www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Scripture and Patristic Writings Divine Mercy In My Soul-Saint Faustina Kowalska's Diary

The Diary of Saint Faustina Kowalska is the record of her life experience – the journey of her soul.

Since the 1940’s the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, St. Stanislaus Kostka Province, have undertaken the promulgation of God’s mercy throughout the world, particularly as it has been proclaimed by Saint Faustina Kowalska.

http://www.basilica.org/pages/ebooks/St.%20Faustina-Divine%20Mercy%20in%20my%20Soul.pdf

The Divine Mercy devition is the second most popular devotion among Roman Catholics in the world today, popularized by the "private revelations" of the Polish Roman Catholic sister, St, Maria Faustina Kowalska. It is not part of the traditions or heritage of the Eastern churches.

Rybak:

Thanks for your comments!

True, the Divine Mercy devotion in the forms proposed by Ste. Faustine are not a part of our Byzantine Catholic heritage per se; however, just as it's OK for Latin Catholics to pray akathists, so too is it OK for ECs to practice the Divine Mercy devotion.

I would be very taken aback if on Thomas Sunday, Mercy Sunday were being observed in our parish.

A pious, rather tridentinistic RC family I know visited our parish one year on Thomas Sunday and became doubtful we were real Catholics because we weren't observing Mercy Sunday. I understand it was pointed out to these good people that Byzantine Christian liturgics proclaim and celebrate divine mercy all the time in that we pray "Lord, have mercy!" repeatedly all throughout the Liturgy. This seemed to satisfy them; and they occasionally visit our parish now that they're convinced we're really and truly Catholics. It was a teachable moment for them.

But ought Ste. Faustine be proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on the basis of this book, much like Ste. Therese of the Child Jesus was proclaimed Doctor of the Church based on her autobiography, "Story of a Soul"? I'm not particularly supportive of that proposal...but then, what would it hurt?

True, the Divine Mercy devotion in the forms proposed by Ste. Faustine are not a part of our Byzantine Catholic heritage per se; however, just as it's OK for Latin Catholics to pray akathists, so too is it OK for ECs to practice the Divine Mercy devotion.

I posted Saint Faustina's Diary possibly in the incorrect section (maybe the book section would have been a more appropriate place) but, It has become part of the church as I know it is very popular in Slovakia with the Greek Catholic church there and, many here have become interested in her writings.

My most sincere apologies if I posted this in the incorret section but I felt it is a work along with others (Dark Night of the Soul, etc) which are part of the Universal Church and knowing how devoted Blessed Pope +John Paul II was to this work, I thought I would post it for those who may be interested.

Thank you for your comments sielog ilgesys!

Rybak,

I found this interesting, it was posted at the Greek Catholic Epharcy of Bratislava but was referencing the March 5, 2012 Greek Catholic Archiepiscopal and Metropolitan Office from Presov who attended the 10th anniversary Ordinary Session of the Council hierarchy.

Exerpts Translated (apologies if not a perfect translation) from Slovak: The entire text can be read at:

http://www.grkatba.sk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1254:jubilejne-10-riadne-zasadanie-rady-hierarchov-v-preove&catid=12:rada-eparchov

..They talked about ongoing activities in preparation for the 1150th anniversary of the arrival of St. Cyril and Methodius to Great Moravia. There are primarily catechesis from the Catechism of the Catholic Church in Prešov archieparchy and prayers in the liturgy, pilgrimage image of Divine Mercy and other activities.....

....Bishop Peter Rusnak informed about the challenges of a new culture conference held in Bratislava, journey lay movements and associations in Rome organized by the Forum and the Council of Christian KBS for a lay apostolic movement. Bishop noted the forthcoming third Metropolitan pilgrimage of the Greek Catholic Church in Slovakia in the sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Krakow, which will take place on Saturday May 26, 2012.

I read that during the second world war and the Communist persecution people that many people, not just Poles, were comforted by the Divine Mercy devotion.


