Given its trademark depiction of Christ emitting blue and red rays from the center of his chest, the Divine Mercy image is easily recognizable, seen everywhere from church chapels to living rooms to the rear windows of cars on local freeways.
Now, it’s making a home in one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world.
At an Oct. 14 Mass, Archbishop José Gomez dedicated a new Divine Mercy Shrine at Christ the King Church in Hollywood, capping a more than twenty-year effort by parishioners to establish a center for this popular devotion, which originated in the mid-20th century visions of the Polish mystic St. Faustina Kowalska, and was championed by St. Pope John Paul II.
Christ the King parishioners began their devotion to Divine Mercy in the 1990s, encouraged by longtime pastor Msgr. Alexander George. In 2003 his successor, Father Antonio Cacciapuoti, traveled to Rome with a group of parishioners to have an image of the Divine Mercy from Poland blessed by John Paul for the parish.
Today, this remains the only known Divine Mercy image in the U.S. to be blessed by the saint. The shrine also houses relics belonging to St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish priest who chose to die in another man’s place in Auschwitz, and Faustina’s spiritual director, Blessed Michael Sopoćko.
New LA Auxiliary Bishop Slawomir Szkredka, a native of Poland, was among the faithful on hand to dedicate the new shrine. He said he has been devoted to Faustina and Divine Mercy since high school, captivated by Kowalska’s account of how Jesus in a vision told her to have the image created and promised that the image would attract people to his love and be a fountain of graces.
“I think the history of what has happened since this image was painted proves that God is doing something through it,” said Szkredka, who was also joined by fellow new Auxiliary Bishop Matthew Elshoff at the Mass.
….Now, thanks to its new designation, Catholics who visit Christ the King on Divine Mercy Sunday (the second Sunday of Easter) and fulfill the usual conditions (Confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intention of the pope) can obtain a plenary indulgence, which according to Catholic teaching, removes the temporal punishment due to sins.
The Oct. 14 liturgy — which drew nearly 20 priests and a diverse mix of faithful that included Polish, Filipino, and Latino Catholics from around the archdiocese — became an occasion to pray for peace and healing days in the Holy Land, following the terrorist attacks against Israel by the group Hamas which has led to war there.
From Angelus News
The rays from the Merciful Heart of Jesus are red and white.
A google search for the image reveals many versions where the white rays are colored blue in the lower portion.
The original image does not have that.
Shows that it’s largely made-up. People do anything they want.
I was in a church when they were praying the divine mercy chaplet. They added all kinds of prayers to it. Litany of sorrow, reparation for this and for that, words words and words, then repeat the words again and add more words. They even added “co-redemptrix of the world” to the Hail Mary, which I don’t think you’re allowed to do. I think Jesus said something about reciting empty prayers with lots of words. Look it up and prove me right.
Anyone who attends devotions in any church on Divine Mercy Sunday and goes to confession receives a plenary indulgence. You do not have to go to this church to receive it.
The Church has granted this:
A plenary indulgence, granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or 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 who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, addinga devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”);
However most important is that anyone who receives Holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday (Sunday after Easter) receives complete forgiveness of sins and the punishments due to their sin. This is promise from the Merciful Christ. It is different than an indulgence. It does not have the conditions attached to it.
You can offer the plenary indulgence for the souls in Purgatory. In order to obtain an indulgence one must intend to obtain it ahead of the act.
The Divine Mercy Diary by Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska is one of the most important books ever written. It’s a must read.
Strongly disagree with this. The verbosity and saccharinity of the diary are insufferable. Read the Bible, mostly the Gospels. You don’t need to believe in nor accept claims of private revelation made by anyone.
The Divine Mercy Diary prepares the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
“It’s a must read.” Yes indeed. I think most people who have experience with the diary would agree. Sister Faustina was such a rare and beautiful soul, made perfect by suffering, or so it seems to me.
No need for a Polish speaking parish in America. You want to speak Polish? You want a Polish ethnic community? Stay in Poland. In America we speak English. I do not support ethnic parishes. This is as separatist as the TLM, except they probably don’t have any beefs with Vatican II.
There won’t be peace in the Holy Land until the Jew haters are exterminated.