The feast day of St. Faustina is celebrated on October 5. She is considered the Apostle of Mercy.
St. Faustina was baptized Helena Kowalska. She was born into a very poor family of ten children on August 25, 1905 in Glogowiec, Poland. She lived on a farm receiving only three years of education.
St. Faustina worked as a housekeeper before joining the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1925 at the age of 20. For 13 years she prayed in the convent and worked as a cook, gardener and porter.
St. Faustina grew in holiness. She had a very mystical interior life. She had the gifts of visions, prophecy, the stigmata , bi-location, the gift of reading hearts and mystical marriage.
The vision which impacted the world was a vision of Jesus. She tells the story in her Diary.
“In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, ‘paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.'”
Some time later, Our Lord again spoke to her:
“The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous; the red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My most tender Mercy at that time when My agonizing Heart was opened by a lance on the cross….Fortunate is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him.”
Divine Mercy
At the request of Jesus she willingly offered her sufferings in union with him to atone for the sins of others. He also asked her to remind the world of His Divine Mercy and He taught her a very special devotion to the Divine Mercy based on trust in Him. She had a special devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Eucharist and the Sacramentof confession which strengthened her.
One of the vision she experienced was a visit to hell, which she shares in her diary. She suffered greatly interiorly, however she only shared her suffering with her spiritual director. At the request of Jesus and her confessors, St. Faustina kept a diary in which she shared her visions.
St. Faustina died of tuberculosis in Krakow, Poland at age 33 in 1938. She was canonized by the first Polish Pope, Pope John Paul II on April 30, 2000
Divine Mercy Sunday is now celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Easter.
Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. It was decreed a Feastday on May 5th, 2000 by Pope John Paul Ii.
St. Faustina received a series of Revelations beginning in 1931. These revelations were recorded in her personal diary. Jesus asked her to promote a devotion for this feastday. It included the Divine Mercy Image, the Divine Mercy Chaplet and 14 promises to those who participated in the devotion.
St. Faustina was canonized a saint by Pope John Paul Ii in the year 2000.
As we meditate on the meaning of Divine Mercy let,s also reflect on the words of the following saints.
1. When I went for adoration, I heard these words; Tell all people, my daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches me with trust, I will fill it such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls. , (Diary 1074) St. Faustina
2. O my Jesus, each of your saints reflects one of Your virtues. I desire to reflect Your compassionate heart, full of mercy. O Jesus, be impressed upon my heart and soul like a seal, and this will be my badge in this and my future life. Glorifying Your mercy is the exclusive task of my life. (Diary 1242.)St. Faustina
St. Faustina Public Domain Image
3. Those who sincerely say .”Jesus, I trust in You.” will find comfort in all their anxieties and fears. There is nothing that man needs more than Divine Mercy…that love which is benevolent, which is compassionate, which raises man above his weakness to the infinite heights of the holiness of God.
5. Be assured that leaving the past ti the mercy of God and the future to God’s providence, you will derive from your offery very great peace and great consolation.
6. Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His mercy from us?
7. Sit down alone and in silence, lower your head, shut your eyes, breathe gently, and imagine yourself looking into your own heart. As you breathe in say,..”Lord Jesus Christ…” and as you breathe out say “have mercy on me.”
St. Symeon
St. Symeon the Theologian
8. I commend myself to the prayers of yourself and your friends, so that Christ, the source of all pity., may design to wash me clean in the water if His mercy.
10. If God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.St. Juniper Serra
11. What does it cost us to say, “My God help me! Have mercy on me!” Is there anything easier than this? And this will suffice to save us if we be diligent doing it.
13. Behold Jesus Christ crucified, who is the only foundation of our hope. He us our Mediator and Advocate.; the victim and sacrifice for our sins. He is goodness and patience itself. His mercy is moved by the tears of sinners, and He never refuses pardon and grace to those who ask with a truly contrite and humble heart
15. I have many friends help me to fall; but as to rising again, I was so much left to myself, that I wonder now, I I was not always on the ground. I praise God for His mercy, for it was He only who stretched out His hand to me. May He be blessed forever!
16. Where there is love and wisdom, there is neither Fear nor Ignorance. Where there is Patience and Humility, there is neither anger nor annoyance. Where there is Poverty and Joy, there is neither Cupidity or Avarice. Where there is Peace and contemplation, there is neither Care nor Restlessness. Where there is the Fear of God to guard the dwelling, there no enemy can enter. Where there is Mercy and Prudence, there is neither Excess nor Harshness.
