20th anniversary of the canonization of Sister Faustina – testimonies

Testimonies about that day...

Losia Radominski
USA

  1. On this date, I was in my parish in Oregon in the United States, rejoicing with a very small group of devotees to Divine Mercy, that our previous efforts at bringing this devotion to Divine Mercy through Sr. Faustina for acceptance into our parish was now embraced by Holy Mother Church to the highest degree.
  2. Its meaning to me was that I could now speak of SAINT Faustina and Divine Mercy Sunday on our Church calendar.  I no longer had to convince anyone of its validity, but could focus on its beauty. It was no longer a small private devotion, but a proclaimed part of the Church to be lived by and celebrated.
  3. Before St. Faustina’s canonization, I was very devoted to her, but her canonization brought me a great peace and joy that my conviction in the truth of her experience and the words our Lord spoke to her are truly the heart of our faith.

Sandy Cunningham
USA

The most Extraordinary Saint of our Day. She truly is a Gift for Our Times and always will be. 
I was very emotional when thinking of where I was at the time of the Canonization of St. Faustina. It brought back so many memories of what brought me to this devotion to begin with. 
I was told of this devotion in 1990 after having my 2nd daughter and being given very devastating news three months after giving birth. It was already 10 yrs of knowing of the devotion but still not really knowing very much. 
On April 30, 2000 while suffering a migraine ; I began praying and knew I’d be unable to attend mass and so I turned on the tv to EWTN so I could see the Mass and to my surprise there was our Pope starting to say Mass which was to Canonize Sr. Faustina. I became so very emotional because although I knew of the Divine Mercy devotion and prayed it with church friends ; I didn’t really know much about Faustina. It was that Mass that led me to really want to know more and brought me to love the devotion and prayers more. That afternoon changed me because as I prayed the Chaplet in song my migraine headache began to subside and the sun began to shine and I had a renewed feeling of hope and peace in my heart which I was lacking because of what my life had become since 1990. That afternoon made me realize that Gods love and mercy was all I needed to get through in life ; that if I just put my Trust in Jesus for every aspect of my life that I could get through all the uncertainties that life had given me. It was then I knew I was surrendering my life and my family to Jesus. 
So many things happened after that day and after that year up until now. God has led me in so many directions up and down ;good and bad wonderful and exciting, devastating and overwhelming times but through it all Divine Mercy has been my life line, my hope, my All. 
When I look back on this day ; I cry in Some sadness at the past but happiness and in joy in the present and with much hope in the future because through the words of St. Faustina in her Diary;  I Trust that I’m never alone and that The words he spoke to St. Faustina still mean the same to us today and I know St. Faustina is interceding on our behalf always to our Loving , Divine Merciful Savior. I feel honored and humbled that we have St. Faustina with us in our Church. 
Today I celebrate in thanksgiving for all the gifts and graces I’ve been given and for those people that God has allowed me to share this devotion with;  I also rejoice today in anticipation of where this Devotion continues to lead me Trusting moment to moment in Gods will.

Dominique Fequiere Thebaud 
Haiti

On April 30, 2000, there was a charismatic seminar in Delmas Haiti and I had to drop my sister before going to mass around 7:30 am. On my way to mass Radio Soleil was talking about the new saint of the new century saint Faustina. While I was driving I said to myself, I feel close to her and need to purchase a book about her life.

Year 2000 was the beginning of a new century and I wanted to learn about that new saint and understand what was written on her diary. I purchased the book that explained how Jesus was close to her but sometimes very hard to read because she was an extraordinary soul and different from me.

Alex a lay woman and father Calixte were able to open a chapel in Peggy Ville and it became the divine mercy parish. Mgr. Miot translated the chaplet in creole and asked us to go to all seminars given by Faustinum to learn about the divine mercy and to relay the teachings on our return. I go in groups and explain the meaning of the image, the feast and prayers whenever groups call me. It has been an incredible journey and 20 years passed by the divine mercy chaplet was translated in creole and we go to all seminars and are still learning about the divine mercy spirituality.

 

Nada Sahlani
Lebanon

1. My desire was to be in Rome, but I was engaged in foreign mission as guide for pilgrimage but I did the feast of Divine Mercy  I was United in prayers.

2. I was so happy, the desire of Jesus will be realised. Mercy will be spraid and known by the whole world, the children of God will believe and trust that God is Mercy.

3. I received a lot of grace through St. Faustina for my mission in Mercy, I was reading more her diary, she was example as apostolate and  spiritual life. I followed her.

 

Rodolfo González 
Apostolado Divina Misericordia
Costa Rica

I was at home in San José, Costa Rica. Since my country is 8 hours behind Rome time, the canonization happened for us during dawn.  I had set my alarm clock in time to wake up so I could watch the ceremony via EWTN, just as I did. I experienced a deep joy, and an immense emotion, when I realized that -at that moment- I was living the historical moment related by Saint Faustyna, in numeral 1044 and followings, so long awaited. 

