MANILA, Philippines—Roman Catholics will observe today (Sunday) the Feast of Mercy.
Devotees of the Divine Mercy are expected again to do an act of mercy during the feast or a day before, go to confession, and receive Holy Communion to obtain the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ of “complete pardon of sins and punishment.”
Priests will extol the mercy of God in their homilies. The Feast of Mercy as demanded by the Lord through Saint Mary Faustina, a Polish nun and mystic in the 1930s, must be observed every first Sunday after Easter.
The Lord who appeared to St. Faustina for countless of times in the 1930s told her: “I want to grant a complete pardon to souls who will go to confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My Mercy. Whoever approaches the Fount of Life (Holy Communion) on that day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.”
The Feast of Mercy was declared as official feast of the Roman Catholic in 2000 by the late Pope John II (who beatified and canonized St. Faustina) and referred to by the late Cardinal Sin as “the Feast of all Feasts.” The Vatican grants plenary indulgences during Divine Mercy.
Since it falls on the octave after Easter, the Feast of Mercy sums up the whole Paschal mystery of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ and all the graces available in celebrating God’s mercy.
The Divine Mercy Say A Little Prayer Movement will hold their afternoon activities at the Divine Mercy Chapel at 19 Spencer Street in Cubao, Quezon City. Priests will be available for confession from 12 noon. A Holy Mass will follow after the 3 p.m. prayer.