Such is the title of the 23th 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: “If a soul does not accomplish any kind of mercy at all, it will not receive My mercy on the day of judgement” (Diary, 1317). Saint Faustina responds. “I desire to be transformed completely into Your mercy and be a living reflection of You, O Lord; may God’s greatest attribute, His unfathomed mercy, pass through my heart and soul onto my neighbours” (Diary, 163).
The script for a series of short films featuring Jesus’ message of mercy was written by Sr. M. Elżbieta Siepak, ISMM. 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 Fr. Canon Jason Ashleigh Jones and Sr. M. Teresa de la Fuente ISMM, 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 12-13 November, Sister Donata Farbaniec and Sister Inga Kvassayová from the Washington, D.C., community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will be sharing the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina, and especially the message of Mercy, with the faithful at the Polish-American parish of the Holy Cross in New Britain. Everyone is invited to proclaim this message, and this can be done in ordinary conditions and in any situation by witnessing life, good deeds, words and by prayer, especially for the conversion of sinners.
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This is the title of a conference organized by the St. Faustina Youth Education Center which will be held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki on November 18, on the occasion of the 104th anniversary of Poland’s regained independence. The conference will include lectures by employees of the Institute of National Remembrance: Cezary Pałka and Kamil Szkaradek, psychologist Wanda Papugowa, and Sr. M. Elżbieta Siepak, I.S.M.M., who will speak about love for people and the Homeland even up to the sacrifice of one’s own life in the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. In addition, testimonies, presentations and an artistic program will provide time to exchange experiences regarding rehabilitation work with young people in educational centers.
On November 7-11, a retreat for priests will be held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki in complete silent, deepened prayer with the word of God, inspired by the Biblical verse “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”. Based on the texts of the Holy Scriptures, the retreat will be provided by Fr. Marcin Ciunel, M.S., biblical scholar, rector of the Seminary of the La Salette Missionaries in Krakow, retreat provider and spiritual director. Participants in the retreat will also be invited to reflect on texts from St. Faustina’s Diary.
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.
A retreat for priests will be held in the Retreat House of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at Zakopane’s Krzeptówki 172 (close to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima) on 7-10 November 2022. It will be hosted by Father Krzysztof Czapla, S.A.C, PhD. The main topic of the conferences and meditations will be the Immaculate Heart of Mary as a vessel of God’s Mercy.
Such is the title of the 22th 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: “I am giving you three ways of performing mercy to your neighbours: first, by deed; second, by word; and third, by prayer; these three levels cover the full scope of mercy, and it is unshakeable evidence that a soul loves Me” (Diary, 742). Saint Faustina responds. “I am learning how to be good from Jesus, from the One Who is goodness itself, so that I may be called a daughter of the Heavenly Father. All that Jesus did, He did it well. He went about doing good” (Diary, 669.1175).
The script for a series of short films featuring Jesus’ message of mercy was written by Sr. M. Elżbieta Siepak, ISMM. 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 Fr. Canon Jason Ashleigh Jones and Sr. M. Teresa de la Fuente ISMM, 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.
The Shrine in Łagiewniki has one of Krakow’s oldest cemeteries. It is a religious cemetery established in the late 19th 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.
On November 4-6, 2022, the diocesan meeting of the Pure Hearts Movement will be held in Kokshetau. It will be led by Fr. Tomasz Dadek, Fr. Dawid Sładek and Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko from the Petropavlovsk community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. Theme of the meeting: “The body – the temple of the Holy Spirit.” The evening will feature talks, prayer, group work, testimony-giving, and evening activities.
October 23 marks the beginning of a novena to be celebrated before the 160th 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.
On October 28th at 3 pm, prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will begin a new formation year in the community of members and volunteers of the Faustinum, operating at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Košice on the KVP estate in Slovakia. The meetings will be led by Sr. M. Benediktína Fečová, I.S.M.M., from the Košice community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy and Fr. Tomáš Svat. The program includes conferences on the theme of God’s mercy in the Bible and St. Sister Faustina’s Diary, as well as Holy Mass at 6 p.m., which will conclude the monthly meeting of the apostles of Divine Mercy.
