A spiritual retreat for young women will be held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki on May 26-28. The theme of the event is How do I find my way? It will be delivered by Fr. Mariusz Balcerek, S.J. and Sr. M. Gaudia Skass, I.S.M.M. Based on Scriptures, the Diary of St. Faustina and the teaching of St. Ignatius Loyola concerning how to discern spirits.
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.
May 27th is the 17th 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.
On May 27th at 28 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 Holy Mass at midnight. You can join in this prayer online at www.saint-faustina.org where it will be broadcast.
It is a tradition in Poland that Catholics gather in every church and even at small roadside shrines in May to celebrate “Majówki” – a special kind of devotion to the Virgin Mary, during which the Litany of Loreto is sung. At the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the May devotions are celebrated in the chapel of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina every day at 7:00 pm and on Sundays and other holidays at 6:30 pm. You can also join in the prayer online, at /www.saint-faustina.org
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 May: For children and youth so that they nurture the spirit of faith, hope and love and for new vocations to God’s service in the Church.
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 5th World Congress on Divine Mercy, organized by Wacom, will be held in Samoa, the island country in Oceania, from May 20-26. Sisters from the American communities of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy will also participate. Sister M. Teresa de la Fuente will give a conference, The Ocean of Love that Encompasses the Whole World: The Message and Mission according to Sister Faustina, and Sr. M. Inga Kvassayova will speak about the image of Merciful Jesus as the face of the new evangelization. The Congress organizers emphasize that the Pacific Ocean on which Samoa lies, considered the largest and deepest ocean in the world, can serve as a metaphor of God’s deepest, unfathomable, forgiving love for sinful humanity. The image of the ocean reveals the truth that God’s mercy is humanity’s hope of returning to the Father and the greatest force that fights evil in the world today.
On May 19th (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 Saturday, May 20th of this year, at the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the silver anniversary of the religious profession of Sister Aleksandra, Sister Catherina, Sister Clara, Sister Daria, Sister Lilioza and Sister Nazareta will be celebrated. At 11:00 a.m. in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, a solemn Holy Mass will be celebrated with the renewal of the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience by the Jubilarians, whose outer sign is a silver ring with the engraved name of Jesus. Sisters from other convents of the Congregation, Family, as well as persons entrusted with apostolic work will join the celebration praying in of thanksgiving for the gift of the Jubilarians and for their intentions.
On Saturday, May 20st, there will be a spring pilgrimage to the Rock Shrine of Divine Mercy on Mount Butkov in Slovakia. Celebrations will start with communal prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy led by the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy from from Slovakia. Solemn Mass in honor of St. John Paul II at 3.30 p.m. will be presided over by Father Pavol Zvara, rector of the Pontifical Slovak College of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Rome. The site devoted to the worship of Divine Mercy located at Mount Butkov (11th floor of a stone quarry), where a large illuminated cross, in addition to statues of St. Faustina and St. John Paul II have been placed, is part of the Rock Shrine of Divine Mercy with a church in Ladce.
On May 18, 2020 – the 100th anniversary of the birth of St. John Paul II – the third national TVP channel began daily broadcast of the Hour of Mercy prayer and the Divine Mercy Chaplet from the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. In front of the grace-famous Divine Mercy image and at the tomb of St. Faustina, the prayers are recited by Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. At three o’clock in the afternoon, a privileged time in the Divine Mercy devotion, only thanks to this broadcast, hundreds of thousands of people gather every day at the cross of Jesus, and – as Jesus wanted – at least for a brief moment ponder the mystery of God’s mercy revealed in His passion and, for its merits, beg for God’s mercy “for us and the whole world”. It is a time of grace that is given to us every day, because Jesus has bound promises of all graces and temporal blessings in accordance with His will, with the Hour of Mercy (the moment of His dying on the cross) and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, if we ask for them with trust and combine this confident prayer with acts of mercy towards other people.
The broadcast of the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet on TVP3 is also available online, at www.faustyna.pl including other language versions of the website, as well as on our Faustyna.pl You Tube channel and app for Android and iOS.
On May 18th, faithful across Australia and Oceania will join in prayer of the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 pm for the 6 time. The action is the fruit of the Congress of Divine Mercy held in Melbourne in 2018 and involves joining in prayer twice a year: on May 18, which is the anniversary of the birth of St. John Paul II, and on September 13—the anniversary of the revelation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, above all, by the faithful of Australia and Oceania. Also Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy have joined in this prayerful action. Also Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy have joined in this prayerful action. On May 18th, all those participating will pray for the following intentions:
More information and how to join: www.worldchaplet.org
The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy would like to thank all those who have supported the on-line broadcasting from the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki at www.faustyna.pl, on You Tube and on our mobile Faustyna.pl app for Android and iOS. Thanks to these broadcasts, people can virtually travel to the Łagiewniki Shrine 24 hours a day to participate in the Liturgy and pray for their intentions.
For all the Contributors and Benefactors of this work, on May 17th, at 5 p.m., Holy Mass will be celebrated in the chapel of the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. We commend everyone to the Mercy of God in daily prayer in this holy place.
