The Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Using normal rosary beads, begin with:
Our Father..., Hail Mary..., The Creed.

On the five large beads:
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.

On the ten small beads:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.

At the end of the Chaplet say three times:  
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Excerpts from the Diary of Sister Faustina:
687
Say unceasingly the chaplet that I have thought you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy.

1541
My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet. When hardened sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one.

1541
Write that when they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as a merciful Saviour.

1731
Through the chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My Will.

Meditated Chaplet of Divine Mercy

The "Our Father",
Hail Mary, the Creed.
 

Pray five times the following:

Eternal Father, I offer you the Most Precious Body and Blood, 
Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
For the sake of his sorrowful passion and the sorrowful Immaculate Heart of Mary:

In the Agony in the Garden, 
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the scourging of Our Lord,
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the crowning with thorns,
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the trial and condemnation to death,
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the carrying of the cross on his wounded shoulder,
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the encounter with Mother Mary,
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the encounters with the Cyrinean,
Veronica and the holy women
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the falls of Our Lord,
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the stripping of our Lord's garments, 
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the crucifixion, 
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the sorrowful agony and death,
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the piercing of His Most Sacred Heart,
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

In the sorrows of Our Lady after the death of Our Lord,
as She received the body of Jesus in her arms,
as She placed Him in the tomb and
as She waited until the Resurrection, 
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world 

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, 
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world.
[Three times at the end]

Based on the Novena intentions:

Eternal Father, I offer you the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity or Our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for my sins and the sins of the whole world;

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all sinners, all generations past, present and future.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all priests and religious, especially those who fail you in their sublime vocation.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all the faithful and devoted souls.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all the pagans and those who do not know you.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all the heretics, schismatics, those who reject the Catholic religion.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all the meek and humble souls, especially those of the little children.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all those who honor and venerate your Mercy.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all the poor souls in Purgatory.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all the lukewarm souls.

Eternal Father, I offer you the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity or Our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for my sins and the sins of the whole world;

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all those who honor and venerate your Blessed Mother.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all those who venerate the Blessed Sacrament.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all those who venerate the Catholic Church and the Holy Father.

Eternal Father, I offer you the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for my sins and the sins of the whole world;

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all those who are dying at this moment and during this day, grant them to repent and to come back to you.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all those who are sinning at this moment and on every one when they sin, Forgive them Father, they do not know what they do.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all those who are praying for a special petition, those who are lacking your bounty, those who are suffering with a heavy cross, show us your Mercy generous Father, have mercy on us.

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and of the Sorrows of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, have Mercy on all the dead, you alone have the power to raise us to life.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,
Have Mercy on us and on the whole world.

1320 At three o'clock , implore My Mercy, especially for sinners; and , if only for a brief moment , immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in my abandonment at the moment of agony.This is the hour of great Mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to enter into my mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of me in virtue of My Passion.

1572 I remind you my daughter that as often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My Mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment Mercy was opened wide for every soul.

PRAYERS - Chaplet if possible.

1319 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.

84 O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us. I trust in You!

Sister Faustina

     Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska was born  in Poland. When she was twenty years old, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.
On the 22nd of February, 1931, she had a vision of Jesus while she was in Plock, Poland. Jesus appeared to her and said, "paint an image according to the pattern you see with the signature: JESUS I TRUST IN YOU. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over (its) enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory" (Diary 47,48).
   He asked her to remind the world of His unfathomable Mercy and He taught her a very special devotion to the Divine Mercy based on trust in Him.
   Sister Faustina died on October 5, 1938, at a convent in Krakow. She was buried in the convent chapel beneath the image of the Divine Mercy.

Saint Faustina
   Sister Faustina was beatified on April 18, 1993, her canonization took place on April 30, 2000 the first Sunday after Easter, on Divine Mercy Sunday.
   She was honoured by becoming the first saint of this millenium, giving thus great emphasis to the Divine Mercy Devotion. 
   As one of the great events of the Jubilee 2000, the Holy Father John Paul II, conducted the ceremony of the canonization of St Faustina, before a crowd of around 200000 Divine Mercy Pilgrims.

You are encouraged to study and to practice the devotions of the Divine Mercy:

Veneration of the Divine Mercy Image with the caption,
"Jesus, I trust in You."

Praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, especially at 3:00 - the Hour of Mercy.

