The feast of Divine Mercy, or Divine Mercy Sunday, is observed on the octave day of Easter. This year, the feast will be celebrated April 7.
The feast was promoted by St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who kept a diary in the 1930s of Christ’s private revelations telling her of His message of mercy. She wrote that she first saw a vision of Jesus on Feb. 22, 1931. He had rays of mercy streaming from His heart. Christ told her to have an image painted to represent the vision and to write below it, “Jesus, I trust in you!”
St. Faustina died of tuberculosis in 1938 at age 33. St. John Paul II canonized her in 2000 and declared Divine Mercy Sunday a worldwide feast day. Two years later, he granted a plenary indulgence for those who participate in the devotion. St. John Paul II was canonized on the feast of Divine Mercy in 2014.
To receive the graces of the plenary indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday, along with the usual conditions (sacramental confession, holy Communion and prayers for the intentions of the pope), the faithful, while in a state of grace and detached from venial sin, are asked to take part in the prayers and devotions on the Second Sunday of Easter held in honor of Divine Mercy in any church or chapel, or they may recite the Our Father and Creed before the Blessed Sacrament, adding a devotional prayer to our Lord.
Catholics also are encouraged to pray the novena of Divine Mercy, which begins Good Friday and ends the Saturday before Divine Mercy Sunday; pray the Divine Mercy chaplet; and to be merciful toward others through words, actions and prayers. (To learn how to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet and novena, visit thedivinemercy.org.)
Divine Mercy celebrations
with Mass
CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF SAINT LOUIS, 4431 Lindell Blvd. at Newstead Avenue; Mass at noon with Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, followed by eucharistic adoration, confessions and ending with Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction at 3 p.m.
GOOD SHEPHERD, 703 N. Third St. in Hillsboro;
2 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, recitation of the indulgence prayers, confessions and veneration of Divine Mercy image; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, followed by divine praises and 3:30 p.m. Mass with Father Michael Boehm.
HOLY INFANT, 627 Dennison Drive in Ballwin; confessions at 1:30 p.m.; 2:15 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by the Rosary, Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction; 3:15 p.m. Mass.
OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE, 4696 Notre Dame Lane in House Springs; blessing of Divine Mercy image during weekend Masses (5 p.m. Saturday and 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday); following all Masses, there will be a Divine Mercy chaplet and prayers for the plenary indulgence, Divine Mercy litany and veneration of the image and first-class relic of St. Faustina.
SACRED HEART, 555 Bailey Road in Crystal City; 11 a.m. Mass, followed by an hour of Divine Mercy with the Apostolate For Family Consecration Divine Mercy video and a talk on Divine Mercy, meditations on the Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet; confessions also will be available.
ST. AMBROSE, 5130 Wilson Ave. on the Hill; Mass at 1 p.m., followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, confessions and adoration until 3 p.m. The Divine Mercy chaplet will be prayed at 3 p.m., followed by Benediction.
ST. FERDINAND, 1765 Charbonier Road in Florissant; confessions begin at 1 p.m., followed by Divine Mercy chaplet, Benediction and Mass at 3 p.m.
ST. CHARLES BORROMEO, 601 N. Fourth St. in St. Charles; confessions begin at 2:30 p.m. with eucharistic adoration; Divine Mercy chaplet at 3 p.m., followed by the Rosary and Mass at 4:30 p.m.
ST. FRANCIS BORGIA, 115 Cedar St. in Washington; A Divine Mercy Day of Reflection will take place on Saturday, April 6. Featured speaker is Father Richard Rocha of Blue Springs, Missouri. The day will begin with Mass at 8 a.m., followed by continental breakfast and the program. Lunch will be served at noon, and the day will conclude with the Divine Mercy chaplet at 2 p.m. RSVP to the free event by April 1 to Bill Gegg at (636) 667-7867 or [email protected].
ST. JOHN THE BELOVED DISCIPLE, 4614 Blue Springs Drive in Imperial; 2 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, with confessions and adoration; 3 p.m. Hour of Mercy, including Divine Mercy chaplet, conference and ending with Benediction; 4 p.m. Mass, with hospitality to follow.
ST. MARY MAGDALEN CHURCH, 2618 S. Brentwood Blvd. in Brentwood; 1:30 p.m. eucharistic procession beginning in the church; 2-3 p.m. adoration, praying the Rosary and confessions; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, followed by Mass.
SEVEN HOLY FOUNDERS, 6741 S. Rock Hill Road in Affton; 2 p.m. Holy Hour and confessions; 2:45 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, followed by Benediction; 3 p.m. Mass.
Divine Mercy celebrations without Mass
ASSUMPTION, 603 Miller St. in New Haven; 2 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, with confessions; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, ending with Benediction.
ST. FRANCIS BORGIA, 115 Cedar St. in Washington; 2 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, confessions, Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet, closing with Benediction.
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI,
4556 Telegraph Road in Oakville; 3-4 p.m. Holy Hour in the church.
ST. GERARD MAJELLA, 1969 Dougherty Ferry Road in Kirkwood; 2 p.m. procession and veneration of the Divine Mercy image, followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and confessions; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, ending with Benediction.
ST. NORBERT, 16455 New Halls Ferry Road in Florissant; 2 p.m. Rosary and confessions; 3 p.m. eucharistic adoration, Divine Mercy chaplet, ending with Benediction.