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It wasn't a Western tradition, either. Just sayin'

Thanks Paul B and yes, during those sad periods of time in Europe any devotion was welcome. I am sure those who suffered were not interested if somehting was a "tradition" in their respective church or not.

What's the most popular devotion in the RC world? My guess would be the Dominican rosary.

Yes, Sielos, the Rosary is by far the most popular devotion in the Latin Church.

What it hurts is the concept itself. If everybody's a doctor, nobody is. Just more "I'm special" mush.

I agree, the Rosary is a popular devotion in the Latin church and, the Greek Catholic church in Slovakia and Western Ukraine.

Confirming that the Chaplet of Divine Mercy was not RC tradition, the Vatican condemned Sr Faustina's diary and it was on the banned list. In those pre-Vatican II days, God's overwhelming Mercy was not so popular; it took away from the "fire and brimstone" approach. Imagine the common layperson "offering the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, of Your dearly beloved Son." It was actually more compatible with Eastern spirituality.

Archbishop Karol Wotyla, the future Pope John Paul II brought it out of oblivion.

I've no particular disagreement with what either Joy or Deacon Paul have pointed out as regards the Divine Mercy devotion, nor with sielos' remarks on the matter. I also am aware that it has achieved a measure of both popular and clerical acceptance in some of the Eastern Churches of the Slav Tradition (and, as well, in some of those of the Greek Tradition and the Oriental Communion).

However, as has been noted here on any number of prior occasions, at a time when many of our jurisdictions in the diaspora have begun to take to heart the mandate that we recover and restore our traditions and praxis, it is notable that such has seemingly not been as fully embraced by our brethren in the lands from which our Churches were birthed (and in some areas of the diaspora outside the US).

It is not at all uncommon to see clergy and hierarchs in Latin choir dress, first holy communion or ceremonies which mimic it are still observed, altar girls are known, statuary replaces iconography in some temples, benediction, and schedules of Divine Services not uncommonly include reference to communal devotions that do not have Eastern spirituality as their historic point of reference.

Our Churches in North America spent almost a half century in thrall to Latin jurisdictions, some - such as my own - longer. In that time, our experiences ranged from: the absolute disdain visited upon our clergy by those such as Archbishop John Ireland; latinizations overtly foisted on us by others; latinizations subtly introduced by still others; latinizations that we took upon ourselves in an effort to be 'more Catholic' - 'more American' - 'more modern' - 'less foreign' - 'less ethnic' - 'less odd' - 'less Orthodox'; benign (or worse) neglect by still other Latin hierarchs; and, blessedly, to benevolent and supportive pastoral care by still other Latin hierarchs, such as Archbishop Sheen and Cardinal Cushing, both of beloved and blessed memory, who encouraged and helped us survive, sometimes in spite of ourselves.

While the Divine Mercy devotions, of which I admittedly am happily ignorant, are well-meant and undoubtedly provide spiritual sustenance to some, it seems to me that our own spiritual tapestry is well-embroidered with devotions that are explicitly rooted in our historic spirituality. Akathists, Molebens, the Hours - in large measure lost to the Latin Church, all afford the opportunity to lay a richly appointed table for worship, prayer, and reflection.

I'm not denying the spiritual attraction that some, as individuals, may have for one or more aspects of the Western spiritual life - whether it be as a result of exposure through Catholic education, familial tradition passed down from the decades when we were not our own people, embrace of customs rooted in socio-cultural heritage, or just a personal affinity. (On several occasions, I've noted my own devotion to certain Western Saints - Saint Damien of Molokai, Blesseds Kateri Tekawitha and Sister S�ra Salkah�zi, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, the Servants of God Fathers Emil Kapuan, Augustine Tolton, Demetrius Gallitzin, and Vincent Capodanno, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Mother Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, and Dorothy Day, come immediately to mind.)

Certainly, I'd never suggest that anyone could not spiritually benefit from pursuing such devotions - and the comments of those who suggest that such are often embraced across ecclesial lines are true. However, introducing them into the communal life of our Churches does not serve a valid theological or spiritual purpose if our Churches are to recover and restore their historic and blessed traditions.

Many years,

Neil