Background
St. Faustina
The Image
Feast of Mercy
Indulgence
The Chaplet
The Novena
The
Hour
Second Coming
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O God, your mercy knows no bounds and the treasure of your goodness is
infinite..." (Prayer after the "Te Deum" Hymn)
"The paschal mystery is the culmination of this revealing and
effecting of mercy, which is able to justify man, to restore justice in
the sense of that salvific order which God willed from the beginning in
man, and through man, in the world" (Encyclical Letter Dives in
misericordia, n. 7).
"And so with provident pastoral sensitivity and in order to
impress deeply on the souls of the faithful these precepts and teachings
of the Christian faith, the Supreme Pontiff, John Paul II, moved by the
consideration of the Father of Mercy, has willed that the Second Sunday
of Easter be dedicated to recalling with special devotion these gifts of
grace and gave this Sunday the name, "Divine Mercy Sunday"
(Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments,
Decree Misericors et miserator, 5 May 2000).
Plenary indulgence
I. The usual conditions for every plenary indulgence:
- sacramental confession [according to previously issued norms,
within abut 20 days before or after]
- Eucharistic communion [according to previously issued norms,
preferably on the day, or the days before or after]
- prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff [certain prayers are
not specified]
II. The specific conditions for this Indulgence
On Divine Mercy Sunday
- in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached
from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the
prayers and devotions held in honour of Divine Mercy
- or, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or
reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed,
adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful
Jesus, I trust in you!")
Partial Indulgence
A partial indulgence, granted to the faithful who, at least with a
contrite heart, pray to the merciful Lord Jesus a legitimately approved
invocation. [e.g. Jesus I trust in You. My Jesus mercy. or any other
approved invocation]
Those who cannot go to church or the seriously ill
Conditions for a Plenary Indulgence:
- totally detesting any sin,
- the intention of fulfilling as soon as possible the three usual
conditions of confession, communion and prayers for the Holy Father
- recite the Our Father and the Creed before a devout image of Our
Merciful Lord Jesus
- pray a devout invocation to the Merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful
Jesus, I trust in you).
If it is impossible to do even this:
- with a spiritual intention unite with those carrying out the
prescribed practice for obtaining the Indulgence in the usual way
and
- offer to the Merciful Lord a prayer and the sufferings of their
illness and the difficulties of their lives, with the resolution to
accomplish as soon as possible the three conditions prescribed to
obtain the plenary indulgence.
Duty of priests
Priests who exercise pastoral ministry, especially parish priests,
should
-
inform the faithful in the most suitable way of the Church's
salutary provision [of a plenary indulgence].
-
promptly and generously be willing to hear their confessions [this
does not necessarily have to be on Divine Mercy Sunday itself, since
that is not a condition for the indulgence]
On Divine Mercy Sunday, after celebrating Mass or Vespers, or during
devotions in honour of Divine Mercy,
- lead the recitation of the prayers
- when they instruct their people, gently encourage the faithful to
practise works of charity or mercy as often as they can
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