In June, during the evening worship, the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is traditionally sung in churches in Poland. This is also true for the chapels of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. In the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki, this takes place in the chapel of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy image and the tomb of St. Faustina. The June devotions are celebrated every day at 7:00 pm and at 6:30 pm on Sundays and other holidays.
On June 29th, celebrations will be held in Łódź to mark the 100th anniversary of the revelations of Jesus in Wenecja Park and St. Stanislaus Kostka Cathedral. Following these events, Helena Kowalska decided to enter a convent, regardless of her parents’ opposition. The festivities will begin at 10 a.m. in the Słowacki Park with a game under the theme Interrupted Dance, during which the Łódź Song and Dance Ensemble and Czerwone Gitary’s ex musician Bernard Dornowski will perform. A testimony and word on vocation will be given by Fr. Piotr Kleszcz. At 12:30 p.m., Run with Faustina is planned, followed by a procession with the relics of the Apostle of Divine Mercy to the cathedral along the path she herself trodden 100 years ago after the revelation of Jesus calling her to convent life. A service will be celebrated in the cathedral at 2 pm, presided over by Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, Metropolitan of Łódź, and a renewed entrustment of the city Church to Divine Mercy. Saint Faustina has been the patron saint of the city of Łódź since 2005.
The celebration is organized by Archdiocese of Łódź, the Parish of St. Faustina in Łódź and the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.
On June 29th, at 5 p.m. at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, Holy Mass will be celebrated at the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. The special intention will be God’s blessing and needed graces for those participating in the Chaplet for the Dying, supporting this work materially and spiritually, for a serene death for the moribund recommended to prayer in this work, and the joy of heaven for the deceased.
In this work, the moribund are supported not only by Poles, but also by people from many countries around the world. This year alone, people from more than 30 countries have signed up, including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Singapore, Mauritius, India, Burkina Faso, USA, Canada and many European countries even not very Catholic, such as Turkey, Belgium, Norway, Lithuania and Latvia. The largest number of internationals joined this work from Italy, Spain and France.
On June 22, a meeting of those responsible for Mercy groups in Italy will be held at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Rome. The motto of the event will be the words of the Psalmist: “Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me” (Ps 66:16). The meeting agenda includes a lecture by Card. Angelo Comastri, Archpriest Emeritus of the Vatican Basilica and Vicar General Emeritus of the Holy Father, titled Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever (Ps 136:1), followed by a presentation of the various Divine Mercy communities. After the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet at 4 pm, Holy Mass will be celebrated, presided over by Mons. Graham Bell, undersecretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization and delegate to the 2025 Jubilee.
On Thursday, June 20, the monthly formation meeting of the Faustinum group will be held in Nižný Hrušov, Slovakia. The last formation meeting before the summer holidays for the local “Faustinum” group, which will take place at the convent after the 6 pm Mass, will be led by Sisters from the Hrušov community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Slovakia.
The monthly formation meetings of the Faustinum community will be held in Borši (Streda nad Bodrogom parish) in Slovakia on Monday and Tuesday (June 17-18). The program includes conferences on the theme of God’s mercy in the Bible and St. Faustina’s Diary, will be delivered by Sr. M. Hedvig Uličná of the Košice community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Slovakia.
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.
On June 17th, at 5 p.m., at the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, a Holy Mass will be celebrated in thanksgiving and with imploration for God’s blessings and necessary graces for all the creators of the QR code guide to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. Thanks to us, every pilgrim who visits this holy place will be able to discover it along with its treasure, which is the message of Mercy and the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina. The guide has been prepared in 9 languages. For other language areas, a scanned QR code automatically selects English.
On 14-16 and 21-23 June 2024, retreats for women will be held at the Fides et ratio Diocese Retreat House in Shchuchinsk as part of the Samaritan project. The theme of the event will be My beloved is mine and I am his (Song of Songs 2,16). This time, participants will be accompanied by the character of Mary Magdalene, a woman with big heart, filled with God’s love. The retreat will include Gospel meditations, conferences, and Biblical drama. The retreat will be delivered by Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko of the Petropavlovsk community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, Sr. Kazimiera Wanat, Sr. Madlen Hofmann, and Fr. Hans Reiner.
On June 15th (Saturday), at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the beatification of the Venerable Servant of God Father Michał Rapacz will take place. The announcement will be made by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
Father Michał Rapacz, who was murdered by the communists, hailed from Tenczyn. In 1931, he was ordained a priest in Krakow and was sent to pastoral work in Płoki, and later to Rajcza near Żywiec. In November 1937, he was reassigned to Płoki, where he became the parish priest. He was a man of prayer and great compassion. He entrusted himself to God completely. On May 12, 1946, as he was being led to martyrdom by the communists in a nearby forest, he prayed, saying: “Thy will be done, Lord.” His grave is currently located in the Shrine of Our Lady, Guardian of Working Families, in Płoki.
Regular Mass for the Faustinum Apostles of Divine Mercy Association is celebrated every of the month at the Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy in Košice-KVP, Slovakia. This month, it will be celebrated on June 14th at 3:20x pm directly after praying the Hour of Mercy and the Divine Mercy Chaplet together. The main celebrant will be Fr. Tomasz Svat. Regular monthly Masses for the intentions of the Faustinum in Slovakia have been celebrated since 2006.
After the Holy Mass, there will be a formation meeting for the “Faustinum” group, led by sisters from the Koszyce community of the Congregation.
On June 9th, at St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Church in Oleksów, Sr. Faustyna Olszewska of the Kierzk community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy will share the message of Mercy and the spiritual wealth of St. Faustina with the faithful, not only during the Sunday service, but also at a meetup afterwards.
On June 8, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Fourth National Convention of members and volunteers of the “Faustinum” Association of Apostles of Divine Mercy will be held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. It will be guided by the motto Be witnesses of Mercy. The program includes Holy Mass, conferences by Sr. Maria Faustina Ciborowska, I.S.M.M., entitled ‘Go home to your own people, and tell them what the Lord has done for you – the Witness to Mercy in the Bible’ and Sr. Emanuela Gemza, ‘My Personal Testimony,’ followed by group meetings, Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and a final blessing.
On June 5 and 7, the Annual Divine Mercy Medicine, Bioethics, and Spirituality Conference will be held at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, organized by the Healthcare Professionals for Divine Mercy in cooperation with the Marian Fathers. This event will be attended by Sr. Salwatricze from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, who will give a conference on transformation of painful experiences into a gift.
On June 7th, the 27th 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 7th, Sr. Ligia and Sr. Wincenta from the Roman community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy will share the message of Mercy and the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina in Viterbo, at the Parish of the Holy Family, with Apostles of Divine Mercy from three different parishes. There will be prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, followed by Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
On June 4th, Sr. Franciszka Siadaczka of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy will celebrate the centenary of her birth. On this occasion, on June 8th at 11:00 a.m. a Mass will be celebrated in Walendów for the intention of the Jubilarian with the participation of Sisters from many convents, followed by wishes, a joint lunch and reminiscences.
Sister Franciszka entered the Congregation in 1945, took her first vows on April 30th, 1948, and made her perpetual vows five years later. During her 79 years of religious life, she performed various duties, including serving as a sacristan in Krakow-Łagiewniki, a nurse and caretaker of the sick in Warsaw’s Grochów, in Zakopane and Walendów. As a pensioner – so far fully fit and active, interested in the life of the Congregation, the Church, Poland and the world – she testifies to God’s merciful love and obtains required graces for everyone.
On June 4th, at 5 p.m. at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, Mass will be celebrated in the intention of all IT Specialists and Donors who have contributed to our on-line broadcasting from the Łagiewniki Shrine and to the purchase of the new camera, which has been on-line since May 27th. The live video streaming is available at Faustyna.pl including its 8 different language versions, our Faustyna.pl YouTube channel and our Faustyna.pl mobile application. Last year, it has been accessed by more than 4,400,000 unique visitors and TV broadcasters in Poland and abroad. May Merciful Jesus abundantly bless our Donors Benefactors. Our Sisters are imploring for these blessings each day in their prayers.
On 5 June (Sunday) at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Plock at the Old Market Square, another formative meeting of the Faustinum Divine Mercy Apostles Association community will be held. The topic of the meeting is: “Bond with the Church and concern for the salvation of souls”. It will begin at 2:15 p.m. with joint adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament with prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. At 3.20 p.m. Eucharist, followed by agape, conference from the series “ABC of spiritual life” and sharing your thoughts and experience on this topic. The meetings are led by sisters from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy and priests.
This Sunday, June 1, a solemn introduction of the relics of St. Faustina to the Church of St. John the Baptist will take place at the parish of Sabinov, Slovakia. Relics of the Apostle of Divine Mercy will be handed over by Sr. Blanka Krajčikova and Sr. Antoniana Štullerová from the convent of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Košice, Slovakia. On this occasion, they will share the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina, especially the message of Mercy with which Jesus sent her to the whole world, they will lead the prayer at the Hour of Mercy, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and Adoration.
On June 1rd, the Youth Meeting at Lednica will be held for the twenty-seventh time. This year the main theme will be the Eucharist, and the motto of the meeting will be Come home. Sisters from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy will be there with Sr. Gaudia Skass who will deliver a message to the participants of this event, which flows from the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina. The Saint’s relics also have accompanied the young during the Lednica meetings for a few years.
