A Life of Devotion: Saint Faustina Kowalska, the Apostle of Divine Mercy

Saint Faustina Kowalska (25 August 1905 – 5 October 1938) was a Polish Roman Catholic nun who is venerated as a saint. She is known as the Apostle of Divine Mercy and is the patron saint of mercy, the sick, and the dying.

Faustina Kowalska was born Helena Kowalska in Glogowiec, Poland on August 25th, 1905. She was the third of ten children born to Stanislaw and Marianna Kowalska. At the age of 20, she joined the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and took the name Sister Maria Faustina.

In 1931, while praying in her cell, Faustina received a vision from Jesus, who asked her to become an Apostle of His mercy and to spread the message of divine mercy. She began writing a diary, which would become known as the "Diary of Saint Faustina". In it, Faustina recorded her visions and conversations with Jesus, many of which focused on His love and mercy for mankind.

In 1934, Faustina received the call to found a religious congregation dedicated to the Divine Mercy. The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy was officially established in 1937.

Faustina died of tuberculosis on October 5th, 1938.

Pope John Paul II canonized Faustina as a saint on April 30th 2000. She is celebrated on the Feast of Divine Mercy, which is observed on the Sunday after Easter. Her feast day is October 5th.

Interesting Facts and Trivia:

• Faustina was a model of obedience and humility throughout her life, often carrying out difficult and menial tasks.

• Faustina wrote in her diary that Jesus asked her to paint an image of Himself as the Divine Mercy, now often referred to as the Divine Mercy Image.

• Faustina was the first saint of the 21st century.

• In 1993, Pope John Paul II declared Faustina to be the patron saint of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.