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.
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.
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 seven 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 2023, the Jubilee of Mercy, be rich in God’s grace and in mercy provided to our neighbors.
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).
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.
On Sunday, the octave of Christmas, which this year is December 30, 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 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 .
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 Sisters from the community of our Congregation in Washington, D.C., organize the next “Evening with Merciful Jesus” on December 22nd at the John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C. This month’s special guest will be Roy Schoeman, a well-known speaker and guide to the Holy Land, who will share the fascinating story of his conversion from Judaism, to atheism, to Catholicism. He is fascinated by the mystery of God’s mercy and St. Faustina’s Diary is close to his heart. You can join the event online atwww.jp2shrine.org/youtube. The lecture will be followed by Adoration of the Lord Jesus and a meet-up with refreshments.
“Evenings with Merciful Jesus” are organized for young people who want to follow St. Faustina and St. John Paul II to discover the new quality of life in friendship with the merciful Lord Jesus.
On December 19, the Center of Mercy Spirituality at the Santo Spirito church in Sassia will host a meeting for the young people of the Roman San Giovanni Battista High School with the community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The Sisters will deliver presentations and show multimedia to tell the students about St. Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, her spiritual legacy and prophetic mission of proclaiming Mercy, to which every Christian is invited. The meeting was organized on the initiative of Fr. Paolo Martinelli, the new rector of the Santo Spirito in Sassia church.
A day of recollection themed The Church according to St. Faustina will be held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Płock at the Old Market Square on December 17. It will be delivered by Fr. Andrzej Janicki. The meeting agenda includes
9 am – conference I; followed by Confession and/or conversation.
11.30 am – conference II.
1.30 pm – Holy Mass.
3 pm – Hour of Mercy and Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
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.
Such is the title of the 28th 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 want the Feast of Mercy to be a refuge and sanctuary for all souls, and especially for poor sinners.On that day are open all the Divine floodgates through which graces flow” (Diary, 699). Saint Faustina responds: “Jesus, Lover of human salvation, draw all the souls up to Divine life; may the greatness of Your mercy be praised here on Earth and in eternity” (Diary, 1466).
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 9-12 December, at the Parish of the Immaculate Conception of Mary in Kapchagay, Almaty Diocese, an Advent retreat will be held, dedicated to Mercy Incarnate. The retreat, based on the Diary of St. Faustina, will be delivered by Sr. M. Anastasis Omelchenko and Sr. M. Bakhita Voranava from the community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Petropavlovsk. Moreover, there will be a get-together for women on vocation and for the kids of the parish Children’s Home.
A parish retreat on Divine Mercy will be held from 9 to 11 December 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 December 11, Sr. Wincenta Mąka from the Roman community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will be meeting with the faithful at the parish of St. Christine in Turin, in order to share about the mystery of Divine Mercy in the Embodiment and Nativity of Christ in the light of the mystical experience of St. Faustina. The meeting agenda includes a solemn Mass celebrated by Fr. Lorenzo Barbay, the rector of the parish, the Hour of Mercy prayer and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, in addition to a possibility to access the Sacrament of Reconciliation and honor the relics of St. Faustina and participate in a meeting with refreshments.
At the invitation of Fr. Pastor Gábor Tóth, an Advent Day of Recollection will be held on Saturday, December 10, at the parish of St. Stephen the King in Füzéri and its branch in Hollóháza, Hungary. Conferences on Advent Vigil with St. Faustina will be delivered by Sr. M. Hedvig Uličná of the Košice community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy.
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.
Such is the title of the 27th 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 people a vessel with which they are to come to the fount of mercy for graces. That vessel is the picture with the inscription ‘Jesus, I trust in You” (Diary, 327). Saint Faustina responds: “O my Jesus, every day my soul bathes in the rays of Your mercy; I know of no moment in my life when I did not experience Your mercy” (Diary, 697).
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 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.
On December 6th, 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.
On December 6 at 7 pm, the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Gdańsk (Trakt Św. Wojciecha 396 A) will host a formative meeting for women. The meeting agenda includes a personal encounter with Jesus present in the Holy Sacrament, which has the power to make all the desires of the woman’s heart come true. Then, St. Faustina, through the service of Sr. Gracjana Szewc, I.S.M.M., will share her experience of the merciful love of God, which she recorded in her Diary.
On December 4 at 3 pm, prayer at the Hour of Mercy and Holy Mass will be celebrated under the presidency of Bp. Marek Marczak. This will be another event included in the centenary of St. Faustina’s stay in Łódź and the 5th anniversary of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy’s ministry at Krośnieńska street. This is where the Apostle of Divine Mercy once lived. At 5 p.m., testimonies about performing acts of mercy will be given and discussed by Fr. prelate Juliusz Lasoń and health care professionals. Since September, an exhibition prepared for the occasion of the anniversary, titled Krośnieńska 9 has been available for viewing as well.
The event is held under the honorary patronage of Archbishop Grzegorz Ryś, the Metropolitan of Łódź, and Mother Miriam Janiec, Superior General of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.
On December 2-4, at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the cyclical Merciful Trinity retreat will take place. Its topic will be the mercy of the Holy Spirit who, as St. Faustina said her Diary: “Oh, if only souls would listen, just a little, to the voice of their conscience, listen to the voice, that is to the inspiration that comes from the Holy Spirit, just a little, I shall say – because once we submit to the influence of the Divine Spirit, He Himself will supply and fill up all that is wanting in us.” (Diary, 359). The retreat will be provided by Bishop Artur Ważny. The organizer of the retreat is the Faustinum Association Apostles of Divine Mercy.
The Shrine of St. Faustina in Kiekrz will hold a night vigil on the first Saturday of this month, 3/4 December, starting with a Holy Mass at 6 p.m. in the intention of families and to implore God for His Mercy for our country and peace for Ukraine. Throughout the night until 7 a.m., the rosary will be prayed before the Blessed Sacrament. These night vigils are organized every two months on the first Saturday by the “For the Care of the Church” Community.
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.