On 30 May, Thursday, the Church is celebrating the feast of Feast of Corpus Christi (Corpus Domini). Holy Mass at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki will be celebrated according to the Sunday schedule. Before noon, the procession of Corpus Christi will set out from the Wawel Hill to the Market Square in Krakow, and in the afternoon, other processions will take place in individual parishes. In the parish church in Łagiewniki, the Eucharistic procession to four altars will begin with Mass at 5:00 pm. The faithful will proceed along the street Siostry Faustyny in the direction of the Shrine of the Divine Mercy. At the basilica, the procession will conclude with a thankful Te Deum and a solemn blessing of the Holy Sacrament. Divine Mercy Mass for the intercession of St. Faustina in the intention of prayers and thanks from the faithful will be celebrated at 7 pm at the convent chapel.
May 27th is the 18h anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s pilgrimage to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. The Holy Father prayed before the grace-famous painting of Merciful Jesus and at the tomb of St. Faustina, in the chapel of Perpetual Adoration, and in the Basilica he met with the sick, who – as he said – are the most eloquent witnesses of God’s Mercy and have an active part in the salvation of the world. On a general audience in Rome, he recalled this pilgrimage to the Shrine in Łagiewniki: I had the opportunity to point out that only Divine Mercy illuminates the mystery of man. … Contemplating the illuminating wounds of the risen Christ, Sister Faustina Kowalska received a message of trust to humanity, the message of God’s Mercy … This message is indeed the main message of our time: mercy as God’s power and as the boundary for the evils of the whole world.
In May, in a number of parishes in Poland, children participate for the first time in the sacraments of confession and Holy Communion. More and more children in special white clothes arrive with their priests, catechists and parents to the Shrine of Divine Mercy to make thanks for the great gift of God’s mercy which is the Eucharistic presence of the Lord Jesus and His indwelling in the human soul and to ask for fidelity and growth in the love of God and other people.
On May 27th, work is planned for the installation of the new camera in the chapel with the miraculously famous Divine Mercy image and the tomb of St. Faustina at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, Due to this, video broadcasting at www.faustyna.pl and its other language versions will be temporarily offline. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope for your understanding. We also thank you for all the offerings made for the purchase of the new camera and the conservationist’s approval for its installation.
A spiritual retreat of members and volunteers of the Faustinum Apostles of Divine Mercy Association from Slovakia will be held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki on May 24-26. The topic of the retreat will be This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him! (Matthew, 17:5). The retreat will be delivered by Fr. Tomáš Belá from Košice, Slovakia, and Sr. M. Clareta Fečová from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, vice-head of the Faustinum Association.
On May 25th (Saturday), after a communal prayer in the Basilica of the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki at 7:30 am, the 17th Pilgrimage to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska will begin. The pilgrims will make the distance of 33 km on foot. They will visit the churches of Mary Queen of Poland in Krakow’s Nowy Ruczaj and in Rzozów, and the church of the Most Holy Trinity in Przytkowice as they go. The arrival to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is planned at 6:45 pm. After a Holy Mass, they will return to Krakow by buses.
When the Congregation chose Mary for the Heavenly Superior General, St. Faustina had a vision where she saw all the sisters covered under Mary’s coat and heard the words of a great promise: “Everyone who perseveres zealously till death in My Congregation will be spared the fire of purgatory, and I desire that each one distinguish herself by the following virtues: humility and meekness; chastity and love of God and neighbor; compassion and mercy”. After these words, the whole Congregation disappeared from my sight, and I remained alone with the Most Holy Mother who instructed me about the will of God and how to apply it to my life, submitting completely to His most holy decrees. It is impossible for one to please God without obeying His holy will. “My daughter, I strongly recommend that you faithfully fulfill all God’s wishes, for that is most pleasing in His holy eyes. I very much desire that you distinguish yourself in this faithfulness in accomplishing God’s will. Put the will of God before all sacrifices and holocausts” (Diary, 1244).
On May 10th (Friday), the Church is making a novena before the feast of the Holy Spirit. In the chapels of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, including the one with the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina at the Shrine of Divine Mercy, this novena is combined with the May devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. You can participate in it on-line and ask for the light and all the gifts of the Holy Spirit for you, the Church, our country and the world, so that the Spirit lead us to full familiarity with Jesus, reveal to us the depth of His merciful love and teach us to perceive His presence and action in our daily lives. At the end of the novena in the Łagiewniki Shrine, a prayer vigil will be held.
On May 18th at 9 pm a prayerful vigil before the feast of the Pentecost will begin at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. We will gather in the chapel of the miracle-famous image of Divine Mercy and the tomb of St. Faustina, which will become the Cenacle. Together with Mary, the Mother of Mercy, we shall be asking the Holy Spirit for the Light, Power and Graces for us, the Holy Church, our Country and the entire World. The vigil will end with the Eucharist celebrated at 10 p.m. You can join in this prayer online at www.saint-faustina.org where it will be broadcast.
