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 1st, it will be 96 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, 12). 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.
Il 1 agosto di quest’anno nel convento della Congregazione B.V.Maria della Misericordia nel Santuario a Cracovia-Łagiewniki, ci sarà una ceremonia della vestizione di 3 postulanti. Le sorelle, dopo aver vissuto di prova nella vita religiosa, ricevono il loro nuovo nome ed un vestito di novizie (un vestito nero ed un velo bianco). Cosi iniziano un periodo di noviziato che dura 2 anni, dopo di ché si pronunciano i primi voti religiosi. La cerimonia della vestizione ha luogo dentro la clausura del convento, però la santa Messa, alle ore 10.30, per le loro intenzioni, è celebrata nella cappella con l’Immagine Miracolosa di Gesù Misericordioso e presso la tomba di santa Faustina.
On 2-5 October 2021, in Poland’s Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the 5th International Days of the Apostles of Divine Mercy will take place. The theme of this event will be Celebrate Mercy. The inspiration for the theme are words of the Holy Father Francis, who calls for celebration of God’s mercy in the holy sacraments and the word of God and to do deeds of mercy in everyday life. Patrons of the event are Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski, the Metropolitan bishop of Krakow and M. Petra Kowalczyk, Superior General of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The already announced speakers include Archbishop Grzegorz Ryś, Bishop Rafał Markowski, Bishop Artur Ważny, Fr. Dr. Krzysztof Wons, S.D.S., Fr. Rafał Jarosiewicz, and Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. The organizer of the Congress is the “Faustinum” Association of Apostles of Divine Mercy, which is celebrating its 25 years’ anniversary. Due to the pandemic restrictions, online participation in the event is also possible. For more information, detailed program and registration, go to www.faustinum.pl
Such is the title of the 12th episode of our short film clip series about the Message of Mercy from Jesus, based on the Diary of Sister Faustina. Every episode contains a dialog between Jesus and St. Faustina. In this episode, Jesus is saying: “It is love that has brought Me here, and it is love that keeps Me here. In the Blessed Sacrament I am fully for you – Body, Soul, and Divinity” (Diary, 576, 1770). Saint Faustina responds. “One day, we shall learn what it is that God does for us, and the gift He offers us during every Mass. Only His Divine love could have afforded such a gif” (Diary, 914).
The script for a series of short films featuring Jesus’ message of mercy was written by Sr. M. Elżbieta Siepak, O.L.M. This message reveals God’s merciful love and calls us to respond to it with an attitude of trust in God, that is, by doing His will, and by doing good to others through deeds, words and prayer. The narrators are Adam Woronowicz and Aleksandra Posielężna, and the music was written by the Krakow composed and musician, Paweł Bębenek. The one-minute film clips with beautiful outdoor scenes are produced by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in cooperation with TVP. You can watch them all on you YouTube channel: Faustina.pl.
On Saturday, July 31 of this year, at the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the silver anniversary of the religious profession of Sister Andrea, Sister Akwila, Sister Aurelia, Sister Marcelina, Sister Rosaria, Sister Senta and Sister Zofia will be celebrated. At 11:00 a.m. in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, a solemn Holy Mass will be celebrated with the renewal of the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience by the Jubilarians, whose outer sign is a silver ring with the engraved name of Jesus. Sisters from other convents of the Congregation, Family, as well as persons entrusted with apostolic work will join the celebration praying in thanksgiving for the gift of the Jubilarians and for their intentions.
On Saturday, July 31, a day retreat for venerators of Divine Mercy and the rosary club will take place at the parish of Our Lady of Peace in the Third District. It will be hosted by Fr. Alan Delz, O.P., and Sr. M. Antoniana Štullerová from the Košice community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. The event will includes lectures, Holy Mass and Adoration of the Holy Sacrament, and prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
On July 31st, 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.