Praying a Novena of mercy from Good Friday to the Sunday after Easter, which has been designated the Feast of the Divine Mercy. Jesus said, "On that day are open all the divine floodgates through which graces flow. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet."  (From Sr. Faustina's Diary, p. 699.)

Saint Faustina Canonization

   The process culminating in the canonization of Sister Faustina Kowalska, commenced twenty seven years after her death in Krakow Poland, in 1938.
   As part of the process leading to her canonization, two cases of miraculous healings were presented for consideration. The first one was the healing of Maureen Digan of Massachusetts. The second miracle was the healing of a congenital heart condition of Fr. Pytel after prayers done by members of his parish during the anniversary of Sr. Faustina's death on October 5 1995.
   On April 18, 1993 the Feast of Divine Mercy Sunday (the first Sunday after Easter), Pope John Paul II elevated Sister Faustina to the status of Blessed during the Beatification of this Venerable Servant of God, a day when St. Peter's Square was packed with enthusiastic Divine Mercy devotees.
   On March 10, 2000 at 11:30 a.m., during the celebration of sext, in the Consistory Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, an ordinary public consistory for several causes of canonization was held, in the presence of the Holy Father.
   In 1997 Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage to Sister Faustina's tomb in Poland, he called her the "the great apostle of Mercy in our day." The Pope said at her tomb, "The message of Divine Mercy has always been near and dear to me..., in a sense it forms the image of my Pontificate."

Saint Faustina
   Sister Faustina was canonized on April 30, 2000 the first Sunday after Easter, on Divine Mercy Sunday.
   She was honoured by becoming the first saint of this millenium, giving thus great emphasis to the Divine Mercy Devotion. 
   As one of the great events of the Jubilee 2000, the Holy Father John Paul II, conducted the ceremony of the canonization of St Faustina, before a crowd of around 200000 Divine Mercy Pilgrims.

Our Blessed Lord appeared to Sister Faustina and revealed His Divine Mercy for the world.

   Here are some excerpts of conversations with the Lord from Blessed Faustina's diary.

Paint an image according to the pattern you see with the signature:
   Jesus, I trust in you. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and [then] throughout the world.

I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory.

The two rays denote Blood and Water.
   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 tender mercy when My agonised Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross.

The Feast of Divine Mercy
I want this image to be solemnly blessed on
   the first Sunday after Easter; that Sunday is to be the Feast of Mercy. On that day, the depths of My Mercy will be open to all.

Whoever will go to confession and Holy Communion
   on that day will receive complete forgiveness of sin and punishment. Mankind will not enjoy peace until it returns to My Mercy.

We should spread this devotion and make it also known to priests so that they may celebrate the Feast of Mercy in honour of Our Lord.

Preparation for the Feast of Divine Mercy

I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this image with the signature: "Jesus, I trust in You".

Oh, what great graces I will grant to souls who say this Chaplet;
   the very depths of My tender mercy are stirred for the sake of those who say the chaplet. Write down these words, My daughter. Speak to the world about My mercy; let all mankind recognise My unfathomable Mercy. It is a sign for the end times; after it will come the day of justice. While there is still time, let them have recourse to the fount of My mercy; let them profit from the Blood and Water which gushed forth for them.

Say unceasingly this Chaplet that I have taught you.
   Anyone who says it will receive great Mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as the last hope. Even the most hardened sinner, if he recites this Chaplet even once, will receive grace from My Infinite Mercy. I want the whole world to know My Infinite Mercy. I want to give unimaginable graces to those who trust in My Mercy.

When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying,
   I will stand between My Father and the dying person not as the just judge but as the Merciful Saviour.

On each day of the novena
   you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy ... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls.  On the cross, the fountain of My mercy was opened wide by the lance for all souls---none have I excluded!

The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy.
    Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.
   Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of My Mercy.
   The flames of mercy are burning Me. I desire to pour them out upon human souls. Oh, what pain they cause Me when they do not want to accept them!
   Oh, how painful it is to Me that souls so seldom unite themselves to Me......I wait for souls, and they are indifferent towards Me. I love them tenderly and sincerely, and they distrust Me.
   I demand from you deeds of mercy which are to arise out of love for Me.You are to show mercy to your neighbours always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse yourself from it.

1541
My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you.

Using normal rosary beads, begin with:
Our Father..., Hail Mary..., The Creed.

