On August 1st, it will be 99 years since Helena Kowalska, known throughout the world under her religious name of Sister Faustina, joined the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. Despite explicit instructions from Jesus to go to Warsaw and enter a convent to begin monastic life, her way to start following her vocation was not easy. As she wrote in her Diary, she knocked on the doors of many convents, but she was accepted nowhere. It was only in the convent at ul. Żytnia in Warsaw that she received an approval to join, but not before she spends a year working as a maid to earn a modest dowry. Finally, on August 1st, 1925 she stepped over the threshold of the closure, and wrote in her Diary: I felt immensely happy; it seemed to me that I had stepped into the life of Paradise. A single prayer was bursting forth from my heart, one of thanksgiving (Diary, 17). She then spent 13 years in many convents of the Congregation, fulfilling simple duties, and at the same time leading a very deep spiritual life. The Lord sent St. Faustina to the world to remind people of the Biblical truth about the merciful love of God to each human being and call them to proclaim it with a new power of witness, deed, word and prayer.
On July 31st, the liturgical calendar includes a commemoration of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and one of the patron saints of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, which has benefited from Ignatian spirituality throughout its history. Saint Faustina mentions this Saint twice in her Diary, when she writes about his advice concerning keeping the vow of obedience, and on the occasion of her the vision in 1935: The Feast of St. Ignatius. I prayed fervently to this Saint, complaining and asking how he could watch me and not come to my assistance in such important matters, that is in fulfilling God’s will. I said to the Saint: “You, who are our Patron, you were burning with the fire of love and zeal for the greater glory of God, I humbly ask you, please help me carry out God’s plans.” It was during Mass. Then I saw St. Ignatius on the left-hand side of the altar with a big book in his hands. He said to me: “My daughter, I am not indifferent to your affairs; this rule can be applied to the Congregation as well.” With his hand he pointed to the book and vanished. I was extremely pleased that the Saints have us very much in their thoughts and that they are in close touch with us. O, divine Goodness, how beautiful the spiritual world is, if we can be in communion with the Saints already here on earth. All day long I felt that this Patron Saint, whom I hold so dear, was close by my side.
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”. Specjal intention for July: for safe holidays for those who rest and that everyone may use this time to grow spiritually in their trust in God and in the richness of mercy shown to people.
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 July 25-29, a formation retreat of the “Faustinum” Association will be held at the Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki in two groups: first tier, under the motto Endowed with Mercy, and second for those who have already taken the first retreat. The motto of the retreat for the second group is Let God’s Mercy work in you, that is, live, choose, and act according to what God expects, because His plan is optimal for our development and happiness on earth and in eternity. The retreat will be delivered by Fr. Sławomir Czajka, Bible scholar, Director of the St. Casimir Theological Institute in Radom, Sr. Emanuela Gemza, I.S.M.M., head of the “Faustinum” Association, and Sr. Eliana Chmielewska, leader of the Krakow “Faustinum” community.
The Sisters from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Washington, D.C. (USA) are organizing a spiritual retreat on a pilgrimage to Poland from July 14 to 26, 2024. The pilgrimage will be an extraordinary journey following in the footsteps of two saints who changed the world by reminding us of the truth about God, whose name is MERCY! The program includes conferences, prayer, and visits to the most important places associated with St. Faustina and St. John Paul II. Highlights will include an extended stay at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki, the site from which the message of Mercy and the consecration of the entire world to Divine Mercy have spread worldwide.
The liturgical calendar includes compulsory commemoration of St. Mary Magdalene, who is the patroness of good change, on 22 of July. Since the beginning, this Saint is the patron of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, especially of the girls and women in need of moral regeneration, the education of whom is the main task of the sisters. Images and statues of Mary Magdalene are found in many convents of the Congregation. In the convent chapel of the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina at the Shrine in Krakow-Lagiewniki, her the statue is located in the main altar which is dedicated to the patron saint of the Congregation – Our Lady of Mercy.
On July 10, the 22th “From Mercy to Mercy” Greater Poland’s Pilgrimage will depart from the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Ostrów Wielkopolski for the capital of the Divine Mercy veneration in Krakow-Łagiewniki. The pilgrims will arrive on July 21. On the way, on July 16th they will be joined by more pilgrims from the Poznan Foot Pilgrimage to Jasna Góra, who will be extending their walking route beyond Czestochowa – to Krakow-Łagiewniki. Spiritually, they will be joined by listeners of Radio Rodzina from the Diocese of Kalisz.
