Divine Mercy FAQs and Answers

1. What extraordinary graces are available on Divine Mercy Sunday?

Our Lord revealed to St. Faustina His desire to literally flood us with His graces on that day. He told her: On that day the very depths of My tender Mercy are open. ...The soul that will go to Confession [beforehand] and receive Holy Communion [on that day] shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. (699) The theologian who examined St. Faustina's writings for the Holy See, Rev. Ignacy Rozycki, explained that this is the promise of a complete renewal of baptismal grace, and in that sense like a “second Baptism” (in much the same way that St. Catherine of Siena called sacramental Confession, undertaken out of true love of God, an “ongoing Baptism“) (The Dialogue, no.75).

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2. How can I receive these extraordinary graces on Divine Mercy Sunday?

In order to receive the extraordinary graces, you should prepare by making a good Confession, so that you can receive Holy Communion in a state of grace on Divine Mercy Sunday. In addition, Our Lord asked St. Faustina to be sure to perform acts of mercy, and to come to Him in Holy Communion with great trust in His mercy. Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy. (742) The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is — trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. (1578)

Suggested Reading:
The Divine Mercy Message and Devotion, Code EM17
Why Mercy Sunday?, Code EWMS.

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3. When should I go to confession?

You do not have to go to confession on Mercy Sunday itself. We know from her Diary that St. Faustina made her confession in preparation for Mercy Sunday on the day before (1072). In fact, all of Lent should be a preparation to make a good confession to receive Holy Communion worthily on Easter Sunday and Divine Mercy Sunday. Sin is the only obstacle to our fervent reception of Holy Communion, and our sins can be wiped away by the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The important thing is to receive Holy Communion on these great feast days in a state of grace, and with great trust in God's mercy. Don't wait until the last moment, take advantage of the extra Confession time that is made available during Lent.

Suggested Reading:
Why Mercy Sunday? Code EWMS
Reconciliation, Code ELFR.

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4. Can I go to the Vigil Mass on Saturday before Divine Mercy Sunday and still receive the graces for the Feast Day?

Yes, the Vigil Mass fulfills the Sunday obligation of the Feast of Divine Mercy, so the extraordinary graces are available when you receive Holy Communion in a state of grace at the Saturday Vigil Mass.

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5. What is the role of the parish priest on Divine Mercy Sunday?

The essential celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday consists in the celebration of the liturgy of the Second Sunday of Easter under its proper (now official) title, according to the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments: namely, “Divine Mercy Sunday.” During the Mass, the homily should focus on the scriptural readings of the day. The readings for the day focus on “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in His great mercy gave us a new birth” (I Pt. 1:3), and on the risen Savior who breathed on His disciples and bestowed on them the gift of the Holy Spirit: “Whose sins you forgive they are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (Jn.20: 20-23). The Responsorial repeatedly calls us to praise and thank the Lord, “for His mercy endures forever” (Ps.118: 2-4).

Suggested Reading:
Catechesis of Divine Mercy Sunday,Code EIDM103
Preparing for Mercy Sunday, Code EMSF

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6. I want to receive the graces promised on Mercy Sunday, but I can't get to church for some serious reason (I'm home bound, seriously ill, or disabled).

Our Lord said to St. Faustina: The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is — trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much (1578).

With this in mind, you can participate in the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday by making a Spiritual Communion, with great trust. God will give you all the graces that He sees that need because of your great trust.

Suggested Reading:
Spiritual Communion, Code EEVSCL

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7. I am Catholic, but I cannot receive Holy Communion because I'm divorced and remarried outside the Catholic Church. Can I receive the graces of Mercy Sunday?

If at present you cannot generally receive the Sacraments in the Catholic Church because of your marital circumstances, you would also not be permitted to receive Holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday until you rectify your situation through the pastoral offices of the Church.

Our Lord said to St. Faustina: The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only,and that is — trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much.

With this in mind, you are encouraged to participate in the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday by going to Mass, and making a Spiritual Communion with great trust. God will give you all the graces that He sees you need, because of your great trust.

