest, a sister, or a psychologist will help participants not only to rediscover their journey with God, but also to discern His plan for them. The retreat, conducted in Polish, will take place on September 12–14, 2025, and will be led by Fr. Wojciech Kaczmarek CM, Sr. M. Ewangelista Sobkowicz ISMM, and Magdalena Poprawa. More information and registration.

Under this motto, on September 14 this year, the sisters from the Brazilian community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy are organizing in Rio de Janeiro a meeting for young people who wish to discern their life vocation and live it out. The program includes: an integration activity, prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet, adoration, a conference on God’s call to life, to love, and to the fulfillment of a concrete mission, delivered by Fr. José Guilherme, as well as an evening of praise and agape. The sisters organize such meetings in their convent every month to provide young people with suitable conditions for silence and for listening to God’s voice.

On Sunday, September 14, on the 90th anniversary of the revelation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to St. Faustina, Sr. Diana Kuczek from Kraków-Łagiewniki will share the message of Divine Mercy with the faithful of the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Tarnobrzeg after the Holy Mass at 10:00, 11:30, and 13:00. The program also includes prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, as well as a meeting of the “Faustinum” community, to which the apostles of Divine Mercy and the community’s chaplain, Fr. Andrzej Cag, invite all who wish to participate.

On Saturday, September 6 this year, consecrated persons from all over Poland will once again make a pilgrimage to the oldest Polish shrine on Łysa Góra in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, where the relics of the Holy Cross are kept and venerated. The pilgrimage, organized under the motto “Pilgrims of Hope,” will include: a conference by Fr. Adam Wikczyński on St. John Paul II as a pilgrim of hope, as well as testimonies about St. Charles de Foucauld and Blessed Michael Sopoćko as pilgrims of hope. At 12:00 p.m., the solemn Eucharist will be presided over by Archbishop Wacław Depo, Metropolitan of Częstochowa, followed by adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and the veneration of the relics of the Holy Cross, which will conclude the pilgrimage.

Monastic life involves changing one’s place of living and, often, also of the type of apostolic work. Usually, in mid-August, the sisters move to other convents, where they are sent due to their vocation of obedience. This frequently means not only a new place to live, but also a different kind of work. The sisters are sent wherever the Congregation is taking up new tasks or needs to answer to the needs of its apostolic work. For the sisters, it is an opportunity to acquire freedom of all earthly attachments in order to live only for God and His Kingdom.

On 30–31 August this year, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, visitors will be able to see the manuscript of the famous “Diary” of the Apostle of Divine Mercy and the silver ring from her perpetual vows to Jesus. The “Diary”, considered one of the pearls of mystical literature, has been translated into dozens of languages and distributed worldwide in millions of copies. Saint John Paul II called it the “Gospel of Mercy”, while Archbishop of Hong Kong John Tong Hon, in the foreword to the Chinese edition, wrote that “it is truly the most wonderful gift of God offered to the world, …a spiritual treasure for the entire Church.” The exhibition is organized to mark the 100th anniversary of her entry into the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The handwritten “Diary” consists of six notebooks of various sizes, densely written on both sides (a total of 477 pages), as well as a notebook entitled “My Preparation for Holy Communion.” The manuscript contains no corrections or deletions, even when the Author omitted a letter or wrote a word incorrectly. The words of the Lord Jesus, at the instruction of her Vilnius confessor Fr. M. Sopoćko, were underlined in pencil, which in some editions is marked in bold or italics.

The “Diary” in electronic form is available at: www.saint-faustina.org, in its various language versions, and in the app “Faustyna.pl.”

In the summer months, during the holidays, the numbers of visitors who join the works of “Chaplet for the Dying” and “Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy” at www.saint-faustina.org are not decreasing. On the contrary, they are growing! Thanks to these works, the call for “mercy on us and the whole world” is being made constantly, day and night, every day. Participants in this prayer are located in dozens of countries, including Canada, the US, Kazakhstan, Argentina, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Colombia, Panama, Ukraine, Switzerland, Australia and England. Those who would like to join in this prayer can feel free to fill out the proper form.

People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. A detailed intention for August is prayer: Coverage of costs: servers and fiber optic cables, streaming carried out by Livestream Vimeo, and ongoing maintenance of equipment needed for broadcasting.

The work of Perpetual Chaplet is a response to the request of Jesus to constantly implore for mercy “for us and the whole world”. The work has been operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at: www.faustyna.pl since 2011. Anyone can participate in it by filling out a short form and declare to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus dictated to St. Faustina—at least once.

In August, during evening devotions, the Chaplet of Our Lady of Mercy is sung or recited in all the chapels of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. At the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, evening devotions are celebrated on weekdays at 7 pm (except Thursdays). You can join through on-line video stream at www.saint-faustina.org. The words of the Chaplet of Our Lady of Mercy and more information about Mary as Our Lady of Mercy, in particular concerning this title of Mary, her worship and iconography in the history of the Church and the Congregation, can be found at www.saint-faustina.org, tab: Our Lady of Mercy.

In the last days of August, in the convents of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy which run Youth Education Centers operate (Krakow, Kalisz and Wroclaw), student dormitories, community centers or kindergartens, like in other educational institutions in Poland, preparations for the new school year are under way. Here, the opening of the school year is always accompanied by a Holy Mass, during which the teachers and the pupils and students ask God for His blessing and the graces needed during the next ten months, so that they may become more than just a period of effective learning, but also a time of fruitful spiritual growth.

During the summer, the sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy go on holidays too. Usually, they spend these days visiting their families or other convents of the Congregation. The younger sisters are happy to organize their stay at the retreat house of the Congregation in Zakopane’s Krzeptówki and Rabka, because they can also stay with members of their families there. What is more, they can make hiking trips from there. We would like to wish you all to make your holiday a time of restoration of your spiritual and physical strength.

The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, which hosts the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Płock, has launched a live broadcast from this place on the website: www.faustynaplock.pl and on YouTube. Thanks to this, it is possible to participate in services held in this church, as well as visit the place—where the prophetic mission of St. Faustina began (the revelations of the image of Merciful Jesus and the Feast of Mercy)—for personal prayer. Holy Masses at this Sanctuary are celebrated daily at 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and on Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Every day at 3:00 p.m., there is a prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, as well as adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from the morning to the evening Eucharist (on Mondays starting at 10:00 a.m.).

At the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Płock, part of the Pilgrim House has been opened, including 3 apartments (living room/bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette) for 3–4 people. One of them is adapted for a person with disabilities and their caregiver or companion. The rooms with bathrooms and internet access are equipped with kitchenettes with electric stoves, microwaves, refrigerators, and all necessary dishes. More photos can be found in the Gallery. In the historic part of the monastery complex of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, there are 55 beds in 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-person rooms.

The Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Płock is located at the Old Market Square, built on the Vistula River escarpment in the place where St. Faustina lived and began her prophetic mission with the revelation of the image of Merciful Jesus and the Feast of Divine Mercy. Guests staying here can not only strengthen their spirit through participation in devotions and all-day Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, but also explore one of the oldest cities in Poland and the over thousand-year history of the Church in this diocese.

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On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of St. Faustina’s entry into the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, an “Evening of Adoration” will be held in the chapel with the miraculous image of the Merciful Jesus and at the tomb of the Apostle of Divine Mercy in the Łagiewniki Shrine, on Saturday, 30 August at 7:00 p.m. It will feature Hubert Kowalski, professional musicians and choristers, as well as the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, who will sing hymns inspired by the “Diary” of St. Faustina. It will be a prayer through heart and music.

August 25^th is the 120^th birthday of Helena Kowalska – St. Faustina, known throughout the world of the Apostle of Divine Mercy. She was born as the third child in the family of Marianna and Stanisław Kowalski in the village of Głogowiec. The certificate of baptism states that she was born about eight in the morning, and on that year, it was a Friday. Sister Faustina’s mother – Marianna née Babel – recalled that she had sanctified her womb, because the earlier births nearly cost her life, but her subsequent children were born without problems. She said about Helena: “Blessed child, dearest daughter.” Sister Faustina, in turn, constantly thanked God for her parents, God-fearing, righteous and diligent  people who brought up their children in a spirit of faith and love of God and other people. Today, the birthplace of the Apostle of Divine Mercy belongs to her Baptismal Shrine, and remains under the care of the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy’s convent in Świnice Warckie. The place of her birth is visited by pilgrims not only from Poland, but also other countries in the world, who travel along the trail of her life.

On the eve of the feast of August 24, after Mass at 6 pm, a procession will set out with the Blessed Sacrament  from the parish church of the Baptismal Shrine of St. Faustina to her family home, where there will be an all-night adoration and prayer vigil.

August 25^th is the 30^nd anniversary of the recognition of Saint Faustina as the spiritual co-founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The decision was made on the 90^th anniversary of her birth at the convent of the Sisters at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki under the leadership of the then Superior General, Mother Paulina Słomka. After prior discernment among theologians and pastors of the Church, at the end of the night vigil in front of the grace-famous Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina, Mother General spoke the words of the act, in which she confessed, among others: Holy Sister Faustina … you are not only a renewal of the spirituality and charism of our Congregation, but also its spiritual co-founder. What God did in your life, fulfilling the works of Mother Teresa Potocka and Mother Teresa Rondeau, and what He allowed us to read, we are glad to acknowledge, thankful to the Mercy of God for the great things that have taken place in you and through you in our Congregation. Sister Faustina received the charism of proclaiming the message of Mercy to the world with action, word and prayer, or to nurture this essential evangelical value, the mercy of God and human mercy. Not only did she enrich the charismatic heritage of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, which was founded by countess Mother Teresa of nee Sułkowski Potocka to save fallen women, but also the Church, beginning with the Apostolic Movement of Divine Mercy (the “new congregation” which Jesus desired to be founded) and bringing a new school of spirituality based entirely on the mystery of Divine Mercy to its history. The first heirs of St. Faustina were the members of the Congregation to which she belonged, therefore, John Paul II during his pilgrimage to Krakow-Łagiewniki in 1997, said: Dear Sisters! There is an extraordinary calling for you. By choosing the Blessed Faustina from among you, Christ made your Congregation a guardian of this place, and at the same time He called for a special apostolate of His mercy. Please, take this work. Today’s man needs your preaching of mercy; he needs your works of mercy and he needs your prayers for mercy. Do not neglect any of these dimensions of the apostolate. The full text of the act of recognition of St. Faustina as the spiritual co-founder of the Congregation is read in every community of the Congregation every year on October 5^th, the day of her liturgical feast.

It happened in Świnice, on 27 August 1905, at one o’clock in the afternoon. Stanislaw Kowalski, aged 40, a farmer from Głogowiec, in the presence of Franciszek Bednarek, aged 35 and Józef Stasiak, aged 40, both farmers from Głogowiec, appeared and showed us the female child born in the village of Głogowiec on August 25 this year, at eight o’clock in the morning, of his wedding wife Marianna née Babel, aged 30. This child received, at baptism held today, the name Helena, and her godparents were Konstanty Bednarek and Marianna Szewczyk. This provision of the rite of baptism from parish records was left by the parish priest, Father Józef Chodyński, who baptized the little Helena Kowalska. The Deed was drawn up in the Russian language, because it was still the time of the Partitions of Poland, when the country was not to be seen on the political map of Europe. Helena’s father, Stanisław Kowalski, signed this record in Polish. The godparents, who were illiterate, confirmed their signatures by an X. In the former parish church, today the Baptismal Shrine of St. Faustina, you can see the same font at which the baby Helena Kowalska became a child of God and a member of the Mystical Body of Christ, baptized two days after her birth, on the eve of the feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa. The grace of baptism was further developed in her life as she achieved the fullness of mystical union with God here on Earth. Today, she is venerated as an apostle of Divine Mercy, because Jesus chose her as a prophet of our time, and sent her into the world with the message of Mercy.

On August 25, at 5 pm, at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, Holy Mass will be celebrated at the Image of Divine Mercy and the tomb of St. Faustina in the intentions of IT specialists, donors, translators and other individuals contributing to www.saint-faustina.org. The Eucharist is an expression of gratitude from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy for bringing the message of the merciful love of God towards man to the world together. Let it bring great glory to the Divine Mercy in human souls.

On Saturday, August 23, the annual All-Slovak pilgrimage to the Rock Sanctuary of Divine Mercy on Mount Butkov in Slovakia will take place. The celebrations will begin at 12:00 noon with the Way of the Cross on the slope of Mount Butkov, followed at 3:00 p.m. by a joint prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, led by the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy from Slovakia. The solemn Holy Mass in honor of Our Lady of Mercy will be celebrated at 3:35 p.m. The program will also include concerts of religious songs.

The place dedicated to honoring the Divine Mercy on Mount Butkov (11th level of the quarry), where a large illuminated Cross and monuments to St. Faustina Kowalska and St. John Paul II have been placed, along with a 9-meter statue of Our Lady of Mercy, is part of the “Rock Sanctuary of Divine Mercy” with the church in Ladce.

August 17^th is the 23^th anniversary of the entrustment of the world to Divine Mercy by Pope John Paul II during his last pilgrimage to Poland at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. After the consecration of the basilica, the Holy Father uttered words in which he entrusted the fate of the world and every human being to God, the Father rich in Mercy. These words became a daily prayer not only for the sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy and the pilgrims coming to the Łagiewniki Shrine, but also to millions of people in the world.

God, Father of Mercy,
Who revealed Your love in your Son, Jesus Christ,
And poured it upon us in the Holy Spirit the Comforter,
today we entrust to you the fate of the world and every human being.
Look upon over us sinners,
heal our weakness,
overcome all the evil,
let all the inhabitants of the Earth experience Your Mercy,
In You, the Triune God,
we have always found a source of hope.
God, Father of Mercy,
for your painful torment and the Resurrection of Your Son
have mercy on us and on the whole world.

On August 16–17 this year, devotees of Divine Mercy will come to the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki as part of the 12th National Pilgrimage, organized on the anniversary of the consecration of the Basilica of Divine Mercy and the entrustment of the world to Divine Mercy by St. John Paul II. On Sunday, the Eucharist at 12:00 p.m. will be presided over by Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz. The pilgrimage program includes the presentation of works of mercy in tents on the square in front of the basilica, and on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in the St. John Paul II Hall, a concert entitled “Beautiful is Your Mercy” performed by Paweł Bębenek with his ensemble. More information and the detailed program are available on the Sanctuary Rectorate’s website: www.misericordia.eu.