On the five large beads:
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.

On the ten small beads:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.

At the end of the Chaplet say three times:  
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Excerpts from the Diary of Sister Faustina

687 
Say unceasingly the chaplet that I have thought you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy.

1541
My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet. When hardened sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one.

1541
Write that when they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as a merciful Saviour.

1731
Through the chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My Will.

The Divine Mercy Novena

   Jesus further asked that this Feast of the Divine Mercy be preceded by a Novena to the Divine Mercy which would begin on Good Friday."On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy. ... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls."

First Day
Today bring Me all mankind, especially all sinners.
Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins, but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.

Second Day
Today Bring Me the Souls of Priests and Religious.
Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in us, that we may perform worthy works of mercy, and that all who see us may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company [of chosen souls] in Your vineyard - upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation, and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen.

Third Day
Today Bring Me All Devout and Faithful Souls.
Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in the great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by that most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.
Eternal Father, turn Your Merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lost the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Fourth Day
Today Bring Me The Pagans and Those Who Do Not Know Me
Most Compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world.
Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of pagans who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful grace upon the souls of pagans and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Fifth Day
Today Bring to Me the Souls of Heretics and Schismatics
Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of heretics and schismatics. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of heretics, and schismatics, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your Own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Sixth Day
Today Bring Me The Meek and Humble Souls and the Souls of Little Children
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said, "Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart." Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy, and they are the heavenly Father's favorites. They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God Himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek and humble souls, and upon the souls of little children, who are enfolded in the abode of the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight you take in them: bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Seventh Day
Today Bring Me the Souls Who Especially Venerate and Glorify My Mercy
Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your Mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident in Your Mercy. These souls are united to Jesus and carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy and their spirit, overflowing with joy, sings a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God: Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them, "I Myself will defend as My own glory, during their lifetime, and especially at the hour of their death, those souls who will venerate My fathomless mercy."

Eighth Day
Today Bring Me the Souls Who Are in the Prison of
Purgatory
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of purifying fire, that in that place, too, the power of Your mercy may be praised. Eternal Father, turn Your most merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded, manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way than through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen.

Ninth Day
Today Bring Me the Souls Who Have Become Lukewarm
Most Compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love; and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen

The feast of the Divine Mercy falls on the first Sunday after Easter Sunday.

Requirements for the celebration

• To observe this feast we should commence a Novena to the Divine Mercy on Good Friday, the Novena includes special intentions for each day and is concluded with the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

• Celebrate the feast on the first Sunday after Easter.

• Come to Jesus with a humble and contrite heart, repent of all your sins.

• Firmly trust in the Divine Mercy of Jesus.

• Go to confession (with a priest) on that day if possible, otherwise seven days before or after the feast, as approved by the Church..

• Receive Holy Communion on the Day of the Feast.

• Venerate the image of Divine Mercy.

• Be merciful as God is merciful. Practice works of Mercy, physically by helping others or spiritually by prayers of intercession.

Words of Pope John Paul II
" I give thanks to the Divine Providence that I have been enabled to contribute personally to the fulfilment of Christ's Will, through the Institution of the Feast of Divine Mercy. I pray unceasingly that God will have Mercy on us and on the whole world. "
      Pope John Paul II ( 7/6/97 )                    
      Shrine of Divine Mercy, Cracow, Poland.

Words of Cardinal Macharski, Archbishop of Cracow
   In his 1985 Lenten Pastoral Letter, Cardinal Macharski points out that all of Lent should be a preparation for the celebration of the Paschal Mystery: the Crucified and Risen Christ, who is Mercy Incarnate. This great mystery of our Redemption, which the Cardinal calls: "an act of the merciful love of God", is celebrated not only during Holy Week and on Easter Sunday but throughout the Easter season, and especially on the Octave Day of Easter, which Our Lord asked Sister Faustina to have chosen  as the Feast of the Divine Mercy.
   Cardinal Macharski urges us to use Lent to prepare ourselves for this great feast, placing more and more trust in the mercy of God and putting mercy into practice through deeds of mercy. He also stresses the importance of receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent and asks us to make our confession before the Mercy Sunday, even prior to the Holy Week.
   For those who feel they must go to confession on Mercy Sunday itself, it would be well to consider not only this strong urging from Cardinal Macharski, but also the example of Blessed Faustina herself, who made her confession on the Sunday before the Feast of Mercy (Diary, 1072).
   The Diary entries recording the words of Our Lord in regard to confession do not explicitly say  that confession is to be received on the day itself, but that Holy Communion must be received on that day (Diary, 300, 699, 1109).

