Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on the inscription of the celebration of Saint Faustina Kowalska, virgin, in the General Roman Calendar
“Memoria ad libitum” of Saint Faustina Kowalska, virgin, in the book of the Roman Rite
CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS
DECREE
on the inscription of the celebration of Saint Faustina Kowalska, virgin,
in the General Roman Calendar
“His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation” (Lk 1: 50). What the Virgin Mary sang in the Magnificat, contemplating the salvific work of God in favour of every human generation, found an echo in the spiritual encounters of Saint Faustina Kowalska who, through a heavenly gift, saw in the Lord Jesus Christ the merciful face of the Father and became its herald.
Born in the village of Głogowiec, near Łódź, in Poland in 1905, and dying in Krakow in 1938, Saint Faustina spent her short life amongst the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, generously conforming herself to the vocation she received from God and developing an intense spiritual life, rich in spiritual gifts and in faithful harmony with them. In the Diary of her soul, the sanctuary of her encounter with the Lord Jesus, she herself recounts what the Lord worked in her for the benefit of all: listening to Him who is Love and Mercy she understood that no human wretchedness could measure itself against the mercy which ceaselessly pours from the heart of Christ. Thus she became the inspiration for a movement dedicated to proclaiming and imploring Divine Mercy throughout the whole world. Canonized in the year 2000 by Saint John Paul II, the name of Faustina quickly became known around the world, thereby promoting in all the parts of the People of God, Pastors and lay faithful alike, the invocation of Divine Mercy and its credible witness in the conduct of the lives of believers.
Therefore the Supreme Pontiff Francis, accepting the petitions and wishes of Pastors, religious women and men, as well as associations of the faithful and having considered the influence exercised by the spirituality of Saint Faustina in different parts of the world, has decreed that the name of Saint Maria Faustina (Helena) Kowalska, virgin, be inscribed in the General Roman Calendar and that her optional memorial be celebrated by all on 5 October.
This new memorial shall be inserted into all the Calendars and liturgical books for the celebration of the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, adopting the liturgical texts attached to this decree which must be translated, approved and, after confirmation by this Dicastery, published by the Episcopal Conferences.
Anything to the contrary notwithstanding.
From the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 18 May 2020.
Robert Card. Sarah
Prefect
X Arthur Roche
Archbishop Secretary
“Memoria ad libitum” of Saint Faustina Kowalska, virgin, in the book of the Roman Rite
Adnexus decreto diei 18 maii 2020
Additiones in Libris liturgicis Ritus Romani
de memoria ad libitum sanctæ Faustinæ Kowalska, virginis
IN CALENDARIUM ROMANUM GENERALEM
OCTOBER
5 S. Faustinæ Kowalska, virginis
IN MISSALE ROMANUM
Die 5 octobris
S. Faustinæ Kowalska, virginis
De Communi virginum: pro una virgine vel de Communi sanctarum: pro religiosis.
Collecta
Deus, qui sanctæ Faustínæ munus tribuísti
imménsas tuæ infinítæ misericórdiæ divítias diffundéndi,
ipsa intercedénte nobis concéde,
ut eius exémplo de tua bonitáte plene confídere
atque caritátis ópera generóse perfícere valeámus.
Per Dóminum.
IN ORDINEM LECTIONUM MISSÆ
Die 5 octobris
651a S. Faustinæ Kowalska, virginis
De Communi virginum vel sanctarum.
Lectio I Eph 3, 14-19, n. 740, 7.
Ps. resp. Ps 102 (103), 1-2. 3-4. 8-9. 13-14. 17-18a, n. 739, 6.
Alleluia Mt 11, 28, n. 741, 5.
Evang. Mt 11, 25-30, n. 742, 4.
IN LITURGIAM HORARUM
Die 5 octobris
S. FAUSTINÆ KOWALSKA, VIRGINIS
Nata anno 1905 in Glogowiec, in Polonia, brevem vitam suam Christo dicavit in Congregatione Sororum Beatæ Mariæ Virginis a Misericordia. Vocationem accipiens nuntiandi misericordem Dei amorem, in Diario animæ testimonium reliquit mysticæ suæ experientiæ et opus suscitavit ad Divinam Misericordiam in toto orbe terrarum nuntiandam et implorandam. Obiit Cracoviæ anno 1938.
De Communi virginum vel de Communi sanctarum: pro religiosis, præter sequentia:
Ad Officium lectionis
LECTIO ALTERA
Ex homilía sancti Ioánnis Pauli II papæ
(Acta Apostolicæ Sedis 92 [2000] 671-672).
Misericordiæ Christi nuntius
Máximo re vera hódie gáudio affícimur, cum vitam et testimónium Soróris Faustínæ Kowalska toti Ecclésiæ ut donum Divínum nostris tempóribus datum osténdimus. Nutu Divínæ Providéntiæ vita illíus húmilis fíliæ in terra Polóna natæ cum história sǽculi vicésimi, quod nuper prætériit, omníno coniúncta erat. Christus enim annis inter primum et secúndum bellum mundánum misericórdiæ Suæ núntium ei commísit. Qui memória tenet, qui testis ac párticeps fuit evéntuum illórum annórum horribiliúmque dolórum, quibus hómines innumerábiles sunt affécti, bene novit, quam necessária fúerit Misericórdiæ Divínæ annuntiátio.
Iesus Soróri Faustínæ dixit: «Hómines nullam quiétem invénient, donec ad misericórdiam meam cum fidúcia vertántur» (Diarium, p. 132). Per religiósam Polónam hic núntius Misericórdiæ Divínæ cum sǽculo vicésimo in perpétuum coniúnctus est, quod sǽculum claudit secúndum millénnium et tértio millénnio viam áperit. Qui núntius novus non est, sed donum præcípuæ illuminatiónis habéri potest, quæ iuvat nos Evangélium Paschæ subtílius amplécti, ut illud sicut rádium lucis homínibus nostræ ætátis ferámus.
Quid nobis anni adveniéntes áfferent? Quod fiet futúrum hóminis in terra? Id scire non datur. Certum est tamen quod præter nova próspera non déerunt pro dolor étiam experiéntiæ dolorósæ. At lumen Misericórdiæ Divínæ, quod per charísma Soróris Faustínæ Deus mundo tamquam dénuo commíttere vóluit, humánas vias tértio millénnio illuminábit.
Necésse est tamen, ut hómines – sicut olim apóstoli – recípiant hódie in cenáculo históriæ Christum resuscitátum, qui post crucifixiónem vúlnera osténdit repetítque: Pax vobis! Necésse est, ut hómines se a Spíritu Sancto, quem Christus post resurrectiónem dat eis, occupári atque pervádi concédant. Spíritus enim vúlnera cordis curat, muros díruit, qui nos a Deo et ínvicem ab áltero dívidunt, efficítque, ut amóre Patris et simul unitáte fratérna íterum gaudére possímus.
Christus dócuit nos «hóminem non solum misericórdiam Dei ipsíus experíri et cónsequi, sed étiam vocátum esse, ut ipse áliis “misericórdem se præbéret”: Beáti misericórdes, quóniam ipsi misericórdiam consequéntur (Mt 5, 7)» (Dives in misericordia, 14). Iesus osténdit nobis multifárias vias misericórdiæ, quæ non solum peccáta remíttit, sed ómnibus necessitátibus humánis óbviam it. Iesus se inclinávit in omnem misériam humánam, materiálem et spirituálem.
Núntius misericórdiæ Christi pérvenit ad nos contínuo in gestu mánuum Eius, quas ad hóminem doléntem tendit. Talem Christum vidit talémque homínibus ómnium continéntium prædicávit Soror Faustína, quæ cum Cracóviæ in monastério suo Lagievnicénsi latéret, vitam suam fecit hymnum in honórem misericórdiæ: Misericórdias Dómini in ætérnum cantábo (Ps 89 [88], 2).
RESPONSORIUM Ps 88 (89), 2; 102 (103), 8
R/. Misericórdias Dómini in ætérnum cantábo, * in generatiónem et generatiónem annuntiábo veritátem tuam in ore meo.
V/. Miserátor et miséricors Dóminus, longánimis et multæ misericórdiæ. * In generatiónem.
Oratio
Deus, qui sanctæ Faustínæ munus tribuísti imménsas tuæ infinítæ misericórdiæ divítias diffundéndi, ipsa intercedénte nobis concéde, ut eius exémplo de tua bonitáte plene confídere atque caritátis ópera generóse perfícere valeámus. Per Dóminum.