On the occasion of the centenary of Saint Sister Faustina’s entrance into the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, on August 17 this year, Sister Livia Mikołajczyk will share her spiritual heritage and mission of proclaiming the message of Mercy to the world with the faithful of Saint Michael the Archangel Parish in Woskrzenice Duże (Diocese of Siedlce). Saint Sister Faustina is already present in this parish community in the sign of her holy relics.

On Saturday, August 16 this year, in the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, the silver jubilee of the religious profession of Sr. M. Damaris will be celebrated. At 12:00 noon, in the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, before the miraculous image of the Merciful Jesus and at the tomb of St. Faustina, a solemn Eucharist will be celebrated under the presiding of Fr. Marek Wójtowicz, SJ, with the renewal by the Jubilarian of the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience — whose external sign is a silver ring engraved with the name: Jesus. Sisters from other convents of the Congregation, as well as the Family and persons entrusted to her apostolic work, will join in thanksgiving prayer for the gift of the Jubilarian and in her intentions.

The tenth walking pilgrimage from the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Spiš to the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy on Mount Butkov near Ladce will begin on Saturday, August 2, and will last until Sunday, August 10. The pilgrimage is organized by the Pallottines from Michalovce, and the pilgrims — including Sr. Pavla Stanovčáková from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy — will walk a route of approximately 246 kilometers.

The site dedicated to honoring Divine Mercy on Mount Butkov (11th level of the quarry), where a large illuminated Cross as well as monuments of St. Faustina and St. John Paul II were previously placed, is part of the “Rock Sanctuary of Divine Mercy” with a church in Ladce.

On August 5, the liturgical memorial of Our Lady of the Snows, the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy celebrates its patronal feast, honoring its Patroness – the Mother of Mercy Incarnate. On this day, the election of Mary as the heavenly Superior General of the Congregation has been traditionally renewed since in 1937, in the form of a special, ceremonial prayer. Saint Faustina wrote in her Diary: I saw the Virgin Mary and She said to me, Oh, how very pleased I am with the homage of your love!  And at that moment She covered all the sisters of the Congregation with Her mantle. With Her right hand, She clasped Mother General Michael to herself, and with Her left hand she did the so to me, while all the sisters were at Her feet, covered with Her mantle. Then the Mother of God said hen the Mother of God said, Everyone who perseveres zealously till death in My Congregation will be spared the fire of purgatory (Diary, 1244). This day is the anniversary of the dedication of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the oldest church in the West dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Pope Sixtus III, to celebrate the end of the stormy Council of Ephesus (431 AD), which declared the dogma of the divine motherhood of Mary (Theotokos), introduced the feast of the Mother of the Son of God, which was first celebrated in this particular basilica, and with time, successive Popes expanded it to the whole Church. Today, the liturgical calendar of the Church contains the memorial of Our Lady of the Snows, commemorating the miracle associated with the rise of the basilica, and this name is functioning in the minds of the faithful. Therefore, the first circumstance of the establishment of the feast of Mary as Mother of the Son of God – Mercy Incarnate, has been forgotten. For more information about Mary the Mother of Mercy, Her title, worship and iconography in the Church and Congregation, follow the link: Our Lady of Mercy.

On July 27, a novena before the feast of the Patron of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, which falls on August 5, will start. During the novena, the Chaplet of Our Lady of Mercy is sung or recited. In this prayer we ask Mary to defend us from our enemies, accept us at the hour of death and beg for the Mercy of her Son for us. In the chapel of the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, the novena is celebrated on weekdays at 7 pm, while on Sundays at 6:30 pm. The words of the Chaplet of Our Lady of Mercy.

On August 4 of this year – after a period of initial trial of religious life – three postulants (a Pole, a Brazilian, and a Belarusian) will receive a new name and the novice’s habit, and will begin a two-year novitiate, after which they will make their first religious vows. This year, the investiture ceremony is being held exceptionally in Warsaw, in honor of the 100th anniversary of St. Faustina’s entrance into the Congregation. Traditionally, however, it will be celebrated behind the enclosure. The Holy Mass for the intention of the sisters beginning their novitiate will be celebrated in the convent chapel under the leadership of Fr. Wiesław Kulisz SJ.

On August 1st, it will be 100 years since Helena Kowalska, known throughout the world under her religious name of Sister Faustina, joined the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. Despite explicit instructions from Jesus to go to Warsaw and enter a convent to begin monastic life, her way to start following her vocation was not easy. As she wrote in her Diary, she knocked on the doors of many convents, but she was accepted nowhere. It was only in the convent at ul. Żytnia in Warsaw that she received an approval to join, but not before she spends a year working as a maid to earn a modest dowry. Finally, on August 1st, 1925 she stepped over the threshold of the closure, and wrote in her Diary: I felt immensely happy; it seemed to me that I had stepped into the life of Paradise. A single prayer was bursting forth from my heart, one of thanksgiving (Diary, 17). She then spent 13 years in many convents of the Congregation, fulfilling simple duties, and at the same time leading a very deep spiritual life. The Lord sent St. Faustina to the world to remind people of the Biblical truth about the merciful love of God to each human being and call them to proclaim it with a new power of witness, deed, word and prayer.

On August 1, 2025, the 100th anniversary of St. Faustina’s entrance into the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will be celebrated. On this occasion, central celebrations will take place at the Warsaw convent and the Sanctuary of St. Faustina on Żytnia Street. The solemn Eucharist will be presided over by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Warsaw, Adrian Galbas. The program will also include a monodrama based on St. Faustina’s “Diary” entitled Secretary of Divine Mercy performed by Barbara Misiun, tours of the museum in the convent’s basement, conferences, and a night vigil in the former chapel of the Congregation, now the parish and Sanctuary of St. Faustina.

This central celebration in the Year of St. Faustina will be attended not only by sisters from many convents of the Congregation but also by members and volunteers of the “Faustinum” Association, friends, collaborators, and benefactors of the Congregation.

Mother Michaela Moraczewska, who at the time was the superior of the convent in Warsaw on Żytnia Street and who later became the Superior General, recalled the entrance of Helena Kowalska – Saint Sister Faustina – into the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

In 1924, one spring morning, when I was Superior of the house in Żytnia Street, I was told by a person working at our gate that a young girl had come to ask to be admitted to the Congregation. So I went down to the parlour and opened the door slightly, however, at first glance, the candidate, who was sitting in such a way that she did not see me, did not make a good impression on me because her appearance was a bit shabby. I thought: well, she is not for us! I closed the door quietly with the intention of sending in another sister to tell the candidate that her request had been turned down.

However, at that moment it came to me that it would be more in accordance with the love of neighbour to ask the girl a few general questions and only then to say goodbye. Therefore, I returned to the parlour and started talking with her. Then I noticed that on further acquaintance the candidate made a much better impression, that her smile and facial expression were nice, that there was a lot of simplicity and honesty about her and that what she said was very sensible. Therefore, I soon changed my mind and I started to feel like admitting her. The main difficulty was that Helenka Kowalska was poor, not to mention the lack of a dowry, from which the Holy See easily dispensed sisters. She did not have any trousseau and we did not have any fund for it either. However, I suggested that she could go to work as a housekeeper and save a few hundred zlotys for the trousseau. She was very eager to do that and we agreed that she would bring the money to the gate in order to give it in for safekeeping. It was decided that she would do that. Soon after I said goodbye to her and forgot about it.

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.

On July 31^st, the liturgical calendar includes a commemoration of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and one of the patron saints of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, which has benefited from Ignatian spirituality throughout its history. Saint Faustina mentions this Saint twice in her Diary, when she writes about his advice concerning keeping the vow of obedience, and on the occasion of her the vision in 1935: The Feast of St. Ignatius. I prayed fervently to this Saint, complaining and asking how he could watch me and not come to my assistance in such important matters, that is in fulfilling God’s will. I said to the Saint: “You, who are our Patron, you were burning with the fire of love and zeal for the greater glory of God, I humbly ask you, please help me carry out God’s plans.” It was during Mass. Then I saw St. Ignatius on the left-hand side of the altar with a big book in his hands. He said to me: “My daughter, I am not indifferent to your affairs; this rule can be applied to the Congregation as well.” With his hand he pointed to the book and vanished. I was extremely pleased that the Saints have us very much in their thoughts and that they are in close touch with us. O, divine Goodness, how beautiful the spiritual world is, if we can be in communion with the Saints already here on earth. All day long I felt that this Patron Saint, whom I hold so dear, was close by my side.

People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. Specjal intention for July: for safe holidays for those who rest and that everyone may use this time to grow spiritually in their trust in God and in the richness of mercy shown to people.

The work of Perpetual Chaplet is a response to the request of Jesus to constantly implore for mercy “for us and the whole world”. The work has been operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at: www.faustyna.pl since 2011. Anyone can participate in it by filling out a short form and declare to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus dictated to St. Faustina—at least once.

Under this motto, on July 25–27 this year, retreats from the “Women in the Bible” series will take place at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. Participants will explore the biblical Annas—what filled their hearts over the years, what they struggled with, and what truly enabled them not to lose hope. They will seek answers to these questions in the context of personal longings and uncertainties of fate.  The retreats will be led by biblical scholar Sr. Maria Faustyna Ciborowska from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

The liturgical calendar includes compulsory commemoration of St. Mary Magdalene, who is the patroness of good change, on 22 of July. Since the beginning, this Saint is the patron of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, especially of the girls and women in need of moral regeneration, the education of whom is the main task of the sisters. Images and statues of Mary Magdalene are found in many convents of the Congregation. In the convent chapel of the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina at the Shrine in Krakow-Lagiewniki, her the statue is located in the main altar which is dedicated to the patron saint of the Congregation – Our Lady of Mercy.

On July 22, 2025, the traditional “Evening with Merciful Jesus” will be held at the National Shrine of St. John Paul II in Washington, USA. The event will be led by the sisters from the Washington community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The program includes the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet, adoration with praise of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and intercessory prayer, the sacrament of confession, and a conference. Sister Faustia Szaboóva will speak about the power of Jesus’ blood based on St. Faustina’s “Diary.”

“Evenings with Merciful Jesus” are organized for young people who want to follow in the footsteps of St. Faustina and St. John Paul II and discover a new quality of life in friendship with Merciful Jesus.

On July 10, the 23th “From Mercy to Mercy” Greater Poland’s Pilgrimage will depart from the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Ostrów Wielkopolski for the capital of the Divine Mercy veneration in Krakow-Łagiewniki. The pilgrims will arrive on July 21. On the way, on July 16^th they will be joined by more pilgrims from the Poznan Foot Pilgrimage to Jasna Góra, who will be extending their walking route beyond Czestochowa – to Krakow-Łagiewniki.  Spiritually, they will be joined by listeners of Radio Rodzina from the Diocese of Kalisz.

On July 11, the 13^th International Walking Pilgrimage will set off from Hidasnemeti (Hungary) across Slovakia to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. During the nine days, the pilgrims will make their way along a 275 km route through Kosice, Radatice, Pečowská Nová Ves, Plavnica, Piwniczna Zdrój, Gostwica, Tymbark and Brzączowice. The pilgrimage will reach Krakow on July 19. At 3 pm, prayer at the Hour of Mercy and Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be recited in the chapel of the convent before the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina.

July 16 is the 159^th anniversary of the death of Mother Thérèse Rondeau, the founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in France (Laval), and co-founder of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland. She was born on October 6, 1793 in Laval, France. She was christened Theresa Agatha. Under the influence of her confessor, Fr. J. Chanon, S.J., Theresa undertook working with penitent women, that is to say women in need of deep moral renewal and willing to change their lives. In order to prepare better for this work, in 1818 she moved to Bordeaux, where Mother Teresa de Lamourous ran a house for penitent women, which was called “Mercy”. After a two-month stay, Theresa Rondeau made private vows and returned to Laval to become the foundress of a new work, independent from Bordeaux, and in time this became the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in France. Mother Teresa Potocka, née Ewa Sułkowska, who later became the foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland, adopted the spirituality of the French Congregation and their way of conducting apostolic work. Mother Teresa Rondeau died on 16 July 1866 and was buried within the grounds of the Congregation in Laval; her tomb is in a garden belonging to the convent. Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland has named a co-founder. The spiritual co-founder of the Congregation is St. Faustina Kowalska.

Under this theme, from July 10–14, a retreat will be held at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki for those who wish to perceive God’s merciful love in their lives and share it with the world. The retreat will be led by Fr. Stanisław Witkowski MS, Doctor Habilitated, biblical scholar, retreat leader, and lecturer at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków, along with sisters from the retreat community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy: Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza ISMM, president of the Association of the Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum,” and Sr. M. Diana Kuczek ISMM, responsible for the formation of communities and individuals in “Faustinum” and editor-in-chief of The Message of Mercy. The retreat is organized by the Association of the Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum.” More information: faustinum.pl

From July 10–14, a retreat for members and volunteers of the “Faustinum” Association will take place at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. The theme will be trust in God—its proper understanding and the obstacles to it. The retreat will be led by Fr. Stanisław Witkowski, MS, Doctor Habilitated, biblical scholar, retreat leader, and lecturer at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków, together with sisters from the retreat community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy: Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza, ISMM, president of the Association of the Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum,” and Sr. M. Diana Kuczek, ISMM, responsible for the formation of communities and individuals in “Faustinum” and editor-in-chief of The Message of Mercy. The retreat is organized by the Association of the Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum.” More information at: faustinum.pl

On 6 July falls the 144th anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa Ewa nee Sułkowska, Countess Potocka, the founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland. Is it a small thing to save one soul, she wrote. This idea guided her life and work, which she established to rescue women and girls in need of deep moral renewal (“the Magdalenas”). The Congregation later gave to the Church and the world the trasure that was Sister Faustina, apostle of Divine Mercy who is now recognized as its spiritual co-founder. Mother Teresa Potocka died in the palace of Wilanów. Her mortal remains rest in the tomb of the Congregation at the Powązki cemetery in Warsaw. We do not call her a saint, because only the Church has the right to give that title, said Fr. Zygmunt Golian, her spiritual director, in the funeral speech. However, let our efforts at work, for which he was ready to give her life, prove her sanctity. More information about the life and work of Mother Teresa Potocka can be found here.

