On April 11th, Second Sunday of Easter, we celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy.
In Poland, this day has been celebrated officially since 1995 at the request of Polish bishops; however, the feast was made official for the whole Church by Pope John Paul II on April 30th 2000, the day St. Faustina Kowalska was canonized. It is important to remember that the feast was established at the clear request of Jesus himself, directed through St. Faustina. Jesus joined an extraordinary grace with the Feast of Divine Mercy. Jesus said to her: I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Divine Mercy (Diary of Sister Faustina, 299). I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and a shelter for all the souls, especially for poor sinners. On that day My inner love is opened, and I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who are approaching the source of My mercy. The soul that goes to confession and receives Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On this day all divine floodgates are opened, through which God’s graces flow (Diary 699). The greatest promise of the Lord Jesus is the grace of “complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” This is associated with Holy Communion received on that day, after a good confession (without attachment to the smallest sin) in the spirit of devotion to Divine Mercy, that is, putting all of our trust in God and having love for our neighbor. Please join Sunday, April 11 at 3:00PM for the Divine Mercy Hour in both English and Polish with the veneration of the first class relic of St. Faustina.