St. Faustina’s Relics to Visit Archdiocese on ‘Mercy Mission’

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First-class relics of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, the Polish nun who gave the world the image and message of Divine Mercy, will be on tour in the archdiocese from Saturday, April 2, through Sunday, April 10. 

St. Faustina is popularly known as the “Saint of Mercy,” who gave the world the image of Divine Mercy which shows Jesus wearing white, with one hand raised in blessing, the other over his heart with a red and a white ray coming forth, with the words “Jesus, I trust in You” underneath. 

The relics include bone fragments of St. Faustina.   

Born in Poland in 1905, St. Faustina entered the Sisters of Mercy in April 1926. With little education—she went to school for only three years—St. Faustina spent most of her time in the convent doing simple tasks in the kitchen or garden. 

The Christian mystic kept a diary of Jesus’ messages to her, and through her writings, the world learned new ways to receive Jesus’ grace and mercy with the Divine Mercy image; the novena to The Divine Mercy; and prayer at 3 p.m., which is known as the Hour of Great Mercy. 

St. Faustina’s message of Divine Mercy is that God loves each person and that his mercy is greater than sin, so people can call on Him with trust, receive His mercy and bring it to others. 

She died of tuberculosis on Oct. 5, 1938.

St. Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina on April 30, 2000.  On that same day, he established Divine Mercy Sunday as the Sunday after Easter. 

The archdiocesan Vocations Office is sponsoring the tour of the relics, known as the Mercy Mission. 

“St. Faustina is a very important saint for vocations and for priests,” said Father Enrique Salvo, director of vocations. “Jesus gave a lot of messages to priests through St. Faustina.” 

Seminarians will be serving at all Masses where the relics will be displayed. To prepare seminarians for the special task, each will be given a copy of the Divine Mercy Novena. That novena begins on Good Friday, March 25. 

“With the visit, I hope people realize and appreciate how God uses his priests as agents of mercy through the sacraments,” Father Salvo said. “Every time someone goes to confession, we are reliving the parable of the prodigal son,” he said. 

“Every time we receive the Eucharist, we are being filled with the rays of Divine Mercy.  In a very powerful way, Jesus brings us his mercy through the sacraments. That is why we have to pray for priests and for vocations.”  

“The fact that the relics are coming during the Year of Mercy is such a powerful sign from Jesus himself how much he wants to fill us with His mercy,” Father Salvo added. 

Artist and carpenter Eric Winogradoff, a parishioner of St. Columba’s in Hopewell Junction, is creating the reliquary, or container, that holds the relics. It is fashioned of black walnut and white oak wood with a gold and silver-plated icon of St. Faustina at the center. It measures 17x17x24 inches. 

“St. Faustina is the apostle of mercy,” Father Salvo said. “Even though she is in glory, she is teaching the world of the merciful love of Jesus. She continues to be an example to us of how to be apostles of mercy.”

One way in which the saint does that is through her writings. The Diary of St. Faustina, written in journal form, details the last four years of her life. Likewise her writings are used for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy—a prayer recited using the Rosary. 

“I know it will be a time of great healing, great reconciliation and great peace,” Father Salvo said. “This is a time for the Church in New York to encounter the merciful heart of Jesus through St. Faustina’s intercession.”

The relics will visit the following churches: 

Basilica of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 263 Mulberry St., Manhattan on Saturday, April 2, for the 5:30 p.m. Vigil Mass. The entrance procession will include the relics, and there will be all-night veneration of the relics; and Sunday, April 3, for the following Masses: 9:15 a.m. in English, 10:15 a.m. in Chinese, 11:30 a.m. in Spanish, 12:45 a.m. in English and 7 p.m. in English. There will be prayers and songs throughout the afternoon.  

Holy Family Church, 366 Watchogue Road, Staten Island, on Monday, April 4. There will be a welcoming procession for the relics at 2:45 p.m.; Chaplet of Divine Mercy, 3-4 p.m.; Veneration and Confession, 4-6 p.m.; recitation of the Rosary at 6 p.m., reflection at 6:30 p.m. and a Mass at 7 p.m. 

St. Elizabeth’s Church, 268 Wadsworth Ave., Washington Heights, on Tuesday, April 5. There will be a welcoming procession for the relics at 2:45 p.m.; Chaplet of Divine Mercy in Spanish, 3-4 p.m.; Veneration and Confession, 4-6 p.m.; recitation of the Rosary in Spanish at 6 p.m.; reflection at 6:30 p.m. and a Spanish Healing Mass at 7 p.m. 

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Fifth Avenue and 51st Street, Manhattan on Wednesday, April 6. There will be a welcoming procession for the relics at 2:45 p.m., Veneration of the relics, 3-6:30 p.m., and a Mass with young adults at 7:30 p.m. 

Assumption Church, 131 Union Ave., Peekskill, on Thursday, April 7. All events will be bilingual in English and Spanish. There will be a welcoming procession for the relics at 2:45 p.m.; Chaplet of Divine Mercy, 3-4 p.m,; Veneration and Confession, 4-6 p.m.; recitation of the Rosary at 6 p.m., reflection at 6:30 p.m. and the celebration of Mass at 7 p.m. 

St. Barnabas Church, 409 E. 241st St., the Bronx, on Friday, April 8. There will be a welcoming procession for the relics at 2:45 p.m.; Chaplet of Divine Mercy, 3-4 p.m.; Veneration and Confession, 4-6 p.m.; recitation of the Rosary at 6 p.m.; reflection at 6:30 p.m. and a Mass at 7 p.m. 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine, 70 Carmelite Drive, Middletown, on Saturday, April 9. There will be a welcoming procession for the relics at 2:45 p.m.; Chaplet of Divine Mercy, 3-4 p.m.; Veneration and Confession, 4-6 p.m.; recitation of the Rosary at 6 p.m.; reflection at 6:30 p.m. and a Mass at 7 p.m. 

St. Columba’s Church, 835 Route 82, Hopewell Junction, on Sunday April 10. There will be veneration of the relics at 1 p.m., the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3 p.m. and departure of the relics at 4 p.m. 

Information: nydivinemercy.com/the-relics/