From July 4 to 6, the next gathering of members and volunteers of the Association of Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum” from Italy is taking place in Turin under the motto: “In Your mercy is hope.” The event will be attended by Sr. Emanuela Gemza, president of the “Faustinum” association at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, and Sr. Wincenta Mąka from the Roman community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

Under this motto, a retreat for women will be held from June 27–29 at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki as part of the series “With Faustina in Everyday Life.” The theme for these spiritual exercises is a quote from the Diary of St. Faustina: “Under His loving gaze, my soul gains strength and power, becomes aware that it loves and is especially loved, and knows that the Almighty defends it” (Diary, 815). The retreat will be led by Sr. Gaudia Skass from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, who also serves as the spokesperson.
More information: www.faustinum.pl

People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. Specific intention for June: For the protection of children from demoralization and for necessary graces for young people, so that they are not tempted by easy happiness, but will make life choices according to Gospel values.

The work of Perpetual Chaplet is a response to the request of Jesus to constantly implore for mercy “for us and the whole world”. The work has been operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at: www.faustyna.pl since 2011. Anyone can participate in it by filling out a short form and declare to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus dictated to St. Faustina—at least once.

In June, during the evening worship, the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is traditionally sung in churches in Poland. This is also true for the chapels of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. In the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki, this takes place in the chapel of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy image and the tomb of St. Faustina. The June devotions are celebrated every day at 7:00 pm and at 6:30 pm on Sundays and other holidays.

On Saturday, June 28 of this year, the third meeting of the members and volunteers of the Association of Apostles of Divine Mercy Faustinum from the Czech Republic and Slovakia will take place at the Dominican monastery in Zvolen. The theme of the gathering is: “Mercy – is there anything more in life?” The program includes conferences, sharing experiences of God’s mercy and apostolate, the Eucharist, testimonies, and adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The meeting will conclude with the Hour of Mercy prayer and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

To mark the 100th anniversary of Helena Kowalska’s entrance into the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, the year 2025 has been designated as the Year of Saint Sister Faustina. As part of these celebrations, events will take place within the Congregation, culminating in a gathering of sisters from convents in Poland and abroad on August 1 in Warsaw—the location where, 100 years earlier, Helena Kowalska, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, crossed the threshold of religious life. This meeting will conclude with a night vigil, featuring prayers of adoration and thanksgiving for her gift and spiritual legacy for the Congregation and the Church. The vigil will be held at the Sanctuary of Saint Sister Faustina, the former chapel of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, where she prayed during her time in the convent on Żytnia Street.

On this occasion, an extensive biography of the Apostle of Divine Mercy, titled “Enraptured by Mercy”, written by Sister M. Elżbieta Siepak ISMM, will be published. This work is based exclusively on source materials, both published (Diary, Letters of Saint Sister Faustina, Memories of Saint Sister Faustina) and unpublished archival records, as well as documents from the beatification process. The biographical and spiritual legacy album edition will include previously unpublished information and photographs. Comprehensive footnotes (over 650) will provide deeper insights into the context of her life within her family, during her years of service to wealthier families, and in the convents of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The publication will also feature indices of individuals and places, ensuring easy access to sought-after information, along with a bibliography of key references.

On Saturday, August 30, 2025, a major youth gathering will take place in Łagiewniki, focusing on the theme of discernment. The event is especially aimed at young people aged 18–35 who face significant life decisions. The program will include communal prayer, conferences, and a concert, all designed to inspire young people to make courageous and sound life choices aligned with God’s will, following the example set by Helena Kowalska 100 years ago when she pursued her vocation despite many challenges.

From October 3–5, 2025, the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki will host an International Conference exploring new and pioneering themes in the writings of Saint Sister Faustina and her influence on the life of the Church in Poland and worldwide. Scholars and devotees of the Apostle of Divine Mercy from Poland and various countries will participate in this event.

On June 22 of this year, at the Sanctuary of Our Lady, Protector and Queen of Families, Sr. Anna Maria and Sr. Norberta from the Sanctuary community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki will share the message of Mercy and the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina, as recorded in her “Diary.”

On June 22 of this year, at the Church of Our Lady of Ostra Brama in Chrzanów, Sr. Tobiana and Sr. Maksyma from the Sanctuary community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki will share the message of Mercy and the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina, as recorded in her “Diary,” with the faithful of the parish during Sunday Holy Masses.

On June 21 this year, the last formation meeting before the summer break of the Kraków “Faustinum” community will take place at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. Program:

1:30 p.m. – Rosary prayer – “Faustinum” hall
2:10 p.m. – Conferences:
2:10 p.m. – Stage II: ABCs of spiritual life – Sr. Maria Faustyna Ciborowska ISMM – “Faustinum” hall
2:10 p.m. – Stage I: Biblical cycle – Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza ISMM – Chapel of the Passion of the Lord
2:40 p.m. – Time for personal prayer and reflection – Chapel of the Passion of the Lord
3:00 p.m. – Divine Mercy Hour prayer – Chapel of the Passion of the Lord
3:30 p.m. – Holy Mass – Chapel of the Passion of the Lord
4:30 p.m. – Integration meeting – garden.

The “Faustinum” Association, established in 1996 by the then-Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, as an apostolic work of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, brings together priests, consecrated persons, and laypeople from nearly 90 countries who, following the example of St. Faustina, wish to participate in Jesus’ mission of spreading the message of Mercy to the world through their lives, deeds, words, and prayers. The primary mission of “Faustinum” is to form apostles of Divine Mercy, a task the sisters carry out in several languages. More information is available at: www.faustinum.en 

On June 21 this year, a youth meeting “Łagiewnicka 22” will be held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. It will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the chapel with the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, and will be led by the sisters from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The program includes: a talk by Sr. Tobiana about how everything depends on us in receiving God’s love and grace, using the life of St. Faustina as an example; followed by silent prayer and worship of Divine Mercy during the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and finally a shared meal (agape) with something tasty and a Q&A session.

In 2024, numerous works were carried out at the Sanctuary, including relocating the chapel to the main part of the Church and finishing the vestibule, constructing stairs in front of the Sanctuary on the side of the Old Market, laying granite paving on the courtyard and basalt paving in the tunnel. The tunnel connecting the Old Market with the Sanctuary courtyard was renovated, entrance gates and a tunnel entry gate were installed, and various systems (e.g., access control, fire protection, etc.) were installed and activated. Lighting was installed in the courtyard, doors were purchased and fitted in various parts of the Sanctuary and the new part of St. Faustina’s House, wooden and metal handrails were made and installed, the Sanctuary grounds were fenced, interior finishing works were carried out inside the Sanctuary—walls, ceilings (also in the new part of Sister Faustina’s House)—and exterior works, such as adding plinths and completing plastering. Additionally, glass doors connecting the vestibule with the chapel of the apparition were installed, and a passenger elevator for St. Faustina’s House was commissioned.

Upcoming tasks include finishing and equipping the interior of the Sanctuary, sacristy, and support facilities, such as laying floors and installing benches. Outside the building, landscaping will be done. Moreover, we plan to design and implement a museum project in the Sanctuary’s underground areas and equip the newly constructed part of St. Sister Faustina’s House.

The Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Plock is being erected by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy thanks to the donations made for this purpose by devotees of Divine Mercy and people of good will. Sisters thank you for every gift of heart that makes the place of the first revelation of Merciful Jesus to St. Faustina come to life. Thanks to these gifts, the church is growing and therefore the Sisters would like to ask for further support. Holy Mass is celebrated on the 22nd day of each month and the Sisters pray daily together with the faithful at the Hour of Mercy and with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy in the intention of everyone who support the construction of the Shrine spiritually and physically.

Donations for the expansion of the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Płock can be deposited into the account:

Zgromadzenie Sióstr Matki Bożej Miłosierdzia
Stary Rynek 14/18
09-404 Płock

Bank PEKAO SA
I O w Płocku
ul. Kolegialna 14a

SWIFT CODE: PKOPPLPW

PLN IBAN: 72 1240 3174 1111 0000 2890 0836

USD IBAN: 56 1240 3174 1787 0010 1057 7746

EUR IBAN: 28 1240 3174 1978 0010 1057 7818

On June 19th, Thursday, the Church is celebrating the feast of Feast of Corpus Christi (Corpus Domini). Holy Mass at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki will be celebrated according to the Sunday schedule. Before noon, the procession of Corpus Christi will set out from the Wawel Hill to the Market Square in Krakow, and in the afternoon, other processions will take place in individual parishes. In the parish church in Łagiewniki, the Eucharistic procession to four altars will begin with Mass at 5:00 pm. The faithful will proceed along the street Siostry Faustyny in the direction of the Shrine of the Divine Mercy. At the basilica, the procession will conclude with a thankful Te Deum and a solemn blessing of the Holy Sacrament. Divine Mercy Mass for the intercession of St. Faustina in the intention of prayers and thanks from the faithful will be celebrated at 7 pm at the convent chapel.

Saint Faustina was a great devotee of Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament from her early years. It was before Jesus hidden in the white consecrated Host that she first experienced God’s love and internally heard the invitation to a more perfect life. As a young woman, she made a private vow of chastity before the Blessed Sacrament, and later in the convent, she spent all her free time in the chapel before the tabernacle. “I will not let myself be so absorbed in work’s whirl that I forget about God,” she confessed. “I spend all my free moments at the feet of the Master hidden in the Blessed Sacrament. He has been teaching me since my earliest years” (Diary 82).

“O Lord, I see clearly,” she sincerely admitted to Jesus in prayer, “that my life from the first moment my soul could know You has been a constant battle, growing ever more intense. Every morning during meditation I prepare for battle for the whole day, and Holy Communion is my assurance that I will win – and it happens so. I fear the day I do not have Holy Communion. This Bread of the strong gives me all the strength to carry out this work, and I have the courage to do all the Lord demands. The courage and strength that dwell in me are not mine, but His who dwells in me – this is the Eucharist” (Diary 91).

At the end of her life, she wrote: “I see myself so weak that if it were not for Holy Communion, I would fall constantly. Only one thing holds me up: Holy Communion. From it I draw strength, in it is my power. I fear life on days without Holy Communion. I am afraid of myself. Jesus hidden in the Host is everything to me. From the tabernacle I draw strength, power, courage, and light; in moments of anguish, I seek comfort there. I could not give glory to God without the Eucharist in my heart.”

Her love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament was also expressed by the fact that she added “of the Blessed Sacrament” to her name and desired her yearly patron to be: Jesus-Eucharist. Read more

As part of the Samaritanka project, a retreat for women will be held on June 13–15 and June 20–22, 2025, at the diocesan retreat house Fides et Ratio in Shchuchinsk. The retreat is titled: “You are anxious and troubled about many things” (Luke 10:41). The program includes meditations on the Word of God, workshops, and lectures. The retreat will be led by: Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko from the Petropavl community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, Sr. Kazimiera Wanat, Sr. Madlen Hofmann, and Fr. Hans Reiner.

As part of this series, group workshops will take place on June 13–15 at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. They will focus on the theme of self-acceptance in the context of one’s life story, emotions, physicality, and spiritual dimension. Participants will work both individually and in groups, guided by sisters from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and Monika Guzewicz, PhD in psychology, psychotherapist, former university lecturer, and co-creator of the Godfullness Jesuits project. The workshops are organized by the Association of Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum”. More information is available at: www.faustinum.pl

At first blush it may seem that the Devotion to the Divine Mercy is only a form of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart and that the devotions do not differ considerably. Upon a cursory reading of Sister Faustina’s ‘Diary’, in which the Heart of Jesus is frequently mentioned, one can be confirmed in this belief. However, a theological analysis of the work clearly differentiates between the two Devotions, which are so popular in the Church. The Rev. Professor I. Różycki carried out such an analysis and, on the basis of it he showed fundamental differences between the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the one to the Divine Mercy. They differ as regards the object of veneration: who and what is worshipped, the essence of the Devotions and the privileged time – the time to which certain promises are attached.

As regards the Devotion to the Divine Mercy, the mercy of the entire Holy Trinity is the object of the veneration itself, whereas as regards the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus – it is the Divine Person of the Son of God Incarnate.

As far as the Devotion to the Divine Mercy is concerned, the image of the Merciful Jesus is venerated – the one painted according to the vision that Sister Faustina had in Płock on the 22nd February, 1931, whereas as regards the other devotion – the human, ‘physical’ Heart of Jesus is worshipped.

 Trust is the essence of the Devotion to the Divine Mercy, whereas reparation is the essence of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

3p.m. – every day – (the moment of Jesus’ agony on the cross) and the Feast of Mercy – on the first Sunday after Easter – this is the privileged time as far as the Devotion to the Divine Mercy is concerned, whereas as regards the Devotion to the Sacred Heart the privileged time is on first Fridays of every month and on the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

The regular monthly Holy Mass for the members and volunteers of the Association of the Apostles of Divine Mercy Faustinum will be celebrated on Friday, June 13 at 3:20 PM at the Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy in Košice, in the KVP district. Afterwards, at 4:00 PM, a formation meeting of the local group will take place at the parish house. This year’s sixth meeting on the Mission of Mercy of Saint Faustina will be led by Sr. Mariela Lengyelová ISMM from the Košice community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

Holy Masses for the Faustinum Association have been celebrated since 2006. More information about the association can be found at faustinum.pl.

On June 11th, at 5 p.m. at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, Holy Mass will be celebrated at the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. The special intention will be God’s blessing and needed graces for those participating in the Chaplet for the Dying, supporting this work materially and spiritually, for a serene death for the moribund recommended to prayer in this work, and the joy of heaven for the deceased.

In this work, not only Poles support the dying, but also people from many countries around the world. This year alone, people from over 30 countries have joined, including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay, Peru, Venezuela, South Africa, Colombia, Venezuela, the USA, Canada, Australia, the Caribbean, and many European countries such as Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg… The most foreigners who joined this work came from Italy, Spain, France, and the USA.

On the Feast of the Holy Family, December 29, 2024, in the Chapel of the Apparition of the Image of Merciful Jesus at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Płock, Bishop Szymon Stułkowski, shepherd of the Diocese of Płock, issued a decree designating the Shrine as a Jubilee Church.
The faithful can receive an indulgence if, by January 6, 2026, they make a pilgrimage under the motto “Pilgrims of Hope – on the Way to the Source,” visit the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Płock, and participate in services held for the Jubilee or spend appropriate time in devout contemplation, concluding with the Lord’s Prayer, the Profession of Faith, and an invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

After the decree ceremony, a procession went to the Płock Cathedral, where a Holy Mass inaugurating the Jubilee Year in the Diocese of Płock was celebrated. The ceremony was presided over by Bishop Szymon Stułkowski in concelebration with Bishop Mirosław Milewski. Numerous priests, consecrated persons, and lay faithful participated in the celebrations, including representatives from the other 18 Jubilee Churches of the Diocese of Płock.