17. Prayer is powerful! It fills the Earth with mercy. It makes the Divine Clemency pass from generation to generation; right along the course of the centuries wonderful works have been achieved through prayer.
18. Confession heals. Confession justifies. Confession grants pardon of sin. All hope consists in Confession. In Confession there is a chance for mercy.
20. I am where God wills me to be and so I have found rest and security. His wisdom governs me; His His power defends me. His grace sanctified me. His mercy encompasses me. His joy sustains me, and all will go well with me.
22. Thanks be to Thee my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits thou hast given me, for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me. O, most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother, may I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day.
St. Richard of Chichester
23. This was the method that Jesus used with the Apostles. He put up with their ignorance and roughness and even their infidelity. He treated sinners with a kindness and affection that caused some to be shocked., others to be scandalized and still others to hope for God’s mercy. And so, He bade us to be gentle and humble of heart.
25. O Jesus, make the fountain of Your mercy gush forth more abundantly for mankind is seriously ill and thus has more need than ever of Your compassion.
Many in the world today are discovering that not everything we believe is actually true. The following quotes are attributed to the Saints. Hopefully they will help us to understand the meaning of Truth.
1. Anyone who seeks Truth seeks God, whether or not he realizes it.
10. Jesus said, ” I am the Truth” and it is your duty and mine to speak the truth, then it is up to the person who hears it whether to accept or reject it.
Bl. Teresa of Calcutta U.S. Stamp Public Domain Image
11. When lies have been accepted for some time, Truth always stands with an air of novelty.
St. Clement of Alexandria…Church Father
12. True happiness is to rejoice in the Truth, for to rejoice in theTruth is to rejoice in you, O God, who are the Truth, you my God, my true Light, to whom I look for salvation.
St. Augustine
13. To lovers of the Truth, nothing can be put before God and Home in Him.
18. For He who is true God is also True man; and there is no deception in this union, where the loftiness of God and the lowliness of man are brought together.
When we think about the cross, we usually think about the suffering and tribulations of life.
The Way of the Cross is a powerful devotion in the church. We meditate and ponder on the Stations of the Cross. This devotion is often prayed in church on Fridays during lent. It may also be prayed alone. When praying the Way of the Crossprivately, it is helpful to use a written form of the devotion with meditations.
The 14 Stations of the Cross represent events from Jesus’ passion and death. At each station we use our senses and our imagination to reflect prayerfully upon Jesus’ suffering, Death, and Resurrection.
1 Jesus Is Condemned to Death.
2. Jesus Takes Up His Cross.
3. Jesus Falls the First Time.
4. Jesus Meets His Sorrowful Mother.
5. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross.
6. Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus.
7. Jesus Falls a Second Time.
8. Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem.
9. Jesus Falls the Third Time.
10. Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments.
.11. Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross.
12. Jesus Dies on the Cross.
13. Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross.
14. Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb.
As we reflect on the stations of the cross, perhaps the quotes of the saints will help us as we meditate on the meaning of the cross.
3. The road is narrow. He who wishes to travel it more easily must cast off all things and use the cross as his cane. In other words, he must be truly resolved to suffer willingly for the love of God in all things.
12. Remember that when your heart feels restless, when your heart feels hurt, when your heart feels like breaking… I am precious to Him. He has called me by name. I am His. He loves me. And to prove that love He died on the cross.
14. The cross is the hope of Christians, the staff of the lame, the comfort of the poor, the destruction of all pride, the victory over devils, the guide of youth, the pilot of mariners, the refuge of those who are in danger, the counselor of the just, the rest of the afflicted, the physician of the sick the glory of Martyrs
15. The cross means there is no shipwreck without hope; there is no dark without dawn; nor storm without haven. The worst prison would be a closed heart.
Pope Leo invites us to pray with him for his monthly prayer intention.
The prayer intention for July is for Discernment in Formation.
“Let us pray that we might again learn how to discern, to know how to choose paths of life and reject everything that leads us away from Christ and the Gospel.”
Prayer for Discernment by Pope Leo XIV
Holy Spirit, you, light of our understanding,
gentle breath that guides our decisions,
grant me the grace to listen attentively to your voice
and to discern the hidden paths of my heart,
so that I may grasp what truly matters to you,
and free my heart from its troubles.
I ask you for the grace to learn how to pause,
to become aware of the way I act,
of the feelings that dwell within me,
and of the thoughts that overwhelm me
which, so often, I fail to notice.
I long for my choices
to lead me to the joy of the Gospel.
Even if I must go through moments of doubt and fatigue,
even if I must struggle, reflect, search, and begin again…
Because, at the end of the journey,
your consolation is the fruit of the right decision.
