Divine Mercy Sunday is a recent addition to the church calendar, associated with personal revelation and biblical teachings. When Divine Mercy Sunday comes around again this year, faithful followers will have the opportunity to seek comfort in Christ’s infinite mercy through full or partial communion.
In this blog, we will discuss what Divine Mercy Sunday is and the Church’s guidelines on how to receive indulgences on that day.
What is Divine Mercy Sunday?
Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. This celebration is based on a personal revelation given to Saint Faustina Kowalska, which proposed a unique devotion to Divine Mercy.
Saint Faustina Kowalska was a nun from Poland who received prophetic messages from Christ. These messages included revelations about God’s infinite mercy, known as “Divine Mercy,” and her duty to share this message with the world, which were recorded in her diary under the title “Divine Mercy in My Soul.”
When was it included in the church calendar?
In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II declared Saint Faustina a saint, and during the canonization ceremony, he proclaimed:
It is crucial for us to fully embrace the full message that has been conveyed to us through the Word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter, which will now be recognized throughout the entire church as “Divine Mercy Sunday.”
What does the Church do to encourage the celebration of devotion to Divine Mercy on this day?
To ensure that the faithful can celebrate this day with deep devotion, the Supreme Pontiff (John Paul II) personally decided to enrich this Sunday with plenary indulgences, so that the faithful may receive in abundance the gift of the consolation of the Holy Spirit.
This will enable them to develop an increasing love for God and their neighbors, and, having received God’s forgiveness, they will be inclined to show immediate forgiveness to their brothers and sisters.
What is an indulgence?
An indulgence refers to the removal of the temporal punishment due for a sin that has been forgiven. It can be classified as full or partial.
Plenary indulgence
According to the 2002 decree, plenary indulgence can be obtained by attending church on Divine Mercy Sunday “with a soul detached from sin, even venial sin.”
Activities involved may include devotions such as the Divine Mercy Chaplet, participation in Eucharistic adoration, and receiving the sacrament of confession.
The believers may visit the Holy Scriptures, whether open or in tabernacles, and recite the Our Father, the Nicene Creed, and a heartfelt prayer to Christ. An example of a heartfelt prayer mentioned in the decree is “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”
To obtain indulgence, the three normative conditions of making confession, receiving Communion, and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father must be met. Although it is customary to receive both sacraments on the same day, the Church allows them to be received up to 20 days before or after the act of indulgence.
Plenary indulgence is still possible for those who are ill or unable to attend church on that particular day. If those with “spiritual intention” join with all the faithful, hoping to obtain indulgences through the prescribed prayers while praying to Christ, then they can indeed obtain plenary indulgences. They must express their desire to go to confession, receive communion, and pray to the Pope as soon as possible.
Partial Indulgence
Individuals can receive partial indulgence by reciting “a validly authorized prayer” with true contrition on that particular day. According to the decree, this prayer can be “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”
Conclusion
Divine Mercy Sunday can be celebrated anywhere, either individually or in groups. On this day, many people gather in Lagiewniki, Krakow, Poland where we can find Divine Mercy Shrine and where Sr. Faustina Kowalska was living.