On July 27-29, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is organizing the Christ Our Life Conference which will be an online event for diocese pro-life leaders. The Conference will start with a presentation from Sr. Gaudia Skass of the Washington community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. The event will revolve around the topic of trusting the merciful Lord, which is so crucial for the pro-life movement, as the people who are creating it are on the front lines of the fight between civilizations for the right to live from womb to tomb, and are facing extreme resistance from contemporary culture.
On July 26, another Monday’s meeting will be held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, dedicated to contemplating the Catechism of the Catholic Church and prayer at the miracle-famous Divine Mercy image and the tomb of St. Faustina for the recovery of faith in the Eucharistic presence of Jesus, and for priests. At 6.45 pm, Fr. Janusz Kościelniak will lead a short meditation based on the articles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (166-169). The focal point of the program will be the encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, with individual blessing. Those who cannot physically come to Łagiewniki, can connect to the on-line broadcast at www.saint-faustina.org
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 22th, at the John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., another Evening with Merciful Jesus will take place. Sisters from the Washington community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy will host the event. This time, Sr. M. Inga will give a presentation about proclaiming the Message of Mercy by witness bearing by one’s life, deeds, words and prayer. After the speech and the Adoration of the Lord Jesus, the participants will finally be able to gather for tea.
During evening devotions in all the chapels of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, the Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus is sung or recited in July. Reflection on the words of this litany can help us better understand the price of God’s Mercy that we experience every day in salvation and sanctification. At the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, evening devotions are celebrated on weekdays at 7:00 pm (except Thursdays). You can also participate in the services online, thanks to the live video srteaming at faustyna.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”. A detailed intention for July 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.
The website of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, www.saint-faustina.org, has been adjusted to be used on mobile devices and has been given a new appearance. This made it possible to make many sources on the life of Saint Faustina and her spiritual heritage, such as her Diary, and the apostolic works operated on the website, including video streaming from the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the Chaplet for the Dying, the Perpetual Chaplet, downloadables and the Patron Saint draw more accessible on mobile devices. The new version of the website is available in Polish and in English only for the time being. The other 6 language versions are being developed and will be added in time.
Sisters Konstancja and Cypriana from the convent of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Pastavy, Belarus, will organize a camp for young people from their parish in Garshevichy, Grodno diocese, on July 14-17 this year. They will be joined by Fr. Vitalik, a Priest of the Sacred Heart. The camp will be both recreational and formational, as it also includes conferences and presentations on the importance of the sacraments in the Christian life.
Such is the title of the 11th episode of our short film clip series about the Message of Mercy from Jesus, based on the Diary of Sister Faustina. Every episode contains a dialog between Jesus and St. Faustina. In this episode, Jesus is saying: “On the cross, the fount of My mercy was opened up wide by the spear, for each and every soul – I have not excluded any of them” (Diary, 1182). Saint Faustina responds. “O Jesus, Your goodness surpasses all comprehension, and none shall ever exhaust Your mercy. Perdition is for the soul that wishes to perish; for them that want to be saved there is an inexhaustible sea of the Lord’s mercy” (Diary, 631).
The script for a series of short films featuring Jesus’ message of mercy was written by Sr. M. Elżbieta Siepak, O.L.M. This message reveals God’s merciful love and calls us to respond to it with an attitude of trust in God, that is, by doing His will, and by doing good to others through deeds, words and prayer. The narrators are Adam Woronowicz and Aleksandra Posielężna, and the music was written by the Krakow composed and musician, Paweł Bębenek. The one-minute film clips with beautiful outdoor scenes are produced by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in cooperation with TVP. You can watch them all on you YouTube channel: Faustina.pl.
July 16 is the 155th 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.
On July 10-14, in the Miłosierdzie Retreat House in Derdy near Warsaw, a retreat for members and volunteers of the Faustinum Association will be held. This will be the first in a series of retreats that correspond to the themes of the various stages of formation, either communal or individual. This retreat, with the theme “Endowed with Mercy”, will be attended by those members and volunteers of Faustinum who have completed their first year of formation in the Association. The retreat will be hosted by Fr. Sławomir Czajka, PhD, and Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza, O.L.M.