Divine Mercy Sunday at the Vatican
Cardinal Angelini Fiorenzo celebrated the Feast of Divine Mercy on Sunday, 11th April 1999 for the first time ever in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. A huge crowd of Divine Mercy devotees from all around the world attended the ceremonies.

Divine Mercy around the world 
Many Dioceses and parishes celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday in different ways. Some have a mass during the 3 o'clock hour of mercy; others have a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration, which usually includes praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The blessing of the Image of the Merciful Saviour and its veneration are often included as part of the Mass or Holy Hour. Inform your priest of this very important feast and share with Him the Devotion of Divine Mercy.

Personal celebration of Divine Mercy 
If you are unable to attend an organised celebration, there are a variety of ways to celebrate personally, such as praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, reading Sacred Scriptures or reading selections from the Diary of Blessed Sister Faustina (Divine Mercy in my soul) - especially the texts on the Feast of Divine Mercy. Some find it helpful to listen to audio tapes of teachings and hymns on Divine Mercy. Others view videos on the message of Divine Mercy and the life of Blessed Faustina. And we all should find opportunities for personal acts of mercy.

About spreading the Divine Mercy Devotion
   Jesus said to Sister Faustina: "Do what is only within your power to spread Devotion to my Mercy and I will make up for what you lack."
   Spread this devotion by distributing leaflets, by telling others about this devotion, by telling your local priest to celebrate Mercy Sunday in the parish, and above all be merciful to others to honour the mercy of God.

List of distributors of Divine Mercy Publications
Leaflets of the Novena and chaplet, also the Diary of Sister Faustina may be obtained by contacting any of the following Divine Mercy Centres, are:
Divine Mercy Publications
Maryville , Skerries,
Co. Dublin.
Tel: (01) 8491458

Divine Mercy Publications (Australia)
P.O. Box 351, Camberwell, 3124
Victoria, Australia.
Telephone: 03 889 3923

Divine Mercy Sydney Distributors
Box 160/145 Sydney Road
Manly N.S.W. 2094 Australia
Phone (902) 9949 6270

Requirements

• To observe this feast we should commence a Novena to the Divine Mercy on Good Friday, the Novena includes special intentions for each day and is concluded with the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

• Celebrate the feast on the first Sunday after Easter.

• Come to Jesus with a humble and contrite heart, repent of all your sins.

• Firmly trust in the Divine Mercy of Jesus.

• Go to confession (with a priest) on that day if possible, otherwise seven days before or after the feast, as approved by the Church..

• Receive Holy Communion on the Day of the Feast.

• Venerate the image of Divine Mercy.

• Be merciful as God is merciful. Practice works of Mercy, physically by helping others or spiritually by prayers of intercession.

    When you go to confession, to this fountain of mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart always flow down upon your soul...In the Tribunal of Mercy [the sacrament of Reconciliation]...the greatest miracles take place and are incessantly repeated...Here the misery of the soul meets the God of Mercy..
   Come with faith to the feet of My representative...I myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest... I Myself act in your soul... Make your confession before Me. The person of the priest is, for Me, only a screen. Never analyse what sort of a priest it is that I am making use of; open your soul in confession as you would to Me, and I will fill it with My light...
   Were a soul like a decaying corpse, so that from a human standpoint, there would be no hope of restoration and everything would already be lost, it is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full... From this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity.
   Our Lord has emphasized the need for us to go to confession and to receive Him in the Holy Eucharist in order to obtain the greatest gifts of His Mercy.
    We as Catholics have the source of Mercy in the confessional and in the Precious Blood of the Eucharist. Let us proclaim this message.

   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.

