Saint Faustina was an amazing Polish nun whose spiritual experiences have had a lasting impact on the Catholic Church.
Her diary continues to be one of the most popular spiritual books. On a personal note, it truly changed my life!
You can find some notable excerpts here.
According to EWTN,
“Although her life was apparently insignificant and monotonous, she hid within herself an extraordinary union with God.It is the mystery of God’s mercy, which she contemplated in the word of God as well as in her everyday activities, that forms the basis of her spirituality. The process of contemplating and getting to know the mystery of God’s mercy helped to develop within Sister Mary Faustina the attitude of childlike trust in God and of mercy towards her neighbor.”
Here are nine things to know about Saint Faustina Kowalska, followed by a prayer for her intercession:
Caroline Perkins, ChurchPOP
1. Saint Faustina Kowalska was born into a large Polish Catholic family on Aug. 25, 1905. She was baptized with the name Helena.
2. As a teenager, she worked as a housekeeper to help support her family. She had a simple life and demeanor, as well as a profound interior life.
Caroline Perkins, ChurchPOP
3. Her religious vocation was largely inspired by a vision of the Suffering Christ. At age 20, she joined the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. She took the name Sister Maria Faustina of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
4. As a religious sister, she worked as a cook, gardener, and porter.
Caroline Perkins, ChurchPOP
5. She had many visions and spiritual experiences. She recorded these events in her diary entitled, “Divine Mercy in My Soul,” which documents her spiritual experiences and visits with Jesus.
6. During her years in the convent, she had the gifts of hidden stigmata and mystical engagement. She also had a close relationship with her guardian angel.
7. She is best known for her role in spreading devotion to Jesus through His Divine Mercy message. Through her, the Lord gifted the Divine Mercy devotion to the world!
Caroline Perkins, ChurchPOP
8. She received visions of Purgatory, Heaven, and Hell. In her visions of Purgatory, she saw the Virgin Mary comforting souls. In her diary she explains, “I saw Our Lady visiting the souls in purgatory. The souls call her ‘The Star of the Sea.’ She brings them refreshment.”
9. She was canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II on April 30, 2000. He referred to this day as one of the best days of his life.
Prayer to Saint Faustina by Pope Saint John Paul II
And you, Faustina, a gift of God to our time,
a gift from the land of Poland to the whole Church, 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.
May your message of light and hope spread throughout the world, spurring sinners to conversion, calming rivalries
and hatred, and opening individuals and nations to the practice of brotherhood.
Today, fixing our gaze with you
on the Face of the Risen Christ,
let us make our own
your prayer of trusting abandonment
and say with firm hope: “Jesus, I trust in You!”