Suggested Reading:
Spiritual Communion, Code EEVSCL

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8. I'm not Catholic. Can I receive these graces on Divine Mercy Sunday?

Non-Catholics may participate in the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday by making a Spiritual Communion, with great trust, since it is by the degree of trust that we receive graces. (See answers to questions 6 and 7 ). Although our Lord did not reveal to St. Faustina the extent to which the extraordinary graces of this feast day are available to non-Catholics, it is theologically certain that anyone who is seeking Him with a sincere heart will be richly blessed on that day: “No one who comes to me shall every be hungry, no one who believes in me shall ever thirst.” “No one who comes will I ever reject.”(Jn 6:35-37)

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9. If Pope John Paul II declared the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday, why don't all churches celebrate it? My pastor refuses to acknowledge the Feast.

The National Conference of Catholic Bishops requires that this day be celebrated as “Divine Mercy Sunday,” as requested by Pope John Paul II when he made it a universal Feast: “Throughout the world, the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that humankind will experience in the years to come.” (Ordo, April 7, 2002) Your pastor will find Divine Mercy Sunday explained in the Ordinal for April 7, 2002. The Ordinal is the book of directives from the Church that priests are required to follow. If these directives are being ignored in our parishes, we can only remind our local pastors and pray for them that they may recognize the significance of this day. At the minimum, priests should announce that this day is Divine Mercy Sunday and preach about mercy at all the Masses. That is all that is strictly required by the Church. In addition, if pastors are willing, there are may other ways to enhance the celebration of this Feast.

Suggested Reading:
How to Prepare for Mercy Sunday, Code EMSFCatechesis of Divine Mercy Sunday,Code EIDM103

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10. My pastor will allow us to pray the Divine Mercy Novena, but not on Good Friday or Holy Saturday. He says it interferes with the Holy Triduum, which are the holiest days of the year.

The Paschal Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday) ushers in Easter Sunday and constitutes the most holy period of the Church year. The Divine Mercy Novena does not supersede the Triduum, but extends the Solemn General Intercessions of the Good Friday observance of Our Lord's Passion and Death throughout the whole octave of Easter, building up to the day of thanksgiving for Our Lord's Divine Mercy.

Suggested Reading:
Mercy — The Message of Easter, Code EMOE

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11. What is the correct way to organize a program for Divine Mercy Sunday?

When planning your Divine Mercy Sunday celebration, keep in mind that there is no one "correct" way to celebrate the Feast Day. Every parish organizes a celebration that fits in with their needs. Here are a few suggestions:

In order to receive the ocean of graces the Lord promised on Divine Mercy Sunday, the only condition is to receive Holy Communion worthily on that day by making a good confession in preparation and living in such a way that you remain in the state of grace to be able to receive that Holy Communion with great trust in His Divine Mercy. Through the promise to grant complete forgiveness of sins and punishment on the Feast of Mercy, our Lord emphasizes the value of Confession and Communion as miracles of mercy.

If your pastor is willing to have an extra Mass in the afternoon and preach in greater depth about mercy in that homily, that is wonderful. You could also have a Holy Hour before the Mass, in which someone can speak on Mercy, or read passages from the Diary or a Scripture on Mercy, pray the Chaplet, (if there is someone qualified to expose the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration and Benediction, that is a wonderful addition to your Holy Hour), sing hymns appropriate to the Easter Season — whatever fits into your particular parish's needs and abilities.

Our Lord also requested that the Image of The Divine Mercy be solemnly venerated on that day. I want the image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it (341).

Also, the works of mercy are an important part of the Divine Mercy devotion. Jesus told St. Faustina: Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy. ...I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it. (742)

Suggested Reading:
How to Prepare for Mercy Sunday, Code EMSF
Deeds of Mercy, Code EDOM

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12. Some people in our parish insist that we must go to Confession on Mercy Sunday because that's what St. Faustina wrote in her Diary. They want to do what she said, not some interpretation of it.

