The Divine Mercy Chapel
The Saint Agnes Divine Mercy Chapel is a place for prayer and mercy. In the center it features a Tryptic (three panels) depicting Jesus and icons of two of his disciples of mercy on either side. They are two Polish saints, Sant Faustina Kowalska, a simple religious sister, and our beloved Pope Saint John Paul II. You are invited to pray at this holy place and share your burdens and your heart with the Lord of Divine Mercy.
As the banner held by Saint Faustina says, “Jesus we trust in you!”
Sister Maria Faustina Kolwalska was privileged to receive personal revelations from Jesus concerning His inexhaustible mercy for sinners. The Lord Jesus chose Sister Faustina as the Apostle and “Secretary” of His Mercy, so that she could tell the world about His great message, which Sister Faustina recorded in a diary she titled Divine Mercy in My Soul. [The entire diary can be found online or in print.] In the Old Covenant He said to her:
“I sent prophets wielding thunderbolts to My people. Today I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart.” (Diary, 1588)
In 1935, Sister Faustina was praying for mercy upon a city that was to undergo a purification for sin. She witnessed this in a vision. The city was spared, as she recited the words of the Divine Mercy Chaplet with which we now are all so familiar:
“Eternal Father, I offer You the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and for those of the whole world. For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” (Diary, 475)
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy (full instructions here) is recited while meditating on the Lord’s passion. The Lord Jesus designated the hour of His death, 3 -4 o’clock, to be the Hour of Divine Mercy, particularly on Good Friday. The chaplet takes about eight minutes and can be recited at any hour! The Divine Mercy Novena is recited from Good Friday to Divine Mercy Sunday. For nine days, we are asked to intercede for a different group of people to receive the abundant mercy flowing from the Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection.
The Lord Jesus, appeared to Sister Faustina as Divine Mercy, and instructed her to recite the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, especially for those who are dying. The Lord promised many gifts of mercy to those who recite the Divine Mercy Chaplet even once!
“Through the chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will.” (Diary, 1731)
Jesus, the Lord of Divine Mercy, tells Sister Faustina, “With My mercy, I pursue sinners along their paths, and My heart rejoices when they return to Me.” He tells her that His grace of mercy depends on our willingness to trust Him.
Pope Saint John Paul II is known as “The Great Mercy Pope.” He spread the message of Divine Mercy in his encyclical, On the Mercy of God. In 2000, on the same day, he both canonized St. Maria Faustina Kowalska and established Divine Mercy Sunday, as the second Sunday of Easter. He proclaimed, “This is the happiest day of my life!” Our beloved Pope, Saint John Paul II passed into eternal life on the Vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday in 2003.
Dear Pope Saint John Paul II, pray for us!
In the center of the chapel is the Tryptic above with Jesus shown with the rays of blood and water flowing from his heart as Saint Faustina saw in her vision of Him. She is pictured on the left and Pope St. John Paul II, who spread the message of Divine Mercy is on the right.
Flanking both sides of the Divine Mercy Tryptic are tables of votive candles which can be lit for your prayer intention. Donation is $4 per candle.