( To each invocation respond with "I trust in You." )

Divine Mercy, gushing forth from the bosom of the Father,...
Divine Mercy, greatest attribute of God,...
Divine Mercy, incomprehensible mystery,...
Divine Mercy, fount gushing forth from the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity,
Divine Mercy, unfathomed by any intellect, human or angelic,...
Divine Mercy, from which wells forth all life and happiness,...
Divine Mercy, better than the heavens,...
Divine Mercy, source of miracles and wonders,...
Divine Mercy, encompassing the whole universe,...
Divine Mercy, descending to earth in the Person of the Incarnate Word,...
Divine Mercy, which flowed out from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus,...
Divine Mercy, enclosed in the Heart of Jesus for us, and especially for sinners
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in the institution of the Sacred Host,...
Divine Mercy, in the founding of Holy Church,...
Divine Mercy, in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism,...
Divine Mercy, in our justification through Jesus Christ,...
Divine Mercy, accompanying us our whole life,...
Divine Mercy, embracing us especially at the hour of death,...
Divine Mercy, endowing us with immortal life,...
Divine Mercy, accompanying us every moment of our life,...
Divine Mercy, shielding us from the fire of hell,...
Divine Mercy, in the conversion of hardened sinners,...
Divine Mercy, astonishment for Angels, incomprehensible to Saints,...
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in all the mysteries of God,...
Divine Mercy, lifting us out of every misery,...
Divine Mercy, source of our happiness and joy,...
Divine Mercy, in calling us forth from nothingness to existence,...
Divine Mercy, embracing all the works of His hands,...
Divine Mercy, crown of all of God's handiwork,...
Divine Mercy, in which we are all immersed,...
Divine Mercy, sweet relief for anguished hearts,...
Divine Mercy, only hope of despairing souls,...
Divine Mercy, repose of hearts, peace amidst fear,...
Divine Mercy, delight and ecstasy of holy souls,...
Divine Mercy, inspiring hope against all hope,...

2 Esdras 9:31 (Nehemiah 9:31)
31 Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

Psalm 103:9-18 (102 D. Rheims)
9 He will not always be angry: nor will he threaten for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us according to our sins: nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For according to the height of the heaven above the earth: he hath strengthened his mercy towards them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our iniquities from us.

13 As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him:

14 for he knoweth our frame. He remembereth that we are dust:

15 man's days are as grass, as the flower of the field so shall he flourish.

16 For the spirit shall pass in him, and he shall not be: and he shall know his place no more.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from eternity and unto eternity upon them that fear him: And his justice unto children's children,

18 to such as keep his covenant, And are mindful of his commandments to do them.

5.for your glorious splendor cannot be borne, and the wrath of your threat to sinners is unendurable;

6. yet immeasurable and unsearchable is your promised mercy,

7. for you are the Lord Most High, of great compassion, long-suffering, and very merciful, and you relent at human suffering.
        O Lord, according to your great goodness you have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against you, and in the multitude of your mercies you have appointed repentance for sinners, so that they may be saved.

8.Therefore you, O Lord, God of the righteous, have not appointed repentance for the righteous, for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who did not sin against you, but you have appointed repentance for me, who am a sinner.

9. For the sins I have committed are more in number than the sand of the sea; my transgressions are multiplied, O Lord, they are multiplied!
   I am not worthy to look up and see the height of heaven because of the multitude of my iniquities.

10. I am weighted down with many an iron fetter, so that I am rejected because of my sins, and I have no relief; for I have provoked your wrath and have done what is evil in your sight, setting up abominations and multiplying offenses.

11. And now I bend the knee of my heart, imploring you for your kindness.

12. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned,  and I acknowledge my transgressions.

13.  I earnestly implore you, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me!
        Do not destroy me with my transgressions!
        Do not be angry with me forever or store up evil for me;
        do not condemn me to the depths of the earth.
      For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent,

14. and in me you will manifest your goodness; for, unworthy as I am, you will save me according to your great mercy,

15. and I will praise you continually all the days of my life.
       For all the host of heaven sings your praise, and yours is the glory forever.
       Amen.

Luke 23: 34
And Jesus said:
Father, forgive them,
for they know not what they do.

Be merciful just as your Father is merciful Luke 6:36

Jesus has given us a beautiful devotion to the Divine Mercy. But how can we expect mercy if we don't show mercy to others? 

Jesus has given us a command:
 "Be merciful, just as your Heavenly Father is merciful." Forgive and you shall be forgiven. 

Mercy is the perfection of love. What Jesus wants from us is that we love the same way that He has loved us. His love goes beyond forgiving our sins, He became the sacrifice that takes away our sins. As we love others, we must forgive them too, we must sacrifice our ego and become an expression of the love of God. 

