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Novena leads way to Divine Mercy Sunday

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
(Email Renee)

Christ revealed a powerful prayer called the Divine Mercy Chaplet through the late Sister Faustina Kowalska, a polish nun who was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

The nun’s visions gave rise to the Divine Mercy devotion. At the time of her canonization, the pope asked that Divine Mercy Sunday be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. Since that time, the spiritual committee of Trinity Heights in Sioux City has organized a Divine Mercy Sunday celebration and promoted the novena leading up to it.

Larry Walsh, a member of the spiritual committee at Trinity Heights in Sioux City, pointed out that through the writings of the modern-day saint, they are aware that Christ asked “that we pray a novena of chaplets before the feast of mercy. It’s spiritual preparation for Divine Mercy Sunday when such unimaginable graces are available to us. Jesus said in the writings of St. Faustina, ‘I’ll grant the souls all possible graces.’”

The novena is to start on Good Friday, April 10, and run through April 18, the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday.

“Christ also gave St. Faustina certain prayer intentions for each of those nine days,” Walsh said. “Those are the intentions that we use – the ones inspired by Jesus to St. Faustina, found in her diary.”

For instance, he said one of the petitions includes prayers for “lukewarm” Catholics.

Walsh explained that people are asked to pray the first three days of the novena on their own Good Friday to Easter Sunday. For the final six days of the novena, a 7:30 p.m. prayer service will be held April 13 to 18 at Trinity Heights. The service will include Eucharistic adoration, a reflection, reciting of the Divine Mercy Chaplet and novena prayers as well as closing with benediction.

There will also be an opportunity for confession each night of the novena.

Walsh said all people are welcome to join them at Trinity Heights for all six nights or even just one.

Parishioners who are unable to attend may pray the novena on their own.

Brochures containing the novena prayers are available at Trinity Heights, Queen of Peace.

Blessed Sacrament Church in Sioux City is once again hosting the Divine Mercy Sunday celebration that is slated to begin at 1:30 p.m. with adoration and confession, followed by a program that includes Divine Mercy prayers and a presentation by Father Will Vit at 3 p.m.

Other parishes in the Diocese of Sioux City are also planning celebrations for Divine Mercy Sunday and are encouraging parishioners to prepare through the novena.

St. Joseph Church in Wesley will pray the novena prayer together on Good Friday following the Lord's Passion at noon, noted Deb Trenary. They also plan to pray it together following the 7:30 a.m. morning Mass on Tuesday, April 14 and Friday, April 17. 

“We encourage everyone to pray it privately on the other six days in order to receive the special graces promised by Christ through St. Faustina and to prepare for Divine Mercy Sunday,” Trenary said.  

For some time now, the Wesley parish has prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy following all morning Masses and before weekend Masses during Lent. Through this devotion she said they have discovered a love for the special prayer. The parish’s Divine Mercy Cenacle also prays it every time they meet.

“Since The Novena of Divine Mercy actually consists of a ‘Novena of Chaplets,’ which is The Chaplet of Divine Mercy prayed on nine consecutive days, it fits right in with what we have been doing all along - praying for God's mercy,” Trenary said. “This novena is often prayed along with an 'optional' novena, which consists of specific prayers and intentions for each day.  Christ does emphasize, though, that ‘By this Novena of Chaplets, I will grant souls all possible graces.’” 

This will be the seventh year that St. Cecelia Church in Algona plans to hold a Divine Mercy Sunday celebration. The parish’s pastoral minister, Lorri Larsen, mentioned that to prepare for that day, they are asking parishioners to pray the novena on their own.

She pointed out that novena prayers are available on the pamphlet racks located in the church.

A copy of the Divine Mercy Novena may also be found online at www. divinemercysunday.com.

The Divine Mercy Novena may be prayed at any time, but Christ specifically asked for it leading up to the feast day.

Walsh noted pointed out that the novena is one of the requirements to properly observe Divine Mercy Sunday and receive special graces. Other necessary steps include celebrating the feast of mercy, repenting sincerely of sins, trusting completely in Jesus, going to confession during Lent or Easter week, receiving Holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday, venerating image of Divine Mercy and being merciful to others.

In return for taking these steps, he said Christ promised not only complete forgiveness of sin but removal of the punishment due to them.

(See next week’s Globe for a story featuring more details of Divine Mercy Sunday celebrations.)