View allAll Photos Tagged PLock
Partnerem projektu jest Muzeum Mazowieckie w Płocku
zdjęcia: Jacek Szycht
charakteryzacja, kostiumy: Urszula Łęczycka, Martyna Jeziorska
obsługa techniczna: Piotr Karczewski
asystent charakteryzatora: Pola Skalska
asystent kostiumografa: Małgorzata Polak
teksty: Joanna Karczmarczyk
Announcing the Hi-Fructose Collected Edition 2 Box Set!
Each limited Edition Box Set features:
- The Hi-Fructose Collected 2 Hardcover Book (cover shown below):
A thick 300+ page hardcover book expands a best of selection of material from issues 5-8 of the magazine.
Packed with intelligent interviews and exposés on leading pop surrealists, street artists and new contemporary artists, from all over the world. The Hi-Fructose Collected 2 Box Set, edited by Annie Owens and Attaboy, is a must-have addition to your personal library.
The hardcover book includes a special introduction by the infamous Long Gone John
Featuring:
Amy Sol, Lori Earley, James Jean, Audr ey Kawasaki, Mars-1 , Parskid, Brendan Danielsson, David Stoupakis, Apak, Angry Woebots, Jordan Crane, Marion Peck, Yoko d’Holbachie, Jason D’Aquino, Ken Keirns, Scott Radke, Amy Casey, Mark jenkins, Oliver Munday, Brendan Tang, Travis Louie, Brian Dettmer, Kukula, KMNDZ, Freek Drent, XiaoQing Ding, Naoto Hattori, Paul Pope, Chris Mars, Edwin Ushiro, Jonathan Wayshak, KRK Ryden, Gregory Jacobsen, Yoskay Yamamoto, Mike Rea, Ferris Plock, Oksana Badrack, Femke Heimstra, Victor Castil lo, The Taxidermy of Dr. Seuss, Esao Andrews, Robert Hardgrave, Camille Rose Garcia, Barnaby Barford, McBess and More!
- A Special 2’x2’ Fold-Out Poster by Jason Freeny
- Specially Designed Sticker Pages from Travis Lampe, Gary Baseman, & Ferris Plock!
- 5 Special Edition Prints from: Travis Louie, Audrey Kawasaki, Edwin Ushiro, Mars-1 and Yoko d’Holbachie packaged in a beautiful print portfolio with vellum artist and title pages between each print.
All contained in this solid ribbon-tied Deluxe Box Set!
The Hi-Fructose Collected 2 Box Set will be available for pre-order through hifructose.com on June 1st.
The Hi-Fructose online store has been allocated 500 copies of the run for online pre-order for early birds, so don't miss out.
A separate book-only edition (non Box Set will be also made available). That will not include the special items.
Until then, please check out the preview images below of this fantastic object d'art.
illustration by Ferris Plock
See the blog post for more info: Laughing Squid Illustration by Ferris Plock
CONGRATULATIONS to [UD]TBDrifting for taking the win, DOTZ Yasen for grabbing a second place, and PANDA for rounding out the podium
Mural Location: Heidelberg Altstadt, Plöck 13, Wichernheim
About the Artist:
juliabenz.de/about
juliabenz.de
juliabenz.de/blog
diekunstagentin.de/artists/julia-benz
Announcing the Hi-Fructose Collected Edition 2 Box Set!
Each limited Edition Box Set features:
- The Hi-Fructose Collected 2 Hardcover Book (cover shown below):
A thick 300+ page hardcover book expands a best of selection of material from issues 5-8 of the magazine.
Packed with intelligent interviews and exposés on leading pop surrealists, street artists and new contemporary artists, from all over the world. The Hi-Fructose Collected 2 Box Set, edited by Annie Owens and Attaboy, is a must-have addition to your personal library.
The hardcover book includes a special introduction by the infamous Long Gone John
Featuring:
Amy Sol, Lori Earley, James Jean, Audr ey Kawasaki, Mars-1 , Parskid, Brendan Danielsson, David Stoupakis, Apak, Angry Woebots, Jordan Crane, Marion Peck, Yoko d’Holbachie, Jason D’Aquino, Ken Keirns, Scott Radke, Amy Casey, Mark jenkins, Oliver Munday, Brendan Tang, Travis Louie, Brian Dettmer, Kukula, KMNDZ, Freek Drent, XiaoQing Ding, Naoto Hattori, Paul Pope, Chris Mars, Edwin Ushiro, Jonathan Wayshak, KRK Ryden, Gregory Jacobsen, Yoskay Yamamoto, Mike Rea, Ferris Plock, Oksana Badrack, Femke Heimstra, Victor Castil lo, The Taxidermy of Dr. Seuss, Esao Andrews, Robert Hardgrave, Camille Rose Garcia, Barnaby Barford, McBess and More!
- A Special 2’x2’ Fold-Out Poster by Jason Freeny
- Specially Designed Sticker Pages from Travis Lampe, Gary Baseman, & Ferris Plock!
- 5 Special Edition Prints from: Travis Louie, Audrey Kawasaki, Edwin Ushiro, Mars-1 and Yoko d’Holbachie packaged in a beautiful print portfolio with vellum artist and title pages between each print.
All contained in this solid ribbon-tied Deluxe Box Set!
The Hi-Fructose Collected 2 Box Set will be available for pre-order through hifructose.com on June 1st.
The Hi-Fructose online store has been allocated 500 copies of the run for online pre-order for early birds, so don't miss out.
A separate book-only edition (non Box Set will be also made available). That will not include the special items.
Until then, please check out the preview images below of this fantastic object d'art.
The Shooting Gallery Presents
Rest for the Wicked
New works by Ferris Plock
Opening Reception: Saturday, August 14, 2010 7-11pm Exhibition Dates: August 14 - September 4, 2010
Media Contact: A&O PR lainya@argotandochre.com kimberly@argotandochre.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Group Art Show
Tree Show VI at GRSF, May 15, 2010 - Jun 9, 2010
Reception: Saturday, May 15, 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm
GRSF
618 Shrader Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
gr-sf.com
415-876-4773
Giant Robot is proud to present Tree Show VI. In the tradition of its predecessors, this group exhibition will feature arbor-inspired pieces by painters, illustrators, and other creators from street art, indie comics, printmaking, design, and crafty art backgrounds
Artists will include:
Apak
Andrice Arp
Sasha Barr
Robert Bellm
Bigfoot
Blinky
Aaron Brown
Lilli Carre
Christine Castro
Ako Castuera
Louise Chen
Chris Cilla
Greg Clarke
Jen Corace
Eleanor Davis
Ryan De La Hoz
Claire Donner
Dutch Door Press
Evah Fan
Mark Giglio
Jake Gillespie
Girafa
Narangkar Glover
Pete Glover
Katherine Guillen
Pamela Henderson
Jay Horinouchi
Martin Hsu
Yellena James
Timothy Karpinski
Miran Kim
Blaise Larmee
Daniel Lim
Philip Lumbang
Monica Magtoto
Aaron Martinez
Mark Nagata
Tru Nguyen
Mylan Nguyen
Saelee Oh
Andrew Perry
Ferris Plock
Albert Reyes
Grant Reynolds
Scrappers
Deth P. Sun
Daria Tessler
Joe To
Kelly Tunstall
Leslie Winchester
Connie Wong
Chelsea Wong
Anthony Wu
Lawrence Yang
Jeni Yang
A reception featuring many of the artists will be held from 6:30 - 10:00 on Saturday, May 15. For more information about the show, GRSF, or Giant Robot magazine, please contact:
Eric Nakamura
Giant Robot Owner/Publisher
eric@giantrobot.com
(310) 479-7311
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska
The Humble Instrument
Sister Faustina was a young, uneducated, nun in a convent of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Cracow, Poland during the 1930's. She came from a very poor family that struggled on their little farm during the years of World War I. She had only three years of very simple education, so hers were the humblest tasks in the convent, usually in the kitchen or garden. However, she received extraordinary revelations or messages from Our Lord Jesus. Jesus asked Sr. Faustina to record these experiences, which she compiled in notebooks. These notebooks are known today as the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska and the words contained within are God's loving message of Divine Mercy.
Though the Divine Mercy message is not new to the teachings of the Church, Sr. Faustina's Diary sparked a great movement, and a strong and significant focus on the mercy of Christ. Pope John Paul II canonized Sr. Faustina in 2000 making her the "first saint of the new millennium." Speaking of Sr. Faustina and the importance of the message contained in her Diary, the Pope call her "the great apostle of Divine Mercy in our time."
Today, we continue to rely of Saint Faustina as a constant reminder of the message to trust in Jesus' endless mercy, and to live life mercifully toward others. We also turn to her in prayer and request her intercession to our merciful Savior on our behalf. At the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, we include the following in our 3 o'clock prayers:
Saint Faustina,
You told us that your mission would continue after your death and that you would not forget us. Our Lord also granted you a great privilege, telling you to "distribute graces as you will, to who you will, and when you will." Relying on this, we ask your intercession for the graces we need, especially for the intentions just mentioned. Help us, above all, to trust in Jesus as you did and thus to glorify His mercy every moment of our lives. Amen
thedivinemercy.org/message/stfaustina/
The Biography of Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska of the Most Blessed Sacrament
(August 25, 1905 – October 5, 1938)
An excerpt from Apostle of Divine Mercy, a biography published by the Vatican.
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, an apostle of Divine Mercy, belongs today to the group of the most popular and well-known saints of the Church.
Through her the Lord Jesus communicates to the world the great message of God's mercy and reveals the pattern of Christian perfection based on trust in God and on the attitude of mercy toward one's neighbors.
Sr. Faustina was born on August 25, 1905 in Glogowiec in Poland of a poor and religious family of peasants, the third of ten children. She was baptized with the name Helena in the parish church of Swinice Warckie. From a very tender age she stood out because of her love of prayer, work, obedience, and also her sensitivity to the poor. At the age of seven she had already felt the first stirrings of a religious vocation. Helen made her first Holy Communion at the age of nine, which was very profound moment in her awareness of the presence of the Divine Guest within her soul. She attended school for three years. After finishing school, she wanted to enter the convent but her parents would not give her permission. Being of age at sixteen, Helen left home and went to work as a housekeeper in Aleksandrów, Lodi, and Ostrówek in order to find the means of supporting herself and of helping her parents.
Helen joins Sister of Our Lady of Mercy
Helen never lost her desire for a religious vocation. After being called during a vision of the Suffering Christ, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy on August 1, 1925, and took the name Sr. Maria Faustina of the Most Blessed Sacrament. She lived in the Congregation for thirteen years in several religious houses. She spent time at Krakow, Plock and Vilnius, where she worked as a cook, gardener, and porter.
Externally nothing revealed her rich mystical interior life. She zealously performed her tasks and faithfully observed the rule of religious life. She was recollected and at the same time very natural, serene, and full of kindness and disinterested love for her neighbor. Although her life was apparently insignificant, monotonous and dull, she hid within herself an extraordinary union with God.
It is the mystery of the Mercy of God which she contemplated in the word of God as well as in the everyday activities of her life that forms the basis of her spirituality. The process of contemplating and getting to know the mystery of God's mercy helped develop within Sr. Maria Faustina the attitude of child-like trust in God as well as mercy toward her neighbors.
Sister Faustina was a faithful daughter of the Church which she loved like a Mother and the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ. Conscious of her role in the Church, she cooperated with God's mercy in the task of saving lost souls. At the specific request of and following the example of the Lord Jesus, she made a sacrifice of her own life for this very goal. In her spiritual life she also distinguished herself with a love of the Eucharist and a deep devotion to the Mother of Mercy.
The Secretary of God's Mercy
The Lord Jesus chose Sr. Maria Faustina as the Apostle and "Secretary" of His Mercy, so that she could tell the world about His great message, which Sr. Faustina recorded in a diary she titled Divine Mercy in My Soul. In the Old Covenant He said to her:
"I sent prophets wielding thunderbolts to My people. Today I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart." (Diary 1588)
In an extraordinary way, Sr. Maria Faustina's work sheds light on the mystery of the Divine Mercy. It delights not only the simple and uneducated people, but also scholars who look upon it as an additional source of theological research. The Diary has been translated into many languages, among others, English, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, Hungarian, Czech, and Slovak.
Sr. Maria Faustina, consumed by tuberculosis and by innumerable sufferings which she accepted as a voluntary sacrifice for sinners, died in Krakow at the age of just 33 on October 5, 1938, with a reputation for spiritual maturity and a mystical union with God. The reputation of the holiness of her life grew as did the cult to the Divine Mercy and the graces she obtained from God through her intercession. In the years 1965-67, the Investigative Process into her life and heroic virtues was undertaken in Krakow and in the year 1968, the Beatification Process was initiated in Rome. The latter came to an end in December 1992.
On April 18, 1993 our Holy Father, John Paul II raised St. Faustina to the glory of the altars. She was canonized on April 30, 2000. St. Maria Faustina's remains rest at the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Krakow-Lagiewniki.
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska
Revelations
The years Sr. Faustina spent at the convent were filled with extraordinary gifts, such as revelations, visions, hidden stigmata, participation in the Passion of the Lord, the gift of bilocation, the reading of human souls, the gift of prophecy, and the rare gift of mystical engagement and marriage.
The living relationship with God, the Blessed Mother, the angels, the saints, the souls in Purgatory — with the entire supernatural world — was as equally real for her as was the world she perceived with her senses. In spite of being so richly endowed with extraordinary graces, Sr. Maria Faustina knew that they do not in fact constitute sanctity. In her Diary she wrote:
"Neither graces, nor revelations, nor raptures, nor gifts granted to a soul make it perfect, but rather the intimate union of the soul with God. These gifts are merely ornaments of the soul, but constitute neither its essence nor its perfection. My sanctity and perfection consist in the close union of my will with the will of God."
(Diary 1107)
The Mission of St. Faustina
The mission of St. Faustina was recorded in her Diary which she kept at the specific request of the Lord Jesus and her confessors. In it, she recorded faithfully all of the Lord Jesus' wishes and also described the encounters between her soul and Him.
"Secretary of My most profound mystery," the Lord Jesus said to Sr. Faustina, "know that your task is to write down everything that I make known to you about My mercy, for the benefit of those who by reading these things will be comforted in their souls and will have the courage to approach Me." (Diary 1693)
Task One
Reminding the world of the truth of our faith revealed in the Holy Scripture about the merciful love of God toward every human being.
Task Two
Entreating God's mercy for the whole world and particularly for sinners, among others through the practice of new forms of devotion to the Divine Mercy presented by the Lord Jesus, such as: the veneration of the image of the Divine Mercy with the inscription: "Jesus, I Trust in You," the feast of the Divine Mercy celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter, chaplet to the Divine Mercy and prayer at the Hour of Mercy (3 pm). The Lord Jesus attached great promises to the above forms of devotion, provided one entrusted one's life to God and practiced active love of one's neighbor.
Task Three
The third task in Sr. Mary Faustina's mission consists in initiating the apostolic movement of the Divine Mercy which undertakes the task of proclaiming and entreating God's mercy for the world and strives for Christian perfection, following the precepts laid down by the Blessed Sr. Mary Faustina. The precepts in question require the faithful to display an attitude of child-like trust in God which expresses itself in fulfilling His will, as well as in the attitude of mercy toward one's neighbors. Today, this movement within the Church involves millions of people throughout the world; it comprises religious congregations, lay institutes, religious, brotherhoods, associations, various communities of apostles of the Divine Mercy, as well as individual people who take up the tasks which the Lord Jesus communicated to them through Sr. Mary Faustina.
Graces and Miracles Received
Miracles attributed to the intercession of Sr. Maria Faustina lead to her canonization on April 30, 2000. Today, people from around the world rely on St. Faustina to interceed on their behalf to Our Lord.
Miracle received by Maureen Digan
Innerly she heard Sister Faustina say: "If you ask for my help, I will give it to you."
Before the age of 15, Maureen Digan enjoyed a normal healthy life. Then she was struck down with a very serious, slowly progressive but terminal disease called lymphedima. This is a disease that does not respond to medication and does not go into remission. Within the next ten years Maureen had fifty operations and had lengthy confinements in the hospital of up to a year at a time.
Friends and relations suggested she should pray and put her trust in God. But Maureen could not understand why God had allowed her to get this disease in the first place, and had lost her faith completely. Eventually her deteriorating condition would require the amputation of one leg.
One evening while Maureen was in the hospital her husband Bob watched a film on Divine Mercy and there he became convinced of the healing powers of intercession by Sr. Faustina. Bob persuaded Maureen and the doctors that she should go to the tomb of Sr. Faustina in Poland. Together with her husband, son, and Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, MIC (a priest of the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception), they traveled to St. Faustina's tomb at the Shrine of The Divine Mercy outside Krakow, Poland. They arrived in Poland on March 23, 1981 and Maureen went to confession for the first time since she was a young girl.
At the tomb Maureen remembers saying "Okay, Faustina I came a long way, now do something." Innerly she heard Sr. Faustina say: "If you ask for my help, I will give it to you." Suddenly she thought she was losing her mind. All the pain seemed to drain out of her body and her swollen leg, which was due to be amputated shortly, went back to its normal size. When she returned to the USA she was examined by five independent doctors who came to the conclusion that she was completely healed. They had no medical explanation for the sudden healing of this incurable disease.
The accumulated evidence of this miracle was examined in consultation by five doctors appointed by the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Having passed this test it was examined by a team of theologians, and finally by a team of cardinals and bishops. The cure was accepted by all as a miracle caused by Sr. Faustina's intercession to the Divine Mercy. Sr. Faustina was beatified on April 18, 1993.
Miracle received by Fr. Ron Pytel
"I know in my heart that Faustina put in a word with Jesus, and His Heart touched mine. It's as simple as that."
On Oct. 5, 1995, the Feast Day of St. Faustina (who was then a blessed), Fr. Ron Pytel and some friends gathered for prayer at Holy Rosary Church, which is also the Baltimore archdiocesan Shrine of The Divine Mercy. After a time of prayer for the healing of his heart through Sr. Faustina's intercession, Fr. Ron venerated a relic of St. Faustina and collapsed. He felt paralyzed, but was completely at peace. A subsequent visit to his cardiologist showed that his heart had been healed.
Although he was healed through St. Faustina's intercession, Fr. Ron is quick to point out that Jesus healed him. "I know in my heart that Faustina put in a word with Jesus, and His Heart touched mine. It's as simple as that," he explained.
After almost three years of examining Fr. Ron and his medical records, doctors and theologians from the Congregation for the Cause of Saints concluded an exhaustive investigation of the healing. And on Dec. 20, 1999, Pope John Paul II ordered publication of the fact of the healing as a miracle through Sr. Faustina's intercession, leading to her canonization on Mercy Sunday, April 30, in St. Peter's Square.
Grace of Healing received by Ugo Festa
"Entrust yourself to Him and pray to my Sr. Faustina to intercede."
Ugo Festa was born in Vicenza, Italy, in 1951. He was struck down at an early age with multiple sclerosis. Gradually his health deteriorated. This led to many other problems in his young life. By the age of 39 he was suffering from muscular dystrophy and epilepsy. Early in 1990 his spine was becoming distorted and he was having seizures daily. He had been continually attending doctors since he first contracted the disease, but they could not do nothing for him. He decided there was nothing left to try but prayer.
On April 28, 1990, Ugo went with a pilgrimage to Rome. In his unfortunate situation he was introduced to Mother Teresa who was in Rome at the time with a group whom he also became acquainted with. Ugo was invited along with this group to a retreat at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Trent, but he refused. On leaving, one of the group, a nun, gave him five copies of the Divine Mercy Image and a Divine Mercy medal.
The following day, April 29, 1990, Ugo wore the medal and carried in his arms the images to be blessed by the Holy Father. At the bottom of the steps to St. Peter's the Holy Father passed by. Ugo asked him to bless his Divine Mercy images. After blessing the images the Pope asked him how he was. Ugo told him he felt very despondent and was at a crisis in his life. The Holy Father said, "How could you have a crisis with Jesus the Divine Mercy in your arms? Entrust yourself to Him and pray to my Sr. Faustina to intercede."
With this advice Ugo changed his mind and decided that he would go to the Divine Mercy shrine in Trent. At the side altar in the Villa O'Santissima Villazzano, Trent, there is a Shrine to the Divine Mercy with a life size icon of the Divine Image. On the fourth day of praying in front of this icon Ugo suddenly noticed the arms of the image stretched out to him and a tremendous warmth flowed through his body.
He found himself standing on his feet with his arms outstretched to the Lord and he heard himself loudly praising Jesus the Divine Mercy. He saw Jesus coming down to him, His white garment blowing as if in a breeze. He thought: 'My God, this is the Man from Galilee coming towards me.' He heard Jesus say in a clear voice, "Rise up and walk." Ugo began to walk. All his ailments were at that instant cured and he was more physically perfect than he had ever been in his life.
On August 19, 1990, Ugo returned to the Vatican and during a Papal Audience at Paul VI Hall, was taken to meet John Paul II. He told him about the great grace he had received and thanked him for the words of inspiration which led him to Trent, and resulted in this great miracle on that day.
Today Ugo Festa devotes his life to Jesus, voluntarily working in a hospital and spreading the Message of Divine Mercy throughout Italy.
History of the Message and Devotion to Divine Mercy
The Message of the Divine Mercy that Sr. Faustina received from the Lord was not only directed toward her personal growth in faith but also toward the good of the people. With the command of our Lord to paint an image according to the pattern that Sr. Faustina had seen, came also a request to have this image venerated, first in the Sisters' chapel, and then throughout the world. The same is true with the revelations of the Chaplet. The Lord requested that this Chaplet be said not only by Sr. Faustina, but by others: "Encourage souls to say the Chaplet that I have given you."
The same is true of the revelation of the Feast of Mercy. "The Feast of Mercy emerged from my very depths of tenderness. It is my desire that it solemnly be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the fount of My Mercy."
These requests of the Lord given to Sr. Faustina between 1931 and 1938 can be considered the beginning of the Divine Mercy Message and Devotion in the new forms.
Through the efforts of Sr. Faustina’s spiritual directors, Fr. Michael Sopocko, and Fr. Joseph Andrasz, SJ, and others—including the Marians of the Immaculate Conception—this message began to spread throughout the world.
However, it is important to remember that this message of The Divine Mercy, revealed to St. Faustina and to our present generation is not new. It is a powerful reminder of who God is and has been from the very beginning. This truth that God is in His very nature Love and Mercy Itself, is given to us by our Judeo-Christian faith and God’s self-revelation. The veil that has hidden the mystery of God from eternity was lifted by God Himself. In His goodness and love God chose to reveal Himself to us, His creatures, and to make known His eternal plan of salvation. This He had done partly through the Old Testament Patriarchs, Moses and the Prophets, and fully through His only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. In the person of Jesus Christ, conceived through power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, the unseen God was made visible.
Jesus reveals God as Merciful Father
The Old Testament speaks frequently and with great tenderness about God’s mercy. Yet, it was Jesus, who through His words and actions, revealed to us in an extraordinary way, God as a loving Father, rich in mercy and abounding in great kindness and love. In Jesus’ merciful love and care for the poor, the oppressed, the sick and the sinful, and especially in His freely choosing to take upon Himself the punishment for our sins (a truly horrible suffering and death on the Cross), so that all may be freed from destructive consequences and death, He manifested in a superabundant and radical way the greatness of God’s love and mercy for humanity. In His person as God-Man, one in being with the Father, Jesus both reveals and is God’s Love and Mercy Itself.
The message of God’s Love and Mercy is especially made known by the Gospels.
The good news revealed through Jesus Christ is that God’s love for each person knows no bounds, and no sin or infidelity, no matter how horrible, will separate us from God and His love when we turn to Him in confidence, and seek his mercy. God’s will is our salvation. He has done all on our behalf, but since He made us free, He invites us to choose Him and partake of His divine life. We become partakers of His divine life when we believe in His revealed truth and trust Him, when we love Him and remain true to His word, when we honor Him and seek His Kingdom, when we receive Him in Communion and turn away from sin; when we are mutually carrying and forgiving.
August 25, 1905 Helena Kowalska was born in Glogowiec, Poland; the third of ten children living off a small farm and her father's carpentry work.
August 27, 1905 Helana is baptized at St. Casimirís church in Swinice Warckie.
1912 At the age of seven, Helana hears a voice calling her to religious life.
1914 Helena receives first Holy Communion.
1917 Helena begins her primary education, which lasts only two and a half years.
1920 At age 15, Helena begins domestic work to support her large family.
1922 Helena returns home, announces a desire to enter convent; her parents oppose; she works two years to help support her family.
July 1924 Helena sees a vision of the scourged Christ who calls her to religious life.
Helena goes to Warsaw to search for a convent, and she works to support herself.
August 1925 Helena is accepted by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy; one month later she wants to leave for a stricter order.
April 30, 1926 Helena receives habit and her religious name Maria Faustina.
April 3, 1927 Sr. Faustina experiences spiritual dark night during novitiate.
April 16, 1928 On Good Friday, she is engulfed by the flame of Divine Love.
April 30, 1928 Sr. Faustina makes her first profession of temporary vows.
December 1928 Newly elected Mother General Michaela Moraczewska is source of help and comfort to Sr. Faustina during her religious life.
October 1928-30 Easily adaptable, Sr. Faustina is sent to work at various houses.
February 22, 1931 Sr. Faustina sees a vision of Jesus who tells her to paint His image.
May 1, 1933 Sr. Faustina takes her perpetual vows.
May 25, 1933 Sr. Faustina goes to Vilnius where she receives many mystical experiences and is assisted by Fr. Michael Sopocko, a wise spiritual director.
January 2, 1934 Sr. Faustina visits the artist Kazimirowski, who is to paint the image.
March 29, 1934 Sr. Faustina offers herself for sinners, especially those who lack trust.
June 1934 The painting of Divine Mercy is completed, but Sr. Faustina does not like it.
July 1934 Beginning of Sr. Faustina's illness; she begins writing the Diary under obedience.
April 28, 1935 (Feast of Mercy) Divine Mercy image is publicly venerated in Vilnius for the conclusion of the Jubilee Year of Redemption: January 8, 1936. Sr. Faustina informs the Bishop that Jesus requests the founding of an order.
May 11, 1936 Sr. Faustina goes to Krakow; guided by Fr. Andrasz SJ; her health deteriorates.
September 1937 Holy cards with the Divine Mercy image printed for first time.
September 1938 Sr. Faustina prepares herself for death, and she asks pardon of the Congregation.
October 5, 1938 Sr. Faustina makes final confession, and dies late in the evening.
October 7, 1938 Funeral of Sr. Faustina, burial at the convent cemetery.
1940-1941 Divine Mercy message spreads first among the victims of WWII.
April 1941 Fr. Joseph Jarzebowski, MIC, brings the Divine Mercy message to the USA and the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception begins to spread the message in Polish.
1942-1959 The Divine Mercy message spreads worldwide through the efforts of the Marians, who publish images and literature in many languages.
March 6, 1959 Holy Office issues a notification banning Divine Mercy devotion.
October 21, 1965 Informative Process of Sr. Faustina's life and virtues is opened by Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, Archbishop of Krakow, encouraged by Cardinal Ottaviani, the Prefect of the Holy Office.
September 1967 Informative Process closes; Cardinal Wojtyla sends acts to Rome, January 31, 1968. The process of Beatification of Sr. Faustina is inaugurated.
April 15, 1978 Prefect of Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith declares the Notification ban no longer binding.
October 16, 1978 Cardinal Karol Wojtyla becomes Pope John Paul II.
July 12, 1979 Marians receive an authoritative explanation of the Notification issued by the Prefect for the Doctrine of Faith stating that no impediments exist in the spread of the message and devotion to the Divine Mercy in the forms proposed by Sr. Faustina.
May 1980 Marians publish critical edition of Sr. Faustina's Diary in Polish.
November 30, 1980 Pope John Paul II issues encyclical on the Divine Mercy.
November 22, 1981 Pope John Paul II visits the Shrine of Merciful Love in Collevalenza near Todi, Italy, stating that, "Right from the beginning of my ministry in St. Peter's See in Rome, I considered this message (of Divine Mercy) my special task."
1986 Marians publish critical edition of Sr. Faustina's Diary in English.
April 10, 1991 Pope John Paul II links the encyclical's message to Sr. Faustina.
March 7, 1992 Decree of Heroic Virtues of Sr. Faustina is promulgated.
December 1992 Miracle through intercession of Sr. Faustina is accepted.
April 18, 1993 Sr. Faustina beatified in Rome on Second Sunday of Easter.
January 2000 Second miracle through Bl. Faustina intercession is accepted.
April 30, 2000 Bl. Faustina is canonized in Rome on Divine Mercy Sunday and Divine Mercy Sunday is proclaimed.
May 5, 2000 Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issues a Decree proclaiming the Second Sunday of Easter also as Divine Mercy Sunday.
December 2000 The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments listed the Devotion to the Divine Mercy in its Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy: Principles and Guidelines.
April 22, 2001 Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated officially for the first time by the universal Church.
May 13, 2001 Congregation For The Clergy issues a document: "Priest of God, you embody the Mystery of Mercy."
August 18, 2002 John Paul II consecrates the whole world to the Divine Mercy from The Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Krakow-Lagiewniki, the site of St. Faustina's tomb.
August 21, 2002 Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary issued on Indulgences attached to devotions in honor of Divine Mercy.
History of the Message and Devotion to Divine Mercy
The Marian Connection
The Divine Mercy devotion was brought to the USA from Poland by Fr. Joseph Jarzebowski, MIC, a member of the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception.
In 1941, hardly three years after the death of Sr. Faustina, The Divine Mercy devotion was brought to the USA from Poland by Fr. Joseph Jarzebowski, MIC, a member of the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception. Fr. Jarzebowski had at first been skeptical about the great graces received by those who entrusted themselves to The Divine Mercy. But, in the spring of 1940, he vowed that if he were able to safely reach his fellow Marians in America, he would spend the rest of his life spreading the Divine Mercy message and devotion. Before his departure Fr. Michael Sopocko, St. Faustina’s spiritual director, gave Fr. Jarzebowski materials on Divine Mercy that he prepared. With these materials and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Fr. Jarzebowski set out for the journey.
By 1953, some 25 million pieces of Divine Mercy literature had been distributed around the world.
After an extraordinary journey from Poland into Lithuania, then across Russia and Siberia to Vladivostok, and from there to Japan, he arrived on American soil a year later. True to his vow, he immediately began distributing information about the message and devotion with the help of the Felician Sisters in Michigan and Connecticut. His Marian confreres soon became intensely involved as well. After several years of this activity, in 1944 Fr. Walter Pelczynski, MIC, established the "Mercy of God Apostolate" on Eden Hill in Stockbridge, MA, now home of the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy and the Marian Helpers Center, a modern, religious publishing house that has become the international center for the Divine Mercy message and devotion. By 1953, some 25 million pieces of Divine Mercy literature had been distributed around the world.
Banned by the Church
Then, in 1958 and 1959, Sr. Faustina’s prophecy about the apparent destruction of the Divine Mercy work (Diary, 378) began to be fulfilled. The Holy See, having received erroneous and confusing translations of Diary entries, which it was unable to verify due to existing political conditions, forbade the spreading of the Divine Mercy message and devotion in the forms proposed by Sr. Faustina’s writings.
During the period of the ban, the Marians continued to spread devotion to God’s mercy, but, in obedience to Rome, they based the message and devotion regarding Divine Mercy on Sacred Scripture, the Liturgy, the teachings of the Church, and Our Lady’s revelations at Fatima.
The Lifting of the Ban
Twenty years later (in 1978), the ban was completely lifted, thanks to the intervention of the Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla. Through his efforts, an informative process relating to the life and virtues of Sister Faustina was begun in 1965. Its successful outcome led to the inauguration of her Beatification cause in 1968.
In a new "Notification" on April 15, 1978, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, having reviewed many original documents that were not made available to it in 1959, reversed its earlier decision and declared the 1959 prohibition 'no longer binding.'
Six months later, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II.
Prompted by the pastoral concern of His Excellency, Joseph F. Maguire, Bishop of Springfield, MA, with regard to the resuming of efforts to make the Divine Mercy message and devotion known, the Congregation of Marians asked for an authoritative explanation of the Notification of 1978. On July 12, 1979, they received a reply from the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation, stating that ‘there no longer exists, on the part of this Sacred Congregation, any impediment to the spreading of the devotion to The Divine Mercy in the authentic forms proposed by the religious Sister mentioned above [Sister Faustina Kowalska]."
Thus, in 1979 — with the local bishop’s permission — the Marians resumed their work of spreading the Divine Mercy message and devotion in the forms proposed by Sr. Faustina. The response from laity, priests, and bishops all over the world has been overwhelming, and the devotion has grown faster than anyone ever expected.
Pope John Paul II
One of the reasons for this is certainly the continued support of the Holy Father. In 1981, he published an encyclical letter entitled Rich in Mercy, in which he speaks of Christ as the "incarnation of mercy — the inexhaustible source of mercy."(8) He goes on to emphasize that "Christ’s messianic program, the program of mercy" must become "the program of His people, the program of the Church."(8)
Throughout the encyclical, the Holy Father stresses that the Church — especially in our modern times — has the "right and the duty" to "profess and proclaim God’s mercy," to "introduce it and make it incarnate" in the lives of all people, and "to call upon the mercy of God," imploring it for the whole world. (See Rich in Mercy, 12-15.)
A year after publishing Rich in Mercy, the Pope visited the Shrine of Merciful Love in Collevalenza, Italy, during his first pilgrimage outside Rome after the attempt on his life. There he emphasized that spreading the message of mercy was his "special task."
Beatification
On April 18, 1993, Pope John Paul II beatified Sr. Faustina at St. Peter’s Square in Rome. It was the first Sunday after Easter — the very day that is to be celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday, according to the Merciful Savior’s revelations to Sr. Faustina. And it was precisely John Paul II who beatified her, the very one who had initiated the Informative Process for her cause in 1965 when he was Archbishop of Krakow, Poland. The event that contributed to her beatification was Maureen Digan’s miraculous healing. Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, MIC, a Marian priest, both witnessed the miracle, as well as assisted in the beatification process by serving as Vice Postulator for her cause.
O Faustina... you were chosen by Christ to remind people of this great mystery of Divine Mercy!
In his homily, The Holy Father said: "I salute you, Sr. Faustina. Beginning today the Church calls you Blessed." O Faustina, how extraordinary your life is! Precisely you, the poor and simple daughter of Mazovia, of the Polish people, chosen by Christ to remind people of this great mystery of Divine Mercy! You bore this mystery within yourself, leaving this world after a short life filled with suffering. However, at the same time, this mystery has become a prophetic reminder to the world.
"I feel certain that my mission will not come to an end upon my death, but will begin," Sr. Faustina wrote in her diary (Diary, 281). And it truly did! Her mission continues and is yielding astonishing fruit. It is truly marvelous how her devotion to the merciful Jesus is spreading in our contemporary world and gaining so many human hearts! This is undoubtedly a sign of the times — a sign of our 20th century. The balance of this century which is now ending, in addition to the advances which have often surpassed those of preceding eras, presents a deep restlessness and fear of the future. Where, if not in The Divine Mercy, can the world find refuge and the light of hope? Believers understand that perfectly.
Canonization
On April 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Sr. Faustina as the first saint of the Great Jubilee Year.
Once again through the efforts of Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, MIC, the second miracle, the healing of Fr. Ronald Pytel, was attributed to Bl. Faustina's intercession. On April 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Sr. Faustina as the first saint of the Great Jubilee Year. And again, it was on Divine Mercy Sunday. In fact, the Holy Father also announced during his homily that the Second Sunday of Easter would now be celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday throughout the universal Church.
In his homily, the Holy Father said: "Today my joy is truly great in presenting the life and witness of Sr. Faustina Kowalska to the whole Church as a gift of God for our time. By Divine Providence, the life of this humble daughter of Poland was completely linked with the history of the 20th century, the century we have just left behind."
"In fact, it was between the First and Second World Wars that Christ entrusted His message of mercy to her. Those who remember, who were witnesses and participants in the events of those years and the horrible sufferings they caused for millions of people, know well how necessary was the message of mercy.
"Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy."
(Diary, 300)
"Jesus told Sr. Faustina: 'Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy,' (Diary, 300). Through the work of the Polish religious, this message has become linked forever to the 20th century, the last of the second millennium and the bridge to the third. It is not a new message but can be considered a gift of special enlightenment that helps us to relive the Gospel of Easter more intensely, to offer it as a ray of light to the men and women of our time.
"What will the years ahead bring us? We are not given to know. But the light of Divine Mercy, which the Lord in a way wished to return to the world through Sr. Faustina’s charism, will illumine the way for the men and women of the third Millennium. Sr. Faustina’s canonization has a particular eloquence: '... by this act I intend today to pass this message on to the new millennium.'
Special Papal blessing bestowed on the Marians
On the 70th anniversary of the revelation of the image and 60th anniversary of the Congregation of Marians’ involvement in the spread of the Message and Devotion to the Divine Mercy, the Holy Father, John Paul II sent a special apostolic blessing and a renewed call to be apostles of the Divine Mercy under the maternal guidance of Our Lady.
Now, inspired by the Mercy Pope, it is our task to spread the message of Divine Mercy in the third millennium.
Divine Mercy Sunday
Divine Mercy Sunday is the Second Sunday of the Easter season. It was named by Pope John Paul II at the canonization of St. Maria Faustina on April 30, 2000, and then officially decreed by the Vatican.
Divine Mercy Sunday can be seen as the convergence of all the mysteries and graces of Holy Week and Easter Week. It is like a multi-exposure photograph of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Week. Or we can think of it as a converging lens that focuses the light of the Risen Christ into a radiant beam of merciful love and grace for the whole world.
In fact, Jesus revealed in various revelations to St. Faustina that it was His desire that we celebrate this special feast. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy. (Diary, 699)
Our Lord revealed to St. Faustina His desire to literally flood us with His graces on that day. Just consider each of the promises and desires that He expressed about Mercy Sunday, which are recorded in the main passage of the Diary — passage 699 — about Mercy Sunday:
On that day the very depths of My tender Mercy are open.
I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon these souls who approach the Fount of My mercy [the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist].
The soul that will go to Confession [beforehand] and receive Holy Communion [on that day] shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.
On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened.
Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.
The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness.
It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter.
Forms of Devotion
The Hour of Great Mercy
In His revelations to St. Faustina, Our Lord asked for a special prayer and meditation on His Passion each afternoon at the three o’clock hour, the hour that recalls His death on the cross.
At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion (Diary, 1320).
As often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul. In this hour you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking; it was the hour of grace for the whole world — mercy triumphed over justice. (1572)
My daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; and should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant. (1572)
From these detailed instructions, it’s clear that Our Lord wants us to turn our attention to His Passion at the three o’clock hour to whatever degree our duties allow, and He wants us to ask for His mercy.
In Genesis 18:16-32, Abraham begged God to reduce the conditions necessary for Him to be merciful to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Here, Christ Himself offers a reduction of conditions because of the varied demands of our life’s duties, and He begs us to ask, even in the smallest way, for His mercy, so that He will be able to pour His mercy upon us all.
We may not all be able to make the Stations or adore Him in the Blessed Sacrament, but we can all mentally pause for a "brief instant," think of His total abandonment at the hour of agony, and say a short prayer such as "Jesus, Mercy," or "Jesus, for the sake of Your Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world."
This meditation, however brief, on Christ’s Passion brings us face-to-face with the cross, and, as Pope John Paul II writes in Rich in Mercy, "It is in the cross that the revelation of merciful love attains its culmination" (8). God invites us, the Holy Father continues, "to have ‘mercy’ on His only Son, the crucified one" (8). Thus, our reflection on the Passion should lead to a type of love for Our Lord which is "not only an act of solidarity with the suffering Son of man, but also a kind of ‘mercy’ shown by each one of us to the Son of the Eternal Father."
What are Novenas?
From an article in MARIAN HELPER magazine, Fall 1993.
If you mention novenas, you’re likely to get mixed reactions, with extremes at both ends of the scale.
Some view novenas as extraordinarily powerful prayers with guaranteed results — like a legal contract with God: if you fulfill the conditions, God grants your request.
Others feel that novenas are simply a waste of time — an outdated form of prayer practiced by overly pious people looking for spiritual magic.
As is often the case, neither extreme is accurate, though each reflects some truth. Making a novena is indeed a valid, powerful way to pray, but if misunderstood can become an act of superstition rather than prayer.
What It Is
The word “novena” comes from the Latin meaning “nine each.” It is a prayer or Holy Mass that is offered for nine consecutive days.
Scripturally, novenas take their origin from the nine days of prayer before Pentecost. After the Ascension, the apostles and disciples, in obedience to the Lord, gathered in the upper room and devoted themselves to constant prayer, together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus (Acts 1:4-5).
The nine days of prayer can also be considered as a representation of the nine months of Jesus in the womb of Mary. Like Jesus our Head, we His Body are also to be born of Mary and the Holy Spirit. The nine days of prayer were gestation prior to the birth of the Church on Pentecost. Since then, each novena can be considered as a time of gestation before a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
What It Is Not
Over the centuries, the practice of making novenas grew in popularity, and inevitably, abuses developed like weeds in a garden.
One abuse is absolute guarantees of positive results. There are no absolute guarantees. Prayer must always be made according to the will of God. Even Christ Himself prayed, “Not my will, Father, but Yours be done.”
We pray with trust that God will give us what He knows is best for us.
Another abuse is the guarantee that a particular novena will never fail if we publish the novena prayer. These mistaken ideas can often cause great confusion and lead to superstition.
Persistent Prayer
Novenas should be considered persistent prayer. Jesus exhorted us to continually ask, seek, and knock for what we need (Lk 11:10), and he gave us strong examples of the value of persistence in prayer — like the widow who kept pleading with the judge (Lk 18:1-8) and the man who woke his neighbor in the middle of the night to give him bread (Lk 11:5-9).
St. Faustina also gives us a powerful example of persistence in prayer. Novenas were an important and regular part of her spiritual life. She made novenas of different kinds and for various needs. For her they were times of intense and persevering prayer.
For us, too, novenas can be times of persevering prayer for special needs and of preparation for solemn feasts.
Novenas also can help us to focus our intentions so that we can more effectively give thanks for God’s response to our needs — whatever they are — placing ever greater trust in the Lord Jesus.
Announcing the Hi-Fructose Collected Edition 2 Box Set!
Each limited Edition Box Set features:
- The Hi-Fructose Collected 2 Hardcover Book (cover shown below):
A thick 300+ page hardcover book expands a best of selection of material from issues 5-8 of the magazine.
Packed with intelligent interviews and exposés on leading pop surrealists, street artists and new contemporary artists, from all over the world. The Hi-Fructose Collected 2 Box Set, edited by Annie Owens and Attaboy, is a must-have addition to your personal library.
The hardcover book includes a special introduction by the infamous Long Gone John
Featuring:
Amy Sol, Lori Earley, James Jean, Audr ey Kawasaki, Mars-1 , Parskid, Brendan Danielsson, David Stoupakis, Apak, Angry Woebots, Jordan Crane, Marion Peck, Yoko d’Holbachie, Jason D’Aquino, Ken Keirns, Scott Radke, Amy Casey, Mark jenkins, Oliver Munday, Brendan Tang, Travis Louie, Brian Dettmer, Kukula, KMNDZ, Freek Drent, XiaoQing Ding, Naoto Hattori, Paul Pope, Chris Mars, Edwin Ushiro, Jonathan Wayshak, KRK Ryden, Gregory Jacobsen, Yoskay Yamamoto, Mike Rea, Ferris Plock, Oksana Badrack, Femke Heimstra, Victor Castil lo, The Taxidermy of Dr. Seuss, Esao Andrews, Robert Hardgrave, Camille Rose Garcia, Barnaby Barford, McBess and More!
- A Special 2’x2’ Fold-Out Poster by Jason Freeny
- Specially Designed Sticker Pages from Travis Lampe, Gary Baseman, & Ferris Plock!
- 5 Special Edition Prints from: Travis Louie, Audrey Kawasaki, Edwin Ushiro, Mars-1 and Yoko d’Holbachie packaged in a beautiful print portfolio with vellum artist and title pages between each print.
All contained in this solid ribbon-tied Deluxe Box Set!
The Hi-Fructose Collected 2 Box Set will be available for pre-order through hifructose.com on June 1st.
The Hi-Fructose online store has been allocated 500 copies of the run for online pre-order for early birds, so don't miss out.
A separate book-only edition (non Box Set will be also made available). That will not include the special items.
Until then, please check out the preview images below of this fantastic object d'art.