St. Faustina Relic

ST. FAUSTINA, THE DIVINE MERCY, 
AND THE MADONNA OF THE PRAIRIES BLESSED SACRAMENT CHAPEL 

June 2010 

Christ the King Parish's Madonna of the Prairies Blessed Sacrament Chapel is the home of one of three "first-class" relics of St. Faustina that have found their way to North Dakota. How the relic came to reside in the chapel is a fascinating story. 

St. Faustina, a Saint of the 20th Century 

St Faustina was born Helen Kowalska on August 25, 1905, in Glogowiec, Poland, the third of ten children. At the age of 20 she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and received the name of Sr. Maria Faustina of the Most Blessed Sacrament. She was a humble, prayerful nun who worked as a cook, gardener, and porter. Consumed by tuberculosis and innumerable sufferings, which she offered for souls, St. Faustina died on October 5, 1938, at the age of 33. Jesus appeared to her during her life at the convent and asked that she be His apostle and secretary of mercy, even though she had only three years of elementary schooling. St. Faustina recorded in a diary, "Divine Mercy in My Soul," some 600 pages about the revelations she received about Jesus' unfathomable mercy. Jesus said, "Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My Mercy." 

On February 22, 1931, Jesus appeared to St. Faustina with rays of mercy streaming from His heart and told her to have this image painted and sign it "Jesus I trust in You." Jesus said He desired that this image be venerated first in their chapel and then throughout the world, and it would be a vessel of graces to the fountain of mercy. Jesus said, "From all My wounds, like from streams, mercy flows for souls, but the wound in My Heart is the fountain of unfathomable mercy." (Diary of St. Faustina) 

Other devotions Jesus gave to St. Faustina included "The Chaplet of Divine Mercy" and a longer novena. The Chaplet consists of prayers said on the rosary. Although it can be said at any time, a special time for the chaplet is at 3 o'clock P.M., which is called the "Mercy Hour." This is the time when Jesus died on the Cross. The Chaplet is also to be prayed specially for the dying. In the longer novena Jesus asked St. Faustina to pray for a different group of souls on each of nine days, with the ninth day devoted to lukewarm souls who cause Jesus the most suffering. 

Jesus told St. Faustina that the first Sunday after Easter is to be celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday. "On that day the very depths of My tender Mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My Mercy. The soul that will go to confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment." (Diary of St. Faustina) On Divine Mercy Sunday you receive a complete renewal of baptismal grace. 

Divine Mercy Sunday is for everyone: Catholics celebrate with Easter confession and the Divine Mercy Sunday Holy Communion. Non-Catholics and those that are separated from the sacraments due to marital circumstances may attend Mass and make a spiritual communion. The homebound may also celebrate by making a spiritual communion. Jesus said, "The graces of My Mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is trust. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into then." Jesus said that there also must be acts of mercy in the form of word, deed or prayer. 

Pope John Paul Il canonized St. Faustina as the first saint of the Jubilee year 2000 on April 30th, Divine Mercy Sunday. The Holy Father announced during his homily that the Second Sunday of Easter would now be celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday throughout the universal church and granted a plenary indulgence. The miracle that the Holy Father chose for St. Faustina's canonization occurred in 1995 when Fr. Ronald Pytel, the pastor of the Holy Rosary Church in Baltimore, experienced an immediate healing of his heart when being prayed for on October 5th, St. Faustina's feast day. 

St. Faustina Finds North Dakota 

St. Faustina's journey to North Dakota began with the annual celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday at Corpus Christi Parish, in Bismarck, North Dakota. As a part of preparation for the celebration each year, a person we’ll name “A” would check the website of the Association of Marian Helpers of the Immaculate Conception in Stockbridge, Massachusetts for new information. In 2002 the website stated that it was possible to obtain a first-class relic of St. Maria Faustina. A "first-class" relic is relic that is certified by the Vatican to be a piece of the body a saint. Excited at the possibility of obtaining one of the relics for the Eucharistic Adoration and for Divine Mercy Sunday celebrations at Corpus Christi, "A” corresponded with the Marian Helpers, who directed her to contact Sr. Caterina with the Sisters of Our lady of Mercy in Dorchester, Mass. Sr. Caterina told "A” to e-mail the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Krakow, Poland. 

Over a period of a year "A" corresponded at different times with Sisters Beata and Salvatricze about a first-class relic for Corpus Christi Parish. "A" was informed that a formal letter of request from the pastor of the receiving parish was required, and that the relic had to be hand carried from Poland. Finding an emissary to obtain custody of the relic was particularly difficult because of fear of terrorism following the events of September 11, 2002. A member of a tour group traveling to Poland agreed to take custody of the relic, but the tour was canceled because of safety concerns. As "A" was in the process of working to obtain a relic for Corpus Christi Parish, she became aware that Fr. Al Leary of Christ the King Parish in Mandan was interested in obtaining a relic. She began to negotiate for two relics. Later she was informed that there was a strong dedication to the Divine Mercy devotion at St. Joseph Parish in Williston. Upon enquiry she found that St. Joseph's pastor, Fr. John Guthrie, was also interested in obtaining a relic for his parish. 