John 13:34
"A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.

The love of God is unconditional love. For us, it means to be  prepared to love despite all the difficulties and sufferings involved in the manifestation of our love for others.

Our love must be a reflection of the Divine Love. We cannot love unless we forgive. The Lord says that we must forgive 70 times 7. 

It is by the measure of our love that we will be measured:
Luke 6:38
"Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." 

And the day of judgment, Jesus will recall our mercy to others: 
Matt 25:35-44 
35 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink?
38 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
39 'And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'

Jesus has asked us to be merciful, he has promised us great rewards:
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy

Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do.

By this request of Jesus to the Father, our sins have been forgiven. Let us meditate on how the Lord used these important words on the way to Calvary as we accompany him.

Let us feel the way Jesus felt and experience his merciful love. Let us live those moments of pain and echo his words as we pray for the forgiveness of our sins and the sins of the whole world.

In the agony in the Garden he suffered anguish in his soul, he was going to give his life for this ungrateful humanity and he hesitated because of the indifference by which we value his salvific sacrifice. Father if it is possible, remove this cup from me, but not my will, your will be done. "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the painful scourging Our Lord atoned for all the sins of impurity, how savagely his body was being torn for all the sins of impurity committed in our minds and in the flesh. Imagine how Jesus was almost fainting with pain and yet he could only think of saving us while he was saying silently "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the crowning with thorns he experienced so much pain on his sacred head which continued until the moment he died, his mind was tortured by the horrors of our despising his wisdom. Our pride and the attachments to the world have despised the kingdom of heaven while we open our hearts to the kingdom of the world. Jesus forsaw this and humbly atoned for pride. Very mindful of these humiliating sins he just prayed in silence: "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the trial, the Supreme Judge was misjudged and condemned by our ignorance. What an insult to the One who has the power to forgive. But Jesus was very patient until death he was whispering with great love "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the carrying of the cross on his wounded shoulder, Jesus experienced the weight of all our sins, his pain can not be measured. And yet he did it willingly because he loves us so much, "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the encounter with his blessed mother, Jesus was united to her suffering, no words between them, but their hearts were one, they both felt so helpless, but in their powerful intercession for us they were saying the same prayer: "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the encounter with the Cyrinean, the Lord shared a little bit of his suffering with this man, who represents everyone of us when we share the sufferings of Christ and our neighbour, not so much physically, but spiritually. Let us implore: "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the encounter with Veronica, the Lord left an impression of his countenance on this woman’s veil since she felt compassion for his sufferings and was willing to be united to his words of salvation: "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the encounter with the holy women of Jerusalem, the Lord felt pity for them and for their children, he pointed out to them that it was not enough just to weep for him, that they should be concerned for their children and always pray:"Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the three falls of our Lord, he stressed that we fall over and over again, weakening our souls with sin, but he suffered mercifully because knew the importance of his plea: "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the painful stripping of his garments, the Lord experienced the pain that destroys souls of their innocence as they are stripped of the robes of salvation, the image of Christ. How fools we are, but Jesus continues to plead in his pain: "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the crucifixion, the Lord suffered the most excruciating pain, we mortals are paralising our God with our sins, we don’t let him rule our lives because we rebel against Him, he gets stuck on the cross to put our sins to death and to forgive us as he says with great love: "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the sorrowful agony and death, he suffered unimaginable pain out of his most merciful love for us. The infinite offence of men could not be paid by finite offerings or sacrifices, God in the person of his Son had to personally experience the pain of the sacrifice to satisfy his divine justice in order to forgive us and to open the way to everlasting life. "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

In the piercing of the Sacred heart of Jesus, he no longer suffered but the humiliation of men had to be pushed to the limit. From his heart flowed blood and water as symbols of his mercy and grace. Our Blessed mother had to endure all the sufferings of the passion and death, now the lance fulfills the prophecy of Simon who predicted her sufferings so that our thoughts would reveal compassion for her, the mother of humanity, our mother, who has conceived spiritually the children of God in great pain and sorrow.
She continues the prayer of our Saviour: "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

The body of Jesus is taken to the sepulchre. We are the temples of the living God, he visits our souls in the Blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, making us living sepulchres for the flesh and blood of our Savior who will grant us the resurrection and eternal life. His words reverberate in our hearts, he is continually saying: "Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do".

