At last on 1 August 1925, the vigil of the Feast of Our Lady Queen of Angels, the day came when Helenka Kowalska crossed the threshold into the convent enclosure. St Mary Faustina Kowalska was born on 25 August 1905 in Glogowiec, Poland, to a poor, religious family of peasants, the third of 10 children. I felt extremely happy, I thought I had entered life in paradise. The Lord is with Thee. Along with great physical and spiritual suffering there were also vast graces, which Sister Faustina did not divulge to anyone except her confessors. Tell them, O My daughter, that I am love and mercy itself (Diary 1074). After a few months, in June 1934, the work on the painting was drawing to a close. It has today become known as the most important place in the history of the Divine Mercy message and devotion. Today there is probably no country left without an image of the Merciful Jesus. The Lord granted me understanding of the things of God (Diary 1404). Her kitchen help Sister Serafina Kukulska recalled was a girl with a very difficult character, a convert, whom no-one ever wanted to work with. On the afternoon of 5 October 1938 Father Andrasz arrived at the agiewniki Convent and for the last time granted Sister Faustina absolution and administered the Sacrament of the Sick. At three oclock, beg for My mercy, especially for sinners, and immerse yourself, even for a short moment, in [contemplation on] My Passion, particularly when I was left forsaken at the moment of death. That was the quiet, godly influence Sister Faustina had on sinful souls. Faustina wrote (Notebook 1, item 49) that Jesus told her that he wanted the Divine Mercy image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter; and that Sunday was to be the Feast of Mercy. Macarius the Great was a disciple of Anthony. God came first, not only on Sundays and family occasions, but every day. Join the "Apostle of Mercy" as you prepare for Christ's birth! On that day are open all the Divine floodgates through which graces flow; let no soul fear to approach Me, even if its sins be as scarlet (Diary 699). It had attacked not only the respiratory system but also the alimentary canal. Out of her charism and mystical experience grew the Apostolic Movement of the Divine Mercy which continues her mission, proclaiming the message of Mercy to the world through the testimony of life, deed, words and prayer. He wanted that message to radiate out from agiewniki to the whole of Poland and the entire world, and Jesus promise to be fulfilled that a spark which would prepare the world for Jesus final coming would issue from this place (cf. Before He comes again as Judge, He wants souls to learn that He is the King of merc (Diary 378), Sister Faustina wrote in her diary. Sister Faustinas prophetic mission was kept strictly secret during her lifetime. In the same year she went to Kiekrz near Pozna, to take over in the kitchen for Sister Modesta Rzeczkowska, who was ill. But she took with her St. Josephs assurance that he was very much in favour of the work of Mercy entrusted her by the Lord. The achievement of this objective not only brought Sister Faustina the greatest amount of suffering, but also led her to full union with Jesus, to what is generally referred to as mystical betrothal and mystical marriage. She saw clearly what she was taking upon herself. But the greatest suffering was caused by the uncertainty as to where the visions came from. Then she saw the powerlessness of the Angel, who could not administer the just punishment for the sins of mankind. From then on Helenka prayed all the more fervently for the souls in purgatory, to help them, and God permitted her to establish a closer form of contact with them. When he returned and opened the door to her room he found her levitating over the bed and absorbed in prayer. Jesus request that she proclaim His Mercy to the world occurs time and again throughout the diary. The notification had been issued owing to an erroneous translation of her diary and resulting inappropriate forms of worship. I thought she must be in her room and lying in bed, as she was ill, so I opened the door and went in. She was the tutor who prepared Helenka to take the veil and directed her in the first months of her novitiate. She looked unremarkable, slightly delayed age-wise, rather feeble figure, a maidservant and cook by profession, no dowry, not even the most meagre of trousseaus. The continual calling of grace was a great torment for me, nonetheless I tried to stifle my calling with various entertainments (Diary 8). Sister Faustina was helped through these extremely painful experiences by her novice mistress, who correctly diagnosed her spiritual condition (which was not easy) and applied the right remedy. He didnt say a word to start with. What is Maria Faustina Kowalska known for? Mummy served customers in the shop he recalled years later and Helenka