It was a very important milestone in my life. In 1994 I read a biography of Sr. Faustyna, and that profoundly changed my life forever. Since then I began to spread, as much as possible, this treasure of the message of Divine Mercy. There was no room for emotion when I learned that the canonization was already dated. I wrote and edited 60,000 copies of a flyer, with the Image of Merciful Jesus, with a title that said: “Pope John Paul II will complete this month a task that he began 35 years ago,” that contained the basic information of the message. In the days before the canonization, I traveled, in my vehicle, almost all of my country, sometimes with my family, delivering the flyer in different churches. I wanted the people of my country to know about this great event, take advantage of it, and live it. I wanted to shout to the whole world the greatness of what we were going to live on that day. 

Saint Faustyna had already changed my life since 1994. I feel that she introduced Jesus to me; a Jesus that until then I had never met in that way. And in doing so, she lit a fire in my heart that moves me to share the message of Divine Mercy as much as possible. At times, in my diffusion work, I had experienced rejection. After the canonization of Saint Faustyna, and the great role of John Paul II as an apostle of Divine Mercy, my work of diffusion of the message was completely facilitated: the message that I spread has, as a guarantor, a Saint of our Church, and, the endorsement and support of my beloved and admired John Paul II. 

 

Eva Kimnes 
Australia

During this time I was in Melbourne in Australia running young people’s formation group at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Keysborough, Melbourne. My father attended the Canonisation and he prayed for me, the whole family, and many others. He was very touched by this special Canonisation of our Saint Faustina with the Holy Father John Paull II as he was very devoted to the Divine Mercy mission all his life. My father said to me before he died that the most important thing in life was God’s mercy. 

Sister Faustina’s Canonisation is a very important event in the mission of the universal Church and I believe also very crucial to me. The messages given by Jesus to Saint Sr Faustina were acknowledged as the true messages and mission and this gave me and all others who God calls, an opportunity to pay attention to the mystical life of this beautiful and courageous Saint. It was especially great that the Canonisation of Saint Faustina commenced the new millennium, bringing her mission to the attention of all Polish but also of the Church and the whole world. 

I believe that I have been very touched by Saint Faustina. Four years later after her Canonisation, in 2004, with Father Kazimierz, we commenced united prayers at Divine Mercy Shrine in Keysborough with the involvement of young people. It was not my plan at first, but it was God’s will and I am very grateful to Merciful Jesus for His love and mercy for me and our community. I love this mission and I have tears in my eyes when I speak about Saint Faustina, who provides such great support for me and my mission work. Often I sense her love for the work we do here to continue and follow her wonderful and full of graces mission. Thank you, Jesus, for this beautiful calling and all that it is about Divine Mercy. 

 

Mechtild
Germany

I looked the canonization in TV. It was a big, great touch for me, because we were waiting for years for this event. We have a relic from Faustyna in our housechapel and so Faustyna went deeper in my heart and prayers.

It was a big confirmation for our apostolate in this area and for Germany. Divine Mercy sunday was installed, very important for us. A big step in our apostolate.

We have more work in our apostolate, what is good. We have more peace, because of the words of JP II. And more eager to spread the message of Divine Mercy in Germany.

God bless you and all the sisters.

Fr Jason 
Wales

It is a special joy to reflect on the great event of the canonisation of st Faustina. I was able as a seminarian to be in Rome for the beautiful event of the Beatification of Sr Faustina and for her to become Blessed Faustina. I was ordained a priest in 1997 and was then able to lead the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday in the Parish. In my Diocese we already had the observance of the feast at our Cathedral since 1987 due to the presence of the Marian Fathers who were looking after the Polish Community in South Wales. However the celebration was not widely promoted it accepted. 

The canonisation and the establishment of the feast as announced in the homily of St John Paul II greatly changed the awareness and acceptance and recognition of both Divine Mercy with its feast and the profile of St Faustina. It was no longer for the devotees on a Sunday afternoon once a year, it was no longer for those who were considered odd or religious freaks. The double canonisation of the raising of St Faustina to the altars and the establishment of a universal feast day now made it all a mainstream devotion and spirituality for the whole Church. The canonisation brought acceptance and recognition. 

My other memory is that this canonisation was the first one of the new millennium of the year 2000. As we celebrated the wonder of the incarnation 2000 years ago the canonisation reminded us that Divine Mercy had become incarnate and that St Faustina would help us to contemplate the invisible mercy of God in the  merciful face of Jesus. 

The canonisation gave us a Saint, a feast and widespread diffusion of the image of Divine Mercy. It is said that the canonisation day was the happiest day in the life of St John Paul. We are immensely happy as he looks down from the window of heaven and sees us celebrating this 20 th anniversary day.

 

Kirshis Perello
Dominicana

I was in Rome that beautiful spring morning at the ceremony where Saint Faustina was canonized, it was an unforgettable experience. I had the opportunity of sitting in an area near to Pope John Paul II.  As she was elevated to the altars I felt tears in my eyes, my heart was heart was filled with great joy.

The message that Merciful Jesus gave to Saint Faustina was going to reach more souls. 

Seeing that the Divine Mercy Feast that we as a community celebrated since 1988 was instituted the second Sunday of Easter as our Merciful Jesus had asked was a great joy. I feel a greater compromise to keep spreading the message of the Divine Mercy as Saint Faustina did. It is my desire to be the secretary of the secretary of the secretary of Saint Faustina.

 

Elżbieta Woszczyna
Poland

On the day of canonization, I was with my family in the commons, in front of the Divine Mercy Shrine in Kraków-Łagiewniki. All meadow was crowded with thousands of pilgrims. We were watching the canonization ceremony via TV connection on a wall screen, and in this way, we were in Rome and in Kraków at the same time!. I remember the tears of pure joy surging through my heart and great gratitude to Divine Providence. Into the congregation of the saints admitted was the one who throughout her humble life filled with great suffering was striving for sanctity by fulfilling the mission of proclaiming to the world the message of Divine Mercy.

Saint Faustina showed me the power of trust in the Divine Mercy, and she became my beloved and unfailing intercessor in Heaven.

Fr. Emil Moraru
member of the Faustinum Group
Romania

I can say that in the year 2000 I was present at the Holy Mass when Saint Faustina was canonized and the Sunday of Mercy was instituted.
 It was a higly emotional and inspirational moment due to the fact that a bishop came and gave me a ticket of concelebration and then he disappeared!  
At present, probably because of that moment, I am the spiritual coordinator of the Faustinum Group from Romania

Aliz Vasilescu
member of the Faustinum Group
Romania

I was in Bucharest with my mom who undertook a very difficult surgery and we were preparing to participate at the Families Jubilee in Rome. My mom talked to me about devotion of the Divine Mercy  and about Saint Faustina. We were often praying together. This was the beginning! 
 
This event to which I haven’t participated yet and was not very committed to, started to attract me towards the  Divine Mercy. I started praying the Rosary with my mom and I found a brochure with many beautiful prayers dedicated to the Divine Mercy
 
Even if I was not informed and aware enough, it was the beginning of a journey and confirmation, which miraculously materialized later by setting up a group that today is the Faustinum Group in Romania.

Patricia Mederos
USA

I was in California when St Faustina was canonized. The weather was perfect and all of California’s nature seemed to honor St Faustina and adore the Divine Mercy that day.
 
St Faustina’s promise came to my mind, ‘poor earth I will not forget you … (There) will not be an obstacle to my returning to earth to encourage souls and incite them to trust in God’s mercy.” Just as she led me back to the Catholic Church in 2000, she would now lead me through Divine Mercy back to the Father’s house
 
Through St Faustina’s canonization and Diary came the realization that my life was a journey of longing, though unknown to me; it was a deep desire. for Christ.
 
Through her canonization, she taught how to love Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and opened my heart to care for the wounds of Christ in my neighbor. St Faustina accompanied me through my mother’s death and guided me start an apostolate of Mercy for the sick and Dying.
Andreja Pezdevšek
Slovenija
It was such a beautiful coincidence. On Monday I sent to some friends a video about St. Faustina a prophet of Mercy by inner call in order to give them a testimony about God’s Mercy. This was so deep feeling for me. I was so surprised when only a day later I got your video about her canonisation. I had a feeling that she has taken the initiative. She guides me all the time while I pray to her every day. She is my very close friend.
 
When   she   was   canonized   on   April   30 the 2000   I   guess  I   didn’t   know   much   about   her.   I remember the event but it was for me than just one of many canonisations. I was finishing the study of theology than just coming form the Holly land.
 
At that moment I didn’t have any special feelings about it because I didn’t know har much. Some people pray the chaplet and I did from time to time but I didn’t know much about her.
 
Canonisation of sister Faustina during years change my life completely aside with our Lady in Međugorje. I was getting to know her more through one priest I met in Međugorje in 2002. I started to read the diary and from that moment on her influence on my life has become very significant. She is apart from Our Lady and St. Joseph my dearest saint to whom I pray every day. She is my sister and I have the feeling that she guides me invisibly. I love sister Faustina.
Sharon
Penang, Malaysia
I am a parishioner of the Church of Divine Mercy in Penang Malaysia and St Faustina has a central role in all our celebrations as we also venerate her relic on big feastdays.
20 years ago I was a busy mum and did not have a clue how much St.Faustina would  help grow my faith in Divine Mercy. Over the years though having been inspired by her life and perseverance in spreading the message of mercy, I call on her to intercede for me in all my challenges.
I am grateful for her incredible devotion to Jesus and pray I may have the courage to be a worthy disciple of Divine Mercy.
Jesus I trust in You
Joanne
I was in North Carolina and learned about St Faustina through Pope John Paul II.  The prior year I was still active in the United States Navy as a Navy Nurse, I volunteered in the Chaplans office for Naval Cadets.  I headed a spiritual bouquet from all catholic cadets sent through the Arch Diocese for Military Services “ Holy Father We Salute You” inspired by learning about Divine Mercy.
It inspired me to start learning all about Saint Faustina!
As I learned about her and because she was declared a saint, through her many miracles Jesus guided me to learn about the Faustinum Association.  I found a new way to experience my life, a way in how to love the way Jesus wants us to, love, what Mercy means,  and most importantly how to truly trust In Jesus, no matter what. My life as long as I live on this earth until I pass is now lived each day thanking Jesus, and living that day only to do His Will!