On June 7 this year, another meeting of the “Faustinum” association community will take place at the church of Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome. The theme will be trust in the Bible and in the “Diary” of St. Faustina. The meeting will be led by the sisters from the Roman community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy and Fr. Łukasz Brus, and the topic will be: “The Faith of Thomas.” The meeting will begin at 12:30 p.m. and will include: conferences, prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Holy Mass at 3:30 p.m., followed by a procession to St. Peter’s Square for prayer with the Holy Father Leo XIV before Pentecost.

The meeting will also be available via Google Meet.

On May 30th (Friday), the Church is making a novena before the feast of the Holy Spirit. In the chapels of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, including the one with the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina at the Shrine of Divine Mercy, this novena is combined with the May devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. You can participate in it on-line and ask for the light and all the gifts of the Holy Spirit for you, the Church, our country and the world, so that the Spirit lead us to full familiarity with Jesus, reveal to us the depth of His merciful love and teach us to perceive His presence and action in our daily lives. At the end of the novena in the Łagiewniki Shrine, a prayer vigil will be held.

On June 7^th at 9 pm a prayerful vigil before the feast of the Pentecost will begin at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. We will gather in the chapel of the miracle-famous image of Divine Mercy and the tomb of St. Faustina, which will become the Cenacle. Together with Mary, the Mother of Mercy, we shall be asking the Holy Spirit for the Light, Power and Graces for us, the Holy Church, our Country and the entire World. The vigil will end with the Eucharist celebrated at 10 p.m. You can join in this prayer online at www.saint-faustina.org where it will be broadcast.

On June 7^th, the 28^th anniversary of the first pilgrimage made by Pope John Paul II to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki will be celebrated. The Pope prayed in front of the grace-famous painting of Merciful Jesus and at the tomb of (then Blessed) Sister Faustina. He also gave a short speech in which he conveyed many important matters. He said that nothing is more necessary to man than the Mercy of God. The pope added, that he took the message of Mercy from this place to the Holy See and that it shaped the image of his pontificate. He thanked for being able to fulfill the wish of Jesus concerning the introduction of the Feast of Mercy in Poland. In a special message addressed the sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, he encouraged them in their charismatic apostolic ministry, entrusted to him by Sister Faustina.

The Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy and the apostles of Divine Mercy—following in the footsteps of St. Faustina and participating in her mission of proclaiming the message of Mercy to the world through the witness of life, deeds, words, and prayer—will commemorate the following anniversaries in 2025:

April 26–28: 90th anniversary of the first public display of the Divine Mercy image at the Gate of Dawn in Vilnius.

April 30: 25th anniversary of the canonization of Sister Faustina by Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s Square in Rome, with a simultaneous broadcast to the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. Establishment of Divine Mercy Sunday for the entire Church.

April 30: 25th anniversary of the establishment of the chapel of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Płock as a diocesan Sanctuary of Divine Mercy.

May 17: 10th anniversary of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy’s ministry in Cuba, in the city of Camagüey.

August 1: 100th anniversary of St. Faustina joining the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

August 25: 120th anniversary of St. Faustina’s birth into the family of Marianna and Stanisław Kowalski in Głogowiec.

August 25: 30th anniversary of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy recognizing St. Faustina as its spiritual co-foundress.

August 27: 120th anniversary of St. Faustina’s baptism in St. Casimir’s Parish Church in Świnice Warckie.

September 13–14: 90th anniversary of the revelation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to Sister Faustina.

September 15: 20th anniversary of the ministry of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Slovakia, in the town of Nižný Hrušov.

December 23: 70th anniversary of the ministry of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Gdańsk, where they arrived as repatriates from Vilnius.

Under this title, a retreat on the dignity of women will take place from May 30 to June 1 at the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul in the town of Chkalovo, Kazakhstan. The retreat will be led by Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko from the Petropavlovsk community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, Sr. Kazimiera Wanat, Sr. Madlen Hofmann, and Fr. Hans Reiner. The program includes reflections on the Word of God, conferences, and workshops.

In May, in a number of parishes in Poland, children participate for the first time in the sacraments of confession and Holy Communion. More and more children in special white clothes arrive with their priests, catechists and parents to the Shrine of Divine Mercy to make thanks for the great gift of God’s mercy which is the Eucharistic presence of the Lord Jesus and His indwelling in the human soul and to ask for fidelity and growth in the love of God and other people.

It is a tradition in Poland that Catholics gather in every church and even at small roadside shrines in May to celebrate “Majówki” – a special kind of devotion to the Virgin Mary, during which the Litany of Loreto is sung. At the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the May devotions are celebrated in the chapel of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina every day at 7:00 pm and on Sundays and other holidays at 6:30 pm. You can also join in the prayer online, at /www.saint-faustina.org

People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. Specific intention for May: For children and youth so that they nurture the spirit of faith, hope and love and for new vocations to God’s service in the Church.

The work of Perpetual Chaplet is a response to the request of Jesus to constantly implore for mercy “for us and the whole world”. The work has been operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at: www.faustyna.pl since 2011. Anyone can participate in it by filling out a short form and declare to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus dictated to St. Faustina—at least once.

On May 31^th (Saturday), after a communal prayer in the Basilica of the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki at 7:30 am, the 18^th Pilgrimage to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska will begin. The pilgrims will make the distance of 33 km on foot. They will visit the churches of Mary Queen of Poland in Krakow’s Nowy Ruczaj and in Rzozów, and the church of the Most Holy Trinity in Przytkowice as they go. The arrival to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is planned at 6:45 pm. After a Holy Mass, they will return to Krakow by buses.

May 27^th is the 19^h anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s pilgrimage to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. The Holy Father prayed before the grace-famous painting of Merciful Jesus and at the tomb of St. Faustina, in the chapel of Perpetual Adoration, and in the Basilica he met with the sick, who – as he said – are the most eloquent witnesses of God’s Mercy and have an active part in the salvation of the world. On a general audience in Rome, he recalled this pilgrimage to the Shrine in Łagiewniki: I had the opportunity to point out that only Divine Mercy illuminates the mystery of man. … Contemplating the illuminating wounds of the risen Christ, Sister Faustina Kowalska received a message of trust to humanity, the message of God’s Mercy … This message is indeed the main message of our time: mercy as God’s power and as the boundary for the evils of the whole world.

From May 23 to 25 this year, a conference dedicated to the Divine Mercy will be held in Auckland. Sr. Teresa de la Fuente from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will participate. During the sessions, she will give two lectures: one on living the message of Divine Mercy, and another on how this message serves as an impulse for evangelization. The day after the conference ends, Sr. Teresa will meet with students in the city.

Saint Faustina is commonly associated with her revelations of Merciful Jesus and not so much with ones of the Virgin Mary. However, she experienced tens of such revelations. While She conversed with Sister Faustina, Mary revealed to her the mystery of Divine Mercy in her own life. She also instructed, reassured and accompanied the Saint in her prophetic mission of Mercy. She told her: Out of the depths of God’s Mercy, I am your Mother (Diary, 449) and I am not only the Queen of Heaven, but also the Mother of Mercy, and your Mother (Diary, 330).

The Blessed Virgin was, for Sister Faustina, primarily the Mother of the Son of God – the Embodiment of Mercy – and thanks to the Divine Mercy, also the mother of every human being. As the caring best Mother of all and a Mistress of spiritual life, she instructed her regarding the contemplation of God in her soul, regarding obedience to the will of God, the art of lovingly accepting one’s own cross and concern for the virtues that condition the attitude of trust in God and mercy towards our fellow human beings. I saw the Mother of God, Sister Faustina noted, who said to me, “Oh, how pleasing to God is the soul that follows faithfully the inspirations of His grace! I gave the Savior to the world; as for you, you have to speak to the world about His great mercy and prepare the world for the Second Coming of Him who will come, not as a merciful Savior, but as a just Judge. Oh, how terrible is that day! Determined is the day of justice, the day of divine wrath. The angels tremble before it. Speak to souls about this great mercy while it is still the time for mercy. If you keep silent now, you will be answering for a great number of souls on that terrible day. Fear nothing. Be faithful to the end. I sympathize with you” (Diary 635).

When the Congregation chose Mary for the Heavenly Superior General, St. Faustina had a vision where she saw all the sisters covered under Mary’s coat and heard the words of a great promise: “Everyone who perseveres zealously till death in My Congregation will be spared the fire of purgatory, and I desire that each one distinguish herself by the following virtues: humility and meekness; chastity and love of God and neighbor; compassion and mercy”. After these words, the whole Congregation disappeared from my sight, and I remained alone with the Most Holy Mother who instructed me about the will of God and how to apply it to my life, submitting completely to His most holy decrees. It is impossible for one to please God without obeying His holy will. “My daughter, I strongly recommend that you faithfully fulfill all God’s wishes, for that is most pleasing in His holy eyes. I very much desire that you distinguish yourself in this faithfulness in accomplishing God’s will. Put the will of God before all sacrifices and holocausts” (Diary, 1244).

On May 18, 2020 – the 100th anniversary of the birth of St. John Paul II – the third channel of Polish Television (TVP3) began daily nationwide broadcasts of the Hour of Mercy prayer and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy from the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. The prayers are led by the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy before the miraculous image of the Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. At 3 p.m., the privileged hour in devotion to Divine Mercy, hundreds of thousands of people gather daily at the foot of the Cross of Jesus through this broadcast – just as Jesus desired – to reflect, even briefly, on the mystery of Divine Mercy revealed in His Passion and to plead for God’s mercy “for us and for the whole world.” It is a time of grace granted to us each day because Jesus attached promises of every kind of grace and temporal blessing (in accordance with His will) to the Hour of Mercy (the moment of His death on the Cross) and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, if we ask with trust and combine this trusting prayer with acts of mercy toward others. The broadcast of the Hour of Mercy and Chaplet on TVP3 is also available at: www. www.saint-faustina.org, on YouTube, and in the Faustyna.pl app for Android and iOS.

On May 22 this year, a meeting of the “Faustinum” association community will take place at the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome. The theme will focus on trust in the Bible and in the “Diary” of St. Faustina. The meeting will be led by the sisters from the Roman community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and Fr. Paolo Martinelli, rector of the Church of the Holy Spirit. The theme will be: “Peter’s trust and Judas’s distrust.” The program includes: the Hour of Mercy prayer and the Divine Mercy Chaplet to begin the meeting, Holy Mass, conferences, Eucharistic adoration, the Rosary, and fraternal gathering.

The meeting can also be attended via Google Meet.

On May 18th, faithful across Australia and Oceania will join in prayer of the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 pm for the 8 time. The action is the fruit of the Congress of Divine Mercy held in Melbourne in 2018 and involves joining in prayer twice a year: on May 18, which is the anniversary of the birth of St. John Paul II, and on September 13—the anniversary of the revelation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, above all, by the faithful of Australia and Oceania. Also Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy have joined in this prayerful action. Also Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy have joined in this prayerful action.

On May 18 this year, all those participating in this action, also from other countries of the world, will pray for Pope Leo XIV, that his pontificate may be a sign of unity in a divided world, and his words a light for every conscience. More information and how to join: www.worldchaplet.org

On May 17 this year, another formation meeting of the Krakow “Faustinum” community will take place at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki.
Program:
13:30 – Rosary prayer
14:10 – Conferences:
• Stage II: ABCs of the spiritual life – Sr. Maria Faustyna Ciborowska ISMM
• Stage I: Biblical series – Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza ISMM
14:40 – Time for personal prayer and reflection
15:00 – Prayer at the Hour of Mercy
15:30 – Announcements – “Faustinum” Hall
15:50 – Group meetings
17:00 – Holy Mass
17:50 – Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
18:15 – Agape – “Faustinum” Hall.

On May 14^th, in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Prešov, Slovakia, a “Day of Divine Mercy” will be held. Sister from both communities of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Slovakia will take part, the ones from the Košice and Nižny Hrušov, together with members and volunteers of the “Faustinum” Association. The program includes: Holy Mass, conference by Sister Blanka Krajčíková on the topic “Do not despair – all is not lost”, adoration and prayer at the Hour of Mercy and  the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

In Krakow, on May 11^th (Sunday), an annual procession in honor of St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr will walk from the Wawel Hill to the monastery of Skałka (the place of his martyrdom). This beautiful procession dating back to the thirteenth century, is attended by bishops, priests, various male and female religious congregations, parish delegations from the entire archdiocese of Krakow, including some wearing regional costumes, and many other faithful. Traditionally, in the sign of their relics, patrons of Poland are also following: St. Stanislaus, St. Adalbert and other Polish saints, among them St. Faustina, who has participated in this national procession for many years.

Under this theme, a retreat will be held on May 9–11 at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, dedicated to the topic of forgiving oneself and others as a path to inner freedom. Participants will learn this art from Saint Faustina, who wrote: “We are most like God when we forgive our neighbors” (Diary, 1148). The retreat will be led by Fr. Krzysztof Kowal MS, responsible for the postulancy in the La Salette congregation and a spiritual director, as well as Agata Matysiak, a psychologist and psychotherapist with experience in conducting workshops on interpersonal communication.
More information: www.faustinum.pl

From May 9th to 11th, a retreat for girls aged 16 and above will take place in the town of Oziornoe under the theme: “The Source of Strength is Within You.” It will be led by Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko and Sr. Helena Barchankova from the Petropavlovsk community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, as well as Sr. Madlen Hofmann and Fr. Hans Reiner.

On May 8 we will be celebrating the 157th anniversary of the establishment, by Mother Teresa Ewa Countess Potocki nee Sułkowski, of the first house of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Krakow. The sisters became involved in the education of girls and women in need of deep moral renewal, first in the “House of Mercy” at the Church of Divine Mercy at Smoleńsk street, and then in the convent at the crossroads of Zwierzyniecka and Straszewskiego (now occupied by Hotel Radisson). Since 1891, the convent’s house has been in Krakow-Łagiewniki. Today, the sisters are performing more than their original work, being also involved in the mission of St. Faustina to proclaim the message of Mercy to the world. They do this not only at the Shrine of Divine Mercy among the pilgrims from around the world, but also through many new works: the Association of Divine Mercy Apostles “Faustinum”, the publishing company “Misericordia”, the quarterly magazine “Orędzie Miłosierdzia”, the website available in 8 languages, the online broadcasts from the chapel of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy image and the tomb of St. Faustina, the perpetual Chaplet, the Chaplet for the dying, presence in the media, social networking, visits to parishes in Poland and abroad, participation in symposia and conferences devoted to the Mercy of God and the heritage of St. Faustina, etc. Their ministry, even the most implicit, includes the proclamation of the message of the merciful Love of God to man.

