Shortly before she died she sat up in bed and asked Mother Superior to come up closer. With this priests help, Sister Faustina commissioned an artist to paint the first Divine Mercy image, based on her vision of Jesus. She also hoped that coming to that house would mean the final accomplishing of Gods plans concerning the foundation of a new congregation. The Sisters took turns in keeping a vigil by her bedside. St. John Paul II called her "the great apostle of Divine Mercy in our time." He declared the Sunday after Easter "Mercy Sunday." In preparing for her role, Vargo delved into the saint's dairy and life. I no longer had any doubts that what she wrote in her diary about Holy Communion being administered to her in hospital by an angel was absolutely true.. Nonetheless, during this Confession something was wondrously penetrating my hear(Diary 817). Her eyes were fixed on an invisible object, and her pupils slightly dilated, for some time she did not take any notice of me, and I did not want to disturb her and was intending to leave, but soon she came round, noticed me and apologised for not hearing me knock or enter. I felt wonderfully happy at having been able to confess everything. Helena Kowalska, known as Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska of the Blessed Sacrament, was born on August 25, 1905, in Glogowiec, Leczyca County, north-west of Ldz, Poland, as the daughter of a farmer. Saint Faustina Kowalska is known for her love and devotion to Jesus, especially His Divine Mercy. Here are some more interesting facts: Her soul was being purified in the crucible of spiritual battle. I thought she must be in her room and lying in bed, as she was ill, so I opened the door and went in. The canonisation ceremony was held on the Feast of Divine Mercy, 30 April 2000, in St. Peters Square, Rome, and was attended by bishops and priests, nuns, and huge crowds of pilgrims from all over the world. She was modest and quiet, ready to do any chore and help anyone, but at the same time cheerful and always with a smile on her face. On May 18, 2020, Pope Francis ordered the inscription of Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin, into the General Roman Calendar. What does Faustina mean The name Faustina is a girls name of Spanish, Latin origin meaning fortunate one. Mother ran the house and brought the children up. She told Sister Boenna Pniewska, who regretted that the agiewniki chapel was available only for the sisters and their charges, There will soon come a time when the convent gate will be wide open and people will come here to pray to the Divine Mercy. At first she was happy to be leaving, but on the next day was overwhelmed by darkness and felt she had lost Gods presence, so she decided to put off this move a little until her next meeting with her confessor. From henceforth Sister Faustina knew that she was supported in the carrying out of the mission not only by the Blessed Virgin but also St. Joseph. Mother Magorzata Gimbutt was replaced by Mother Jzefa Brzoza, who had been trained for the office in Laval (France), which served the Foundress, Mother Teresa Ewa Countess Potocka ne Sukowska, as the spiritual model for the Congregations religious life and apostolic work in Poland. On the afternoon of 5 October 1938 Father Andrasz arrived at the agiewniki Convent and for the last time granted Sister Faustina absolution and administered the Sacrament of the Sick. Her health slightly improved, Sister Faustina returned to agiewniki Convent. Helenka went to school in 1917, aged twelve, when the area was liberated from Russian occupation and a primary school was established in winice Warckie. Sister, if you want to be by Sister Faustina when she dies, get up now. The crowds were so huge that I couldnt see an end to them. This is why Vilnius has become known as the "City of Divine Mercy." It was where all of our Lord's demands of St. Faustina in His message of Divine Mercy were finally realised. The former is the foundation for the latter; thus, it is fitting that Faustina's revelations became widely known first; but, ultimately, God desires not . Jesus will take care of it'. Do not be afraid of anything, be faithful right unto the end. To find out more about St. Faustina, click here. And Jesus said: I shall treat every soul that says this Chaplet as My glory, and I shall grant it My defence at the hour of death; also those at whose deathbed others say the Chaplet shall be granted the same indulgence. The name Faustina is a girls name of Spanish, Latin origin meaning fortunate one. Saint Faustina describes God's love as a "Fountain of Mercy." 6. As she continued to grow and develop in her own faith and spirituality, she was blessed with inspiration to develop the Divine Mercy image. It has today become known as the most important place in the history of the Divine Mercy message and devotion. Sister Faustina is one of the Churchs most popular and widely known saints and the greatest mystics in the history of the Church. I put all my trust in God and His holy will. In this situation, she tried to avoid the Lord, and when He came she would ask, Jesus, are You my God, or a spectre? On that day the depths of My mercy are open; I pour out a whole sea of graces on souls that approach the fount of My mercy. Not only her parents noticed little Helenkas goodness, and her open attitude to God and other people. In the Cracovian convent Sister Faustina received the rest of the prophetic mission. Her feast day is Oct. 5. To each of these forms of worship, as well as to the preaching of the message of Mercy, He attached great promises, on condition that we care about the attitude of trust in God that is to fulfill His will and show mercy to our neighbours. Nonetheless, the suffering was becoming more and more intense. They were attended by crowds from the City of Krakw and its environs. But in her soul she felt the power of Jesus grace and started to entreat God in the words which she heard in her heart and which later became part of the Chaplet to the Divine Mercy. See, Father, she said to her father, who had been so staunchly against her entry into the convent. The Divine presence flooded my soul; I know I am under the glance of the Mighty One. When we got there Sister Faustina as if opened