The process culminating in the canonization of Sister Faustina Kowalska commenced twenty seven years after her death in Krakow Poland in 1938.

As part of the process leading to her canonization two cases of miraculous healings were presented for consideration. The first one was the healing of Maureen Digan of Massachusetts. The second miracle was the healing of a congenital heart condition of Fr. Pytel after prayers done by members of his parish during the anniversary of Sr. Faustina’s death on October 5 1995.

On April 18, 1993 the Feast of Divine Mercy Sunday (the first Sunday after Easter), Pope John Paul II elevated Sister Faustina to the status of Blessed during the Beatification of this Venerable Servant of God, a day when St. Peter’s Square was packed with enthusiastic Divine Mercy devotees.

In 1997 Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage to Sister Faustina’s tomb in Poland, he called her the “the great apostle of Divine Mercy in our day.” The Pope said at her tomb, “The message of Divine Mercy has always been near and dear to me…, in a sense it forms the image of my Pontificate.”

Saint Faustina was canonized on April 30, 2000 the first Sunday after Easter on Divine Mercy Sunday.

She was honoured by becoming the first saint of this millennium giving thus great emphasis to the Divine Mercy Devotion.

As one of the great events of the Jubilee 2000, the Holy Father John Paul II, conducted the ceremony of the canonization of St Faustina, before a crowd of around 200000 Divine Mercy Pilgrims.

The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy

Jesus said to Blessed Faustina Kowalska:

“Even the most hardened sinner, if he recites this chaplet even once, will receive grace from My infinite Mercy.”

(This prayer is said using Rosary beads.)

Hold the cross in your hand and make the Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen

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.

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. Who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into the dead. On the third day He rose again. He Ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

On the first Rosary Mystery beads say the following prayer;

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 Hail Mary beads say the following prayer;

For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Repeat step 5 and 6 till you complete the cycle around the Rosary.

Ending prayer, (say three times)

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Optional 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