On Sunday, May 4 this year, the 9th National Reading of the Holy Scriptures will take place. It refers to the Baptism of Poland, providing an opportunity to recall the Christian roots of our nation. With its theme and selected texts from the First and Second Letters of St. Paul to the Corinthians and the First Letter of St. Peter, it fits into this year’s pastoral program, which focuses on the virtue of hope. This time, the guiding thought of the event will be: “The Risen Christ – our hope of glory.” The main goal of the National Reading of the Holy Scriptures, which inaugurates the Biblical Week, is to invite the faithful to personal, daily reading and reflection on the Scriptures. The solemn celebration will take place in Warsaw – at the Temple of Divine Providence, at Jasna Góra, and at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki at 7:00 a.m., together with the Eucharist presided over by Bishop Piotr Przyborek from the Archdiocese of Gdańsk. It will be broadcast on TVP1 and at www.faustyna.pl, on YouTube, and via mobile apps: faustyna.pl.

From Sunday, May 4 to May 10, 2025, the Church will observe the 17th Biblical Week under the motto: “The Risen Christ – our hope of glory.”

Under this motto, for the tenth time, on May 4 (Sunday), the Walking Pilgrimage from the Diocese of Gliwice will arrive at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. The pilgrims will be welcomed by Bishop Sławomir Oder, the ordinary of the diocese, who will preside over the Holy Mass at 1:00 PM in the chapel with the miraculous image of Divine Mercy and the tomb of St. Faustina. The pilgrimage program includes participation in the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, as well as a meeting in the conference hall to deepen understanding of the spiritual legacy and prophetic mission of St. Faustina.

On the 25th anniversary of the canonization of St. Faustina, on April 30 of this year, after Holy Mass at 12:00 p.m., the 13th walking pilgrimage of the Diocese of Bielsko-Żywiec will depart from Hałcnów to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. The pilgrims will walk in several groups, each under the patronage of: St. Faustina, St. John Paul II, St. Brother Albert, St. Maximilian, St. Józef Bilczewski, St. Mother Teresa, and Blessed Fr. Michał Sopoćko. They will arrive at the Łagiewniki Shrine—at the chapel with the miraculous image of the Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina—on May 3, for personal prayer and veneration of the relics of the Apostle of Divine Mercy. The Eucharist concluding the pilgrimage will be celebrated in the Basilica of Divine Mercy.

People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. A detailed intention for April is prayer for the spiritual rebirth of mankind and its confident turn towards God’s Mercy.

The work of Perpetual Chaplet is a response to the request of Jesus to constantly implore for mercy “for us and the whole world”. The work has been operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at: www.faustyna.pl since 2011. Anyone can participate in it by filling out a short form and declare to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus dictated to St. Faustina—at least once.

In April in all the chapels of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, including the one of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina at the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki, evening devotions in honor of Divine Mercy will take place, during which the Litany of Divine Mercy will be recited. The words of the litany were written down by St. Faustina in her Diary and her Vilnius confessor, Bl. Fr. Michael Sopocko, composed the prayer on this basis. Praying with her words, we not only praise God’s Mercy, but also get to know the mystery of God’s merciful Love more, which accompanies man in all the dimensions of his earthly life, accompanying him always and everywhere.

On May 1th, 18th annual pilgrimage of Catholics from Slovakia organized by Radio Lumen will arrive at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. About 10,000 pilgrims from all over Slovakia will participate in solemn Mass at 10:30 am, presided by Archbishop Bernard Bober and concelebrated by many priests who will arrive with the pilgrims. At 14.25 pm, Sr. M. Blanka Krajčíková from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy will give a conference. The pilgrimage will conclude with prayer at the Hour of Mercy (3:00 pm), the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and pastorial blessings. The events will traditionally be broadcast by the Catholic Radio Lumen, which will allow those unable to participate in person and come to Łagiewniki in a spiritual manner.

On April 30 of this year falls the 25th anniversary of the canonization of Sister Faustina Kowalska of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. On this occasion, at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki – at the tomb of the Apostle of Divine Mercy – adoration will take place at 4:15 p.m., followed by a Holy Mass of thanksgiving at 5:00 p.m. for the gift of her life and mission of proclaiming the message of Mercy to the world. The Mass will be presided over by Bishop Jan Zając. The program also includes a dance performance entitled “I Was in Heaven”, based on Saint Faustina’s Diary, presented by the “Lilia” Dance Theatre and the Congregation’s students.

Her canonization took place at St. Peter’s Square in Rome and at the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki in the year 2000. Saint Faustina described the event with details more than 60 years earlier, at the end of March 1937 (Diary, 1044-1048). Whoever participated in these events knows that her vision was fulfilled accurately. On that day, the Holy Father John Paul II introduced the Feast of Divine Mercy for the whole Church and provided it with the message of Mercy as articulated by St. Faustina for the third millennium of our faith. You can find out more the testimony of miraculous healing which was tested for the canonization, a description of the event and the canonization homily of the Holy Father at faustyna.pl. We give daily thanks for this “gift of God our time”, as St. Faustina and the message of Mercy which she provided us with were called by St. John Paul II. Millions of people around the world are joining in St. Faustina’s prophetic mission of proclaiming the biblical truth about the merciful Love of God to the world through the witness of life, deeds, words and prayer, creating the Apostolic Movement of the Divine Mercy, which is the “new congregation” as demanded by Jesus. May the anniversary of the Apostle of Divine Mercy’s canonization be an opportunity for us not only to give thanks, but also to explore the abundant heritage of the Saint.

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On April 30 this year, a thanksgiving celebration will take place at the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome for the gift of the life and mission of the Apostle of Divine Mercy, as well as for the institution of the Feast of Divine Mercy in the entire Church by St. John Paul II 25 years ago. The program includes prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, a thanksgiving adoration, and at 5:00 PM a solemn Holy Mass presided over by Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary.

On the octave of the Resurrection, the greatest feast of the Catholic Church, ends on the Feast of Divine Mercy, widely called the Mercy Sunday. Jesus demanded the establishment of the feast when He revealed Himself to St. Faustina, repeatedly expressing His desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy: He said: I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. 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 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 to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. (Diary, 699). On this day, we can receive the grace of washing of regeneration (one of the graces of baptism), but also obtain many other graces and earthly blessings, if they are in accordance with the will of God. The condition is a pure heart without attachment to sin and the attitude of trust in God, which is the desire to do His will and active love of one’s neighbors. The only vessel for drawing the graces is trust, as Jesus taught St. Faustina, because God’s Mercy has no limits and the joy of God is to give much – very much. Such is the Merciful Love we can get to know better and venerate as we celebrate the holiday. Click here to learn more about the Feast and its history in the Church.

The Feast of Mercy, in accordance with the wishes of Jesus expressed to St. Faustina and the decisions of the Holy Father John Paul II, is celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter (this year it is April 27). The central ceremony held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. They will be preceded by a novena of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy made on Good Friday, and a night vigil which starts in the Basilica on Saturday at 9:00 pm. Sunday Masses at the Shrine of Divine Mercy will be the celebrated according to the following program:

12:00 am (midnight) – Holy Mass, Bp Janusz Mastalski (basilica).

6:00 am – Holy Mass,  Father Tomasz Szopa (basilica).

8:00 am – Holy Mass, Father Jacek Moskal (basilica).

10:00 am – Holy Mass, Bishop Marek Jędraszewski, Archbishop of Krakow – field altar in front of the basilica – transmission in TVP1.

10.30 am – Holy Mass in English (chapel of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina).

12:30 pm – Holy Mass, Bishop Roman Pindel (basilica).

3:00 pm – Hour of Mercy and Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Father Zbigniew Bielas, Rector of the Shrine and the sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy (basilica). Broadcast: TVP, TV Republika and several radio stations.

4:00 pm – Holy Mass, Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz (basilica).

6:00 pm – Holy Mass, Bishop Robert Chrząszcz (basilica).

7:00 pm – Holy Mass, Father Grzegorz Zembroń, M.S. (chapel of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina).

Masses from the basilica, the Hour of Mercy prayer (3:00 pm), and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be broadcast by TV Milosierdzie at the website of our Rectory, www.milosierdzie.pl, whereas Holy Mass at 7:00 pm and visitation of the Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina by pilgrims will be live streamed at www.saint-faustina.en .

Masses from the basilica, the Hour of Mercy prayer (3:00 pm), and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be broadcast by TV Milosierdzie at the website of our Rectory, www.milosierdzie.pl, whereas Holy Mass at 7:00 pm and visitation of the Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina by pilgrims will be live streamed at www.saint-faustina.en .

From April 25 to 27, Sr. Maria Vianeya from the convent on Żytnia Street in Warsaw and Sr. Diana from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will share the message of Divine Mercy with the faithful at the Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy in Morriston, at the Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Briton Ferry, and at St. David’s Cathedral in Cardiff, United Kingdom.

On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27 of this year, Sr. Terezjana and Sr. Agnes from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will meet with the faithful at the International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine in Knock, Ireland. The sisters will share the spiritual legacy of Saint Faustina, recorded in her Diary, and will lead the Hour of Mercy prayer and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27 of this year, Sr. Sangwina Kostecka from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will meet with the faithful at St. Rita’s Church in Vendeville, France, to present the message of God’s merciful love for humanity, as revealed by Jesus to Saint Faustina. A special focus will be on one of the new forms of devotion to Divine Mercy: the Feast of Mercy.

During the international music and prayer event titled “Symphony of Mercy”, which takes place at the White Seas in Krakow and connects the Shrines of Divine Mercy across five continents, as well as on Divine Mercy Sunday (April 26 and 27), you can support the works of mercy conducted by the Congregation of the Sisters of Mother of Mercy. Simply send an SMS with the text HELP to the phone number 73365.

“The cost of sending one SMS to 73365 is PLN 3.69 gross (including VAT). The service is available in the following networks: Orange, Play, Plus, T-Mobile. Orange, Play, Plus, and T-Mobile support the Charity Campaign and donate their proceeds to its cause.”

The Sisters run Houses of Mercy, where they assist young wounded girls, single mothers with children, and provide various forms of spiritual support to people in all kinds of needs.

Symphony of Mercy. “I am with you, do not be afraid of anything” – this is the title of an international musical and prayer event in honor of Divine Mercy, which will take place in the White Seas area of Krakow, between the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki and the Sanctuary of St. John Paul II, on the eve of the Feast of Divine Mercy, that is, April 26, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Through TV links on TVP and EWTN (broadcast from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM), the faithful from the Sanctuaries of Divine Mercy in Brazil, the USA, Tanzania, the Philippines, and Australia, as well as from the Vatican, will participate in prayer for peace. All continents will unite in prayer.

The lyrics for the Symphony come from the “Diary” of St. Faustina, and the entire work will be performed in 17 languages by various solo artists (from Poland: Edyta Górniak, Roksana Węgiel, Andrzej Lampert), the Beethoven Academy Orchestra, the Krakow Philharmonic Choir, the schola of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, and the vocal ensemble of the National Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Tanzania. The music was composed by Bartłomiej Gliniak.

The event is organized by the “Terra Divina” Foundation and the John Paul II Institute of Intercultural Dialogue in Krakow, with partners including the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, the Sanctuary of St. John Paul II in Krakow, the City of Krakow, and the Małopolska Region for St. John Paul II. Patrons include: the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education, the Apostolic Nuncio to Poland, the Polish Bishops’ Conference, and Cardinals Stanisław Dziwisz, Kazimierz Nycz, and Grzegorz Ryś.

Traditionally, on the eve of the Feast of Divine Mercy, on Saturday, April 26 this year, the 18th Mercy Festival will take place in the Wenecja-Słowackiego Park, honoring the patron saint of the city of Łódź – St. Faustina. At 12:00 PM, the event will begin with performances by the groups “Cantare,” “Klaunik,” and “Kujon.” At 3:00 PM, after prayer, the Hour of Mercy, the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and a dramatization of the conversation between Jesus and Faustina, a procession will begin toward the cathedral. There, the Church of Łódź will be entrusted to Divine Mercy and blessed with the relics of the Patron Saint of Łódź. In the Archcathedral, “loaves of mercy” will be distributed, prepared and donated by local bakers.

This Jubilee Year marks important anniversaries: the 120th anniversary of the birth of St. Faustina, the 25th anniversary of her canonization, and the 20th anniversary of her being declared Patron Saint of Łódź by the Holy See. Participants will pray for each person to become a “spark of mercy.”

Every day at 5:30 p.m. in the Basilica of the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, the rosary is prayed for the eternal joy of the deceased Holy Father Francis. In the Chapel of the Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, this prayer is offered daily during the novena to Divine Mercy before Divine Mercy Sunday. A solemn thanksgiving of the Church of Kraków for the gift of the life and pontificate of the late Pope Francis will be the solemn Holy Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, celebrated at 10:00 a.m. by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Kraków, Marek Jędraszewski.

The Holy Father Francis visited the Łagiewniki Shrine on Saturday, July 30, 2016. In a short greeting, he said: “The Lord desires that today we feel His great mercy more deeply. Let us never distance ourselves from Jesus, even if, due to our sins or mistakes, we consider ourselves the worst. Because He prefers us just as we are, for this is how His mercy is poured out. Let us make use of this day so that we may all receive Christ’s mercy. Let us pray together to the Mother of Mercy: Hail Mary… (…) And I ask you, pray for me.”

The immediate preparation for the Feast of Divine Mercy at the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome will begin at 3:00 PM with the Hour of Mercy prayer and the conclusion of the novena before the feast. The program includes: the solemn blessing of the image of Merciful Jesus; at 5:30 PM – the “Symphony of Mercy” – a connection with the Shrines of Divine Mercy on five continents: Poland – Kraków, Tanzania, Brazil, the United States, El Salvador, and Australia. At 7:00 PM, Holy Mass presided over by Cardinal Dominique Mamberti and a prayer vigil until 9:37 PM, the hour of Saint John Paul II’s passage to heaven.

On the Feast of Mercy, solemn Holy Masses in Italian at 7:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, and 7:00 PM, presided over by Cardinal Baldassare Reina; in English – 9:00 AM; in Polish – 4:00 PM. The Solemn Hour of Mercy with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and adoration at 3:00 PM.

Good Friday is the first day of the novena before the feast of Divine Mercy. Jesus asked St. Faustina to use it in order to prepare for the celebration, in which we worship God in the mystery of His unfathomable Mercy. The novena consists of nine days of recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Jesus said about the power of this novena that it entreat just about everything which is in accordance with God’s will, which means that is good for us on earth and in eternity. Out of devotion, you can also recite a novena which Jesus dictated to Sister Faustina. The ceremonial start of this novena will take place at the Shrine of Divine Mercy after the prayer at the Hour of Mercy (3:00 pm), which is celebrated and experienced  in a special way on Good Friday. Live broadcast on-line  and TVP 3.