On May 17th, in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Prešov, Slovakia, a “Day of Divine Mercy” will be held. Sister from both communities of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Slovakia will take part, the ones from the Košice and Nižny Hrušov, together with members and volunteers of the “Faustinum” Association. The program includes: Holy Mass, sisters’ conference on “Our God’s name is Mercy”, adoration and prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
On Sunday, May 14, the parish of the Heart of Jesus and Mary in the village of Korneevka will host a meeting on the topic of Mary’s reign and what it means in our lives. It will be hosted by Sr. Anastasis Omelchenko from the Petropavlovsk community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The meeting is organized as part of the diocese’s preparations for the coronation of the statue of Our Lady Queen of Peace, which will take place at the National Shrine of the Queen of Peace on July 7, 2023.
On May 8 we will be celebrating the 155th anniversary of the establishment, by Mother Teresa Ewa Countess Potocki nee Sułkowski, of the first house of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Krakow. The sisters became involved in the education of girls and women in need of deep moral renewal, first in the “House of Mercy” at the Church of Divine Mercy at Smoleńsk street, and then in the convent at the crossroads of Zwierzyniecka and Straszewskiego (now occupied by Hotel Radisson). Since 1891, the convent’s house has been in Krakow-Łagiewniki. Today, the sisters are performing more than their original work, being also involved in the mission of St. Faustina to proclaim the message of Mercy to the world. They do this not only at the Shrine of Divine Mercy among the pilgrims from around the world, but also through many new works: the Association of Divine Mercy Apostles “Faustinum”, the publishing company “Misericordia”, the quarterly magazine “Orędzie Miłosierdzia”, the website available in 8 languages, the online broadcasts from the chapel of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy image and the tomb of St. Faustina, the perpetual Chaplet, the Chaplet for the dying, presence in the media, social networking, visits to parishes in Poland and abroad, participation in symposia and conferences devoted to the Mercy of God and the heritage of St. Faustina, etc. Their ministry, even the most implicit, includes the proclamation of the message of the merciful Love of God to man.
On May 8, at 5 p.m. at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, at the grace-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina, Mass will be celebrated for the intentions of all those participating in and supporting the Chaplet for the Dying, for a serene death for the moribund reported by text message to +48 505 060 205 and the joy of heaven for the deceased.
The Chaplet for the Dying has been carried out by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at the Łagiewniki Shrine since 2013, as a response to Jesus’ request to St. Faustina: Pray as much as you can for the dying, pray that they may put their trust in My mercy, for they are the ones most in need of trustfulness, but have it least of all. Know that for some souls the grace of eternal salvation will depend at their last moment on your prayers (Diary, 1777). Every year, as part of this project, we come to the aid of more than 40,000 people who need our support as they depart this world and, sometimes with great suffering, make the most important choice of their lives. May Jesus the Merciful go out to meet people who cross the threshold of eternity through our apostolate, so that their death is peaceful and serene, and may He welcome the dead into his kingdom.
For more information go to https://www.saint-faustina.org/chaplet-for-the-dying/
On May 7 (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 which will be God’s mercy in the Bible and the Diary of Sister Faustina. It will begin at 2:15 p.m. with communal adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, to be continued with prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, followed by a conference and Holy Mass at 5 p.m. The meetings are hosted by Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy and priests.
Saint Faustina is commonly associated with her revelations of Merciful Jesus and not so much with ones of the Virgin Mary. However, she experienced tens of such revelations. While She conversed with Sister Faustina, Mary revealed to her the mystery of Divine Mercy in her own life. She also instructed, reassured and accompanied the Saint in her prophetic mission of Mercy. She told her: Out of the depths of God’s Mercy, I am your Mother (Diary, 449) and I am not only the Queen of Heaven, but also the Mother of Mercy, and your Mother (Diary, 330).
The Blessed Virgin was, for Sister Faustina, primarily the Mother of the Son of God – the Embodiment of Mercy – and thanks to the Divine Mercy, also the mother of every human being. As the caring best Mother of all and a Mistress of spiritual life, she instructed her regarding the contemplation of God in her soul, regarding obedience to the will of God, the art of lovingly accepting one’s own cross and concern for the virtues that condition the attitude of trust in God and mercy towards our fellow human beings. I saw the Mother of God, Sister Faustina noted, who said to me, “Oh, how pleasing to God is the soul that follows faithfully the inspirations of His grace! I gave the Savior to the world; as for you, you have to speak to the world about His great mercy and prepare the world for the Second Coming of Him who will come, not as a merciful Savior, but as a just Judge. Oh, how terrible is that day! Determined is the day of justice, the day of divine wrath. The angels tremble before it. Speak to souls about this great mercy while it is still the time for mercy. If you keep silent now, you will be answering for a great number of souls on that terrible day. Fear nothing. Be faithful to the end. I sympathize with you” (Diary 635).
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 Saturday, May 6th, 16th annual pilgrimage of Catholics from Slovakia organized by Radio Lumen will arrive at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. About 10,000 pilgrims from all over Slovakia will participate in solemn Mass at 10:30 am, presided by Bishop Jozef Haľko from Bratislava and concelebrated by many priests who will arrive with the pilgrims. At 14.00 pm, Sr. M. Clareta Fečova from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy will give a conference. The pilgrimage will conclude with prayer at the Hour of Mercy (3:00 pm), the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and pastorial blessings. The events will traditionally be broadcast by the Catholic Radio Lumen, which will allow those unable to participate in person and come to Łagiewniki in a spiritual manner.