Grant me a deeper understanding of what moves me,
so that I may reject what draws me away from Christ,
and love him and serve him more fully.
Have you pondered what heaven might be like. We will only know for sure when we enter into the Kindom of Heaven. The saints share their insights with us in the quotes below.
1. How insignificant earth seems to me, when I consider heaven.
6. What does it matter to you whether Jesus wishes to guide you to heaven by way of the desert or by the meadow, so long as He is always with you and you arrive at the possession of the blessed eternity.
20. An angel fell from heaven without any other passion except pride, and so we may ask whether it is possible to ascend to Heaven by humility alone, without any other of the virtues.
Unity in the Church and among the Churches is fostered by forgiveness and mutual trust, beginning with our families and communities. If Jesus can trust us, we can certainly trust one another in his name.
June 29,2025 Pope Leo XIV on X.
The history of Peter and Paul shows us that the communion to which the Lord calls us is a unison of voices and personalities that does not eliminate anyone’s freedom. Our patron saints followed different paths, had different ideas and at times argued with one another with evangelical frankness. Yet this did not prevent them from living a living communion in the Spirit, a fruitful harmony in diversity.
Unity in the Church and among the Churches is fostered by forgiveness and mutual trust, beginning with our families and communities. If Jesus can trust us, we can certainly trust one another in his name.
June 29,2025 Pope Leo XIV on X.
The history of Peter and Paul shows us that the communion to which the Lord calls us is a unison of voices and personalities that does not eliminate anyone’s freedom. Our patron saints followed different paths, had different ideas and at times argued with one another with evangelical frankness. Yet this did not prevent them from living a living communion in the Spirit, a fruitful harmony in diversity.
Unity in the Church and among the Churches is fostered by forgiveness and mutual trust, beginning with our families and communities. If Jesus can trust us, we can certainly trust one another in his name.
June 29,2025 Pope Leo XIV on X.
The history of Peter and Paul shows us that the communion to which the Lord calls us is a unison of voices and personalities that does not eliminate anyone’s freedom. Our patron saints followed different paths, had different ideas and at times argued with one another with evangelical frankness. Yet this did not prevent them from living a living communion in the Spirit, a fruitful harmony in diversity.
June 29,2025. Pope Leo XIV on X
VATICAN CITY, VATICAN – MAY 8: The newly elected Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV is seen for the first time from the Vatican balcony on May 8, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. White smoke was seen over the Vatican early this evening as the Conclave of Cardinals took just two days to elect Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo (Leone) XIV, as the 267th Supreme Pontiff after the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Pope Leo XIV has released the following prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. June is considered to be month of the Sacred Heart.
Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Pope Leo XIV
Lord, I come to your tender heart today, to you who have words that set my heart ablaze, to you who pour out compassion on the little ones and the poor, on those who suffer and on all human miseries.
I desire to know you more, to contemplate you in the Gospel, to be with you and learn from you and from the charity with which you allowed yourself to be touched by all forms of poverty.
You showed us the Father’s love by loving us without measure with your divine and human heart.
Grant all your children the grace of encountering you. Change, shape, and transform our plans, so that we seek only you in every circumstance, in prayer, in work, in encounters, and in our daily routine.
From this encounter send us out on mission, a mission of compassion for the world in which you are the source from which all consolation flows.
Amen
Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us!
Pope Leo XIV during the Regina Caeli prayer on the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican on May 11, 2025. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Immaculate Heart! Help us to conquer the menace of evil, which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today, and whose immeasurable effects already weigh down upon our modern world and seem to block the paths towards the future!
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against the life of man from its very beginning, deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God, deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ, this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual human beings, laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Let there be revealed, once more, in the history of the world the infinite saving power of the Redemption: the power of merciful Love!
May it put a stop to evil! May it transform consciences!
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of Hope!
This prayer is from the consecration of all individuals and peoples of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1984 by Saint John Paul II. It took place in St. Peter’s Square on March 25, 1984.
Immaculate Heart! Help us to conquer the menace of evil, which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today, and whose immeasurable effects already weigh down upon our modern world and seem to block the paths towards the future!
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against the life of man from its very beginning, deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God, deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ, this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual human beings, laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Let there be revealed, once more, in the history of the world the infinite saving power of the Redemption: the power of merciful Love!
May it put a stop to evil! May it transform consciences!
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of Hope!
This prayer is from the consecration of all individuals and peoples of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1984 by Saint John Paul II. It took place in St. Peter’s Square on March 25, 1984.