Joseph of Jesus and Mary
The Work of God Apostolate

Prayer of Entrustment to the Divine Mercy

O Lord, our God.
We place our trust in You, 
Because you are mercy itself.
We repent of our sins and turn to You for mercy.
We trust You to provide for our every need, according to Your will. 
Help us to forgive others as You forgive us. 
We promise to be merciful by our deeds, words and prayers.
Though we have fears because of human weakness, we rely on Your infinite goodness and mercy. 
We entrust to You the future of our planet, our Church, our nations, our families and all our needs.  
With loud cries we implore your mercy on us and on the whole world.
Look upon us, created in your image and likeness.
Form us in the Heart of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit into the living images of mercy.
May all come to know the depth of Your mercy and sing the praises of Your mercy forever. 
Amen!

	The Hours of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Meditations on the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

These are reflections, meditations, visions and moments of the Passion of Our Lord as seen and lived by Luisa. 

   They are divided in twenty four hours, however for the purposes of meditation, they can be meditated at any hour of the day. 
   Great merit and abundant graces are received by souls who accompany Jesus in his holy passion. These meditations bring the sufferings of Jesus to life, and grant great knowledge of his love for us.
   Luisa Piccarreta was born in Corato Italy on April 23, 1865, and died on March 4, 1947. During 64 years she was confined to bed with a mysterious suffering, time which she spent writing about the Kingdom of the Divine Will.   

For more information about Luisa Piccarreta
and her other writings, contact:

Center for the Divine Will
(Association Luisa Picarreta)
P.O. Box 5 - Ortega Station
Jacksonville, Florida 32210 - USA

Stations of the cross

Last seven words of Jesus
1. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing 
2. Today you will be with Me in Paradise 
3. Woman, behold your son - To John and everyone: behold your mother 
4. My God, my God, why have You abandoned Me? 
5. I thirst
6. All is consummated 
7. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit 
 

Meditate the Passion of Our Lord 

Preparation before each hour
O my Lord Jesus Christ, prostrate in your divine presence, I implore your most loving Heart to admit me to the sorrowful meditation of the 24 hours in which for love of us You wanted to suffer so much, in your adorable body and in your most holy soul, unto death on the Cross. O please, give me help, grace, love, deep compassion and understanding of your sufferings, as I now meditate the ____Hour.

And for those which I cannot meditate, I offer You my will to meditate them, and I willingly intend to meditate them in all the hours in which I have to apply myself to my duties, or sleep.

Accept, O merciful Lord, my loving intention, and let it be beneficial for me and for all, as if I effectively and in a saintly way accomplished what I wish to practice.

Meanwhile, I give You thanks, O my Jesus, for calling me to union with You by means of prayer. And to please You more, I take your thoughts, your tongue, your Heart, and with this I intend to pray, fusing all of myself in your Will and in your love; and stretching out my arms to hug You, I place my head on your Heart, and I begin.

Thanksgiving after each hour
My lovable Jesus, You have called me in this hour of your Passion to keep You company, and I have come. I seemed to hear You praying, repairing and suffering, in anguish and sorrow, pleading for the salvation of souls in the most touching and eloquent voices.

I tried to follow You in everything; and now, having to leave You for my usual occupations, I feel the duty to say to You, ‘Thank You’ and ‘I bless You.’

Yes, O Jesus, I repeat to You ‘Thank You’ thousands and thousands of times, and ‘I bless You’ for all that You have done and suffered for me and for all. I thank You and I bless You for every drop of Blood You shed, for every breath, for every heartbeat, for every step, word, glance, bitterness and offense which You endured. In everything, O my Jesus, I intend to seal You with a ‘Thank You’ and an ‘I bless You.’

Please, O Jesus, let my whole being send You a continuous flow of thanks and blessings, so as to draw upon me and upon everyone the flow of your blessings and thanks. Please, O Jesus, press me to your Heart, and with your most holy hands seal every particle of my being with your ‘I bless you’, so that nothing other than a continuous hymn to You may come from me.