Allelujah!!! Jesus lives!!! He lives among us and in us, when we are in a state of grace. Love wins over sin and life over death.  Jesus overcame all evil and Satan, the enemy of man. Since then we can also can gain the victory over sin and human weakness through Jesus, and thus live more fully in communion with God. Let God’s mercy be praised in us and through us! We wish you all joyous celebration of this greatest mystery of our faith!

On the occasion of Easter and the Feast of Divine Mercy, the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy would like to wish all our Benefactors, Associates supporting our apostolic works, as well as Visitors to the Congregation’s website and Members of the Facebook group of the Shrine of Divine Mercy. May you all experience a joyful encounter with the risen, merciful Lord. He is the One who brings peace which the world cannot give, fills our hearts with love and always bestows blessings, as we see Him in the Image which He instructed St. Faustina to paint. We also wish you all graces, and on the Feast of Mercy, may you be granted the greatest promise of Jesus, which is complete absolution from sins and punishment. Blessed Easter to you all!!!

The greatest miracles of Divine Mercy take place in the confessional, as they turn the death of sin to life. Jesus said to St. Sister Faustina: Tell souls where they are to look for solace; that is, in the Tribunal of Mercy [the Sacrament of Reconciliation] There the greatest miracles take place [and] are incessantly repeated. To avail oneself of this miracle, it is not necessary to go on a great pilgrimage or to carry out some external ceremony; it suffices to come with faith to the feet of My representative and to reveal to him one’s misery, and the miracle of Divine Mercy will be fully demonstrated. Were a soul like a decaying corpse so that from a human standpoint, there would be no [hope of] restoration and everything would already be lost, it is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full. Oh, how miserable are those who do not take advantage of the miracle of God‟s mercy! You will call out in vain, but it will be too late (Diary, 1448). At the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, priests stay in confessionals every day – from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm in the basilica (from Maundy Thursday until 5:45 pm), and 6:00 am-6:30 am and 4:30 pm-6:00 pm. Since in the Holy Week there are long queues to the confessionals, we recommend coming earlier to confess rather than wait the last days before Easter.

In the Catholic Church, Holy Saturday is a day of mourning after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In churches and chapels, the “Tomb of the Lord” is arranged, we adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, thanking Him for the work of Redemption and graces brought by the Cross for our salvation, and we beg for mercy for us and the whole world. At the Shrine of Divine Mercy in the morning, foods are blessed on the Christmas table. About 3:00 pm, prayer at the Hour of Mercy is observed, combined with the novena before the Feast of  Divine Mercy, followed by memoration of the descent of Jesus into the abyss. After nightfall, at 8:00 pm in front of the basilica, the rites of the Easter Vigil will begin with the Eucharist, where candles should be brought, because this liturgy renews our vows of baptism.

Good Friday is the only day in the year when there is no Holy Mass, as the most perfect sacrifice was made by Jesus Himself at the Cross.  Jesus told St. Faustina in one of the many revelations associated with His Passion: On the cross, the fountain of My mercy was opened wide by the lance for all souls – no one have I excluded! (Diary, 1182). On Good Friday, the 3:00 pm prayer, recited at the moment of the agony of Jesus on the Cross (Hour of Mercy) the is celebrated in a particularly solemn manner at the Shrine of Divine Mercy and followed by the start of the novena before the Feast of Mercy (transmission available at: www.saint-faustina.org). After the novena, at approx. 3:30 pm, the Way of the Cross will be celebrated. The Good Friday Liturgy of the Passion will begin in the Basilica at 6:00 pm. After Adoration of the Cross and Holy Communion, an Eucharistic procession will set off to the Holy Sepulcher, which is traditionally arranged in the convents’ Chapel of the Passion. There will be a continual adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, which begins the Lenten Lamentations. On Good Friday, strict fasting and abstinence from all meat is required.

Trust. This distrust of My goodness hurts Me very much.  If My death has not convinced you of My love, what will? (Diary, 580), Jesus complained to St. Faustina. His life, teachings, and miracles most fully revealed the goodness of God and his merciful love to the world. And yet, it so difficult for us to trust in God, so deep is our wound of distrust left by the original sin and our personal sins. Sister Faustina lifts the veil of heaven so we can deepen our knowledge of God’s merciful love, most fully revealed by Jesus’ passion and death on the Cross. This knowledge awakens and grows an attitude of trust in us, which expresses itself in fulfilling God’s will contained in the Commandments, the word of God, duties of the state or inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The will of God, as St. Faustina used to say, is mercy itself, which is why she served it faithfully and prayed with the words: Should You take me in my youth, be blessed; should You let me live to a ripe old age, be blessed. Should You give me health and strength, be blessed; should You confine me to a bed of pain for my whole life, be blessed. Should you give only failures and disappointments in life, be blessed. Should You allow my purest intentions to be condemned, be blessed. Should You enlighten my mind, be blessed. Should You leave me in darkness and all kinds of torments, be blessed. From this moment on, I live in the deepest peace, because the Lord himself is carrying me in the hollow of His hand. He, Lord of unfathomable mercy, knows that I desire Him alone in all things, always and everywhere (Diary, 1264). Doing the will of God is not only an expression of trust in Him, but also a release from fear, pride and selfishness, that brings peace and joy to the heart, so that we can more fully live in the freedom as God’s children and to participate in the life and mission of Jesus. It is the shortest way to union with God in love.

Holy Thursday is the day when we give thanks to merciful God for the gift of priesthood and the Eucharist. Jesus allowed me to enter the Cenacle, wrote St. Faustina about her mystical experience, and I was a witness to what happened there. However, I was most deeply moved when, before the Consecration, Jesus raised His eyes to heaven and entered into a mysterious conversation with His Father. It is only in eternity that we shall really understand that moment. His eyes were like two flames; His face was radiant, white as snow; His whole personage full of majesty, His soul full of longing. At the moment of Consecration, love rested satiated – the sacrifice fully consummated. Now only the external ceremony of death will be carried out – external destruction; the essence [of it] is in the Cenacle (Diary, 684).

At the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, on Holy Thursday (April 17) at 6:00 pm, Mass of the Lord’s Supper will be presided by Bishop Jan Zając, the honorary curator of the Shrine. The Holy Thursday liturgy will be completed by the procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose, which traditionally arranged in the convent chapel of the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. Adoration of Jesus in Repose will last all night.

The devotion, in which we contemplate the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, allows us to discover and explore the merciful love of God to man, to develop the attitude of trusting God in every situation, even the difficult and painful ones and the attitude of mercy toward our neighbors. Jesus took our sins upon Himself and suffered ignominious death for every one of us, to rise again so that we may have life and enjoy it now and forever.

On every Friday at Shrine of Divine Mercy, a communal devotion of the Stations of the Cross, or Way of Sorrows, will be celebrated at the Basilica at 4:00 pm and in the chapel of the Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina at 7:00 pm, with the exception of the first Friday, when the Way will be celebrated at 6:15 pm (online broadcast available at www.saint-faustina.org).

April 13 is Passion Sunday, also celebrated as Palm Sunday, which starts the Holy Week. On this day, the account of Jesus Christ’s Passion is read from the Gospel during the Holy Mass. The Eucharist is preceded by a procession with colorful Polish palms as a celebration of the memory of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The palms symbolize the Divine life being reborn in the souls of the faithful. At the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki, Bp. Jan Zając, priests, religious sisters and the faithful will leave the chapel of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina in a solemn procession with palms at 10:15 am and will proceed to the basilica, where Holy Mass will be celebrated. The evangelic description of Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem is supplemented by the account of St. Faustina’s visions from her Diary: I saw Jesus riding on a donkey’s foal, and the disciples and a great multitude with branches in their hands joyfully accompanying the Lord Jesus. Some strewed them before His feet where He was riding, while others raised their branches in the air, leaping and jumping before the Lord and not knowing what to do for joy. And I saw another crowd which came out to meet Jesus, likewise with joyful faces and with branches in their hands, and they were crying out unceasingly with joy. There were little children there also. But Jesus was very grave, and the Lord gave me to know how much He was suffering at the time. And at that moment, I saw nothing but only Jesus, whose Heart was saturated with ingratitude (Diary, 642). Jesus gave me to understand how much He had suffered in that triumphal procession. “Hosanna” was reverberating in Jesus’ heart as an echo of ‘Crucify’. Jesus allowed me to feel this in a special way (Diary, 1028).

From April 6 to 8 this year, Sr. Anna Maria Trzcińska from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Mother of Divine Mercy, in cooperation with the sisters from the Ełk community, will lead a Lenten retreat at the parish of St. John the Baptist in the town of Wizna, Diocese of Łomża. The theme of the retreat will be the mystery of God’s mercy and trust, which is the first human response to God’s preceding merciful love.

On April 5 and 6, Sr. Tymoteusza Kmiotek and Sr. Wincenta Mąka from the Roman community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will share the message of Mercy recorded in the Diary of St. Faustina with the faithful in St. Venera Parish in Grotte, in the Diocese of Agrigento. The program includes conferences, communal prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, veneration of the relics of St. Faustina, and a fraternal gathering.

On April 5–6 this year, Sr. Emanuela, Sr. Maria Faustyna, Sr. Eliana, and Sr. Jaśmina will share the message of Mercy and the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina with the faithful at St. Luke’s Parish in Sosnowiec. The program also includes liturgical service.

Concern for the conversion of sinners. This is the greatest act of mercy, which has us keep in mind the eternal wellbeing of another human being. Sister Faustina, following Jesus’ example, even made the sacrifice of her life with this intention. The mystical experiences she met heaven, purgatory and hell, because she said that no sacrifice is too great to save a man for eternity. Jesus invited her – and through it well and us – to cooperate in the work of saving sinners, even those for which humanly speaking, there is no hope. Many times He asked: I thirst. I thirst for the salvation of souls. Help Me, My daughter, to save souls. Join your sufferings to My Passion; and offer them to the heavenly Father for sinners (Diary, 1032). The loss of each soul plunges Me into mortal sadness. You always console Me when you pray for sinners. The prayer most pleasing to Me; is prayer for the conversion of sinners. Know, My daughter, that this prayer is always heard and answered (Diary, 1397).

At the invitation of Jesus, Sister Faustina responded generously: O Jesus, I want to bring souls to the fount of Your mercy to draw the reviving water of life with the vessel of trust. The soul desirous of more of God’s mercy should approach God with greater trust; and if her trust in God is unlimited, then the mercy of God toward it will be likewise limitless. O my God, Who know every beat of my heart, You know how eagerly I desire that all hearts would beat for You alone, that every soul glorify the greatness of Your mercy (Diary, 1489).

On April 4th, at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, in the chapel with the famous image of the Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, a Way of the Cross service for foreigners will begin at 7:45 PM. The devotion will be conducted in English, with reflections also in other languages, including French, Spanish, Italian, Slovak, Russian, Swahili, and Hindi (India). The event is organized by the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy and participants of the Sunday English-language Eucharist at the Łagiewniki Shrine.

Under this motto, from March 31 to April 2 this year, a retreat will be held for children from the Primary School of the Silesian Land in Piece and the Tadeusz Kościuszko Primary School in Gaszowice. It will be led by Sr. Tobiana and Sr. Agnes from the Krakow community of the Congregation of the Mother of God of Mercy, using methods that actively engage participants in this encounter with Merciful Jesus.

Under this motto, from March 30 to April 2 of this year, Sr. Gaudia Skass from the Krakow community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will lead Lenten retreats for the Catholic University of Lublin’s Academic Ministry. The retreats, based on the Gospel and the symbolism of the image of the Merciful Jesus, will focus on the need for closeness and building a relationship with God.

In March in all chapels of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, including the one with the miracle-famous Divine Mercy image and the tomb of St. Faustina at the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki, evening devotions will be held to memorate St. Joseph. The sisters, since the early history of the Congregation, have had special veneration for St. Joseph, Spouse of the Mother of God and diligent protector of Christ, whose care they entrust themselves to. The Saint provides aid not only in respect to material things, but also spiritual ones. He gave St. Faustina “to know how much he is supporting this work of mercy” which the Lord commanded – one of proclaiming the message of mercy to the world, and promised his protection. However, he also demanded her continuing devotion and asked that she recite three daily prayers and one Memorate to St. Joseph (Diary, 1203). Our daily on-line broadcasts (except Thursdays and Sundays) at 7:00 pm will allow you to join in the singing of the Litany of St. Joseph with the sisters to thank for his fatherly care and to ask for his powerful intercession in our intentions before God.

As part of this series, a retreat will take place from March 28-30 at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, dedicated to the figure of St. Paul the Apostle. By learning about his life and delving into his letters to the Church communities, one can see how great God’s mercy is, which brought about the complete transformation of his life. Captured by Mercy, he undertook the mission of evangelizing the Gentiles, assigned to him by the Lord. The retreat will be led by Dr. Danuta Piekarz, a biblical scholar and Italianist, lecturer at the Jagiellonian University, the Higher Seminary of the Pauline Fathers, and the Dominican Philosophical-Theological College in Kraków. She is an author of books and collaborates with the Salvatorian Center for Spiritual Formation.

On March 29 and 30, Sr. Wincenta Mąka and Sr. Amata Strzępek from the Roman community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will share the spiritual heritage of St. Faustina with the faithful at the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes in Rende-Cosenza, Calabria. The sisters will proclaim the message of Mercy in this town during the so-called “Days of Divine Mercy.” The program includes: Holy Masses, veneration of St. Faustina’s relics, lectures, testimonies, prayer at the Hour of Mercy, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and meetings with the “Faustinum” community and other groups devoted to Divine Mercy.

For the period of Lent, we usually make resolutions, which usually involves doing the deeds that Jesus asked us to do: almsgiving, prayer and fasting, performed secretly with the pure intention of love for God and for people, not for applause or recognition. Saint Faustina also practiced them. In her religious life, however, she made one specific resolution, which she realized not only during Lent, but always, namely, she joined Merciful Jesus living in her soul, through an aspiration. When she wanted to change this decision, Jesus would not let her, because this daily practice leads to the development of a deep relationship with Him, to living our daily lives with Him.

People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. A detailed intention for March is prayer for  a fruitful experience of Lent, and the grace of conversion for all sinners, especially those in danger of losing their salvation.