her eyes and gave a faint smile, and then bowed her head and Sister Amelia said that probably she had just died. Why is St Faustina important? After the funeral service, which was conducted by Father Wadysaw Wojto SJ attended by two other priests, the sisters themselves carried Sister Faustinas coffin down to the communitys cemetery in the garden. She prepared with deep reverence for her First Holy Communion, which was administered to her by Father Roman Pawowski during a ceremony in the Parish Church. The first months of 1938 saw a further deterioration in Sister Faustinas health, and her superiors decided to send her to Prdnik Hospital again after Easter. For 18 years she directed the spiritual and apostolic life of the entire Congregation which, following Sister Faustinas visions, she entrusted to the care of Mary, Mother of Mercy, the Congregations heavenly Superior General. In her everyday contacts Sister Faustina was able to interpret lifes troubles in a spirit of living faith and see Gods goodness in everything. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II on April 30, 2000. After all, she lived in a convent and was only a simple nun performing prosaic duties; she had neither extensive relations with other people nor any opportunities to disseminate this message in the world at large. . She fetched her rosary, knelt by the dying persons bedside and started saying the Chaplet with all the powers of her spirit, asking Jesus to fulfil the promise He had made regarding the Chaplet. Father Sopoko had preached a sermon on the Divine Mercy, during which Sister Faustina saw Jesus in the painting assume a living form, and His rays penetrate into the hearts of the people gathered for the ceremony, making them happy. A name with several distinguished namesakes: the wife of ancient Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a famous Italian opera singer, and two Catholic saintsmaking it both substantial and unusual. At one point, I got a strong feeling that I had been rejected by God. I suddenly saw Jesus, Who said these words to me, Now I know that it is neither for the graces nor the gifts that you love Me, but because My will is dearer to you than life; that is why I am uniting with you more closely than with any other creature. At that moment, Jesus vanished. Sister Felicja akowiecka visited Sister Faustina twice a week. 30 on Parzczewska St. (now 1 Maja 7 St.) and they needed help with the housework and looking after their only son Zenek. Faustyna, popularly spelled "Faustina", had apparitions of Jesus Christ which inspired the Roman Catholic devotion to the . As the devotion became more and more widely known the opinion of Sister Faustinas sainthood grew as well. Her given name was Helena. Asked by her if she was pleased to be dying in our Congregation she replied, Yes. This is why Vilnius has become known as the City of Divine Mercy. It was where all of our Lords demands of St. Faustina in His message of Divine Mercy were finally realised. During the ceremony she fainted twice. During the terrible war years the devotion to the Divine Mercy spread rapidly, bringing a ray of light and hope into the darkness. On her return from Rabka Sister Faustina was given a lighter duty, in the entrance lodge, than her previous job in the garden. Speak to the world about My mercy; let all mankind recognize my unfathomable mercy. Nearly half a year passed in this way and there was no change at all in the state of my soul. The chapel was decorated for a feast day, and on this day it was open to everyone, anyone who wanted [to attend]. Purified in the passive nights, the powers of her soul no longer put up any opposition: her reason and will longed only for God and whatever He longed for. I woke Sister Amelia, put on my overall and bonnet and dashed to the infirmary. Helenka spent the last months of her postulancy in the novice house in Krakw, where she arrived on 23 January 1926. But when I went down to the kitchen, I didnt find anything for the poor, yet after a while, I found some soup, which I heated up, crumbled a bit of bread into it, and gave it to the poor young man. She commuted into Warsaw from Ostrwek looking for a convent which would take her but she was turned down wherever she knocked to the gate. But Sister Faustina was not pleased, although the artist and Father Sopoko did all they could to render as faithful an image of Jesus as possible. Without asking her parents consent she packed and went to the capital. Greater sufferings from those which were caused by tuberculosis, she offered as a voluntary sacrifice for sinners and as the Apostle of Divine Mercy. On her way to Walendw she stopped at Warsaw, where she had the opportunity to discuss the matter with Mother General Michaela Moraczewska, in whom she had always been able to confide. I wanted to die but could not (Diary 23). St Faustina Kowalska is one of the most famous saints of the 20th Century, and was the first Saint canonised in the new millennium. Your email address will not be published. What most struck me about Sister Faustina, she wrote after her death, and still strikes me today as an extraordinary phenomenon, especially in the last months of her illness, was her absolute self-oblivion for the sake of the dissemination of the worship of Divine Mercy. I remember her wholesome, happy smile Aldona Lipszyc recalled after many years She used to sing a lot and I always think of her in connection with the hymn she sang most often and which I learned from her, 'I am to revere Jesus hidden in the Sacrament'. Her feast day is Oct. 5. We did not understand her. 1. On the next day during Mass she saw Jesus, who yet again said that He wanted such a work founded as soon as possible. Others in her state would never rise, but he had seen her holding on to the wall as she walked to the chapel. Her apparitions of Jesus Christ inspired the Roman Catholic devotion to the Divine Mercy and earned her the title of Secretary of Divine Mercy. Her siblings and peers also saw that Helenka was someone with a different mentality, who did not go to village dances and liked to pray and read the lives of the saints. St. Faustina is celebrated each year as an Optional Memorial on October 5. 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