Meditate the Passion of Our Lord 
1. Jesus takes leave of His Most Holy Mother 
2. Jesus departs from His Most Holy Mother and sets out for the Cenacle 
3. The Legal Supper 
4. The Eucharistic Supper 
5. First Hour of Agony in the Garden of Gethsemani 
6. Second Hour of Agony in the Garden of Gethsemani 
7. Third Hour of Agony in the Garden of Gethsemani 
8. Jesus is arrested 
9. Thrown from a ledge, Jesus falls into the Cedron stream 
10. Jesus is presented to Annas 
11. Jesus in the house of Caiphas
12. Jesus at the mercy of the soldiers
13. Jesus in prison
14. Jesus before Caiphas again - His condemnation to death 
15. Jesus before Pilate. Pilate sends Him to Herod
16. Jesus is brought back to Pilate and placed after Barabbas. The scourging
17. Jesus is crowned with thorns. “Ecce Homo!” Jesus is condemned to death
18. Jesus takes up the Cross and walks toward Calvary - Jesus is stripped
19. The Crucifixion of Jesus
20. The first word of Jesus
21. Second, third and fourth word of Jesus
22. Fifth, sixth and seventh word of Jesus. The death of Jesus 
23. Jesus, dead, is pierced by the thrust of a lance - The deposition from the Cross 
24. Most Holy Desolate Mary

Shrine draws 17,000 for Divine Mercy Sunday, remembrance of pope
STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. (CNS) -- An estimated 17,000 pilgrims gathered April 3 on the muddy, rain-soaked grounds of the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge in western Massachusetts to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday and to remember the late Pope John Paul II.
   The pope, who instituted Divine Mercy Sunday almost five years ago, died April 2, the vigil of the day he called "the Sunday of thanksgiving for all goodness that God has shown us in the whole Easter mystery."
   In a steady rain, the pilgrims created a sea of umbrellas as they came together at Eden Hill for fellowship and prayer, to attend confession and Mass, and to remember and pray for the pontiff.
   Because of the pope's death, Boston Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley, who had been scheduled to be the presider and homilist of the 1 p.m. Mass, stayed in Boston to prepare for his departure to Rome.
   Springfield Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell was the principal celebrant. The Mass was held on the outdoor field altar, with wooden benches and folding chairs providing the seating for participants.
   Of the mostly light but persistent rain that fell prior to and during the Mass, Bishop McDonnell said, "We're going to do the sprinkling rite -- I think nature's helping us with that. But it is a reminder to us that the water of baptism ... is the water of life, the water of God's mercy."
   "The weather today reminds us of Pope John Paul II," the bishop said as he began his homily. "How many of you were in Boston Common in 1979 when it teemed from the heavens? How many of you were in Battery Park (in New York in 1979) when the skies opened and the thunder rolled?"
   He was referring to a couple of the pontiff's rain-soaked visits to the United States. After he cited two more examples, the bishop continued, "Weather like this, April showers, seem to have followed Pope John Paul II anytime he was in our country. And yet he said on one occasion, they were simply tears of joy from the heavens. That is what we enjoy today."
   "We have lost a priest and a pastor, a father and a friend," he said. "We have lost our pope, but the church goes on. Christ is still with us, Christ's peace still reigns in our midst. God's mercy is still showered down upon us."
   The Divine Mercy devotion was begun in the late 1930s by St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who said she had a vision of Jesus in which he asked for devotions to divine mercy on the Sunday after Easter. As Archbishop Karol Wojtyla of Krakow, Poland, the future Pope John Paul II opened the nun's sainthood cause. As pope, he beatified her in 1993 and canonized her in 2000.
   Many believe that the pope's intimate connection to Divine Mercy stemmed, in part, from his being born and raised in Poland. When he visited the nun's tomb in 1997, he said that the Divine Mercy devotion "in a sense forms the image of this pontificate."
   In August 2002 he dedicated the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Krakow. "There is nothing more man needs than divine mercy -- that love which is benevolent, which is compassionate, which raises man above his weakness to the infinite heights to the holiness of God," he said in a homily.
   Commenting on the Divine Mercy observance in Stockbridge, pilgrim Edward Miller told The Catholic Observer, Springfield's diocesan newspaper: "I think what was most impressive to me was the people in this weather who were kneeling down. They didn't let the inclement weather bother them, they just wanted to give their devotion to Jesus. That tells a story in itself."
   Miller, who is from New Jersey, said he thinks the Divine Mercy is "the most significant, most comfortable devotion that the church has. ... It goes beyond your normal, everyday prayer."
   The National Shrine of the Divine Mercy is a ministry of the St. Stanislaus Kostka province of the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception.