an incredible and beautiful message for the whole world. Saint Faustina was canonised in the year 2000 by Pope John Paul II as the first Saint of the new millennium.

 

One of the things most desired by Jesus was the institution of a new feast for the universal Church: the Feast of Mercy, which is to be celebrated on the First Sunday after Easter. Jesus told St Faustina that on that day,(that is the Feast of Mercy), “the  floodgates of my mercy are opened, and I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the font of My mercy.”

 

Jesus requested that on the Feast of Mercy that His image be venerated on that day and that the priest should preach about His Mercy. This will certainly be done by the Combined Societies of Mary at the Feast of Mercy with Monsignor Christopher Kinowski. 

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The Novenas and Feasts  of the Combined Societies of Mary, have enjoyed a reputation for their richness and their efficacy.  Many significant cures have been reported over the years by those who have attended.  But the greatest miracle is of course the miracles that occur internally when we open our hearts to the wonders of God's love and mercy.  

 

A special feature of this year’s Feast will be the presence of the first class relics of the three great instruments of God’s mercy: Saint Faustina, her spiritual director Blessed Sopocko and the great Saint John Paul II. These will be made available for your personal veneration and prayer on Divine Mercy Sunday. 

 

In preparation for the Feast of Mercy Jesus gave Saint Faustina a very special Novena commencing on Good Friday running for nine consecutive days.

 

He gave her specific instructions on how to conduct the novena and even the intentions for those nine days. It is a very powerful Novena. Jesus declared “by this novena I will grant every possible grace to souls”. (Diary 796)

 

Saint Faustina writes, “Jesus is commanding me to make a novena before the Feast of Mercy, and today I am to begin it for the conversion of the whole world and for the recognition of The Divine Mercy”(Diary 1059)Jesus, regarding the Novena explained: On each day you will bring to My Heart a different group of souls, and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy, and I will bring all these souls into the house of My Father. ” (Diary 1209)

 

We are blessed to be having from a Polish Priest, who resides here in Australia, who is a great devotee of the devotion, to lead us in the Novena and the Feast of Mercy. 

 

What a wonderful way to prepare for the great Feast of Mercy and to learn more about this powerful devotion at a time when the world seems to be at the crossroads and so much in need of God’s mercy. 

 

Please do join us and be part of these blessed days of prayer. It is so important that we take advantage of the wonderful opportunities that God gives us.