The Secretary and Apostle of Divine Mercy’s feast

Earlier this month, the Church celebrated the feast of Saint Faustina Kowalska (19051938). In Saint John Paul II’s homily at her canonization, this humble Polish nun was “a gift of God to our time, a gift from the land of Poland to the whole Church” (No. 8). Pope Woytila ardently prayed to Saint Faustina: “Obtain for us an awareness of the depth of divine mercy; help us to have a living experience of it and to bear witness to it among our brothers and sisters” (No. 8).

It was Jesus’ personal wish that Saint Faustina becomes the Secretary of His unfathomable Mercy. Here I am going to limit myself to the three direct quotes which attest to this powerful mission He entrusted to her.

In entry 965, Jesus says to Faustina: “Souls perish in spite of my bitter Passion. I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of My Mercy. If they will not adore my mercy, they will perish for all eternity. Secretary of My mercy, write, tell souls about this great mercy of mine, because the awful day, the day of my justice, is near.”

In another entry, Number 1160, Our Merciful Lord tells her: “I have eternity for punishing [sinners], so I am prolonging the time of mercy for the sake of [sinners]. But woe to them if they do not recognize the time of my visitation. My daughter, secretary of My mercy, your duty is not only to write about and proclaim My mercy, but also to beg for this grace for them, so that they too may glorify My mercy”.

The ultimate quote which reveals this designed title of “Secretary of [Jesus’] Mercy”, given to her by the Lord himself, is in entry 1275. Here Jesus says: “My Secretary, write that I am more generous toward sinners than toward the just. It was for their sake that I came down from heaven; it was for their sake that My Blood was spilled. Let them not fear to approach me; they are most in need of my mercy.”

But why did Jesus call Saint Faustina his Secretary and Apostle of Divine Mercy? Saint Faustina had a clear mission from God – that of helping her fellow human beings to welcome the need to accept Jesus’ merciful love in their lives. Jesus invited her to integrate his mercy for her first. “Penetrate My mysteries, and you will know the abyss of my mercy towards creatures and my unfathomable goodness – and this you shall make known to the world” ( Diary, 438). Because her mysticism was authentic, in that it was built on humility, Faustina responded to Jesus’ summons with total generosity of heart. She never stopped pleading for sinners God’s mercy, saying: “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” ( Diary 72).

Saint Faustina can be rightly called the Secretary and the Apostle of Divine Mercy because she was the first one to spread it and glorify it. Irrespective of the convent’s restrictions, Saint Faustina was adamant to spread worldwide Our Saviour’s mercy for us, fallen humanity (see Diary 580, 848, 1074, 1142, 1190). She fulfilled this extraordinary enterprise by writing her Diary which contains the truths and her personal experience of mercy shown to her by Jesus ( Diary 1273), by asking for mercy ( Diary 570, 1160) and by inspiring future numerous apostolic movements directed to spread and propagate mercy to the world, and indicating the spiritual formation of followers.

Saint Faustina is the Secretary and Apostle of Divine Mercy because she lived the practice of mercy towards her neighbours, as found in entry 742 of her Diary.

Why not become a Divine Mercy Apostle by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet for the conversion of sinners daily, putting its link on your Facebook and supporting the poor and the afflicted ones? The YouTube link is “The Divine Mercy Chaplet Prayer”. Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap