By Paul Suski –
“Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy” (Diary, 300)
When we think about the Divine Mercy image or chaplet it is difficult to overlook the powerful influence of the remarkable individuals of faith Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938) and Blessed Michael Sopocko (1888-1975), a Polish Roman Catholic priest and professor at Vilnius University. He is best known as the spiritual director of Faustina Kowalska.
Blessed Michael (Michał) came into the world in Nowosady, a village near Wilno (Vilnius). Growing up in a devout and patriotic environment, Michael was deeply influenced by his religious upbringing. Fueled by a profound calling to serve God and the Church unconditionally, he embarked on a path that led him to the Major Seminary. On June 15, 1914, he was ordained as a priest, marking a significant milestone in his journey. In his pursuit of knowledge, he went on to earn a doctorate in moral theology from the University of Warsaw. Afterwards he became the Spiritual Director of the Seminary in Wilno.
Throughout his extensive life, Father Sopocko suffered innumerable setbacks and constant ridicule for promoting the message of Divine Mercy. However, Faustina`s visions not only enabled him to discern God’s plan but also reinforced his staggering faith. His life serves as a testament to the notion that extraordinary divine intervention is frequently necessary for the manifestation of God’s magnificent works.
Jesus first appeared to St. Faustina Kowalska on Feb. 22, 1931. From that day on, she repeatedly experienced mystical visions of Jesus but no one believed her. It was a heavy cross to bear, and she prayed to God that someone would be sent to her to help sort through everything and transmit the messages she was receiving.
On one occasion she records in her Diary how her prayer was answered.
“One day I saw him in our chapel between the altar and the confessional and suddenly heard a voice in my soul say, “This is the visible help for you on earth. He will help you carry out My will on earth.” (Diary, 53)
Initially Fr. Sopocko disregarded her story and subjected her to a test, by making Sister Faustina, with the permission of the Superior, look for another confessor. After some time, the nun came back to him and said that she would endure anything, but she would never leave him again.
From the time Fr. Sopocko became Sister Faustina`s confessor she never stopped amazing him. For example, it was a complete surprise for him that she had known he was going to resign from his role as confessor to the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, despite the fact that priest had not revealed this to anyone. One day she came to dissuade him from doing so. Many of her numerous prophecies concerning Fr. Sopocko were to be fulfilled later.
Sister Faustinas mission to proclaim the message of Divine Mercy to the world was inextricably linked with Fr. Sopocko. Together, they have become an integral part of the Church's spiritual map. As Sister Faustina had prophesied, her earthly journey came to an end, but it was then that Fr. Sopockos role become pivotal, serving as the linchpin in the widespread propagation of this vital message.
On Friday April 26, 1935, he gave his first sermon on Divine Mercy, and he unveiled the first image of Divine Mercy painted by Eugeniusz Kazimierowski on Sunday, April 28, 1935, which was the Second Sunday of Easter, the day Jesus asked to be named “Divine Mercy Sunday.”
In paragraph 90, Jesus unfolds to Sister Faustina much of the suffering that the priest was to endure.
“One day, I saw interiorly how much my confessor would have to suffer: friends will desert you while everyone will rise up against you and your physical strength will diminish. I saw you as a bunch of grapes chosen by the Lord and thrown into the press of suffering. Your soul, Father, will at times be filled with doubts about this work and about me.
I saw that God Himself seemed to be opposing [him], and I asked the Lord why He was acting in this way toward him, as though He were placing obstacles in the way of his doing what He Himself had asked him to do.”
Tomorrow: Establishing the Feast of the Divine Mercy