Celebrations include Masses, adoration, confessions
The feast of Divine Mercy, or Divine Mercy Sunday, is observed on the octave day of Easter. This year, the feast will be celebrated April 27.
The feast was promoted by St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who kept a diary in the 1930s of Christ’s private revelations telling her of His message of mercy. She wrote that she first saw a vision of Jesus on Feb. 22, 1931. He had rays of mercy streaming from His heart. Christ told her to have an image painted to represent the vision and to write below it, “Jesus, I trust in you!”
St. Faustina died of tuberculosis in 1938 at age 33. St. John Paul II canonized her in 2000 and declared Divine Mercy Sunday a worldwide feast day. Two years later, he granted a plenary indulgence for those who participate in the devotion. St. John Paul II was canonized on the feast of Divine Mercy in 2014.
To receive the graces of the indulgence, the three usual conditions of going to confession, receiving Communion and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father must be met. The two sacraments may be received on the same day, but the Church permits them to be received up to about 20 days before or after the day the indulgenced work is performed. Additionally, the faithful should take part in the prayers and devotions on the Second Sunday of Easter held in honor of Divine Mercy in any church or chapel, or they may recite the Our Father and Creed before the Blessed Sacrament, adding a devotional prayer to our Lord.
Catholics also are encouraged to pray the novena of Divine Mercy, which begins Good Friday and ends the Saturday before Divine Mercy Sunday; pray the Divine Mercy chaplet; and to be merciful toward others through words, actions and prayers. (To learn how to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet and novena, visit thedivinemercy.org.)
Divine Mercy celebrations with Mass
CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF SAINT LOUIS, 4431 Lindell Blvd. at Newstead Avenue; Mass at noon with Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, followed by eucharistic adoration, confessions and ending at 3 p.m. with Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction. There also will be veneration of relics and panels of Blessed Carlo Acutis, who is expected to be canonized on April 27.
GOOD SHEPHERD, 703 N. Third St. in Hillsboro; 2 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, recitation of the indulgence prayers, confessions and veneration of Divine Mercy image; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, followed by Mass at 3:30 p.m.
HOLY INFANT, 627 Dennison Drive in Ballwin; 2:15 p.m. adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by the Rosary, Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction; 3:15 p.m. Mass. (Confessions will not be available that day.)
OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE, 4696 Notre Dame Lane in House Springs; blessing of Divine Mercy image during weekend Masses (5 p.m. Saturday and 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday); following all Masses, there will be a Divine Mercy chaplet and litany and veneration of the image and first-class relic of St. Faustina.
SACRED HEART, 555 Bailey Road in Crystal City; 11 a.m. Mass, followed by an hour-long video on Divine Mercy with the Apostolate for Family Consecration, Rosary, Divine Mercy chaplet and confessions.
ST. AMBROSE, 5130 Wilson Ave. on the Hill; Mass at 1 p.m., followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, confessions and adoration until 3 p.m. The Divine Mercy chaplet will be prayed at 3 p.m., followed by Benediction.
ST. FERDINAND, 1765 Charbonier Road in Florissant; confessions begin at 1 p.m., followed by Divine Mercy chaplet, Benediction and Mass at 3 p.m.
ST. PETER CLAVER, 4330 Shreve Ave. in St. Louis; 10 a.m. Mass, followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and continuing until 4 p.m. Confessions will be available throughout adoration. A Divine Mercy chaplet will be sung at 3:45 p.m., followed by Benediction.
ST. RAYMOND-ST. ELIZABETH, 1420 S. Sappington Road in Crestwood; confessions from 2-3 p.m., 2:30 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, 2:30 p.m. Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet; 3 p.m. Benediction, followed by Mass.
ST. THEODORE, 5085 Highway P in Flint Hill (held in the gymnasium); eucharistic adoration and confessions at 2:30 p.m., Divine Mercy chaplet at 3 p.m., Rosary at 3:30 p.m. and Mass at 4:30 p.m.
Divine Mercy celebrations without Mass
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, 4556 Telegraph Road in Oakville; 3-4 p.m. Holy Hour in the church with adoration, Divine Mercy chaplet, reflection and confessions.
ST. FRANCIS BORGIA, 115 Cedar St. in Washington; 2 p.m. exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, sung Divine Mercy chaplet, private prayer and ending with Benediction. Refreshments and fellowship will follow in the choir room.
ST. GERARD MAJELLA, 1969 Dougherty Ferry Road in Kirkwood; 2 p.m. procession and veneration of the Divine Mercy image, followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and confessions; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy chaplet, ending with Benediction.
ST. JOHN THE BELOVED DISCIPLE, 4616 Blue Springs Road in Imperial; 2-4 p.m. eucharistic adoration and homily, confessions, Divine Mercy chaplet and Benediction, with hospitality to follow.
ST. JOSEPH, 106 N. Meramec Ave. in Clayton; Festival of Mercy featuring Maria Vargo of G.K. Chesterton Entertainment. Eucharistic adoration and Divine Mercy chaplet at 3 p.m., followed by a concert featuring Vargo’s music and testimony, with excerpts from Scripture and St. Faustina’s diary.
ST. NORBERT, 16455 New Halls Ferry Road in Florissant; 2 p.m. Rosary and confessions; 3 p.m. eucharistic adoration, Divine Mercy chaplet, ending with Benediction.