The work of Perpetual Chaplet is a response to the request of Jesus to constantly implore for mercy “for us and the whole world”. The work has been operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at: www.faustyna.pl since 2011. Anyone can participate in it by filling out a short form and declare to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus dictated to St. Faustina at least once.

Works of mercy.  This fast is what God desires. The following event in the life of St. Faustina is among the things which can convince us of it: The doctor did not allow me to go to the chapel to attend the Passion Service, although I had a great desire for it; however, I prayed in my own room. Suddenly I heard the bell in the next room, and I went in and rendered a service to a seriously sick person. When I returned to my room, I suddenly saw the Lord Jesus, who said, My daughter, you gave Me greater pleasure by rendering Me that service than if you had prayed for a long time. I answered, But it was not to You, Jesus, but to that patient that I rendered this service. And the Lord answered me, Yes, My daughter, but whatever you do for your neighbor, you do for Me (Diary, 1029).

Jesus instructed St. Faustina, and through her, all of us, that there are three ways to provide good to our neighbors: by deed, word, and prayer. He said: In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy. (Diary, 742). Jesus asked Sister Faustina to do at least one act of mercy towards her neighbors during a day, and do it out of love for Him. This is the only wealth on earth that has eternal value. It makes us beautiful in our humanity and our Christian vocation, but also rich before God.

Under this motto, from March 24 to 28 of this year, a retreat will be held in Rybnik for children from Primary School No. 5 named after Nicolaus Copernicus and Primary School No. 4 named after John Paul II. It will be led by Sr. Tobiana and Sr. Agnes from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, using methods that actively engage participants in this encounter with the Merciful Jesus.

As part of the Samaritan Woman project, a women’s retreat will take place from March 21-23, 2025, at St. Joseph’s Parish in Makinsk under the theme: “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” The program includes meditations on Gospel events: the healing of the woman suffering from hemorrhage and the raising of Jairus’ daughter, conferences, and workshops. The retreat, led by Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko from the Petropavlovsk community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, Sr. Kazimiera Wanat, Sr. Madlen Hofmann, and Fr. Hans Reiner, conveys the message that “you are a daughter of God. Beloved. Until you discover this within yourself, everything may have power over you. You can give everything away and still bleed, trapped in self-rejection. But one touch of Jesus – with faith – can change everything, lift you up, and give you strength to live.”

This is the theme of a new retreat cycle organized by the “Faustinum” association at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. The first retreat in this cycle will take place from March 21st to 23rd and will focus on the Samaritan woman, who, after her encounter with Jesus at the well, left as a transformed woman, changed by mercy. The key to this transformation was her honesty. “Tell Me everything,” Jesus says in His dialogue with a suffering soul, “be honest with Me, reveal all the wounds of your heart, and I will heal them” (Diary 1487). The retreat will be led by Fr. Marcin Ciunel MS, a biblical scholar, spiritual director at the Higher Seminary of the Missionaries of La Salette in Kraków, and Sr. M. Eliana Chmielewska ISMM from the “Faustinum” community in Kraków.
More information at: www.faustinum.pl

Meditating on the Passion of Jesus. During Lent, we consider the suffering of Jesus, which He took upon Himself out of love for us and for our salvation, more often than in other times of the year. We participate in the devotion of the cross and Bitter Lamentations, and we read the Scriptures that announce and describe the paschal events. Jesus instructed Faustina, and through her all of us, to consider His Passion in such a way as if it took place only for her sake (cf. (Diary, 1761). He explained: There is more merit to one hour of meditation on My sorrowful Passion than there is to a whole year of flagellation that draws blood; the contemplation of My painful wounds is of great profit to you, and it brings Me great joy 369). My daughter, meditate frequently on the sufferings which I have undergone for your sake, and then nothing of what you suffer for Me will seem great to you. You please Me most when you meditate on My Sorrowful Passion. Join your little sufferings to My Sorrowful Passion, so that they may have infinite value before My Majesty (Diary, 1512). Following these indications of Jesus, Sister Faustina penetrated deeply into the mystery of the merciful love of God for every man and thanked Jesus for the Book from which she learned to love God and people. That book is Your Passion which You underwent for love of me. It is from this book that I have learned how to love God and souls. In this book there are found for us inexhaustible treasures. O Jesus, how few souls understand You in Your martyrdom of love! Oh, how great is the fire of purest love which burns in Your Most Sacred Heart! Happy the soul that has come to understand the love of the Heart of Jesus! (Diary, 304).

On March 22, at 5 p.m. at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, Holy Mass will be celebrated at the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina for all the donors and contributors supporting the www.faustyna.pl website, including its 8 language versions, on top of all the apostolic works the website manages, particularly the Chaplet for the Dying and the online video streaming from the Krakow-Łagiewniki Shrine. Thanks to the apostolic work, commitment, and financial support of many people, through these efforts we bring the gift of the message of Mercy to the world and provide concrete help to those in greatest need. We repay this support with prayer, which we offer daily to Divine Mercy through the intercession of St. Faustina, for the intentions of all Benefactors and Donors.

On March 22, 2025, the traditional “Evening with Merciful Jesus” will take place at the National Shrine of St. John Paul II in Washington, USA. It will be led by the sisters from the Washington community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The program includes the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet, adoration with the worship of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and intercessory prayer, the Sacrament of Confession, and a conference. Sister Caterina Esselen will speak about Jesus’ words: “Believe in My wounds,” recorded in St. Faustina’s “Diary,” no. 379. “Evenings with Merciful Jesus” are organized for young people who want to follow in the footsteps of St. Faustina and St. John Paul II and discover a new quality of life in friendship with Merciful Jesus.

The conference by Sister Faustyna Szaboová ISMM from the previous meeting: “The Struggles of St. Faustina on the Path to Holiness.”

From March 19 to 21 of this year, Sr. Donata Farbaniec and Sr. Faustia Szaboóva from the Washington community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will lead a retreat at All Saints Parish in the city of Butler, Pennsylvania. The theme of the retreat will be the unfathomable mercy of God, most fully revealed through Jesus Christ and recorded in the Holy Scriptures, and recalled in the message given to St. Faustina and written in her “Diary.”

From March 10th, before the feast of St. Joseph, all the convents of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will be celebrating the traditional novena to St. Joseph.

The Saint is among the patrons of the Congregation and has enjoyed great reverence since its beginning. His images decorate all the convent chapels. Usually, St. Joseph has a separate altar devoted to him on the right side of the presbytery, as it is the case at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. His statues can be found in convent corridors, monastic cells, places of apostolic service, as well as in gardens and nunnery courtyards.  He is the host of every property, house, convent, and thus has everything under his care, not only material matters, with which he is most often associated, but also, and perhaps above all, he cares for the spiritual matters of the communities of our Congregation and the works they carry out. The nuns refer to St. Joseph as the Protector and Father, and so address him in their prayers, certain that “it has never been heard that anyone calling on his care and begging for help has been left without consolation”. In matters of urgency, the Sisters send him “telegrams”, listing very specific problems that need to be dealt with.

From March 12 to 16, Sr. Diana and Sr. Maria Faustyna from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will share the message of Divine Mercy, recorded in the “Diary” of St. Faustina, at the parishes of the Finding of the Holy Cross and Christ the Redeemer of Man in Olsztyn. During these days, a new “Faustinum” community will also be established at the Higher Seminary in Olsztyn.

From March 14 to 16, a retreat will be held in San Romano, Tuscany, for volunteers and members of the Faustinum association from Italy, as well as for those who wish to deepen their understanding of the mystery of Divine Mercy, learn more about St. Faustina, and benefit from her school of spirituality. The retreat will take place at the Franciscan Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, where the relics of St. Faustina were received last year. It will be led by Sr. Wincenta Mąka from the Roman community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The program will primarily include time for prayer, common Eucharist, adoration, conferences, and the opportunity for personal conversation with the priest responsible for Faustinum and with the sister.

On March 15-16, 2025 (Saturday and Sunday), at the “Ostra Brama” Center at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy in Skarżysko-Kamienna, Sr. Maria Vianneya Dąbrowska from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, along with Agnieszka and Krzysztof Stanisławscy, will lead a marriage retreat under the theme: “I pledge you my love…” – How to rediscover the “lost” happiness in a marital relationship.

The program includes: Holy Mass, conferences, prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet, as well as an evening of worship with a healing prayer, led by Agnieszka and Krzysztof Stanisławscy with the music ministry “Powołani” on Saturday evening, March 15, at St. Brother Albert Church.

Lent invites us to reflect on our lives and their purpose. Let us help in this the extremely eloquent vision of Sister Faustina. One day, I saw two roads. One was broad, covered with sand and flowers, full of joy, music and all sorts of pleasures.

People walked along it, dancing and enjoying themselves. They reached the end without realizing it. And at the end of the road there was a horrible precipice; that is, the abyss of hell. The souls fell blindly into it; as they walked, so they fell. And their number was so great that it was impossible to count them. And I saw the other road, or rather, a path, for it was narrow and strewn with thorns and rocks; and the people who walked along it had tears in their eyes, and all kinds of suffering befell them. Some fell down upon the rocks, but stood up immediately and went on. At the end of the road there was a magnificent garden filled with all sorts of happiness, and all these souls entered there. At the very first instant they forgot all their sufferings” (Diary, 153).

What is the purpose of my life? Which road am I taking?

From March 10 to 12, Sr. Tobiana and Sr. Agnes from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will lead a retreat for children and youth at the Piarist School Complex, including the Public Primary School and the 4th Public General Secondary School of the Piarist Order in Bolesławiec. The theme of the retreat will be Divine and human mercy in the Holy Scriptures, the Diary of St. Faustina, and our daily lives.

From March 9 to 11, Sr. Diana and Sr. Maria Faustyna from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will lead a retreat at the Parish of St. Lawrence and St. Nicholas in Radoszki (Diocese of Toruń) under the theme: “Mercy – the Source of Hope.” On Sunday, March 9, with the participation of the sisters, a new formation community of the Association of Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum” will also be established there.

On the same Sunday (March 9), a new “Faustinum” community will also be established in Józefosław at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, where Sr. Maria Vianeya ISMM will deliver a speech.

On March 10-11, Sr. Terezjana from the Krakow community and Sr. Eliasza from the Częstochowa community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will lead a retreat at Our Lady of Ostra Brama Parish in Krakow for children from primary schools No. 45, 114, and 128. The sisters will present the figure of St. Faustina and share the message of Mercy using engaging methods.

Under this motto, from March 7th to 9th this year, a retreat with a workshop element will take place at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki for women discerning a vocation to consecrated life (ages 18-35). The meetings will be led by Fr. Wojciech Kaczmarek CM, Sr. M. Ewangelista Sobkowicz ISMM, and Magdalena Poprawa. During silence, prayer, workshops on the retreat’s theme, and opportunities for conversation with a priest, a sister, or a psychologist, participants will have the chance to look anew at their journey with God, discover His plan for them, and recognize their deepest desires.

On March 8th this year, the XVIII traditional pilgrimage of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy to the Shrine of St. Joseph in Kalisz will take place, with delegations from many convents attending. The solemn Eucharist at 12:00 PM will be presided over by the bishop of the Kalisz diocese, Bishop Damian Bryl. The Holy Mass will be preceded by a special conference given by Fr. Piotr Górski. After lunch, there will be a performance by the “Lilia” Dance Theater and a meeting at the convent.

On March 5, Ash Wednesday, we will enter the time of Lent. On that day, during Holy Mass, the priests sprinkle the faithful with ash as a sign of penitence. The ash comes from the “palms” which had been blessed on Palm Sunday and now burnt). While sprinkling ash on the heads of the faithful, the priests say to them: „Repent and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return”. These words reminds us about the fragility of human life, the need to believe in the Gospel and to repent in order to reach eternal life. On Ash Wednesday, those above 14 years old should abstain from meat and fast, which implies eating no more than three times a day, including one full meal. Solemn fasting should be observed by those under the age of 60. Holy Mass at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki’s chapel with the Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina will be celebrated at 6:30 am, 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm, and in the basilica they will be celebrated as on every Sunday. The beginning of Lent is intended to help in self-reflection, repentance, developing one’s mercy imagination and good preparation for Easter.

The first Friday of Lent, this year on March 7, has been celebrated in Poland for many years as a day of prayer and penance for the sin of sexual abuse of minors. Thus, we entrust all people wounded by sexual violence in their childhood or youth, and especially when the perpetrators were priests, to Divine Mercy on this day. We also ask for the grace of conversion for the perpetrators of these terrible crimes, and those who did see the evil, not did nothing to stand in defense of the victims, so that by recognition of their guilt and acceptance of just punishment and penance for their actions, they become sincerely reconciled with God and the community of the Church. At the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki we specifically recommend these intentions during prayer at the Hour of Mercy and in the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

You can download a file “Jesus’ message of Mercy” at www.saint-faustyna.org for the non-commercial spread of the message of Mercy, which St.  Faustina provided us with in her Diary. It contains the most important words of Jesus recorded by the Apostle of Divine Mercy. The pdf file has been translated into 16 languages. In 2024, it was shared 1249 times. The Spanish version was downloaded by the most 510 people, English by 162, French by 178, Polish by 107…

From February 28 to March 2, a men’s retreat will take place at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki under the theme: “Created to Be Like the Father.” The motto will be the words of Jesus from St. Faustina’s Diary: “My Heart is overflowing with great mercy for souls (…). Oh, that they could understand that I am the best Father for them” (Diary, 367).

Participants will discover the ideal of the modern man in God. The retreat will be led by Fr. Tomasz Jarzynka, vicar of St. Hyacinth Odrowąż Parish in Kętrzyn, and Sr. Maria Faustyna Ciborowska ISMM, a doctor of biblical studies involved in proclaiming the message of Mercy.

On March 1st, a one-day retreat will take place in the hospital chapel of St. John XXIII in Bergamo, where the Capuchin Fathers serve. The retreat is intended for members and volunteers from Lombardy, Italy, and will be led by Sr. Wincenta Mąka from the Roman community of the Congregation of the Mother of God of Mercy under the theme: “Saint Faustina, a pilgrim of hope.”

The program includes: the Eucharist, a conference, a shared lunch and fraternal meeting, followed by prayer at the Hour of Mercy, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The retreat will serve as preparation for Lent, focusing on Saint Faustina’s trust in times of hardship and suffering.