Due to necessary maintenance works, on 12 July (Monday), there will be no video broadcasting from the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki at www.saint-faustina.org . We would like to express our gratitude for all the donations made for this purpose and invite you to pray before the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina and to participate in the Liturgy through the virtual visitation of this holy place via the website of the Faustyna.pl application.
On July 8, as on every eighth day of the month, the community of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Gdansk, Częstochowa, Kalisz and Kiekrz will support married couples praying for offspring. 703 of them are already expecting children, with many more already enjoying parenthood. Intentions asking for prayer for this purpose (names of married couples) can be sent by email at: www.modlitwaopotomstwo.pl.
The community of people praying for children led by Fr. Andrzej Wiecki and sisters of the Gdańsk community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy cordially invite married couples trying to conceive to Adoration of Merciful Jesus with a prayer for healing, which will take place on 8 July at 7.30 pm at the shrine of the Pregnant Holy Mother in Matemblewo. Live stream: www.facebook.com/modlitwaopotomstwo
On June 29th, the 140th anniversary of the death of Mother Countess Teresa Ewa Potocka nee Sułkowska, the founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, sisters of the many convents will meet for prayer in Wilanów. In the Church of St. Anne, they will be giving thanks for her gift to the Congregation and the Church.
The website of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, www.faustyna.pl, has been adjusted to be used on mobile devices and has been given a new appearance. This made it possible to make many sources on the life of Saint Faustina and her spiritual heritage, such as her Diary, and the apostolic works operated on the website, including video streaming from the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the Chaplet for the Dying, the Perpetual Chaplet, downloadables and the Patron Saint draw more accessible on mobile devices. The new version of the website is available in Polish only for the time being. The other 7 language versions are being developed and will be added in time.
On 6 July falls the 140th 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.
After 9 months of state of emergency in Slovakia due to the coronavirus pandemic, the communities of the “Faustinum” Apostles of Divine Mercy Association have resumed their activities. Sisters Antoniana and Alżbieta from the Košice community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy and priests in the individual parishes will host formation meetings for “Faustinum” members and volunteers in those locations where pandemic restrictions allow for group meetings, namely:
Sabinov – June 27.
On 25-27 June, a vocational retreat for young women will take place in the Discalced Carmelites’ monastery in Lorinčík near Košice in the south of Slovakia. The theme will be: Chosen by God. The retreat will be provided by Fr. Andrej Valent, O.C.D., and Sr. Benediktína Fečová from the Košice community of the Congregation of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy.
The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy would like to thank all those involved in the co-creation and financial support for www.faustyna.pl. Our website is available in 8 languages, and its audience in recent months has increased substantially. To maintain the smooth operation of the website and provide the freedom to use it at all levels and to participate in all our ongoing projects, financial support is needed. Therefore, we would like to give our heartfelt thanks for your support and we continue to keep you in our daily prayers. We also express our joy for the reason that together we can participate in the work of proclaiming the message of God’s merciful love for every human being to the world, the legacy of which was provided by Jesus in the prophetic mission of St. Faustina.
The Home of St. Faustina at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki (within the convent complex, where St. Faustina served at the gate) has reopened to visitors, offering accommodation to pilgrims, with all the guidelines in place during the epidemic. Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy are welcoming all those willing to encounter the Merciful Lord Jesus in the sign of the Divine Mercy image and visit St. Faustina’s tomb to take advantage of the accommodation. Reservations can be made by email, at noclegi@faustyna.pl or telephone at +48 730 955 521.
After a several months’ closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, the House of St. Faustina restaurant at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki has reopened. The venue is run by Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. The sanitary restrictions now allow the pilgrims to have breakfast, our home-cooked lunch and dinner, as well as cakes, ice cream and drinks. The restaurant, located at the parking lot at the back of the basilica (ul. Adolfa Hyły 1), is open every day from 10 am to 8 pm.