Cardinal Macharski, the Archbishop of St. Faustina's own archdiocese of Krakow, Poland, wrote a pastoral letter to all his priests on January 30, 1985, on how to prepare for and celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. In it he said that all of Lent should be a preparation to celebrate Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday worthily. The Sacrament of Reconciliation should be received some time in Lent, not put off until the last minute (Holy Week). We go to Confession with the intention of repentance and to amend our lives, and we should live in such a way as to be worthy to receive Holy Eucharist. If we have any venial sins, a good Act of Contrition will take away those sins.

St. Faustina did not go to Confession on Divine Mercy Sunday. For example, we find in Diary entry 1072, that she went on the day before — in preparation for Divine Mercy Sunday. It was not the custom at that time to make Confessions on Sundays. Our Lord would not have asked her, or any of us, to do what is impossible. It would be impossible for everyone to go to Confession on Mercy Sunday.

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13. Can I receive Holy Communion on Mercy Sunday and offer those graces for someone else, living of deceased?

Our Lord's promise to grant complete forgiveness of sins and punishment on the Feast of Mercy is given to those who accept His invitation to come to the Fountain of Life. These graces are for ourselves. I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy (1109).
Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment (300).
The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment (699).
However, given the extraordinary graces that the person receives from Holy Communion on Mercy Sunday — namely, the complete renewal of baptismal grace — the time after that Communion is an excellent time for the communicant to intercede for loved ones on earth, and to begin to undertake indulgenced works, as established by the Church, for the sake of the souls in purgatory.

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14. Is it required to pray the Divine Mercy Novena in order to receive the extraordinary graces on Divine Mercy Sunday?

No, the graces of Divine Mercy Sunday are obtained by receiving Holy Communion worthily, with great trust in God's mercy. The Novena is a devotion which is a good preparation for Divine Mercy Sunday. It actually consists of a novena of chaplets, recited from Good Friday through the Saturday before Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus promised: by this novena [of chaplets] I will grant every possible grace to souls (7796).
The longer Novena dictated by our Lord to St. Faustina (1209-1229) is often used together with the novena of chaplets. Unlike the novena of chaplets, it seems to have been intended for St. Faustina's personal use. This can be seen from our Lord's instructions which address her with the word "you" in the singular.

But, since St. Faustina was commanded to write it down in her Diary, our Lord must have intended this longer novena to be available for public use as well. Many people pray this novena not only in preparation for the Feast of Divine Mercy, but at other times as well.

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15. We pray the Chaplet in our prayer group, but the leader changes the words and adds different intentions. Is this OK?

Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world; for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. (476)

The wording of the Chaplet is the official translation from the Polish Diary of Saint Faustina. The Chaplet received the Imprimatur from Joseph F. Maguire, Bishop of Springfield, MA, on November 17, 1979. This is the official, approved form, and the wording should not be changed, because it was given to St. Faustina by our Lord Himself.

It is important that in public gatherings, the Chaplet is recited with its exact wording. The ban on the Divine Mercy message and devotion that existed from 1959-1978 was brought on partly because of inaccurate and confusing translations. Adding or changing words in public recitation of the Chaplet may lead to confusion and division.

In you own private, personal prayers, however, to enrich your own spiritual life, you may include, for example: a prayer for a special intention.

Please do not make copies and hand out your own version of the Chaplet as it will cause confusion and may harm the Divine Mercy message and devotion.

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16. We used to pray the Chaplet "For the sake of Jesus' sorrowful Passion," and now you've changed the words and taken out the name of Jesus.

This wording was taken from the earliest translation of the Chaplet, made before the ban on The Divine Mercy message and devotion. The ban was brought on partly because of inaccurate and confusing translations. After the ban was lifted, the Diary of St. Faustina was officially translated from Polish into English by a group of priests, among them, our own Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, MIC. The wording of the Chaplet is the most accurate and best translation from St. Faustina's original Polish language. This Chaplet received the from Joseph F. Maguire, Bishop of Springfield, MA, on November 17, 1979, and is the official, approved form. The use of any earlier form of this prayer may lead to confusion and division.

The name of Jesus has not been eliminated from the prayer. Actually, reference is being made to Jesus, whose name has been mentioned earlier in the prayer. It remains in the exact form in which St. Faustina wrote it: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world; for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. (476)

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17. Why is the beginning of the Chaplet optional?

The Chaplet, as dictated to St. Faustina by our Lord, begins with the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Apostles Creed. The prayer which begins, You expired, Jesus, (1319) may be used as an introductory prayer to the Chaplet.

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18. Must the Chaplet always be prayed at 3 p.m.?

Our Lord asked St. Faustina for special prayer and meditation of His Passion each afternoon at the three o'clock hour, the hour that recalls His death on the cross. At three o'clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy (1320). My daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; and should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant (1572). So, while the Chaplet is a very good prayer to pray at three o'clock, it is not required. If your duties do not permit it, at least meditate on the Lord's Passion for a moment.

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19. Do you have any text that I can use for a news release or article in our diocesan newspaper?

The Editorial Department at the Marian Helpers Center has prepared a general news release about Divine Mercy Sunday and you may access it on our web site under NEWS. You may copy this news release for use in your parish bulletin or to send to your diocesan newspaper.

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20. How can I get a first-class relic of St. Faustina?

The Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland are the administrators of the relics of St. Faustina. You may contact them at their house in Dorchester, MA, to find out the terms and conditions of obtaining a first-class relic. Address inquiries to Sister Saula Firer, S.M.D.M., Superior, Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, 241 Neponset Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02122. You may also call for information at (617)288-1202.

The rules for obtaining holy relics are very strict. They are available only to pastors and must be obtained in person from the Sisters in Poland. The pastor of the church must write a letter of request to the Postulator of St. Faustina. Here are some of the requirements:

Identification of the Pastor and Parish

1. The letter must be on parish stationery with the letterhead and parish name clearly visible.
2. The name of the pastor, the parish, and its actual address and country of origin must be stated.
3. The letter must be signed by the pastor and must be impressed with the parish seal.

Important elements in the letter of request

4. The pastor must state that he is asking for the relic on behalf of his parish.
5. The pastor must state that the relic is for public veneration by the faithful (not for private use).
6. The pastor must state that the relic will be kept in the church when not being venerated by the faithful.
7. The pastor must state that the relic will be used to promote devotion to Jesus, The Divine Mercy.

Identification of the person procuring the relic on behalf of the parish and pastor

8. The person traveling to Poland and procuring the relic for the parish must be mentioned by name.
9. The following identifying information about this person must also be documented in the letter: name, address, driver's license number (person must be able to drive, passport number, and date of birth.
10. The pastor must ensure that the person retrieving the relic is a good and trusted Catholic.
11. The pastor must ensure that the person retrieving the relic will personally deliver it to him and not mail it or give it to someone else to deliver.

Other important information

12. The salutation of the letter must be addressed to: The Postulator of St. Faustina, Krakow, Poland.
13. The person must have communicated with the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy either in the U.S.A. at 241 Neponset Avenue, Dorchester, Massachusetts, 02122-3229, Tel: (617)288-1202, or in Poland at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy, ul.Siostry Faustyny 3, 30-420 Krakow, Poland, Tel: (011-48-12)67-6104 or 66-2368.
14. The request for a first-class relic should be accompanied by a monetary donation of at least $50.00 U.S. dollars.

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DECREE

Indulgences attached to devotions in honour of Divine Mercy

"O God, your mercy knows no bounds and the treasure of your goodness is infinite..." (Prayer after the "Te Deum" Hymn) and "O God, you reveal your almighty power above all by showing mercy and forgiveness..." (Prayer for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time), in these prayers Holy Mother Church humbly and faithfully sings of Divine Mercy. Indeed, God's great patience with the human race in general and with each individual person shines out in a special way when sins and moral failures are forgiven by Almighty God Himself and the guilty are readmitted in a fatherlike way to his friendship, which they deservedly lost.

