The Divine Mercy & Sister Faustina
Fr Andrew Witko
ISBN 9781860820786
eISBN 9781784694906
ASIN B075P2JM1F
CTS Booklet D650
I have read over 80 books and booklets that are part of the CTS Prayers & Devotions Series. Some of the earlier ones are just mark CTS Devotions, but more recent ones have both Prayers and Devotions listed as the series name. This series has spanned decades. It has had books come in and out of print. This volume was published in the 2000 and the eBook edition was released in 2017, it was rebranded in the early 2020’s. Over the last several years I have fallen in love with the books and booklets from the Catholic Truth Society. As of the reading of this volume I have read over 430 volumes. And still have almost 200 on my ‘wishlist’. This was the second CTS booklet I read on Divine Mercy back to back the other being; Divine Mercy Prayer Book by The Marian Fathers during the Divine Mercy Novena in 2025. But back to the volume at hand.
The description of this volume states:
“Beloved by Pope St John Paul II, devotion to the Divine Mercy has grown in popularity since its humble beginnings in Poland. Yet few know the details of its origins or of the devotion itself. That fascinating story is told here.
Beginning in 1931, Jesus appeared to a Polish nun called Sr Faustina Kowalska. He requested an image of himself to be painted, inscribed with the words "Jesus, I trust in You", promising that "the soul that will venerate this image will not perish."
Pope John Paul II has described the Divine Mercy as an antibiotic for the illnesses of the contemporary world. But while devotion to the Divine Mercy has grown in popularity, few know the details of its origins or of the devotion itself. This booklet offers this information, beginning with the life of St Faustina, it relates her journey to join the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, her visions of Jesus and his request for the creation of the Divine Mercy image. The devotion itself is also explained, with detail about the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Divine Mercy devotions and prayers are also included.”
The chapters and sections in the book are:
The Apostle of the Divine Mercy Sister Faustina
Compassion for the poor
Faustina’s vocation
Looking for a convent
Working for a dowry
Faustina enters the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy
The novitiate
Sister Faustina’s visions begin
Searching for a painter
Kazimirowski paints the first Divine Mercy Image
Gardener at Vilnius
The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy
Permission to found a new congregation
Observation of the hour of Christ’s Death
The last months
The Devotion to the Divine Mercy
The Essence of the Devotion
Practising Mercy
The Chaplet
Trust and works of mercy
Interpreting the image in the light of the Gospel
The promises
The Feast of Mercy
The Novena
Forgiveness of sins on the Feast of Mercy
The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy
Perseverance
The First Promise
The Second Promise
The Third Promise
The Fourth Promise
The Devotions and Prayers
I only highlighted a few of passages while working through this volume some of them are:
“Our Lord chose this simple, uneducated woman to remind the world of the forgotten truth about the Divine Mercy, and to give new forms of the devotion to the Divine Mercy.”
“This text has been prepared, to meet the demand for information about the life and mission of the Apostle of the Divine Mercy, both for those who have some knowledge about the Polish Mystic, and those who have not heard about the devotion to the Divine Mercy.”
“When Helena was seven, she heard God’s voice in her soul for the first time, calling her to a more perfect life. This voice was to grow stronger and stronger as the years passed, urging her to fulfil her mission in the Congregation chosen for her by God.”
“Their church was about two kilometres away, but because of housework, Helena was not often allowed to go there. Sunday mass was very important to her, she never wanted to miss it.”
“When her work made longer prayer impossible, she tried to visit the chapel more often. For just a few minutes she knelt down before the Blessed Sacrament, ‘sometimes just smiled and went out to work,’ to continue doing her duties with renewed energy. There was no affectation or artificiality in her behaviour, ‘she was extraordinarily ordinary’-as one of her superiors described her.”
“The instruction to observe the hour of Jesus’ death was the fourth task given to Sister Faustina regarding forms of devotion to the Divine Mercy. The previous tasks, referring to the image and to the Feast, as well as to the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy were given to Faustina in Plock (the former ones) and in Vilnius (the latter one).”
“At the end of August and early September, Father Sopocko visited Sister Faustina in hospital a few times. She told him then, that the spreading of the devotion to the Divine Mercy would encounter great difficulties and that the Apostolic See would issue a decree forbidding the Devotion.”
“The main task of Sister Faustina was to remind the world about the truth of the Divine Mercy and to show new forms of worship. The devotion to the Divine Mercy as propagated by Sister Faustina, based on private visions and connected with many promises, was forbidden in the years 1958-1978. It was only in 1978 that the Notification of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith allowed its forms, as described by Sister Faustina, to be reinstated.”
“The Devotion consists in the adoration of Mercy. Numerous visions explain that to adore the Divine Mercy means to trust it. Thus, even if other elements are missing, the trust itself is the Devotion.”
“Jesus wanted us to practise mercy towards our neighbour because He wanted the Devotion to become a Christian way of life so that it would not remain merely superficial. Thus, the image points to the necessity of performing works of mercy on the one hand, and on the other, reminds us to trust in the Divine Mercy, the visible sign of which is the inscription, Jesus, I trust in You!”
“The theological interpretation of the image was given by Father Michal Sopocko who explained its meaning on the basis of the Bible and the liturgy.”
“While saying the Chaplet, it is necessary to be faithful to the text, which cannot be changed for any reason whatsoever.”
“Jesus attached one general and four specific promises to the recitation of the Chaplet. The general promise was expressed in the vision of 22nd May 1937, and repeated on 28th January 1938: “It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet.” In May 1938 Jesus added that everything could be obtained by means of this chaplet, if it is not against His will. Jesus is ready to give everything which means both temporal and redemptive graces for individuals as well as for communities. Similar general promises were made earlier in November and December 1936: “The souls that will say this chaplet, will be embraced by My mercy during their lifetime; Oh, what great graces I will grant to souls who say this chaplet; the very depths of My tender mercy are stirred for the sake of those who say the chaplet.” Obviously, the promise is valid only if the other basic conditions of the Devotion are met, i.e. trust, perseverance and works of mercy.”
“Indeed, the message about the Divine Mercy, given to us by Jesus, Himself, and handed down to us by Sister Faustina, is becoming more and more widely known, and is now practised in every country in the world.”
I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. Several years ago I read a number of volumes about Divine Mercy, most by Father Michael E. Gaitley since then every now and again I come across one and pick it up. I am very thankful I picked up the 2 volumes from the CTS on this devotion, they are both well worth the read.
I have had this volume on my Kindle for a few years now; but had not got around to reading it. I regret that. It is a great volume. One I can easily recommend. It would be a great addition to any school, home, or church library. Another wonderful resource from the CTS.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.
For reviews of other books in the CTS Prayers & Devotions series click here.
Other books about Divine Mercy and Saint Faustina:
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