The Chaplet especially became very popular. Here was a form of prayer invoking God's mercy upon the whole world, and extending the Eucharistic offering of Jesus Christ with an intercessory intention.
With all reasonable doubt removed Fr. Sopocko began putting the Lord's requests to Faustina into action.
On page after page, the Diary of St. Faustina proclaims the message of God's merciful love as the very heart of the Gospel.
In order to understand the life of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska and the remarkable spread of her devotion to The Divine Mercy throughout the world, it helps to begin by learning the story of someone else: a priest named Fr. Michael Sopocko.
I see three lessons for us here.
Here are ten examples of the remarkable similarities between the teachings of Bl. Dina Belanger and her near contemporary, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska.
The very first paragraph of Bl. Dina's autobiography sums up the center of her spirituality:
Dina was gifted with natural musical talent. She advanced rapidly in piano and in musical composition, so that even her spiritual guides encouraged her to glorify God by pursuing a music career.
Dina was born in Quebec City on April 30, 1897, the only child of a fairly well-to-do family. In so many ways, she was surrounded by love and showered with blessings right from the start. Her parents provided her with tender care, religious formation, and a solid example of Christian virtue.
Divine Mercy is so central to the spirituality of St. Therese that she literally begins and ends her autobiography in praise of God's merciful love.
