30 April 2000 - Blessed Faustina was declared Saint Faustina. The Holy Father states that henceforth in the Universal Church the Sunday after Easter will be called Divine Mercy Sunday!
"The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy." (Diary 699)
"Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to our neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to absolve yourself from it." (Diary 742)
"I want to grant complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy." (Diary 1109)
This year the Feast of Divine Mercy will fall on April 3, 2016
Opening Prayer
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
+I fly to Your Mercy, Compassionate God, Who alone are good. Although my misery is great and my offenses are many, I trust in Your Mercy because You are the God of Mercy, and it has never been heard of in all ages, nor do Heaven or Earth remember, that a soul trusting in Your Mercy has been disappointed.
(Here state your intentions)
+Jesus, Friend of a lonely heart, You are my haven.
You are my peace.
You are my salvation.
You are my serenity in moments of struggle and amidst an ocean of doubts.
Amen.You expired Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.
O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelope the whole world and empty yourself out upon us.
(say 3 times)
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus, like a fount of Mercy for us, I trust in you!
(To be said on ordinary rosary beads)
Please Note: It is greatly recommended that the following novena intentions and prayers be said together with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, since Our Lord specifically asked for a novena of Chaplets, especially before the Feast of Mercy. The chaplet is below the nine days of offerings, listed immediately below.
Nine days of offerings (Pre-Chaplet Prayers)
These pre-prayers are to be said before you begin the Chaplet
Day One
"Today bring to me
ALL MANKIND, ESPECIALLY ALL SINNERS, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy.
In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me."
Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy forever and ever...Amen...
Day Two
"Today bring to Me
THE SOULS OF PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS,
and immerse them in My unfathomable mercy. It was they who gave Me strength to endure My bitter Passion. Through them as through channels My mercy flows out upon mankind."
Most Merciful Jesus, from Whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in men and women consecrated to Your service, that they may perform worthy works of mercy; and that all who see them may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company of chosen ones in Your vineyard--upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end...Amen...Click here to finish the Chaplet
Day Three
"Today bring to Me
ALL DEVOUT AND FAITHFUL SOULS,
and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. These souls brought Me consolation on the Way of the Cross. They were that drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness." Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from It. We beg this grace of You be that most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lose the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages...Amen...
Day Four
"Today bring to Me
THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN GOD, AND THOSE WHO DO NOT YET KNOW ME.
"I was thinking also of them during My bitter Passion, and their future zeal comforted My Heart. Immerse them in the ocean of My mercy."
Most compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who do not believe in God and of those who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who do not believe in You, and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages...Amen.
*Our Lord's original words here were "the pagans." Since the pontificate of Pope John XXIII, the Church has seen fit to replace this term with clearer and more appropriate terminology.
Day Five
"Today bring to Me
THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAVE SEPARATED THEMSELVES FROM MY CHURCH,
and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at My Body and Heart, that is, My Church. As they return to unity with the Church My wounds heal and in this way they alleviate My Passion."
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Son's Church, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces by obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in His Most Compassionate Heart. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages...Amen...
Day Six
"Today bring to Me
THE MEEK AND HUMBLE SOULS AND THE SOULS OF LITTLE CHILDREN,
and immerse them in My mercy. These souls most closely resemble My Heart. They strengthened Me during My bitter agony. I saw them as earthly Angels, who will keep vigil at My altars. I pour out upon them whole torrents of grace. Only the humble soul is capable of receiving My grace. I favor humble souls with My confidence."
Most merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said, "Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart." Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy and they are the heavenly Father's favorites. They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God Himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek souls, upon humble souls, and upon little children who are enfolded in the abode which is the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight You take in them; Bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages...Amen...
Now go to the Our Father, etc., below...
Click here to finish the Chaplet
Day Seven
"Today bring to Me
THE SOULS WHO ESPECIALLY VENERATE AND GLORIFY MY MERCY,
and immerse them in My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over my Passion and entered most deeply into My spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate Heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death."
Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy; and united to You, O Jesus, they carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their hearts, over-flowing with joy, sing a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God; Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them that during their life, but especially at the hour of death, the souls who will venerate this fathomless mercy of His, He, Himself, will defend as His glory...Amen...
Click here to finish the Chaplet
Day Eight
"Today bring to Me
THE SOULS WHO ARE DETAINED IN PURGATORY,
and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice."
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded; Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion...Amen...
Click here to finish the Chaplet
Day Nine
"Today bring to Me
SOULS WHO HAVE BECOME LUKEWARM*
and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: 'Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.' For them the last hope of salvation is to run to My mercy."
Most compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross; Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy...Amen...
*To understand who are the souls designated for this day, and who in the Diary are called "lukewarm," but are also compared to ice and to corpses, we would do well to take note of the definition that the Savior Himself gave them when speaking to Blessed Faustina about them on one occasion:
"There are souls who thwart My efforts (1682)...souls without love or devotion, souls full of egoism and selfishness, proud and arrogant souls full of deceit and hypocrisy, lukewarm souls who have hardly enough warmth to keep themselves alive. My Heart cannot bear it. All my graces that I pour down on them daily flow off them as off rock. I cannot bear them because they are neither good nor bad (1702).
The Divine Mercy Chaplet
The Our Father (to be said on the first of the three small beads)
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us
not into temptation, but deliver us from evil...Amen...
Click the squares to keep track of your prayers
The Hail Mary (to be said on the second of the three small beads)
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women,
and Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now,
and at the hour of our death...Amen..
The Apostles Creed (to be said on the third of the three small beads)
I believe in God, the Father the Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell. On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty,
from whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting...Amen...
(On the Large Bead before each Decade:)
Eternal Father,
I offer You the Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
In atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
(On the 10 small beads of each Decade: one per bead)
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
Have mercy on us,
And on the whole world.
Eternal Father,
I offer You the Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
In atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
(On the 10 small beads of each Decade: one per bead)
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
Have mercy on us,
And on the whole world.
Eternal Father,
I offer You the Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
In atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
(On the 10 small beads of each Decade: one per bead)
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
Have mercy on us,
And on the whole world.
Eternal Father,
I offer You the Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
In atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
(On the 10 small beads of each Decade: one per bead)
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
Have mercy on us,
And on the whole world.
Eternal Father,
I offer You the Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
In atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
(On the 10 small beads of each Decade: one per bead)
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
Have mercy on us,
And on the whole world.
Concluding Doxology: (after five decades)
Holy God,
Holy Mighty One,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy on us,
And on the whole world.
(say three times in a row)
Closing Prayer
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion, inexhaustible,
look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments
we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence,
submit ourselves to Your Holy Will, which is Love and Mercy, itself.Amen...
Please come back tomorrow to continue the novena for nine consecutive days.
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This Web page was created 09/04/1999