Some Divine Mercy

Today I focused some time on the special memorial of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos; the Redemptorist Priest I have blogged about often. Here in the New Orleans area, we celebrate this day in his memory and continue to pray that if it be God's will, Seelos will become a Saint soon.

Almost lost in this excitement is the Feast Day today of St. Faustina Kowalska, known as the Apostle of Mercy. St. Faustina was born in 1905 and by the time she was twenty had entered the religious life. Around 1931 she began receiving visions of Jesus who came to her as the King of Divine Mercy. He carefully gave her the image we now call the Divine Mercy with the rays of red and white emanating from His heart. The words at the bottom of the image are now well known; Jesus I Trust in You! One of the more popular devotions Catholics pray these days is the Chaplet of Divine Mercy from one of her visions in 1935.

St. Faustina became ill with tuberculosis in 1938 and died in that year on October 5th. By the 50's and 60's much effort was made to spread the message of Faustina and to promote the cause of canonization. This effort gained little momentum until a Cardinal from Karakow got involved. That Cardinal would later, as Pope John Paul II canonize Faustina as St. Faustina in 1993.

John Paul also decreed that the Sunday after Easter would be called Divine Mercy Sunday. Catholics began a novena to Divine Mercy every year starting on Good Friday. And on Divine Mercy Sunday special services are held, usually in the late afternoon or evening, with recitation of the Chaplet, Eucharistic Adoration and of course, reconciliation.

So as this day almost draws to it's end, lets remember St. Faustina Kowalska and pray with her, Jesus I Trust in You!