SEE FURTHER BELOW FOR AN OUTLINE
OF THE DIFFERENT INTENTIONS FOR THE DIVINE MERCY NOVENA
TO BE PRAYED EACH DAY FROM APRIL 10-18, 2020

As requested by Archbishop Gagnon,
let our main intention each day be:

FOR AN END TO THE CORONAVIRUS HEALTH CRISIS
IN CANADA AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

We include in our prayers the intentions of all health care workers
and those who are struggling with the virus
and those who have died.
 

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is regularly recited on Fridays at 3:00 p.m.
in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel

(N.B.: In summertime, on First Fridays of the month the Chaplet of Divine Mercy is recited at 9:45 a.m. in the morning.)


The Chaplet of Divine Mercy

The Chaplet of Mercy is recited using ordinary rosary beads of five decades. The Chaplet may be preceded by two opening prayers from the Diary of Saint Faustina and followed by a closing prayer.

 
1.         Make the Sign of the Cross
                 
            In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.
 
2.         Optional Opening Prayers
 
            You expired, Jesus,
            but the source of life gushed forth for souls,
            and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.
            O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy,
            envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
 
            O Blood and Water,
            which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus
            as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!  (Repeat 3 times)
 
3.         Our Father
                 
            Our Father, who art in heaven,
            hallowed be thy name;
            thy kingdom come, thy will be done
            on earth as it is in heaven.
            Give us this day our daily bread,
            and forgive us our trespasses,
            as we forgive those who trespass against us;         
            and lead us not into temptation,
            but deliver us from evil.  Amen.
 
4.         Hail Mary
                 
            Hail Mary, full of grace,
            the Lord is with thee.
            Blessed art thou among women
            and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
            Holy Mary, Mother of God,
            pray for us sinners,
            now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.
 
5.         The Apostles’ Creed
 
            I believe in God,
            the Father almighty,
            Creator of heaven and earth,
            and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
            who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
            born of the Virgin Mary,
            suffered under Pontius Pilate,
            was crucified, died and was buried;
            he descended into hell;
            on the third day he rose again from the dead;
            he ascended into heaven,
            and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
            from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
            I believe in the Holy Spirit,
            the holy catholic Church,
            the communion of saints,
            the forgiveness of sins,
            the resurrection of the body,
            and life everlasting.  Amen.
 
6.         The Eternal Father
            On each “Our Father” bead of the rosary, pray:
 
            Eternal Father,
            I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity
            of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ,
            in atonement for our sins
            and those of the whole world.
 
7.         On the Ten Small Beads of Each Decade
            On each of the 10 “Hail Mary” beads, pray:
 
            For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
            have mercy on us and on the whole world.
 
8.         Repeat for the remaining decades
            Say the "Eternal Father…" on the "Our Father" bead and then 10 "For the sake of His      
            sorrowful Passion…" on the following "Hail Mary" beads.
 
9.         Conclude with Holy God
 
            Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,
            have mercy on us and on the whole world.  (Repeat 3 times)
 
10.       Optional Closing Prayer
 
            Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless
            and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible,
            look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us,
            that in difficult moments we might not despair
            nor become despondent,
            but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will,
            which is Love and Mercy itself.  Amen.
 

The History of the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy
 
In 1935, Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska received a vision of an angel sent by God to chastise a certain city. She began to pray for mercy, but her prayers were powerless. Suddenly she saw the Holy Trinity and felt the power of Jesus’ grace within her. At the same time she found herself pleading with God for mercy with words she heard interiorly: 


 
Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world; for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us. (Diary, 475)
 
As she continued saying this inspired prayer, the angel became helpless and could not carry out the deserved punishment (see 474). The next day, as she was entering the chapel, she again heard this interior voice, instructing her how to recite the prayer that our Lord later called "the Chaplet." This time, after "have mercy on us" were added the words "and on the whole world" (476). From then on, she recited this form of prayer almost constantly, offering it especially for the dying. 


 
In subsequent revelations, the Lord made it clear that the Chaplet was not just for her, but for the whole world. He also attached extraordinary promises to its recitation.
 
Encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given you (1541). Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death (687). When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the Merciful Saviour (1541). Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this Chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy (687). I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy (687). Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will. (1731) 


 
Prayed on ordinary rosary beads, The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy is an intercessory prayer that extends the offering of the Eucharist, so it is especially appropriate to use it after having received Holy Communion at Holy Mass. It may be said at any time, but our Lord specifically told Saint Faustina to recite it during the nine days before the Feast of Mercy (the first Sunday after Easter). He then added: "By this Novena, [of Chaplets] I will grant every possible grace to souls." (796) 


 
It is likewise appropriate to pray the Chaplet during the "Hour of Great Mercy" — three o'clock each afternoon (recalling the time of Christ’s death on the cross). In His revelations to Saint Faustina, Our Lord asked for a special remembrance of His Passion at that hour.
 
 
Novena to the Divine Mercy
 
A novena is typically nine days of prayer in preparation of a celebration of a feast day. At several shrines, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy Novena is recited perpetually at the Hour of Great Mercy — the three o'clock hour.  The Chaplet of Divine Mercy may be said at any time, but our Lord specifically told Saint Faustina to recite it during the nine days before the Feast of Divine Mercy (the first Sunday after Easter).

For each of the nine days of the Novena, our Lord gave Saint Faustina a different intention:
 
Day 1              Good Friday:                                    All mankind, especially sinners;
 
Day 2              Holy Saturday:                                 The souls of priests and religious;
 
Day 3              Easter Sunday:                                All devout and faithful souls;
 
Day 4              Easter Monday:                               Those who do not believe in God
                                                                                and those who do not yet know Jesus;
 
Day 5              Easter Tuesday:                              The souls who have separated themselves
                                                                                from the Church;
 
Day 6              Easter Wednesday:                        The meek and humble souls
                                                                               and the souls of little children;
 
Day 7              Easter Thursday:                            The souls who especially venerate
                                                                               and glorify Jesus’ mercy;
 
Day 8              Easter Friday:                                 The souls detained in purgatory;
 
Day 9              Easter Saturday:                            The souls who have become lukewarm. 


 

"I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fountain of My mercy, that they may draw therefrom strength and refreshment and whatever grace they have need of in the hardships of life, and especially at the hour of death."