Duty of honouring Divine Mercy

The faithful with deep spiritual affection are drawn to commemorate the mysteries of divine pardon and to celebrate them devoutly. They clearly understand the supreme benefit, indeed the duty, that the People of God have to praise Divine Mercy with special prayers and, at the same time, they realize that by gratefully performing the works required and satisfying the necessary conditions, they can obtain spiritual benefits that derive from the Treasury of the Church. "The paschal mystery is the culmination of this revealing and effecting of mercy, which is able to justify man, to restore justice in the sense of that salvific order which God willed from the beginning in man, and through man, in the world" (Encyclical Letter Dives in misericordia, n. 7).

It is God's Mercy that grants supernatural sorrow and resolution to amend

Indeed, Divine Mercy knows how to pardon even the most serious sins, and in doing so it moves the faithful to perceive a supernatural, not merely psychological, sorrow for their sins so that, ever with the help of divine grace, they may make a firm resolution not to sin any more. Such spiritual dispositions undeniably follow upon the forgiveness of mortal sin when the faithful fruitfully receive the sacrament of Penance or repent of their sin with an act of perfect charity and perfect contrition, with the resolution to receive the Sacrament of Penance as soon as they can. Indeed, Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us in the parable of the Prodigal Son that the sinner must confess his misery to God saying: "Father I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son" (Lk 15,18-19), realizing that this is a work of God, "for [he] was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found" (Lk 15,32).

Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday

And so with provident pastoral sensitivity and in order to impress deeply on the souls of the faithful these precepts and teachings of the Christian faith, the Supreme Pontiff, John Paul II, moved by the consideration of the Father of Mercy, has willed that the Second Sunday of Easter be dedicated to recalling with special devotion these gifts of grace and gave this Sunday the name, "Divine Mercy Sunday" (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Decree Misericors et miserator, 5 May 2000).

The Gospel of the Second Sunday of Easter narrates the wonderful things Christ the Lord accomplished on the day of the Resurrection during his first public appearance: "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you'. When he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad to see the Lord. Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you'. And then he breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained'" (Jn 20,19-23).

Plenary Indulgence

To ensure that the faithful would observe this day with intense devotion, the Supreme Pontiff himself established that this Sunday be enriched by a plenary indulgence, as will be explained below, so that the faithful might receive in great abundance the gift of the consolation of the Holy Spirit. In this way, they can foster a growing love for God and for their neighbour, and after they have obtained God's pardon, they in turn might be persuaded to show a prompt pardon to their brothers and sisters.

Pardon of others who sin against us

Thus the faithful will more closely conform to the spirit of the Gospel, receiving in their hearts the renewal that the Second Vatican Council explained and introduced: "Mindful of the words of the Lord: 'By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another' (Jn 13,35), Christians can yearn for nothing more ardently than to serve the men of this age with an ever growing generosity and success.... It is the Father's will that we should recognize Christ our brother in the persons of all men and love them with an effective love, in word and in deed (Pastoral Constitution, Gaudium et spes, n. 93).

Three conditions for the plenary indulgence

And so the Supreme Pontiff, motivated by an ardent desire to foster in Christians this devotion to Divine Mercy as much as possible in the hope of offering great spiritual fruit to the faithful, in the Audience granted on 13 June 2002, to those Responsible for the Apostolic Penitentiary, granted the following Indulgences:

A plenary indulgence, granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honour of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!");

A partial indulgence, granted to the faithful who, at least with a contrite heart, pray to the merciful Lord Jesus a legitimately approved invocation.

For those who cannot go to church or the seriously ill

In addition, sailors working on the vast expanse of the sea; the countless brothers and sisters, whom the disasters of war, political events, local violence and other such causes have been driven out of their homeland; the sick and those who nurse them, and all who for a just cause cannot leave their homes or who carry out an activity for the community which cannot be postponed, may obtain a plenary indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday, if totally detesting any sin, as has been said before, and with the intention of fulfilling as soon as possible the three usual conditions, will recite the Our Father and the Creed before a devout image of Our Merciful Lord Jesus and, in addition, pray a devout invocation to the Merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you).

