Florida Catholic | A Special Day For Jesus’ Divine Mercy Is March 30

RESOURCE: Partial List of Divine Mercy Sunday Celebrations In The Diocese

A special day for Jesus’ divine mercy is March 30

Parishes throughout the diocese will be offering Divine Mercy Sunday Celebrations at afternoon programs.

LINDA REEVES | FLORIDA CATHOLIC PALM BEACH BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 03.21.08

Edmund Wisniewski admires a framed picture of St. Maria Faustina that is hanging at the entrance of Mary Immaculate Church.
LINDA REEVES | FC

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 all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. 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.”
–Diary of St. Faustina, 699

WEST PALM BEACH | Edmund Wisniewski is trying to spread the word about Divine Mercy: the promises Jesus made in a vision to St. Faustina Kowalska about complete forgiveness of sins for even the most terrible of sinners.

“The gates are open for all who participate in Divine Mercy Sunday,” said Wisniewski, who recently started a weekly Divine Mercy prayer group at his parish, Mary Immaculate in West Palm Beach. He has created Divine Mercy guides, bought T-shirts with a mercy message on them and purchased two art pieces for his church that are linked to Christ’s passion and forgiveness.

The feast of Divine Mercy, also called Divine Mercy Sunday, is March 30 this year at churches around the world. Faithful believe that in the 1930s, Jesus appeared to Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska, a nun of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland, and commanded her to write down everything he wanted humanity to know about his mercy.

St. Faustina came from a poor family of farmers and had three years of very simple education. However, Christ selected her to record his words, which explained his wish for a special celebration and an image of his likeness. The nun presented her conversations with the Lord in a 600-page diary now sold around the world.

In the Diocese of Palm Beach, several churches will host Divine Mercy afternoons to celebrate the feast, which was promoted by the late Pope John Paul II.

“I truly believe that Jesus spoke to St. Faustina,” said Franciscan Father Vincent Rubino of St. Lucie Parish in Port St. Lucie. “He truly asked for this devotion. It was God’s way to show his mercy. He wants people to know about his mercy. He doesn’t want to punish anyone; he wants to save us. That is what Jesus did on the cross. He died to save us.”

“For each soul he has mercy,” said Father Rubino. “He gives everybody a chance. The Lord offers the full indulgence.”

Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina April 30, 2000, Divine Mercy Sunday of that year, and designated from that point on the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday on the Roman Catholic calendar. The pope died on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday five years later.

Divine Mercy Sunday will go a step further this year when the first World Apostolic Congress on Mercy launches in Rome April 2, with Pope Benedict XVI presiding.

The conference will include four days of teaching, testimony, a mission in the streets, music, art, theater, works of mercy and opportunities for eucharistic adoration and confession, ending with Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, April 6.

Locally, parishes throughout the diocese are celebrating as Rome will this year with observances of Divine Mercy Sunday and afternoon programs.

For instance, Our Lady Queen of Apostles in Royal Palm Beach will celebrate a late morning Mass at 11:30 a.m. with Father Andy Rudnicki presiding, followed by praise and worship, veneration of a Divine Mercy image, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, readings from St. Faustina’s diary, singing of the chaplet of Divine Mercy, procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.

“One must be in a state of grace and make an Easter confession,” said Father Rudnicki about the rules that were outlined by St. Faustina to receive full pardon of sins as promised by Christ.

He noted that one must receive the sacrament of reconciliation around the feast day and be in a state of grace when receiving Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday.

Some Catholics participate in a novena, praying special prayers called Divine Mercy chaplets daily. This begins on Good Friday and the chaplets can be prayed alone or with a group.

Veneration of the Divine Mercy image is also part of celebrations, and Catholics are asked to pray for the current pope, as well.

“We are all sinners,” said Father Rubino. “Jesus does not want to punish us, but he can’t save us without our permission because he is all love. Because he is love, he can’t force us. He can’t force us to love him.”

In 2002, Pope John Paul II consecrated the International Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Lagiewniki, a suburb of Krakow in Poland. This is where St. Faustina’s remains are entombed. As a young man, the pope worked near the present-day shrine.

On his deathbed, Pope John Paul II left a message for Divine Mercy Sunday, which was read on the feast day by a Vatican official to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square, following a Mass that was celebrated for the repose of the pope’s soul.

What do we have to do?

Here are the requirements for receiving a plenary indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday — which expiates all temporal punishment for sin — as explained by Father John J. Pasquini, administrator of St. John of the Cross in Vero Beach and a regular contributor to the Florida Catholic:

• One must receive sacramental confession within 20 days before or after Divine Mercy Sunday and eucharistic Communion on or near Divine Mercy Sunday, pray for the intentions of the pope and pray the Divine Mercy chaplet or other suitable Divine Mercy prayer as specified by the church.

• Provisions for the homebound include a total renunciation of any sin, the intention of fulfilling as soon as possible confession, Communion and a prayer for the Holy Father. One may recite the Our Father and the Creed before the image of Our Merciful Lord and pray a suitable prayer, such as “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you.” One is also encouraged to offer up his or her sufferings to almighty God.

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A special day for Jesus’ divine mercy is March 30

What do we have to do?

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