This Feast was instituted by Pope Saint John Paul II in the year 2000, during the canonization ceremony of Saint Faustina Kowalska, ‘Apostle of Mercy’.
Gaudium Press English Edition
Newsdesk (24/04/2022 5:00 PM, Gaudium Press) On Sunday, April 24th, the Catholic Church will celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy. This commemoration, instituted in 2000 by St. John Paul II, is a special day for the faithful and people of good will to welcome Divine Mercy into their lives.
This is how the Polish Pope put it when he instituted this Feast on April 30th of that year, when he presided over the canonization of Saint Faustina Kowalska, “Apostle of Mercy”: “It is important that we welcome fully the message that the word of God transmits to us on this Second Sunday of Easter, which from now on in the whole Church will be called ‘Divine Mercy Sunday'”.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy
“Christ taught us that ‘man not only receives and experiences God’s mercy, but is called to show mercy’ to others: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’.
The Pontiff also pointed out that Our Lord showed us “the many ways of mercy, which not only forgives sins, but also goes out to meet every human need. Jesus bent down over all human miseries, both material and spiritual“.
A request made directly by Jesus through Saint Faustina
It was Jesus Himself who told Saint Faustina Kowalska that the Feast of Mercy was to be celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter. In the Saint’s diary it is written that Our Lord assured that He would pour out innumerable graces to those who would welcome His Divine Mercy on the day of His Feast:
“I wish the Feast of Mercy to be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On this day, the profound depths of My mercy are opened. I pour out a whole sea of graces upon the souls who come near the font of My mercy.
The graces of the Day of Mercy
The graces that Our Merciful Lord will grant will be as follows:
01 – The soul who entrusts himself and receives Holy Communion will obtain total forgiveness of faults and penalties. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are open;
02 – Whoever approaches the Source of Life on that day will receive total forgiveness of sins and penalties;
03 – No soul will find justification until it turns confidently to My mercy. On that day the priests must speak to the souls about My infinite mercy.
Jesus also emphasized to Sister Faustina that His Mercy is the last means of salvation that He offers to humanity: “Souls die in spite of My bitter Passion. I offer them the last means of salvation, that is, the Feast of My Mercy. If they do not adore My Mercy, they will die forever”.
Praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Our Lord also entrusted St. Faustina with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, delivering several promises:
01 – Whoever prays it will obtain through it that everything he asks for will come true, always and when it is in accordance with God’s will;
02 – Whoever prays the Chaplet will receive mercy, especially at the hour of death, and priests will recommend it to sinners as a last means of salvation;
03 – I will defend with My own Glory every soul that prays this Chaplet at the hour of death, or when others pray it together with the dying person, who will obtain the same forgiveness.
Conditions to receive the Divine Mercy
To receive the Mercy of Jesus, especially on the Feast of Divine Mercy, one must approach the Lord with a contrite and humble heart, repent of sins, trust firmly in the Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ, and approach the Sacrament of Confession on that day or seven days before or after, receive Eucharistic Communion, venerate the Divine Mercy image, and practice the works of mercy. (EPC)
Compiled by Roberta MacEwan