tidied up, helped with the cooking, and had to wash up, carry out the refuse and bring water as there was no running water. In a mystical experience after Holy Communion she received a blessing for the task from the Holy Trinity. Jesus said to Sister Faustina that the sign would come with the graces dispensed through the picture. The former is the foundation for the latter; thus, it is fitting that Faustina's revelations became widely known first; but, ultimately, God desires not . Theologians inspired by Sister Faustina are examining the mystery of Divine Mercy; apostles of Divine Mercy from her school are training in the attitude of trust in God and mercy for their neighbour, love of the Eucharist and the Church, and learning the true veneration of Our Lady of Mercy. It was during Vespers in simple words straight from my heart I made a vow of perpetual chastity to God. A Gift of God for Our Times What did Faustina see Saint Faustina saw visions of Heaven In . At the age of sixteen Helenka bade farewell to her parents, brothers and sisters and left home. It has today become known as the most important place in the history of the Divine Mercy message and devotion. Her soul was in special communion with the Holy Spirit, whose inspiration filled it with indescribable ecstasy, and her heart was flooded with thanksgiving for such vast graces. By William Nardi 10/5/2020 Sister Gaudia Skass of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy displays an image of the Divine Mercy. The name Faustina is a girls name of Spanish, Latin origin meaning fortunate one. Sister Faustina continued to keep her diary in Krakw, recording not only Jesus words and her extraordinary mystical experiences, but also deeply moving contemplation on the mystery of Divine Mercy. It is also the means to establish peace in human hearts and between nations: Mankind shall not find peace and contentment until it turns with trust unto My mercy (Diary 300). One day, Sister Eufemia Traczyska recalled, when we were peeling apples at work in the bakery Sister Faustina came in. But in her soul she felt the power of Jesus grace and started to entreat God in the words which she heard in her heart and which later became part of the Chaplet to the Divine Mercy. When a friend asked her why she was walking alone, not with the other girls, she said, Im not alone, Im walking with Jesus. One of them was Janek, who was said to be lapsed. The superior of the house, Mother Irena Krzyanowska, like to visit her there, and observed Sister Faustinas great calm and a strange charm about her. I was extremely happy, as I desperately wanted to make my Confession. Divine Mercy Sunday is the perfect day to start listening to what Jesus himself tells us: (1) "I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor . She didn't plan to become a nun. He stood by Sister Faustinas coffin and cried, so great was the impression she had made on him that apparently after the funeral he was converted. One day passing by the chapel she said to Sister Damiana Ziek, I heard that Jesus said that at the Last Judgement He would judge people only on their mercy, for God is Mercy, so by doing or failing to do merciful deeds you are casting a verdict on yourself. Nevertheless, my confessor did not allow me to miss a single Holy Communion. But her arguments always won. Together they said the prayers for the dying, after which Sister Faustina told Mother Superior that she would not die yet. Helenka looked after her employers children and also after those in need, of whom there was no shortage. From a very tender age she stood out because of her love of prayer, work, obedience and her sensitivity to the poor. It is undoubtedly a sign of our times a sign of our 20th century. Faustina was a remarkable child who knew from an early age that she was called to have a religious life. Informed of this, Mother Superior Irena Krzyanowska forbade her to speak about it, and this is how Sister Faustinas extraordinary spiritual life was kept secret. That terrible thought pierced my soul right through. The Sisters took turns in keeping a vigil by her bedside. We did not understand her. the Diary, 1732). She also helped not only those who were dying in the sanatorium, but thanks to the gift of bilocation also those dying in another part of the hospital or even hundreds of miles away. She had a lot of work, as there were four rooms in the house, the shop, and the bakery. There was not much work for her to do at Derdy, and Sister Faustina felt as if staying in this house was almost like a holiday. Although she could not read she was the one who instructed them in the faith and the principles of morality, and prepared them for their First Holy Communion. Blessed art Thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Her eyes were fixed on an invisible object, and her pupils slightly dilated, for some time she did not take any notice of me, and I did not want to disturb her and was intending to leave, but soon she came round, noticed me and apologised for not hearing me knock or enter. Though they were god-fearing, the Kowalskis didnt want to give up their best child. From her youngest years she would tell us about the saints, pilgrims, and hermits who fed only on roots, berries and forest honey, her brother Stanisaw recalled. For the spirit space does not exist. Firstly in Warsaw in the ytnia, in 1929 she went to Wilno to replace Sister Petronela Basiura, who was leaving for her third probation; then she returned to Warsaw and the house in the ytnia, only to be sent off to a new house on the Hetmaska in the Grochw district. Finally, as he later disclosed, More out of curiosity rather than conviction as to the authenticity of Sister Faustinas visions, I decided to have the picture painted. Our dear Novice Mistress bolstered my courage in these difficult moments. Tell distressed humankind to come up and cling to My Heart, and I shall fill it with peace. 29 in the Abramowskiego and needed a child-minder for her three children. I want a Feast of Mercy. This is why Vilnius has become known as the "City of Divine Mercy." It was where all of our Lord's demands of St. Faustina in His message of Divine Mercy were finally realised. Then in my soul I heard these words, This is My faithful servant; he will help you carry out My will here on Earth. (Diary 263). Word went round in the Pock convent that Sister Faustina had had a vision. It was Sunday, 22 February 1931. For Your Sons sake, You have to love me (Diary 240). Although the first and only apparition in Poland to Saint Faustina of Jesus as the Image of Divine Mercy, occurred on February 22, 1931 in Plock, Saint Faustina had several apparitions of Jesus as Divine Mercy in Vilnius, where she lived in a convent house where she was sent by the superiors of her religious community. As she continued to grow and develop in her own faith and spirituality, she was blessed with inspiration to develop the Divine Mercy image. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you) with a contrite heart. St. John Paul II called her "the great apostle of Divine Mercy in our time." He declared the Sunday after Easter "Mercy Sunday." In preparing for her role, Vargo delved into the saint's dairy and life. I gave her the prayers and said good-bye, and she said, 'See you in heaven. Suddenly someone woke me up. Jesus introduced the Chaplet of Divine Mercy through a vision granted to St. Faustina. The Candlemas candle continued to burn.. After that refusal I indulged in the vanity of life, not paying any attention to the voice of grace, although there was nothing in which my soul could find contentment. She was anxious to fulfil the mission Jesus had given her. St Faustina Kowalska is one of the most famous saints of the 20th Century, and was the first Saint canonised in the new millennium. Having listened to Sister Faustina, Mother General said that for the time being it was Gods will that she should stay in her Congregation, where she had made her perpetual vows, but she also expressed an opinion that the work of mercy which Jesus was entrusting to her must be very beautiful, since it was meeting with so much opposition from Satan. Two days later she was baptized with the name Helena in the parish church of winice Warckie. She wrote: "I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. Mother Janina Olga Bartkiewicz, who was postulant mistress at the time, showed a big heart to young postulants preparing for the religious life, but at the same time made big demands of them and directed them firmly. The Lord brought her into the world of an ever closer union with Him, preparing her for receiving the grace of mystical marriage. Sister Faustina was to contemplate His love for her and love of ones neighbour. In October 1937 Jesus gave Sister Faustina another form of worship of the Divine Mercy. When I apologised to Jesus for asking that question, He replied that it had not offended Him at all. The same ceremony was being held in Rome in a beautiful church, and the Holy Father and all the clergy were celebrating it; and suddenly I saw St. Peter standing between the altar and the Holy Father. St. Faustina's life was an imitation of Christ's sacrifice in . The sisters went down to the evening service. The following day, as she entered the Chapel, Jesus spoke to her and explained that the main purpose of Chaplet of Divine Mercy is to appease the Just Anger of the Holy Trinity. She suffered from tuberculosis of the lungs and alimentary system and that is why for over 8 months stayed at the hospital in Krakw Prdnik. My mission will not end at my death. According to Roman Catholic tradition, the chaplet may be said at any time, but it is said especially on Divine Mercy Sunday and Fridays at 3:00 PM. Here I have called you, and to no other place; here I have prepared many graces for you (Diary 19). On that day the depths of My mercy are open; I pour out a whole sea of graces on souls that approach the fount of My mercy. At the hospital she experienced a lot of extraordinary graces. When she was eighteen she once again asked her parents permission to enter a convent and again was refused. Not only the sisters but also their charges and even the farm hands came down to pray in the crypt where Sister Faustinas coffin stood. (Diary16). He promised the grace of a blessed and tranquil death not only to those who say the Chaplet, but also those at whose deathbed others will say the Chaplet. The first stage of her hospital treatment ended in March 1937. Already in the first days, when she suffered much because for nearly three weeks she had no access to confession, This afternoon, Father Andrasz came into my isolation room and sat down to hear my Confession. Whenever I left the house Mrs. Sadowska said of her maid years later I could rest assured. Sister Szymona Nalewajk, since she and Helenka were postulants in the same period, admired Helenka for taking all the humiliations so meekly and without grumbling. ANTIGONOS I OF MACEDONIA SILVER DRACHM_____ ___Known as Antigonos Cyclops. She was kind, courteous, and hard-working. Sister Faustinas mission certainly did not end at her death. She thanked me but did not take up my offer. During this conversation she saw Jesus, who confirmed that this was His will, saying, I want such a congregation (Diary 437). He advised her to be true to these graces, urging her not to stay away from them but to entreat God for a spiritual director who would help her in understanding and carrying out Jesus wishes. Already on her third day there she had evidence of the efficacy of the Chaplet to the Divine Mercy Jesus had given her. Sister Faustina experienced visions of Jesus and Mary, during one of which Our Lord revealed that she was to . She wrote in her diary, Jesus reminded me, as He had told me the first time, that the words Jesus, I trust in You must be in the inscription(Diary 327). The Message is happy to share stories about the Divine Mercy devotion. From today on you shall not be called by your baptismal name, you shall be called Sister Maria Faustyna, Helen heard these words during the ceremony for the taking of the veil on 30 April 1926. 9 in the Kronieska, and worked for three ladies who were Tertiaries of St. Francis. Two days later she was baptized with the name Helena in the parish church of . Sister Faustina is one of the Church's most popular and widely known saints and the greatest mystics in the history of the Church. If You are my God, please bless me. Saint Faustina: Her Early Virtues Oct 03 2018 October 5 marks the 80th anniversary of the death of St. Faustina and her entrance into eternal life. I saw how enthusiastically Sister Faustina carried out all her duties. She said that she would soon die and that she had finished all she had had to write and pass on. At Skolimw she asked Jesus whom she should pray for. After her death, when World War Two came, Sister Faustinas Vilnian confessor Father Sopoko disclosed the name of the initiator of the devotion to Divine Mercy, which was spreading. In order to obtain a PARTIAL indulgence, the Faithful are required to pray, a legitimately approved invocation to our Merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Sister Faustina put an immense amount of confidence in Mother Michaela, who helped her tremendously in the accomplishment of her vocation and was the woman of providence for the recognition of the mission of prophecy. St Mary Faustina Kowalska was born on 25 August 1905 in Glogowiec, Poland, to a poor, religious family of peasants, the third of 10 children. "After it will come the Day of Justice. And it is to prepare the world for His second coming. This conduct was inspired by Helenkas fervent faith and concern to be like Jesus trusting in the Heavenly Father even when He was on the cross and Who was meek and humble throughout His life, loving all people with a patient, understanding, and indescribably self-sacrificing love. The day of judgement has been determined, the day of Gods anger, the angels tremble at the thought of it. This happened on several occasions, when a relative or one of the sisters, or even someone she had never known was dying. Unexceptional, a meagre little creature, poor, nothing special about her, not very promising. She would notice the poor people and those in need around her, who came into the village for a piece of bread and a donation of any kind. He said, I protect souls that spread the worship of My Mercy throughout their lives, as a loving mother protects her baby; and at the hour of their death I shall not be a Judge unto them, but their merciful Saviour (Diary 1075). 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