Under this motto, a day of recollection for women will be held at the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Gdańsk on May 6th. It will be delivered by Gracjana Szewc, I.S.M.M. with Fr. Łukasz Grelewicz. On the schedule: entering into silence, meditating on the Word of God and selected texts from the Diary of St. Faustina, there will also be a conference, an opportunity to participate in confession or have a conversation, Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and the Eucharist. Lunch and coffee/tea and refreshments will be available.
April 30th is the 23th anniversary of the canonization of Sr. Faustina Kowalska from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, an apostle of Divine Mercy. Her canonization took place at St. Peter’s Square in Rome and at the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki in the year 2000. Saint Faustina described the event with details more than 60 years earlier, at the end of March 1937 (Diary, 1044-1048). Whoever participated in these events knows that her vision was fulfilled accurately. On that day, the Holy Father John Paul II introduced the Feast of Divine Mercy for the whole Church and provided it with the message of Mercy as articulated by St. Faustina for the third millennium of our faith. You can find out more the testimony of miraculous healing which was tested for the canonization, a description of the event and the canonization homily of the Holy Father at faustyna.pl. We give daily thanks for this “gift of God our time”, as St. Faustina and the message of Mercy which she provided us with were called by St. John Paul II. Millions of people around the world are joining in St. Faustina’s prophetic mission of proclaiming the biblical truth about the merciful Love of God to the world through the witness of life, deeds, words and prayer, creating the Apostolic Movement of the Divine Mercy, which is the “new congregation” as demanded by Jesus. May the anniversary of the Apostle of Divine Mercy’s canonization be an opportunity for us not only to give thanks, but also to explore the abundant heritage of the Saint.
Blisko Rahamim [Around Rahamim] is the name of a YouTube, Facebook and Instagram account opened this January as a new evangelistic space on the Internet, run by Sr. Gaudia Skass and the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. It provides a space for sharing the happiness of living close to the merciful God. Blisko Rahamim’s first production is a podcast titled Zbliżenia (Encounters). In the roughly half-hour episodes that appear every Sunday evening, we zoom in on the image of Merciful Jesus, discovering symbol by symbol what God is like, how He presents Himself through the image He asked to be painted. Two primary sources for the podcast musings are Scripture and the Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska.
People from many countries of the world participating in the work of the Perpetual Chaplet of Divine Mercy are praying not only in their own intentions, but also asking for “mercy on us and the whole world”. A detailed intention for April is prayer for the spiritual rebirth of mankind and its confident turn towards God’s Mercy.
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.
In April in all the chapels of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, including the one of the miracle-famous Divine Mercy Image and the tomb of St. Faustina at the Shrine in Krakow-Łagiewniki, evening devotions in honor of Divine Mercy will take place, during which the Litany of Divine Mercy will be recited. The words of the litany were written down by St. Faustina in her Diary and her Vilnius confessor, Bl. Fr. Michael Sopocko, composed the prayer on this basis. Praying with her words, we not only praise God’s Mercy, but also get to know the mystery of God’s merciful Love more, which accompanies man in all the dimensions of his earthly life, accompanying him always and everywhere.
The Second National Faustinum Convention will be held in Loreto on April 21-23 this year. It will be attended by Sister Emanuela Gemza, president of the Faustinum Association Divine Mercy of Apostles and Sister Eliana Chmielewska from the Krakow community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, and Sister Wincenta Mąka from the community in Rome. The program includes ceremonies for the reception of new members.
On Sunday, April 23, the 7th National Bible Reading will take place, this time selected texts from the Gospel according to St. John. Ceremonial celebration led by bishop Andrzej Kaleta will take place at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki at 7.00 a.m and will be broadcasted together with the Eucharist by TVP1 and on the website: www.saint-faustina.org, You Tube and on mobile applications: faustyna.pl . Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, chairman of the EPP and Mateusz Morawiecki, president of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Poland took the patronage over the event.
The Sisters from the community of our Congregation in Washington, D.C., organize the next “Evening with Merciful Jesus” on April 22nd at the John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C . This month’s special guest will be Michael Corsini – husband, father of five, painter, illustrator and musician, whose life has been transformed by the power of Merciful Love!
You can also 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 the occasion of the 10th anniversary of when relics of St. Faustina Kowalska were introduced, which also is the 10th anniversary of the Faustinum Association formation group in Slovenska Ľupča, a retreat will be held on April 21-22 at the Holy Trinity Parish Church in Slovenska Ľupča, Slovakia. Following the invitation of the Dean, Fr. Petr Ivanič, it will be delivered by Sr. M. Antoniana Štullerová from the community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Košice, and Sisters M. Clareta Fečová and M. Mariela Lengyjelová from the community at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. The festivities will conclude with Sunday Mass at 10.30 am, with Bp. Stanislav Stolárik of Rožňava as the main celebrant.
