ST. FAUSTINA KOWALSKA

POLAND, 20TH CENTURY

Sacred Heart of Jesus and

The most recent practical link

to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

and the devotional icon of

the Lord’s Merciful love came

from the Polish nun Saint

Faustina Kowalska. Jesus

appeared to her on February

22, 1931, with His right hand

bestowing blessings and His

left hand pointing towards

His Sacred Heart, which

emitted two rays: one pale;

the other a bright red. These

rays represent the Water and

Blood that came out of Jesus’

pierced side while on the

Cross. This symbolizes the

purifying virtues of Baptism

and Confession and the

regenerative virtue of the

Holy Eucharist.

et’s report the words of Jesus to St. Faustina:

“I desire that this image be venerated by the

entire world. I promise that the souls of

those who attribute veneration to this image will

not perish. I even promise victory over their

enemies, already here on earth, but especially at

the hour of death. I will defend that soul in the

name of glory.” Jesus, Himself explained the signi-

ficance of this devotion: “My daughter, tell all that

I am love and mercy personified. The wound in

my Heart signifies the unlimited living waters of

Mercy. Tell all the souls that I protect them with

my shield of Mercy; it is for them that I fight,

bearing the just umbrage of my Father […] My

daughter! Tell suffering humanity to secure itself

to the Mercy of my Heart and I will fill them with

peace […] Souls are perishing, regardless of my

sorrowful Passion. I concede to them the last table

of salvation, meaning my merciful feast […] this

icon is a sign of the end days, after such, the day

of judgment is upon you.”

After showing His Infinite Mercy, the

Lord also showed St. Faustina “hell”. “Today,

under the guide of an angel, I went into the

abyss of hell. It is a place of extreme torments in

the entire, huge, terrifying surroundings. These

are the various tortures and torments that I have

seen: First torture: This consists of hell as being

the loss of the Presence of God; Second: the

continuous remorseful conscience; Third: the

knowledge that such a destiny will never change;

Fourth: This torture is a pain that penetrates the

soul, but does not nullify it; it is a terrible torture

and it is a purely spiritual, living fire lit only by

God’s wrath. Fifth: This is the torture of eternal

darkness, a horrible suffocating, putrid odor; even

if it is dark, the demons and the condemned souls

can see each other among themselves and see all

the evil that others have done as well as their own

evil. Sixth: This torture is the knowledge of having

Satan as a constant companion. Seventh and last:

This torture is the incomparable desperation of

God’s wrath, in blasphemy, cursing and swearing.

The sinner should realize the same ways that he

sins is the way he is going to suffer for all eternity.

I am writing this by the Lord’s direction, so that

no one can say that there is no hell, or that no one

has ever been there or that no one knows how it is.

I, Sister Faustina, under the Lord’s direction, have

been in the abyss of hell, for the simple reason of

being able to tell everyone and to witness that hell

does exist. What I have written is only a weak

shadow of what I have actually seen.”

Jesus to St. Faustina: “My daughter,

help me to save a sinner in agony;

recite the Rosary that I taught you

for sinners”. Sr. Faustina: “When I

started to recite the Rosary, I saw a

soul on his death bed suffering terri-

ble

torture and pain in fighting the

last battle of life. The soul was being

defended by his guardian angel, who

was, however, helpless… A great

multitude of demons were waiting

for the soul, but while I was reciting

the Rosary chaplet, I saw Jesus in

the same aspect as depicted in the

painting. The bright rays coming

out of the Heart of Jesus surrounded

the sick soul and the forces of evil

ran away… The sick person died

serenely. When I regained my

consciousness, I realized that the

divine chaplet Rosary was an impor-

tant prayer to be recited around the

dying. This placates God’s wrath.”

(St. Faustina Kowalska, Diary,

Vatican Library Edition, p

. 515)

Saint Faustina said: “During

Holy Mass when Jesus was

exposed through the Holy

Sacrament before Holy

Communion, she saw two rays

of light coming out of the Holy

Host; one very pale and the

other a bright red light, just as

depicted in this image.”

Jesus to St Faustina: “My

daughter, write these words

as I tell you: All the souls of the

world who adore my Mercy and

diffuse this adoration will bring

other souls into the fold. Those

who trust my Mercy

will not fear when the hour

of death comes. My Mercy

will protect them in their last

battle… My daughter, incite

souls to recite this Rosary cha-

plet that I gave you. When this

Holy Rosary is recited, I will

concede to them everything

they ask for.”

DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET ROSARY

Jesus to St. Faustina: “This prayer serves to placate my wrath. Recite

for 9 days with any Rosary beads in the following manner:

First recite the Our Father, Hail Mary and the Apostles’ Creed.

Then on the Our Father bead, say the following words:

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 Hail Mary bead recite the following words:

For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and

on the whole world.

Finally, recite these words three times:

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy

on us and on the whole world.”

In the year 2000,

Pope John Paul II decreed that

on the first Sunday after Easter,

the Liturgical Feast of Divine

Mercy is to be celebrated

Shrine of the Divine

Mercy, Crackow