The Message
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CommentsA Day Fit for a Feast!
Question: Add one vivacious, redheaded saint who promised she would never forget us, plus more than 300 devoted pilgrims who could never forget her, and what have you got?
Answer: the Feast Day of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska!
The Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception celebrated the feast day of the "Apostle of Divine Mercy" on Monday, Oct. 5, at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, in Stockbridge, Mass. The Polish nun who was selected by Jesus in the 1930s to be His secretary in recording His revelations about Divine Mercy died 71 years ago.
Through her Diary, which contains those revelations, St. Faustina has sparked what many call the greatest grassroots movement in the history of the Church — a movement defined by works of mercy, prayer, and trust in Jesus.
"Her Diary is like a key to salvation," said Bob Mondello, who traveled to the feast day from Medford, Mass. "It teaches us who God is and how we can live in union with Him."
Her Task
The Lord told St. Faustina, "Secretary of My most profound mystery, know that your task is to write down everything that I make known to you about My mercy, for the benefit of those who by reading these things will be comforted in their souls and will have the courage to approach Me." (Diary, 1693).
The Lord was right. Saint Faustina's Diary has brought countless people back to the Church, comforted by a rich understanding of the Lord's desire to extend His mercy to all sinners.
"Here's this farmer's daughter. Poor. Uneducated. Here's a woman who was given this tremendous task by The Christ," marveled Sr. Paulette Honeygoskey, SC, a relative of St. Faustina who joined a bus pilgrimage to the Shrine from Arlington, Va. "It's amazing what she was able to do in her life."
It's also amazing what has happened since her death.
"Every day, more and more people are turning to her Diary," said Shrine Rector Fr. Anthony Gramlich, MIC, who was the main celebrant of the 2 p.m. Mass in the Mother of Mercy Outdoor Shrine. "More people are reading it than ever before."
What they are finding in her Diary is a modern-day reminder of the truth of our faith, a truth first revealed in the Holy Scripture about the merciful love of God toward every human being.
What they are finding is how this simple nun sought to fulfill her mission to entreat God's mercy for the whole world and particularly for sinners.
What they are finding is the new forms of devotion our Lord gave her, such as: the veneration of the image of The Divine Mercy; the feast of Divine Mercy Sunday; and the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy, among others. The Lord Jesus attached great promises to those who trust in His mercy and practice love of one's neighbor.
Through her Diary, St. Faustina initiated a worldwide apostolic movement of Divine Mercy devotees who proclaim and entreat God's mercy for the world, who teach the faithful to have a child-like trust in God, and who extend mercy toward one's neighbors.
Saint Faustina also promised she would be a powerful intercessor, once writing that her mission would continue after her death. "Poor earth, I will not forget you," she wrote. "Although I feel that I will be immediately drowned in God as in an ocean of happiness, that will not be an obstacle to my returning to earth to encourage souls and incite them to trust in God's mercy. Indeed, this immersion in God will give me the possibility of boundless action" (Diary, 1582).
Human, After All
But before all this, she was just a nun in a convent in Poland before the outbreak of World War II.
"On the outside, St. Faustina was as normal as you and me," said Fr. Anthony, in his homily. "She was a human being. She had good days and bad days. Behind that exterior was an interior life that was so rich, so edifying, that it's now edifying millions of people around the world today.
"Saint Faustina's whole goal in her life was union with Jesus Christ — to be united with Jesus and His love and His mercy," Fr. Anthony said. "That meant being united with Him in good times and in bad times, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.
"Isn't that the goal of our life — to be in union with Jesus Christ here on earth and then in heaven?" he said. "That is our ultimate goal."
The day's events began at 11 a.m. with a testimony by Dona Kocylowski, from Plymouth, Pa., who experienced a healing through the intercession of St. Faustina during a visit to the Shrine in 2007.
Dona had suffered from painful ulcerations — called recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis — that extended from her mouth to her esophagus. There is no known cure.
In 2000, the year St. Faustina was canonized, a friend gave her a booklet on the Divine Mercy devotion and assured her that if she would pray the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy, she would be fine. Dona followed her friend's advice. In the process, she became devoted to spreading the message of Divine Mercy.
By 2007, Dona's health was deteriorating. She decided it was time to keep a promise she had made in prayer to St. Faustina — that promise was to visit the National Shrine in Stockbridge.
At the Shrine, she was healed. Doctors have no medical explanation for this.
God gives us these miracles, said Fr. Anthony, following her witness, "to give us an increase of faith, to let us know that God is with us, that He's true to His promises that He made to St. Faustina, that He will give great graces to whoever honors His Divine Mercy, whoever venerates the image of The Divine Mercy, and prays the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy. Be reassured of God's faithfulness to His promises."
Saint Faustina, pray for us!
Learn about the upcoming North American Congress on Mercy, to be held in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14-15, including how to register.
Be a part of the discussion. Add a comment now!
Maria - Oct 6, 2009
In a culture that tries to destroy the truth of the innate dignity of humans, with its lies of valuing one's worth based on age , productivity etc : , we look at the compassion of our Lord , even at the most sinful of us , from The Cross and from the Image of mercy and are able to grasp - "I am loved, I am lovable " ; may be we would truly know that we trust in His mercy for us, when we too can extend that same look of compassionate dignity to all we meet who also seem to need that truth !
St.Faustina , pray for us all , esp.those who are struggling , in the hatred of the enemy , towards life itself and for all who work to protect and preserve His truth esp. in this area , so that many would be spared from the despair and selfhatred unleashed by wrong choices and for the world to be blessed with saintly children from parents who would choose to use their freedom to trust in Him , for the good of themselves and others !
s - Oct 6, 2009
St.Faustina, pray for the students on the rigorous written examinations next week. Secretary of Divine Mercy, they seek your intercession. Jesus, I trust in You.
please pray for me - Oct 28, 2009
Sister Faustina please pray for my family and myself. At this point of my life, the weight of the world is on my shoulders and my heart is broken. Pray for my boys and their afflictions, ease the worries in my poor wifes heart, and give me the strength to support and protect my family. also, please comfort my parents in their old age. i am dispondent and at the end of my rope. At times, I even find myself questioning my faith and that is something I never expected to do
dispondent dad - Nov 5, 2009
I am so happy for all of you that have been touched and healed by the hand of God. Since my 2 boys were born i continuosly prayed to our Lord to spare them from a neurological condition that runs in my family but he seems to ignore these pleas. These children are suffering so much. Please pray for my sons maybe Gods heart will open to your prayers because he has ignored ours