CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF MERCY

Original Image of the Divine Mercy, painted by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski (1873-1939) in 1934, is found in Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Vilnius, Lithuania. (Public Domain/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Vilnius, Lithuania.

“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.” – Jesus to St. Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament

Parishes are invited to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday with confessions, preaching on God’s Mercy, a HOLY HOUR of exposition & adoration with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, a Eucharistic Procession, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and the displaying of an image of the Divine Mercy with the words “Jesus I trust in Thee” for veneration.

In the above video, Fr. Chris Alar tells us to pray this prayer after Holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday. He says it can be a Saturday evening Mass/Divine Liturgy. Shut-ins can make a Spiritual Communion.

 

Jesus promised to give great graces on Divine Mercy Sunday. Specifically, He told St. Faustina:

“On that day  [Divine Mercy Sunday], 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  (Diary, 699).

Regarding the graces of Divine Mercy Sunday, 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.

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; truly a “whole ocean of graces” is contained in these promises:
  • 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).
  • The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment (699).

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 said: “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 this day 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.

More details on how to enhance your parish celebration HERE

To participate virtually in the celebrations at Stockbridge MA

From our Chapel Gallery page:  

St. Luke’s parish Divine Mercy Chapel in Maple Ridge, BC

Full text of the Diary of St. Faustina

Our Lord requested we pray the Divine Mercy Novena & the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy starting on Good Friday

Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet

1. Make the Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. Optional Opening Prayers

St. Faustina’s Prayer for Sinners: O Jesus, eternal Truth, our Life, I call upon You and I beg Your mercy for poor sinners. O sweetest Heart of my Lord, full of pity and unfathomable mercy, I plead with You for poor sinners. O Most Sacred Heart, Fount of Mercy from which gush forth rays of inconceivable graces upon the entire human race, I beg of You light for poor sinners. O Jesus, be mindful of Your own bitter Passion and do not permit the loss of souls redeemed at so dear a price of Your most precious Blood. O Jesus, when I consider the great price of Your Blood, I rejoice at its immensity, for one drop alone would have been enough for the salvation of all sinners. Although sin is an abyss of wickedness and ingratitude, the price paid for us can never be equalled. Therefore, let every soul trust in the Passion of the Lord, and place its hope in His mercy. God will not deny His mercy to anyone. Heaven and earth may change, but God’s mercy will never be exhausted. Oh, what immense joy burns in my heart when I contemplate Your incomprehensible goodness, O Jesus! I desire to bring all sinners to Your feet that they may glorify Your mercy throughout endless ages (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 72).

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!

3. Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen.

4. Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

5. The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

6. The Eternal Father

Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

7. On the 10 Small Beads of Each Decade

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

8. Repeat for the remaining decades

Saying the “Eternal Father” (6) on the “Our Father” bead and then 10 “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion” (7) on the following “Hail Mary” beads.

9. Conclude with Holy God (Repeat three times)

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

10. 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.

O Greatly Merciful God, Infinite Goodness, today all mankind calls out from the abyss of its misery to Your mercy — to Your compassion, O God; and it is with its mighty voice of misery that it cries out. Gracious God, do not reject the prayer of this earth’s exiles! O Lord, Goodness beyond our understanding, Who are acquainted with our misery through and through, and know that by our own power we cannot ascend to You, we implore You: anticipate us with Your grace and keep on increasing Your mercy in us, that we may faithfully do Your holy will all through our life and at death’s hour. Let the omnipotence of Your mercy shield us from the darts of our salvation’s enemies, that we may with confidence, as Your children, await Your [Son’s] final coming — that day known to You alone. And we expect to obtain everything promised us by Jesus in spite of all our wretchedness. For Jesus is our Hope: through His merciful Heart, as through an open gate, we pass through to heaven (Diary, 1570).

Article:  The Eucharistic Piety of St. Faustina

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