If it is impossible that people do even this, on the same day they may obtain the Plenary Indulgence if with a spiritual intention they are united with those carrying out the prescribed practice for obtaining the Indulgence in the usual way and offer to the Merciful Lord a prayer and the sufferings of their illness and the difficulties of their lives, with the resolution to accomplish as soon as possible the three conditions prescribed to obtain the plenary indulgence.

Duty of priests: inform parishioners, hear confessions, lead prayers

Priests who exercise pastoral ministry, especially parish priests, should inform the faithful in the most suitable way of the Church's salutary provision. They should promptly and generously be willing to hear their confessions. On Divine Mercy Sunday, after celebrating Mass or Vespers, or during devotions in honour of Divine Mercy, with the dignity that is in accord with the rite, they should lead the recitation of the prayers that have been given above. Finally, since "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Mt 5,7), when they instruct their people, priests should gently encourage the faithful to practise works of charity or mercy as often as they can, following the example of, and in obeying the commandment of Jesus Christ, as is listed for the second general concession of indulgence in the "Enchiridion Indulgentiarum".

This Decree has perpetual force, any provision to the contrary notwithstanding.

Archbishop Luigi De Magistris,
Tit. Archbishop of Nova
Major Pro-Penitentiary

Fr Gianfranco Girotti, O.F.M. Conv.,
Regent

Overview of the Devotion

There are usually four items associated with the devotion of Divine Mercy: the image, the feast, the Chaplet and the Hour of Mercy.

The Image

It takes its origin from a vision that St Faustina had in Plock on 22 February 1931. In that vision Christ expressed his desire to have such an image painted and that the words in the signature beneath it be: Jesus, I trust in you.

The image represents the Risen Christ, whose hands and feet bear the marks of the crucifixion. From his pierced Heart, not visible in the image, two rays issue forth: red and pale. Jesus explained their meaning. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. The pale ray stands for the water that makes souls righteous. These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross (299). The purpose of the image is to serve as an instrument for obtaining graces, and to be a sign reminding the world of the need to trust in God and to show mercy toward our neighbour. The words found in the signature speak of an attitude of trust. Jesus also said that the image is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works (742). The original image hangs in the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Vilnius.

The Feast

According to Jesus' wish, the Feast of Mercy is to be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Jesus is showing the close connection between the Easter mystery of man's redemption and this feast. The Feast of Mercy is to be not only a day designated for the worship of God's mercy, but also a day of grace for all people, particularly for sinners. Jesus attached great promises to this feast. One is the promise of complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. In other words, this grace is equal to the one we receive in the sacrament of baptism. It offers a completely new beginning.

The Chaplet

Jesus dictated the Chaplet of divine mercy to St Faustina in Vilnius in 1935. In the revelations that followed He disclosed to her its value and efficacy, as well as the promises He attached to it.

In this prayer we are offering the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ to God the Father. We are uniting ourselves with His sacrifice offered on the Cross for the salvation of the whole world. By offering the Father His most dearly beloved Son, we are using the most convincing argument with which we can pray. We are asking for mercy for us and for the whole world. The word "us" refers to the person praying the Chaplet and the "whole world" indicates all people living on earth and the souls in Purgatory. By praying the Chaplet we are performing an act of love toward our neighbour. The Chaplet is prayed on ordinary Rosary beads. It begins with the Our Father, Hail Mary and Apostles Creed on the first three beads of the Rosary. On the large bead before each decade: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. On the 10 small beads of each decade: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Conclude with (after five decades): Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world (3 times).

The Hour of Mercy

It is Jesus' desire that the moment of his death on the cross (3.00 P.M.) be venerated every day. It is the hour of grace for the whole world; mercy triumphed over justice. Suggested prayer at the hour of mercy: O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of Mercy for us, I trust in you.

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