Feast Day: St. Faustina Kowalska

Today is the feast of the young Polish woman who brought Jesus, in the image of the Divine Mercy, to her people and (after Pope John Paul the Great's canonization of her in ) to the world.  Here is one of the quotes from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (a book that sets down all St. Faustina (Helen) Kowalska's encounters with Jesus as well as His message of Divine Mercy):

On February 22, 1931, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ appeared to this simple nun, bringing with Him a wonderful message of Mercy for all mankind. Saint Faustina tells us in her diary under this date:  "In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord

Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing,

the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening

of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one

red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord;

my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After

a while Jesus said to me, 'paint an image according to the pattern

you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.'"

St. Faustina lived a very short time in this world, but has had a HUGE impact on the world since her death in 1938. 

Dear St. Faustina, I have come to know you as a friend. I ask you to plead to the Lord for me the prayer I ask of you. In times of doubt, dear friend, implore the Lord's Mercy as you did so often here on earth, that I may remember who I am, and to what His mercy has called me.

In times of fear, implore His Mercy that I may ever remember to trust, and trust again, in joy, and in the knowledge that God is preparing me for a beautiful mission.

Please pray dear St. Faustina, that I may never forget that the abyss between my Lord and I has been bridged by His tender mercy. He will continue to be faithful and heal me of anything which stands in the way of His Will. My life is in His Hands.

Thank you dear friend. Pray with me the prayer Our Lord taught you to spread throughout the world; Jesus, I trust in You! Remind all pilgrims of life that if our trust is great, there is no limit to Jesus' generosity. Amen.

 

Feast Day: St. Faustina Kowalska

Today (October 5) is the Feast of St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), the young Polish religious sister who personally spoke to Jesus.  Her Diary is an amazing combination of life in Poland in the first half of the 20th century interspersed with dialogue with Jesus.  It's fascinating to read of Jesus' mercy for all those who follow Him. 

String Bean has a special devotion to this young saint.  Back in the Spring of 2007, when she was just 7, she did a Catholic History Fair projecton the lovely saint (and still has the doll that she made to go with the diorama).  We've read the biography by Claire Jordan Mohan, The Young Life of Sister Faustina, and today we read quotes from her Diary. 

Back in February 2003, I was fortunate to be able to join a FUS trip to Poland.  A bus trip that I took with than-3-month-old BamBam; what an experience!  One of the places we saw on that long-weekend jaunt was St. Faustina's convent and shrine in Cracow.

The original church where St. Faustina prayed and attended Mass with the other sisters.

The new church -- pretty wild looking but all very symbolic and beautiful (and I don't tend to like modern churches!).

The original painting from St. Faustina's description enshrined in the side altar of the old church.  She cried when she saw this painting as Jesus was so much more beautiful than the portrait showed.  I wrote an article for the NCRegister after that trip. 

 

What an amazing woman St. Faustina is!  Her life is very interesting -- did you know she heard Voices as early as 7 years old!  What a fascinating Catholic woman ... and she's POLISH!