On February 22^nd, the 94^th anniversary of the revelation of Merciful Jesus, in the Płock Shrine of the Divine Mercy at the Old Market, Holy Mass will take place at 6.30 am, 12 pm and 5.00 pm. At 3 pm – prayer in the Hour of Mercy and Chaplet to Divine Mercy will be recited. At 12.00 pm, Holy Mass will be presided over by Bishop Szymon Stułkowski.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, from February 19 to 21, during the 5:00 PM Mass, Sister Gaudia Skass from the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will share stories about encounters with the Merciful Jesus that changed people’s lives.

The celebration of the anniversary will be participated by the inhabitants of Plock and by venerators of Divine Mercy from many towns and villages in Poland, traditionally arriving to witness these events despite the wintry weather.

On February 22, 2025, the traditional “Evening with Merciful Jesus” will take place at the National Shrine of St. John Paul II in Washington, USA. The event will be led by the sisters from the Washington community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

The program includes: the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet, adoration with praise of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and intercessory prayer, the sacrament of reconciliation, and a conference. Sister Faustia Szabóova will speak about fragile human love and how to receive the love of the Heavenly Father. The evening will conclude with a fraternal agape.

“Evenings with Merciful Jesus” are organized for young people who want to follow in the footsteps of St. Faustina and St. John Paul II and discover a new quality of life in friendship with Merciful Jesus.

On February 22 at 5:00 PM, a Holy Mass will be celebrated at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, before the miraculous image of Merciful Jesus and at the tomb of St. Faustina. The Mass will be offered for all those who have engaged in the work of the “Chaplet for the Dying,” with a request that more people join this initiative, bringing mercy to those most in need. We also include in our prayers the dying who have been submitted for prayer in this work, as well as the deceased.

On February 22 this year, a solemn introduction of the relics of St. Sister Faustina will take place at the parish church of St. Joseph the Worker in Stara Wieś near Limanowa. The event will be attended by Sr. Norberta and Sr. Judyta from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. The celebration will be preceded by the spiritual preparation of the faithful during a triduum, which will serve as a reflection on the mission of the Apostle of Divine Mercy and an indication of how the faithful can participate in it through the testimony of life, deeds, words, and prayer.

From February 13 to 16, the annual retreat for devotees of Divine Mercy will take place at the Augustineum retreat house in Bardejovské Kúpele, northern Slovakia. The retreat, under the theme: “God does not give red cards… start anew,” will be led by Fr. Miroslav Liška and Sr. M. Clareta Fečová ISMM from the Hrušov community of the Congregation of the Mother of Divine Mercy.

On February 14-16 this year, a retreat for women will take place at the Shrine of the Queen of Peace in Oziornoje as part of the Samaritan Woman project. The theme of the retreat is: “My beloved is mine, and I am his”. Participants will be accompanied by the figure of Mary Magdalene, a woman with a great heart filled with God’s love.

The program includes conferences, meditation on the Word of God, and bibliodrama. The retreat will be led by Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko from the Petropavlovsk community of the Congregation of the Mother of God of Mercy, Sr. Madlen Hofmann, and Fr. Hans Peter Reiner.

In this series, on February 14-16 this year, a retreat will take place at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki under the theme: “It is never too late. Lectio Divina with Nicodemus.” The motto will be the words of Jesus recorded in St. Faustina’s Diary: “Speak, for I listen to you at all times, beloved child; I am always waiting for you. What do you wish to speak with Me about?” (Diary, 1489). The elderly Nicodemus convinces us that it is never too late to encounter Merciful Jesus; it is never too late to come out of darkness and experience a new birth. One thing is most certain: Jesus is never late—He waits first and to the very end, even for those who are the most delayed.

The retreat will be led by Fr. Krzysztof Wons SDS, Doctor of Spiritual Theology, Director of the Salvatorian Center for Spiritual Formation in Kraków, retreat leader, spiritual director, and promoter of Lectio Divina.

More information: www.faustinum.pl

In 2024, the “Diary” of St. Faustyna on the website: www.faustyna.pl and its 7 language versions was read by almost 67,300 people. All language versions are now available also for tablets and smart-phones.

The words of Jesus said to Sister Faustina are coming true: Secretary of My most profound mystery know that you are in My unique confidence; your task is to write down everything I let you know about My mercy, for the benefit of souls, who on reading thee texts will receive comfort in their souls and draw courage to come up to Me (Diary, 1693).

The latest edition of the International Astronomical Union’s bulletin has announced that two new asteroids have been named after Jesuit Fr. Józef Andrasz, the confessor of St. Faustina Kowalska, whose beatification process began on February 1 of this year, and Francesco Maria Denza, an Italian Barnabite who was an astronomer and meteorologist.

The asteroid, officially named “(722063) Andrasz,” was discovered on May 3, 2015, by Lithuanian astronomer and asteroid researcher Dr. Kazimieras Černis and Jesuit Fr. Richard B. Boyle from the Vatican Observatory. The discovery was made using the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT), located on Mount Graham in Arizona.

From February 7 to 9 this year, a retreat for girls and women will take place at the Discalced Carmelite Monastery in Lorinčík near Košice, in southern Slovakia, under the theme: “I seek your face, Lord; do not hide your face from me” (Ps 27:8-9). It will be led by Fr. Andrej Valent, OCD, and Sr. M. Benediktína Fečová from the Košice community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

On February 1, 2025, at the Metropolitan Curia in Krakow, a solemn opening session of the beatification process of the Servant of God, Fr. Józef Andrasz SJ, will take place. Fr. Andrasz was the spiritual director and confessor of St. Faustina. This date marks the 62nd anniversary of his death.

Sister Faustina first sought his guidance during a retreat before her perpetual vows in April 1933. He became her regular spiritual director during the last years of her life, which she spent in Krakow. In total, Fr. Andrasz assisted Sister Faustina for over two and a half years, and after her death, he actively continued her mission. Under his guidance, the image of the Divine Mercy, painted by Adolf Hyła and now known for miracles at the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki, was created. He also initiated solemn services honoring Divine Mercy in the chapel of the Congregation in Łagiewniki (1943) and the observance of Divine Mercy Sunday (1944). His booklet “Divine Mercy… We Trust in You,” which promoted devotion to Divine Mercy in the forms conveyed by St. Faustina, was translated into many languages and distributed worldwide in vast editions. Read more…

Under this motto, as part of the “Samaritan Woman” project, retreats for women will take place at the diocesan retreat house in Szczucinsk on January 24-26, 2025. This event aims to highlight the great strength of a woman, so greatly needed in the world; that in God’s plan, she is beautiful, free, and independent. During the retreat, the leaders will showcase—through the example of the Jewish biblical heroine Judith, a woman who saved her people, and Mary, the most beautiful and powerful of women—what it means to be a free and strong woman.

The retreats will be led by Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko from the Petropavlovsk community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, Sr. Kazimiera Wanat, Sr. Madlen Hofmann, and Fr. Hans Peter Reiner.

Under this motto, on January 26 of this year, in the Parish of St. Barbara in Pionki, in the Diocese of Radom, at the invitation of Fr. Pastor Robert Kowalski, Sr. Maria Faustyna Ciborowska from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will share the message of Divine Mercy and the spiritual heritage of St. Faustina, as recorded in her “Diary.” In the afternoon, the first meeting will take place with individuals who wish to join the emerging community of the Association of Apostles of Divine Mercy “Faustinum” in this parish.

From January 24-26 this year, a youth meeting will take place in the town of Helvoir, intended for young people aged 16-30. Sr. Gaudia and Sr. Agnes from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki will also participate. The program includes workshops on current and inspiring topics such as the theology of the body, evangelization in the digital age, as well as contemplation and prayer; catechesis led by inspiring speakers like Sr. Gaudia Skass and Fr. Pieter Zimmermann; cozy evenings with fireworks, music, and conversations; moments of silence and enthusiasm; and on Saturday and Sunday, a jointly celebrated Eucharist.

On January 22, 2025, at the National Shrine of St. John Paul II in Washington, USA, the traditional “Evening with the Merciful Jesus” will take place. It will be led by the sisters from the Washington community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. The program includes: the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet, adoration with praise of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and intercessory prayer, the sacrament of confession, and a lecture by Sr. Caterina Esselen titled: “The Holy Doors of God’s Heart Are Wide Open for Us.” The evening will conclude with a fraternal agape.

“Evenings with the Merciful Jesus” are organized for young people who wish to follow in the footsteps of St. Faustina and St. John Paul II and discover a new quality of life in friendship with the Merciful Jesus.

On January 22, a meeting for young people, “Łagiewnicka 22,” will take place at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. It will begin at 7:00 PM in the chapel with the miraculous image of Jesus the Merciful and the tomb of St. Faustina. The event will be led by the sisters of the Krakow community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The program includes: a talk by Sr. Anna Maria Trzcińska on how to be yourself, using the example of St. Faustina, silent prayer, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with the worship of Divine Mercy, as well as fellowship over delicious treats and a Q&A session.

On Sunday, January 19, the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Płock, located at Stary Rynek, will host a formation meeting for the Faustinum Association of the Apostles of Divine Mercy. The event will begin at 1:45 p.m. with a conference on the Bible. At 3:00 p.m., participants will observe the Hour of Mercy and recite the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, followed by a communal Agape. The gathering will conclude with Holy Mass at 5:00 p.m., preceded by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The meetings are led by the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy and local priests.

On January 17-19 this year, a New Year’s retreat for women will take place at the Discalced Carmelite Monastery in Lorinčík near Košice, in southern Slovakia, under the motto: “I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined to me” (Ps 40:2). The retreat will be led by Fr. Paweł Wojnowski OCD and Sr. M. Benediktína Fečová from the Košice community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy.

On January 18th, at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the first formative meeting of the Krakow “Faustinum” community for the new calendar year will take place.

The program includes:
13:30 – Rosary prayer
14:10 – Conferences:
14:10 – Stage II: The ABCs of Spiritual Life – Sr. Maria Faustyna Ciborowska ISMM
14:10 – Stage I: Biblical series – Sr. M. Terezjana Klepacka ISMM
15:00 – Prayer at the Hour of Mercy and Chaplet of Divine Mercy
15:30 – Agape and Drawing of Patrons for 2025 – “Faustinum” hall
16:20 – Community caroling
17:00 – Eucharist
17:50 – Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

More information at: www.faustinum.pl

At www.faustyna.pl and its 8 language versions, Patron Draw for 2025 is open. As of January 6, already 288,100 users have participated, including almost 189,400 people from Poland. The Spanish version was accessed by more than 44,400 persons, the Slovak one by 44,300, the Italian one by over 3,700, while others used the remaining language versions. As witnesses show, the Patrons deliver special responses to people’s lives and situations. It is worth it having such a holy company, because the Inhabitants of Heaven are willing and helpful if we ask them. Numerous testimonials attest to their effectiveness.

On January 12, a solemn introduction of the relics of St. Sister Faustina will take place at the parish of Our Lady Queen of Families in Dziekanów Leśny (Archdiocese of Warsaw). On this occasion, Sr. Livia Mikołajczyk and Sr. Simona Kras from the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki will share with the faithful of this parish the message of Mercy and the spiritual heritage of St. Sister Faustina, recorded in her “Diary.”

In this series, from January 10 to 12 this year, there will be a retreat under the motto: “A Source of Hope in the Desert of the World.” The theme is the words of Jesus recorded in the “Diary”: “When you feel that your strength is fading, come to the Source of Mercy and refresh your soul, and you will not falter on the way” (Diary, 1486). Participants in these spiritual exercises are invited to discover that only the merciful God is the true source of hope and strength to overcome their weakness, all difficulties, and painful experiences. The retreat will be led by Father Dr. Michał Legan, a Pauline monk, Head of the Department of Media Theology at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Pontifical University of John Paul II, Head of the Catholic Broadcast Editorial Office at Polish Television, and Sister M. Eliana Chmielewska from the Krakow community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, serving in the “Faustinum” association.

Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski, Metropolitan of Krakow, after consulting the Polish Bishops’ Conference and receiving the consent of the Holy See, issued an edict on November 12, 2024, to begin the beatification and canonization process of the Servant of God, Fr. Józef Andrasz SJ, a Krakow-based confessor and spiritual director of St. Faustina Kowalska. In this document, he calls on all who possess any documents, writings, or information about the Servant of God, whether positive or negative, to submit them to the Metropolitan Curia in Krakow by December 30, 2024.

The vice-postulator of the process is Fr. Mariusz Balcerak SJ, while the general postulator for the entire Jesuit order is Fr. Pascual Cebollada SJ, who oversees all processes of Jesuit candidates for sainthood on behalf of the General Curia in Rome.

This is the title under which the sisters of the Petropavlovsk community of the Congregation of the Mother of God of Mercy are conducting Advent preparations for Christmas on Instagram. The guide for the initiative is St. Sister Faustina. Each day, a different passage from her Diary is read in Russian, accompanied by a short commentary. The initiative has garnered significant interest and is being followed even by people who do not have an Instagram account.

In December, the young people’s meeting “Łagiewnicka 22” at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki will take place a day earlier, on Saturday, the 21st of the month. It will begin at 7:00 PM in the chapel with the miraculous image of the Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. The meeting will be led by the sisters of the Kraków community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The program includes a lecture by Sr. Tobiana Domiter on the spiritual childhood of St. Faustina, silent prayer, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with praise of Divine Mercy, and an agape with delicious food and a Q&A session.

On Tuesday, December 17, a formation meeting for members and volunteers of the “Faustinum” association will take place in Sabinov, in eastern Slovakia. The group operates at the parish of the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist. The meeting will begin with communal prayer during the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The group will commence permanent formation in the rhythm of lectio divina, combined with sharing the Word of God. The formation is led by Sr. Mariela Lengyelová from the Košice community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

This verse from the “Song of Songs” will serve as the motto for a women’s retreat in Kazakhstan, organized as part of the Samaritan project from December 13–15 at the parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the town of Konaev, Diocese of Almaty. The retreat will be led by Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko and Sr. Bakhita Voronava from the Pietropavlovsk community of the Congregation of the Mother of God of Mercy, as well as Sr. Kazimiera Wanat, a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The program includes conferences, meditations on the Word of God, bibliodrama, and meetings with children and youth in orphanages located within the parish.

The community of sisters from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Camagüey, Cuba, together with the Project Esperanza, are organizing a retreat for women titled “Woman – Clay Vessel” on Saturday, December 14. It will be led by Sr. Filipa Bąk, along with psychologist América Santoya Arévalo and psychiatrist Eduardo Barranco Masías. The meeting aims to help Cuban women discover their dignity, beauty, and richness, and most importantly, their immense value in the eyes of God. The retreat is open to all women from the diocese.