CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF MERCY

“He is risen.” (Mk 16:6)

 

What is the Feast of Mercy?

The Feast of Divine Mercy  was established by Pope St. John Paul II in the Roman Rite to celebrate and receive God’s Mercy. Jesus promised an “ocean of graces” through St. Faustina Kowalska’s Diary.

The Lord expressed His will with regard to this feast in His very first revelation to St. Faustina:

My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and a shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day are opened all the divine floodgates through which graces flow. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My mercy.

Diary 699

Perpetual Adoration at the original Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Vilnius, Lithuania

When is it?

The weekend after Easter in the Roman Rite, including Sat. evening vigil and Sunday Masses.

How to Celebrate

Preach on God’s mercy and the extraordinary promise (below). Invite confessions before/during the feast.

Parish Ideas:

Post-Communion Prayer (Fr. Chris Alar): Pray after Holy Communion (Saturday vigil or Sunday Mass). (ie. Jesus I have received Holy Communion and ask to receive Your extraordinary Divine Mercy promise.)

In the above video, Fr. Chris Alar tells us to pray this prayer after Holy Communion on the Feast of Mercy. Shut-ins can make a Spiritual Communion.

Extraordinary Promise for the Feast of Mercy vs. Plenary Indulgence

Jesus’ promises (Diary: 1109, 300, 699) offer complete forgiveness of sins and punishment via Confession + Communion on the feast – like a “second Baptism” (Canon Ignacy Rozycki).

In three places in her diary, St. Faustina records a promise from our Lord of specific, extraordinary graces He will make available through the devout reception of Holy Communion on this Feast Day:

“I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy.” (1109)

“Whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” (300)

“On that day  [the Feast of Mercy], the very depths of My tender mercy are opened. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. … On that day, all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened  (699).

Easier than plenary indulgence: No full detachment from venial sin or Pope’s intentions required. Confession before Communion (Fr. John Larson, MIC). Plenary: Confession ~20 days before/after.

Effect: Removes all temporal punishment (CCC 1471). Unworthy reception risks wrath.

Special Graces vs. Indulgence | Second Baptism

Our Lord requested we pray the Divine Mercy Novena & the Chaplet

It starts on Good Friday. Many also pray the Chaplet.

Chapet of Divine Mercy

  1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
  2. Optional Opening: St. Faustina’s Prayer for Sinners (Diary 72);
    You expired, Jesus… O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy for us, I trust in Thee! (3x)
  3. Our Father | Hail Mary | Apostles’ Creed.
  4. Eternal Father (on Our Father bead): Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Thy Dearly Beloved Son Our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
  5. 10x (Hail Mary beads): For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
  6. Repeat for 5 decades.
  7. Holy God (3x): Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
  8. Optional Closing: Eternal God… (Diary 1570).

Novena | Chaplet

Optional Opening Prayers

You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.

(Repeat three times)
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!

Optional Closing Prayers

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.

Resources & Footnotes

 

  • Eucharistic Piety of St. Faustina
  • Original Divine Mercy Image (Vilnius)
  • St. Luke’s Divine Mercy Chapel
  • Indulgences: CCC| Manual | Enchiridion | Plenary Norms
  • Article:  The Eucharistic Piety of St. Faustina
  • Norms of Confession for Obtaining a Plenary Indulgence – “about every 20 days before or after the indlugenced work for those trying to obtain a daily Plenary Indulgence
  • Exorcist Diary #341: No Mercy from Demons
  • Featured on our Chapel Gallery page  – St. Luke’s parish Divine Mercy Chapel in Maple Ridge, BC
  • Plenary Indulgence – Eucharistic Adoration
    • The Church teaches that a plenary indulgence removes all of the temporal punishment due to forgiven sins (Catechism of the Catholic Church: “An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.”82)  Temporal punishment is whatever will cause one to go to purgatory i.e. disordered attachments, bad effects from our sins. The EFFECT of the Divine Mercy grace that Our Lord promises is essentially the same and as the EFFECT of a plenary indulgence. However, it is easier to obtain than a plenary indulgence.
    • Canon Ignacy Rozycki, Doctor of Dogmatic Theology and a member of the International Theological Commission also says: “The Sacramental grace of Baptism received by an adult is not only the removal of original sin but is also the forgiveness of all personal sins and any punishment due to them so the soul cleansed on the Feast of Mercy is like the soul of one newly baptised in the promises mentioned, however, Christ joined the forgiveness of all sins and punishment to the Holy communion received on the Feast of Mercy. In other words so far as that matter is concerned He raised it (the Holy Communion on the Feast of Mercy) to the rank of a ‘second Baptism’.  It is obvious that in order to effect a complete forgiveness of sins and punishment the Holy Communion received on the Feast of Divine Mercy must not only be partaken of worthily, but it must also fulfill the basic requirements of the Divine Mercy devotion. … However, received unworthily, without trust in Divine Mercy and devoid of some deed of mercy toward neighbour, it would be a contradiction of Devotion to the Divine Mercy. Instead of the exceptional grace, it would bring down upon the recipient the Divine Wrath. The spiritual good of the faithful demands that they know what graces they can obtain, and under what conditions through the reception of Holy Communion on the Feast of Divine Mercy”(Divine Mercy Second Baptism).  This article explains how the: “Special Graces” promised by Our Lord for those who receive Communion and Confession on the Feast of Divine Mercy and the Plenary Indulgence are not the same thing! 
    • Fr. John Larson M.C. of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, which promotes the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, confirmed that in order to receive Our Lord’s Divine Mercy promise, the Confession should and can be made before or on the Feast of Mercy, NOT after: “To ensure you obtain the special graces, the Confession needs to be made before receiving Holy Communion on the Feast of Mercy, on or before (as long as one stays in the state of grace of course) the Mass on the Feast of Mercy that one receives Communion at, and not afterwards.”  Fr. Larson explains that this special promise of grace is actually easier to obtain than a plenary indulgence, because all that it requires is making a good confession and then receiving Holy Communion on the Feast of Mercy (Saturday vigil or Sunday Mass of the Second Sunday of Easter) with trust in God’s mercy, but it does not require complete detachment from all venial sin and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father which are required in order for one to obtain a plenary indulgence.
    • Obtaining a Plenary Indulgence on the Feast of Mercy is separate and meant for those who are unable to obtain Our Lord’s Feast of Divine Mercy promise. Confession after receiving Communion would be devotional and can go towards obtaining a plenary indulgence. To obtain a plenary indulgence on any day, the Confession can be made within “about 20 days before or after doing an indulgenced work” according to the Apostolic Penitentiary’s Norm of Confession for Gaining a Plenary Indulgence | EWTN.
    • Regarding the graces of the Feast of Mercy, Jesus told St. Faustina, “The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment” (699).  This is an extraordinary promise!  Normally when we go to Confession, “the eternal punishment due to sin (i.e., hell) is removed, but the temporal punishment due to sin (i.e., purgatory) may still remain (see Psalm 99:8). Unless we have perfect contrition, or pray, fast, and/or give alms with perfect purity of intention, temporal punishment as a consequence of our sins most likely remains. But all sins and punishment are removed by the grace of Divine Mercy Sunday when we fulfill the conditions of a valid Confession and worthily receive Holy Communion, so long as we have some rectification of the will (meaning that we are sorry and will try to amend our life).” – Signs and Wonders for our Times, April 2022.