Such is the title of the 21th 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: “I require you to make acts of mercy, which are to come from your love for Me. You are always and everywhere to show mercy unto your neighbours; you may not withdraw, excuse or absolve yourself from this” (Diary, 742). Saint Faustina responds. “ O Jesus, teach me to open up the depths of love and mercy for all who ask me for this. Teach me how to make all my prayers and deeds bear the seal of Your mercy” (Diary, 755).
The script for a series of short films featuring Jesus’ message of mercy was written by Sr. M. Elżbieta Siepak, ISMM. 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 Fr. Canon Jason Ashleigh Jones and Sr. M. Teresa de la Fuente ISMM, 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.
Such is the title of the 20th 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: “Always be merciful, just as I am merciful. Love everyone out of love for Me, even your greatest enemies, so that the full extent of My mercy may be reflected in your heart” (Diary, 1695). Saint Faustina responds. “I know very well, O Lord, that You do not need our work, You want our love” (Diary, 228).
The script for a series of short films featuring Jesus’ message of mercy was written by Sr. M. Elżbieta Siepak, ISMM. 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 Fr. Canon Jason Ashleigh Jones and Sr. M. Teresa de la Fuente ISMM, 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 the occasion of the 208th anniversary of the birth of Mother Teresa, Ewa Countess Potocka of the Sułkowskis, Sisters from many convents of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy will meet in Warsaw on October 22nd to give thanks for the gift of her life and the work of founding the Congregation. The program includes adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and Holy Mass at the Shrine of St. Faustina and prayer at the Foundress’ grave in the Powązki Cemetery. This gathering of Sisters is part of the celebration of the Congregation’s 160th anniversary, which falls on November 1st.
A parish retreat on Divine Mercy will be held from 14 to 16 October at the Vasil Hopek Greek Catholic parish in Stropkove, Slovakia. Following the invitation of Fr. Slavomír Tarasovič, Sr. M. Benediktína Fečová from the Košice community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will deliver the retreat. The program includes conferences (on Saturday, they will be especially aimed for mothers and other women), adoration, praying at the Hour of Mercy, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and veneration of the relics of St. Faustina.
On October 13-16, an event celebrating Divine Mercy will be held in six parishes around Toronto, Canada, focused on the world event, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the growing poverty, in the light of Divine Mercy. The honorable guest speakers include Bishop Radosław Zmitrowicz from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kamianets-Podilskyi in Ukraine, Fr. Mariusz Kasperski, a missionary working in Madagascar, as well as Sr. Faustia Szabóova and Sr. Confida Gilera from the Washington D.C. community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, who will be sharing the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina in each parish, especially the message of Mercy, which is the cure for all disease of the modern world.
Such is the title of the 19th 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: “When you are obedient I remove your weakness and give you My power. I am very surprised that souls do not want to make this swap with Me” (Diary, 381). Saint Faustina responds. “One word which I always consider, that one thing is all to me, by it I live, with it I die, and that thing is the holy will of God. My entire soul hearkens unto what God wants; I always do whatever God wants of me, even though often my nature trembles” (Diary, 228).
The script for a series of short films featuring Jesus’ message of mercy was written by Sr. M. Elżbieta Siepak, ISMM. 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 Fr. Canon Jason Ashleigh Jones and Sr. M. Teresa de la Fuente ISMM, 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 14-16 October in Cesenatico, Italy, the first formative retreat for Faustinum members and volunteers in that country will take place. It will be based on the Gospel and Diary of St. Faustina and will be delivered by Sr. M. Emanuela Gemza, I.S.M.M., leader of the Faustinum Divine Mercy Apostles Association, and Fr. Attilio Gueli, O.F.M. Cap.
In Italy, the Association, which is headquartered at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, and brings together priests, consecrated persons and lay people from almost 90 countries around the world, is growing rapidly. Its primary principle is the formation of apostles of Divine Mercy, so that they themselves grow in holiness and fruitfully carry the message of Mercy to the world in their communities, thus participating in the prophetic mission of St. Faustina.
On October 11, at 5 p.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 9, at the Shrine of Sister Faustina in Kiekrz, a pilgrimage ceremony will take place. Mass at noon on the Małe Kierskie Lake, in the place of the revelation of Jesus to St. Faustina, will be presided by Bishop Jan Glapiak. It will be preceded by a procession with relics of St. Faustina, which will depart from the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy to the altar over a Małe Kierskie Lake. The preparation for this event will be the triduum from 6 to 8 of October. The Masses during the triduum will be celebrated at 6 pm.
