St. Anne Special Edition, March/April 2013
What is Divine Mercy?
The message of The Divine B - Be merciful. God a diary of about 600 pages Mercy is simple. It is that wants us to receive His mer- recording the revelations she God loves us — all of us. cy and let it flow through us received about God's mercy. Inside: And, he wants us to recog- to others. He wants us to Even before her death in nize that His mercy is great- extend love and forgiveness 1938, the devotion to The Learn about St. er than our sins, so that we to others just as He does to Divine Mercy had begun to Faustina — a Saint will call upon Him with of our time to whom us. spread. Jesus revealed the trust, receive His mercy, and C - Completely trust in The message and devo- messages of Divine let it flow through us to oth- Jesus. God wants us to know tional practices proposed in Mercy. ers. Thus, all will come to that the graces of His mercy the Diary of Saint Faustina share His joy. are dependent upon our and set forth in this web site Blessed John Paul II The Divine Mercy message declared the Sun- trust. The more we trust in and other publications of the day after Easter as is one we can call to mind Jesus, the more we will re- Marians of the Immaculate Divine Mercy Sun- simply by remembering ceive. Conception are completely day. Learn about ABC: This message and devo- in accordance with the this being his mis- A - Ask for His Mercy. tion to Jesus as The Divine teachings of Church and are sion during his pa- God wants us to approach Mercy is based on the writ- firmly rooted in the Gospel pacy. Him in prayer constantly, ings of Saint Faustina Kow- message of our Merciful repenting of our sins and alska, an uneducated Polish Savior. Properly understood asking Him to pour His mer- nun who, in obedience to and implemented, they will cy out upon us and upon the her spiritual director, wrote help us grow as genuine fol- whole world. lowers of Christ.
The Promises of Divine Mercy Sunday
In three places in her Diary, St. Faustina records a promise from our Lord of specific, ex- A special BEHOLD traordinary graces He will make available through the devout reception of Holy Communion Event will take place on on this Feast Day; truly a "whole ocean of graces" is contained in these promises: Divine Mercy Sunday, April 7, 2013 following the “I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and re- 10:15 a.m. Mass at 11:45. ceive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy (1109).” We’ll have: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, “Whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete for- 1:30 Benediction giveness of sins and punishment (300).” Confessions Divine Mercy Chaplet “The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain com- Praise Music plete forgiveness of sins and punishment (699).” Divine Mercy Sunday
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: The Humble Instrument
Sister Faustina was a young, uneducated, nun in a convent of the Congrega- tion of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Cracow, Poland during the 1930's. She came from a very poor family that struggled on their little farm during the years of World War I. She had only three years of very simple education, so hers were the humblest tasks in the convent, usually in the kitchen or garden. How- ever, she received extraordinary revelations or messages from Our Lord Jesus. Jesus asked Sr. Faustina to record these experiences, which she compiled in notebooks. These notebooks are known today as the Diary of Saint Maria Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska Faustina Kowalska and the words contained within are God's loving message of Divine Mercy. Though the Divine Mercy message is not new to the teachings of the Church, Sr. Faustina's Diary sparked a great movement, and a strong and sig- nificant focus on the mercy of Christ. Pope John Paul II canonized Sr. Faustina “Proclaim that mercy in 2000 making her the "first saint of the new millennium." Speaking of Sr. is the greatest Faustina and the importance of the message contained in her Diary, the Pope attribute of God. All call her "the great apostle of Divine Mercy in our time." the works of My hands Today, we continue to rely on Saint Faustina as a constant reminder of the are crowned with message to trust in Jesus' endless mercy, and to live life mercifully toward oth- ers. We also turn to her in prayer and request her intercession to our merciful mercy.” Savior on our behalf. (Diary entry 301)
Prayer to St. Faustina
The following prayer is recommended for the three o’clock hour each day. Saint Faustina, You told us that your mission would continue after your death and that you would not forget us. Our Lord also granted you a great privilege, tell- ing you to "distribute graces as you will, to who you will, and when you will." Relying on this, we ask your intercession for the graces we need, especially for the intentions just mentioned. Help us, above all, to trust in Jesus as you did and thus to glorify His mercy every moment of our lives. Amen
Page 2 St. Anne Special Edition, March/April 2013
Blessed John Paul II On Divine Mercy
The Great Mercy Pope Pope John Paul II, both he also, on the same day, Faustina and has prayed in his teaching and person- surprised the entire world The Chaplet of The Divine al life, strove to live and by establishing Divine Mercy at the saint’s tomb. teach the message of Di- Mercy Sunday (the feast vine Mercy. As the great day associated with the Beyond the Life of Mercy Pope, he wrote an message) as a feast day for encyclical on Divine Mer- the entire Church. The John Paul II cy: feast day falls on the Sec- Given all these connec- "The Message of ond Sunday of the Easter tions to Divine Mercy and Divine Mercy season. On that day, Pope St. Faustina, is it any won- has always been John Paul II declared, der that Pope John Paul II near and dear to "This is the happiest day died on the Vigil of Divine me… which I of my life." Mercy Sunday (the even- took with me to ing before the feast day), “This is the happiest the Sea of Peter Entrusting the which fell that year on and which it in a April 3? It is also no sur- day of my life.” World to Divine prise that the Great Mercy sense forms the Pope John Paul II image of this Mercy Pope left us a message for Pontificate." In 2002, the Pope en- Divine Mercy Sunday, on the day when he trusted the whole world to which was read on the declared the feast of In his writings and feast day by a Vatican offi- Divine Mercy when he Divine Mercy homilies, he has described consecrated the Interna- cial to the faithful in St. Divine Mercy as the an- tional Shrine of The Di- Peter’s after a Mass that Sunday swer to the world’s prob- vine Mercy in Lagiewniki, had been celebrated for the lems and the message of a suburb of Krakow in Po- repose of the soul of the the third millennium. He land. This is where St. Pope. beatified and canonized Sr. Faustina’s mortal remains Repeatedly Pope John Maria Faustina Kowalska, are entombed. The saint Paul II has written and the nun associated with the lived in a convent nearby. spoken about the need for message, and he did it in The Pope himself re- us to turn to the mercy of Rome and not in Poland to members as a young man God as the answer to the underscore that Divine working in the Solvay specific problems of our Mercy is for the whole Quarry, just a few meters times. He has placed a world. from the present-day strong and significant fo- Shrine. He also says that cus on the Divine Mercy Establishing Divine he had been thinking about message and devotion Sr. Faustina for a long throughout his pontificate Mercy Sunday for time when he wrote his that will carry the Church the Entire Church encyclical on Divine Mer- long after his death. When Pope John Paul cy. Further, the Holy Fa- canonized Sr. Faustina ther has frequently quoted (making her St. Faustina), from the Diary of St.
Page 3 Divine Mercy Sunday, April 7, 2013 Beginning at 11:45 a.m.
Excerpts from St. Faustina’s Diary
Meditating on the Passion: “I desire that you know more profoundly the love that burns in My Heart for souls, and you will understand this when you medi- tate on My Passion. (186).” On the Feast Day: “This Feast emerged from the very depths of My mercy, and it is confirmed in the vast depths of My tender mercies. Every soul believ- ing and trusting in My mercy will obtain it (420).” On Divine Mercy: “My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mer- All content in this brochure is cy are open. (699).” used with permission by the On Gratitude: “Be grateful for the smallest of My graces, because your grati- Marians of the Immaculate tude compels Me to grant you new graces (1701).” Conception’s Divine Mercy Website, On Humility: “Know that a pure soul is humble. When you lower and empty www.thedivinemercy.org. yourself before My majesty, I then pursue you with My graces and make use of My omnipotence to exalt you.(576).”
Thoughts on Divine Mercy from St. Anne Parishioners
“God is forgiving and for giving. We “It’s amazing to me as I continue my taught that suffering has the power to receive His Divine Mercy every time we studies in my faith that Divine Mercy connect you to Jesus, and my suffering are forgiven, and we reflect His Perfect Sunday is a reminder that God’s love is did. My suffering made me and my hus- Love every time we give ourselves for reaching down directly to me with loving band become better Catholics. It made us another. I am grateful for God’s for- kindness and tender compassion. As realize that God chose us for a reason, giveness as I am in need of it often! I Blessed Pope John Paul II said that mer- and we will carry that cross with pride. only hope I can truly forgive those who cy is ‘the greatest attribute of God.’ God My faith has given my husband and I have hurt me and offer generous mercy is always and everywhere and at all times strength to put our trust in Jesus and try as has been shown to me. I am grateful, merciful. What a blessing!” again to start a family. I’m currently too, for the times Jesus has shown His pregnant and carrying quadruplets, due — Kathy Jalensky Loving Face to me in YOU, my St. Anne this April. We need God’s love, just as family. We are part of a beautiful recipro- “Last year, my faith was put to the test. I much as He needs ours, and Divine cal mutuality of love. In our weakness, lost twin boys at 22 1/2 weeks. I was Mercy taught us how to live again as the we are strong. In our unworthiness, we devastated and didn’t know what to do. I Catholics we wanted to be.” are made whole and holy. His unfailing knew I couldn’t turn away from the Lord, — Melissa Waddle mercy floods me with a renewed hope but I didn’t understand why He had cho- that springs forth like Living Water want- sen me to suffer this type of pain. After ing to quench the thirst of souls. Am I reading the teaching of the Divine Mercy, loving you enough?” my faith has grown even stronger. I have learned to put all my trust in Jesus, and to — LeAnn Rogan never doubt His plan for me. I was 9091 Prairie Ridge Blvd., Pleasant Prairie, WI 262-942-8300 Page 4 www.saint-anne.org Find us on Facebook