St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, was born Helena Kowalska, in Glogowiec, Poland on August 25, 1905. Her family had 10 children, of which she was the third oldest. Her family was devout but poor, and her father was a carpenter.
Faustina said that when she was seven years old, she adored Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and it was then that God first began calling her to consecrated religious life.
She completed school when she was 16, and like St. Therese wished to enter the convent at a young age, but her parents did not let her. So she was a housekeeper for several homes over the next few years.
Faustina Searches For a Convent
When she was nineteen years old, she saw a vision of Jesus suffering and went to the Cathedral to pray. There Jesus told her to go to Warsaw and find a convent to join.
Faustina obeyed promptly, went to Warsaw without knowing anyone there, and St. James Church was the first she encountered, so she went to Mass there.
Afterwards, she visited several convents, but none were willing to take her in. Then she found the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, and the Mother Superior was willing to take a chance on Faustina, provided she would work to earn her keep.
Faustina was given her habit and religious name (Sister Maria Faustina) on April 30, 1926. She was twenty years old. Two years later she took temporary vows as a nun.
Jesus Appears to Faustina
Jesus, as the King of Divine Mercy, appeared to Faustina on February 22, 1931. He wore white, with red and translucent rays radiating out from his heart.
Jesus asked Faustina if she would be the Apostle of God’s Mercy and His missionary to the modern world for this purpose.
Jesus also told her to paint an image of Him with the caption “Jesus, I trust in You.”
In addition to the Divine Mercy painting, Jesus said that the Sunday after Easter was to become the Feast of Mercy.
In 1935, Faustina told of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which she was given, for the purpose of trusting in Christ’s Divine Mercy.
Two years later, the Divine Mercy image grew in popularity, and Faustina revealed that Jesus gave her the Novena of Divine Mercy as well, which people should pray beginning Good Friday for 9 days leading up to the Feast of Divine Mercy.
Faustina’s Holy Death
St. Faustina died on October 5, 1938.
St. Faustina’s diary, Divine Mercy in my Soul, was published and has been a best selling book in the Catholic world for decades.
St. Faustina was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II on April 18, 1993 and canonized by him on April 30, 2000.
Say one chaplet each day following the novena intention. In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that Jesus told her:
"On each day of the novena you will bring to My Heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls. By this novena I will grant every possible grace to souls." (Diary 1209, 796)
First Day of the Novena to the Divine Mercy
"Today bring to Me All Mankind, especially all sinners and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me."
Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins, but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAY THE CHAPLET
Faustina said that when she was seven years old, she adored Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and it was then that God first began calling her to consecrated religious life.
She completed school when she was 16, and like St. Therese wished to enter the convent at a young age, but her parents did not let her. So she was a housekeeper for several homes over the next few years.
Faustina Searches For a Convent
When she was nineteen years old, she saw a vision of Jesus suffering and went to the Cathedral to pray. There Jesus told her to go to Warsaw and find a convent to join.
Faustina obeyed promptly, went to Warsaw without knowing anyone there, and St. James Church was the first she encountered, so she went to Mass there.
Afterwards, she visited several convents, but none were willing to take her in. Then she found the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, and the Mother Superior was willing to take a chance on Faustina, provided she would work to earn her keep.
Faustina was given her habit and religious name (Sister Maria Faustina) on April 30, 1926. She was twenty years old. Two years later she took temporary vows as a nun.
Jesus Appears to Faustina
Jesus, as the King of Divine Mercy, appeared to Faustina on February 22, 1931. He wore white, with red and translucent rays radiating out from his heart.
Jesus asked Faustina if she would be the Apostle of God’s Mercy and His missionary to the modern world for this purpose.
Jesus also told her to paint an image of Him with the caption “Jesus, I trust in You.”
In addition to the Divine Mercy painting, Jesus said that the Sunday after Easter was to become the Feast of Mercy.
In 1935, Faustina told of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which she was given, for the purpose of trusting in Christ’s Divine Mercy.
Two years later, the Divine Mercy image grew in popularity, and Faustina revealed that Jesus gave her the Novena of Divine Mercy as well, which people should pray beginning Good Friday for 9 days leading up to the Feast of Divine Mercy.
Faustina’s Holy Death
St. Faustina died on October 5, 1938.
St. Faustina’s diary, Divine Mercy in my Soul, was published and has been a best selling book in the Catholic world for decades.
St. Faustina was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II on April 18, 1993 and canonized by him on April 30, 2000.
Say one chaplet each day following the novena intention. In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that Jesus told her:
"On each day of the novena you will bring to My Heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls. By this novena I will grant every possible grace to souls." (Diary 1209, 796)
First Day of the Novena to the Divine Mercy
"Today bring to Me All Mankind, especially all sinners and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me."
Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins, but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAY THE CHAPLET
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