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.
Such is the title of the 18th 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: “ Dearest to Me is the soul which firmly believes in My goodness and has put all its trust in Me; I bestow My confidence on it and grant everything it asks for” (Diary, 453). Saint Faustina responds. “Today I offer myself up to You, O Jesus, with a small child’s trust and simplicity, Master of mine, I give You complete freedom to direct my soul as You wish. Lead me along whatever roads You choose, I shall not question them” (Diary, 228).
The script for a series of short films featuring Jesus’ message of mercy was written by Sr. M. Elżbieta Siepak, ISMM. 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 Fr. Canon Jason Ashleigh Jones and Sr. M. Teresa de la Fuente ISMM, 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 October 8, the participants of the „Margaret” apostolate from all over Poland will meet at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. The pilgrimage will begin in the Shrine of Saint John Paul II at 9:00 am with greeting the pilgrims and a rosary prayer for priests. About 11.00 am – conference. Solemn Eucharist at 12.00 an will be presided by Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski, Metropolitan of Krakow. The pilgrims will also visit the chapel with the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. The pilgrimage will end with prayer at the Hour of Mercy (3 pm) and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
Every evening in November, the Rosary for the Dead is prayed in the chapel with the image of the Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina at the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki, as well as in all other chapels of the Congregation. Praying the Rosary with others in a church, a public chapel, with your family, or in a religious community or pious organization can gain you a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions. In Poland a plenary indulgence can also be obtained by reciting the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Prayer is a great good that those still living on Earth can offer to those who have already departed from it and are expecting our aid, as they cannot help themselves anymore. Mercy rendered to the dead, like any good done to others, is also the wealth of those who practice it.
The liturgical feast of St. Faustina, October 5th, 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 6.30 am, 5.00 pm 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 8.30 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 Mass will be celebrated in the Sunday order, except for the 1.30 pm one.
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 6 pm.
The feast of St. Faustina Kowalska, the patroness of the city of Lodz, will take place on Saturday, October 5th at the parish church consecrated in her honor as the Parish of St. Faustina at Plac Niepodległości. Holy Mass at 6 pm. After Mass, a procession with relics of St. Faustina will pass down the Piotrkowska Street to the Archicathedral Basilica, where the Act of Entrusting the Archdiocese to Divine Mercy will be renewed.
October 5 marks the 84th anniversary of St. Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy’s birth for heaven. This day, her liturgical memory is celebrated as is a liturgical feast in all convents of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. Saint Faustina is one the great mystics of the Church and a prophet whom Jesus sent to the whole world with the message of Mercy. Her school of spirituality recorded in her Diary serves millions of people around the world. Saint John Paul II said of her simply that “she is a gift of God for our time, a gift of Poland to the entire Church.”
Her influence on the life of the Church is expressed, for example, in the widespread practice of the Divine Mercy devotion in the forms she provided. Today, there is probably no country without a Divine Mercy Image; the Feast of Mercy on the first Sunday after Easter was included in liturgical calendar of the entire Church in 2000; the Chaplet of Divine Mercy is recited even in tribal languages, although it was dictated in Polish, as is the entire message of Mercy; the practice of praying at the moment of Jesus’ agony on the Cross, the Hour of Mercy, is gaining popularity, along with the entire Mercy devotion. The Apostolic Divine Mercy Movement, a “congregation” that Jesus demanded to be founded, is one of the largest movements in the modern Church.
The influence of her life and mission to proclaim the message of Mercy to the world is also evident in the patronages given to churches. Saint Faustina is the patron saint of Łódź and other places, schools, works of mercy, various associations and communities. Her name is given to girls at baptism and chosen by young persons at the sacrament of confirmation. She was the Patroness of the World Youth Day in Sydney and Krakow. She inspires scientists, theologians, people of culture, art and media, and is one of the Catholic Church’s best-known and best-loved saints. Her relics are in nearly 130 countries around the world, including an Orthodox church in Bucharest and the Anglican Shrine of Divine Mercy in the United Kingdom. All over the world, theological symposiums, diocesan, national, continental and world congresses are held, which draw their dynamism precisely from the life and mission of Sister Faustina. The radiation of this “gift of God” embraces the entire 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 84th 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).
