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.
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.
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.
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.
On June 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, a conference on the new evangelization after the pandemic and on how to reach the young generation with the message of Mercy will be delivered by Fr. Paweł Sass, the provost of the Nativity Parish in Washington, D.C. After the speech and the Adoration of the Lord Jesus, the participants will finally be able to gather for tea.
The nearest “Łagiewniki 22”, which is a monthly meeting of young people at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, will be held on June 22nd. In this year of formation, the young will meet at 7 pm for an evening of Divine Mercy veneration in front of the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. Those who cannot physically come to Łagiewniki, can connect to the on-line broadcast at www.saint-faustina.org.
The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and the Polish national television TVP are now making a series one-minute video clips with the message of Mercy from Jesus, as recorded in the Diary of St. Faustina. The message reveals the merciful love of God and urges us to respond to it with the attitude of trust in God, and doing His will, as well as doing good for our neighbors by deed, word and prayer. This is why each episode will be a dialog between Jesus and St. Faustina. The screenplay was written by Sr. Elżbieta M. Siepak, O.L.M. The narrators are Adam Woronowicz and Aleksandra Posielężna. The music was written by Paweł Bębenek.
The first 10 episodes will be showed by TVP1, TVP3, and our website, www.faustyna.pl. Search for “spoty filmowe”.
Shalom World television will join the transmission of the prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, led by the sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki on May, 23. The TV station also broadcasts daily Mass and other services celebrated in the chapel of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy and the tomb of St. Faustina. Shalom World is a US-based Catholic television company sharing the peace of Christ around the world. Its three branches: Shalom World North America, Shalom World Europe, and Shalom World Australia have about 8 million viewers in 140 countries around the world.
Prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet from the Łagiewniki Shrine are available from already 12 Catholic radio stations and several television stations, including: TVP 3, TVP 1 and TVP Vilnius, EWTN Polska, Giovanni Paolo TV and on our YouTube channel. Online broadcasting and TVP retransmission are available at www.faustyna.pl in 8 languages, and in our Faustyna.pl mobile application in 7 languages.
At www.saint-faustina.org a pdf file containing our leaflet entitled Jesus’ Message of Mercy Leaflet is now available in Romanian. It contains the key quotations by Lord Jesus recorded in the Diary of St. Faustina, which concern the message of Mercy He provided for the Church and the world. The Message was a gift from St. John Paul II for the third millennium of the faith, so that people can get to know the true face of God and the true face of man better. The introduction and quotes from the Diary have been prepared by Aghi Moulas in consultation with Fr. Tadeusz Rostworowski, S.J., translator of St. Faustina’s work into Romanian. Romanian is the 16th language in which the Jesus’ Message of Mercy leaflet is shared for non-commercial spread of the Message of Mercy.
Such is the theme of the young women’s retreat to be held on June 18-20 at the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Gdansk. The retreat will be provided by Fr. Łukasz Grelewicz, Sr. M. Pauletta Gójska from the Gdansk community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy and the Woman is Divine community. Conferences, talks, and above all, spending time alone with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament may help retreat participants make one of the most important decisions of their lives. If you fall in love with God, then whatever you choose in life will be good, the retreat organizers assure.
The annual retreat for members and volunteers of the Faustinum Association of Apostles of Divine Mercy will be held at the Jesuit retreat house in Prešov, Slovakia, from June 18-20 this year, under the theme of “Scandalous mercy”. Jesuit Fathers from Prešov and Sr. M. Benediktína Fečová from the Košice community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will provide the retreat.
This Sunday, 20 June, Sister Weronika Trojanowska of the Płock community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy will be sharing the message of Divine Mercy at the parish of John the Baptist in Szwelice. At the invitation of Father Marek Dyga, the parish priest, she will do so during four Holy Masses as part of the parishioners’ spiritual preparation for the dedication of a Merciful Jesus statue. This will also be an opportunity to promote jubilee books, which are a contribution to the expansion of the Shrine of Divine Mercy being built on the grounds of the Płock convent.
On June 19th at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the 2nd National Congress of the Faustinum Association of the Apostles of Divine Mercy will take place. Let us become formed by the Merciful Lord. We want to realize anew who our Formator is and what the purpose of our formation in the Association is, in order to allow God to work within us and through us even more, the organizers say. The event will also be an opportunity for the participants to get to know each other, to exchange experiences, to present the individual formation communities and to present new formation proposals. The convention is part of the 25th anniversary of the establishment and activities of the Faustinum Association.
On 12-13 June, Sr. Klara and Sr. Faustia from the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki will be sharing the message of Mercy as recorded in the Diary of Sister Faustina with the faithful at the parish church of St. Masymilian Kolbe in Nowa Wieś near Kęty. The parish has already received relict of St. Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy.
On June 7th, the 24th 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.
On June 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. 682 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 June at 7.30 pm at the shrine of the Pregnant Holy Mother in Matemblewo. Live stream: www.facebook.com/modlitwaopotomstwo
On 3 June, 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. In the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, the Corpus Christi procession will start after Holy Mass at 3.20 p.m. and will proceed from the basilica to the chapel with the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St Faustina.
Such is the title of a theatrical play based on excerpts from the Diary of St. Faustina and quotes by St. John Paul II, which will premiere this May 30th at the Jerzy Szaniawski Dramatic Theater’s small stage. The author of the monodrama is Barbara Misiun, who was inspired by the life of the Apostle of Divine Mercy and by the anniversary of the start of her mission started in Płock 90 years ago. The play was prepared for this anniversary, but due to the pandemic its premiere was postponed until the end of May.