On July 12, the 12th International Walking Pilgrimage will set off from Hidasnemeti (Hungary) across Slovakia to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Łagiewniki. During the nine days, the pilgrims will make their way along a 275 km route through Kosice, Radatice, Pečowská Nová Ves, Plavnica, Piwniczna Zdrój, Gostwica, Tymbark and Brzączowice. The pilgrimage will reach Krakow on July 20. At 3 pm, prayer at the Hour of Mercy and Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be recited in the chapel of the convent before the miracle-famous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina.
On July 20th this year, Sister Alžbeta Mikušová from the Hruszów community of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will go on a parish pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady in Gaboltov, Slovakia. During this time, he will share the message of Mercy with which the Lord Jesus sent Saint Sister Faustina to the whole world, and will lead prayer at the Hour of Mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
July 16 is the 158th anniversary of the death of Mother Thérèse Rondeau, the founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in France (Laval), and co-founder of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland. She was born on October 6, 1793 in Laval, France. She was christened Theresa Agatha. Under the influence of her confessor, Fr. J. Chanon, S.J., Theresa undertook working with penitent women, that is to say women in need of deep moral renewal and willing to change their lives. In order to prepare better for this work, in 1818 she moved to Bordeaux, where Mother Teresa de Lamourous ran a house for penitent women, which was called “Mercy”. After a two-month stay, Theresa Rondeau made private vows and returned to Laval to become the foundress of a new work, independent from Bordeaux, and in time this became the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in France. Mother Teresa Potocka, née Ewa Sułkowska, who later became the foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland, adopted the spirituality of the French Congregation and their way of conducting apostolic work. Mother Teresa Rondeau died on 16 July 1866 and was buried within the grounds of the Congregation in Laval; her tomb is in a garden belonging to the convent. Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland has named a co-founder. The spiritual co-founder of the Congregation is St. Faustina Kowalska.
From July 8 to 15, in Braslav, near the lake, Sister Konstancja from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Pastavy, along with devotees of Divine Mercy, is organizing a Vacation with God for kids and teens under the theme Jesus and His Parables. Local Salvatorian Fathers will assist with sacramental services such as confession and the Eucharist.
The Vacation with God project for children and youth is organized by the Sisters each year in a different location and with a different main theme.
Children from grades 1-6 will spend their first summer vacation days in Slovakia’s Nižný Hrušov at the convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy under this motto, from July 8 to 10. The summer days have been prepared for them by animators from the parish together with Sisters from the local community, and the coordinator of the whole event is the provost, Fr. Jozef Kozák.
Due to maintenance work on July 8th, there will be interruptions in the online transmission from the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, from the chapel with the miraculous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St. Faustina. We apologize for these inconveniences, but carrying out this work is necessary.
On Sunday, July 7th, St. Faustina’s relics will be introduced at the 11 am Mass in the Church of St. Martin in Šintave, western Slovakia. First degree relics of the Apostle of Divine Mercy will be handed over by Sr. Blanka Krajčíková from the convent of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy in Košice, Slovakia. On this occasion, she will share the spiritual legacy of St. Faustina, and especially the message of Mercy with which Jesus sent her to the whole world.
The sisters of Our Lady of Mercy from the community in Washington DC invite you to join them for pilgrimage and spiritual Retreat to Poland on July 14, 2024 to Friday, July 26, 2024.
If you desire to deepen your spiritual life, want to visit places where God has shown His grace to man in a special way and create a community of people who want to “go deeper” – you can’t miss it!
The pilgrimage has been designed to be a prayer-filled spiritual experience! This is an extraordinary journey in the footsteps of two saints who changed the world by reminding us of the truth that the name of our God is MERCY!
You can join them from any part of the world!
For more details and registration, go to the John Paul II National Shrine website:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-pilgrimage-to-poland-tickets-807189253787?aff=oddtdtcreator
On 6 July falls the 143th 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. More information about the life and work of Mother Teresa Potocka can be found here.
The annual retreat for Divine Mercy devotees will be held at the Jesuit Retreat House in Prešov, Slovakia, on June 28-30. The retreat, entitled If you knew the gift of God (John 4:10), will be led by Sr. M. Blanka Krajčíková, I.S.M.M., from the Košice community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy, together with Jesuit Fathers from the Prešov community.
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.
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, 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.