Efforts to find a custodian who would travel to Poland failed until the summer of 2003, when a shy and devout 12-year-old Adam began to attend the Thursday night Eucharistic Adoration hours at Corpus Christi Parish, in which the Chaplet of Divine Mercy was recited. As time went on, Adam would visit with participants after prayer, and "A" noticed when his mother Gousha came to pick him up after adoration, that she had an accent. "A" asked where Gousha was from, and she answered "Krakow, Poland." Asked if they ever visited Poland, Gousha answered that her daughter Anna was going to visit her grandparents at the end of July. "A" then asked if Anna would consider being the custodian of the relics of St. Faustina. The answer was Yes! - but they would have to have everything arranged and ready by the following Thursday. 

With less than one week, "A" hurried to complete preparations. She obtained three formal letters of request, from Fr. Paul Becker of Corpus Christi Parish in Bismarck, Fr. John Guthrie of St. Joseph Parish in Williston, and Fr. Al Leary of Christ the King Parish in Mandan. A small donation was required from each parish, so a money order was obtained from each pastor. The sisters in Krakow were unaware of the request for the third relic for St. Joseph Parish. When "A" tried to e-mail the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy about the new request, she was unable to get through. She then called the sisters in on Saturday, and was informed that cash donations were required, and an additional requirement had been added, they needed a letter of authorization from the Bishop of the Diocese. "A" contacted the parishes to exchange the money orders for cash. She then called Fr. James Shea, then at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Parish, about the letter from the bishop. He informed her that Bishop Zipfel was gone and that he did not know when the bishop would return. He suggested that "A" call the chancery on Monday. 

On Monday morning, "A" called the chancery. The bishop's secretary informed her that the bishop had planned on being gone for four weeks but had returned in three. "A" told the secretary that she needed a letter of approval from the bishop for the three relics and for the carrier. The secretary promised to bring the issue to the bishop. "A" believes that the fact that Adam’s family belonged to the bishop's parish helped ease his decision. 

After calling the chancery, "A" attended Mass at St. Vincent's Care Center and asked several friends to pray for a favorable outcome for their efforts. When she returned home her phone was ringing. The bishop’s secretary informed her that she could pick up the letter from the bishop at 3 o'clock that afternoon. "A" observed, with excitement, that she was to receive the letter at the Divine Mercy Hour. 

Anna and a friend left for Poland on July 28, 2003. Her family called and informed "A" that Anna had received the relics on the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Adam and Gousha brought the three relics on August 13th. The first relic was presented on August 14th (the Vigil of the Feast of the Assumption of Mary) during the regular Thursday night Eucharistic Adoration holy hour at Corpus Christi Parish, in which the Chaplet of Divine Mercy is regularly recited. It was Adam's 13th birthday. 

After the arrival of the relic, Adam was unable to continue attending the Thursday adoration hours because of other obligations. However, he is an accomplished violinist, and continues to play the violin for the annual Divine Mercy Sunday celebration at Corpus Christi Church. "A" considers it remarkable that he was able to participate for the short period of time in which a custodian, able to travel to Poland for the relic, was needed. The many obstacles presented, and the way each was surmounted in a timely manner, seems providential. And the presence of the relics in three parishes in North Dakota is surely a blessing. 

Presentation at Christ the King Parish 

When "A" presented the relic to Fr. Leary, he was excited, and showed her a picture of a beautiful reliquary in which he wished to display it for the parish. However, he needed to obtain the money to purchase it. "A" felt prompted to ask a parishioner (a relative who does not wish to be identified) for a donation. Within a few days, the donor called her and presented her with the cash. Fr. Leary delayed presenting the relic for a few years and kept it in his private chapel. Some parishioners, who knew of its presence, were impatient for its presentation. But they also knew Fr. Leary well enough to surmise that he was waiting to present the relic in a beautiful and elegant setting. 

It was upon completion of the Madonna of the Prairies Blessed Sacrament Chapel that St. Faustina's relic found its home - in a beautiful reliquary, displayed beneath a large replica of the Jesus Divine Mercy portrait which Jesus requested St. Faustina to have painted, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, in a beautiful setting dedicated to the blessed mother, to the adoration of the Sacrament, and to the Mercy of Jesus our Savior. 

As one prays and meditates in the Madonna of the Prairies Blessed Sacrament Chapel, it may give one pause to consider the events, the efforts, the obstacles, and the remarkable means by which those obstacles were overcome in bringing the relic of St. Faustina to our diocese, and with it the powerful message of God's mercy. And we may pause and share "A"'s amazement at the presence of a relic, specially venerated at the third hour of every day, that was requested for one church but obtained for three, approved by a bishop who was to have been gone for four weeks, but returned in three, just in time to authorize the request, in a letter received at three o'clock in the afternoon (the Divine Mercy Hour). We may consider it remarkable that the relic was carried from Krakow, Poland by the sister of a young man who just happened to be present for Eucharistic Adoration for a short period of time during which a custodian was needed to receive the relic in Poland. And it might be considered special, as well, that the relic was received on the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus and was first presented and venerated on the Vigil of the Feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother. Surely the story of the relic's journey must give us a deepened sense of the great gift we have received for our parish and for our diocese.