THE SHRINE OF DIVINE MERCY
- MYSLIBÓRZ (Poland)
founded by the Servant of God Fr. Michael Sopocko in the year 1941 in Vilnius (Lithuania)
After the end of World War II and after including Lithuania
to USSR, when the compulsory population migrations from Vilnius to Poland
took place, the Sisters left Vilnius. In Poland,
after many efforts, on August 25, 1947 (the birthday of St. Sister Faustina
Kowalska) the Sisters started to live in the parish in Mysliborz - the
outpost allotted them by the apostolic administrator
in Gorzow Wielkopolski, Fr. Edmund Nowicki. About this fact they notified
Fr. Michael Sopocko
who was called by Archibichop Jalbrzykowski, arrived in Poland with the
last transport
of the emigrants from Lithuania and remained in Bialystok.
In Bialystok, Father Sopocko was working and fulfilling
pastoral service until the end of his life.
He was also in constant contact with the Sisters from Mysliborz - watching
over the founded congregation development. The Congregation, which was
named Sisters of Jesus Christ
the Merciful Savior, was accepted on the diocesan laws on 6th of August
1955.
On August 21, 1955, the first perpetual vows took place in the already
legally existed congregation.
Fr. Zygmunt Szelazek, in the presence of Fr. Michael Sopocko, accepted
the vows. The new stage of the congregation’s history began.
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6th of August 1955. Sisters put on nun habits.
On the occasion of this solemnity, Fr. Joseph
Andrasz, the Cracow confessor of Saint Faustina,
has sent to the Sisters his wishes and a fragment of Saint Faustina’s
DIARY, concerning the new congregation. At that time none of the Sisters
knew its content, because it was preserved by
the Sisters "Magdalenki" in Cracow. In
the DIARY of Saint sister Faustina is explicitly written
the purpose and spirituality of the new religious community coming from
Lord Jesus’ words:
"God demands that there be a Congregation which will proclaim the mercy of God
to the world and, by its prayers, obtain it for the world" (Diary, 436)."... I saw Jesus in all His unspeakable beauty. He said to me that He desired that such a Congregation be funded as soon as possible, and you shall live in it together with your companions. My Spirit shall be the rule of your life. Your life is to be modeled on Mine, from the crib to My death on the Cross. Penetrate My mysteries, and you will know the abyss of My mercy towards creatures and My unfathomable goodness - and this you shall make known to the world. Through your prayers, you shall mediate between heaven and earth" (Diary, 438).
"Your purpose and that of your companions is to unite yourselves with me as closely as possible; through love You will reconcile earth with heaven, you will soften the just anger of God, and you will plead for mercy for the world. I place in your care two pearls very precious to My Heart: these are the souls of priests and religious. You will pray particularly for them; their power will come from your diminishment" (Diary, 531).
"I desire that there be such a Congregation" (Diary, 437).
In 1973 (two years before death of it’s founder Fr. Michael Sopocko)
the congregation obtained
a new name of Sisters of Merciful Jesus. The Congregation of Sisters of
Merciful Jesus leads
the apostolic activity, trying to answer for the actual needs of the Church.
At the present time
the Sisters from this congregation spread of devotion of the Merciful
Jesus and obtain by prayer Divine Mercy for the world in 33 religious
houses in Poland and abroad. They lead a hospice,
a house of the protection of life conceived, where they proclaim retreats
and catechise.
In each house of the Congregation
of Sisters of Merciful Jesus,
the Hour of Saviour's death is worshipped every day
- THE HOUR OF MERCY
"In this hour you can obtain everything
for yourself and for others simply by asking;
it was the hour of grace for the whole world - mercy triumphed over justice"
(Diary, 1572).
(see - the
Hour of Mercy)
"Almost everything that Sister Faustina foretold regarding the matter of the Congregation precisely happened. When I accepted the private vows of the first six sisters on November 16, 1944, in Vilnius at night or when three years later I came to the first house of this Congregation in Mysliborz, I was amazed by the striking similarity with what late Sister Faustina had told me (...) I noticed in the altar’s nave a slightly broken stain glass window. This stain glass window portrayed Jesus’ death on the cross. I gazed at it with joy and amazement, because Sister Faustina spoked to me of such a church and stain glass window" (Fr. Michael Sopocko).
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The church of the Saint Cross
in Mysliborz, built in 1905 (the year of Saint Faustina’s birth)
by the Polish workers as the only Catholic Church on German grounds in
the neighborhood.
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The stained glass window in the main altar of the
church of Saint Cross,
about which Saint Faustina told Father Sopocko.
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The Mother House of the Congregation
of the Sisters of Merciful Jesus in Mysliborz (Poland).
THE SANCTUARY OF DIVINE MERCY - Retreat House
On August 1, 1993 archibishop Marian Przykucki solemnly brought to the
convent in Mysliborz,
St Faustina’s relics. On this day by his decree, the church and the
convent was made
the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy.
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New Congregation House in Mysliborz.
A building with its full equipment was gifted by Mr. Roman Kluska (polish
bussinesman) in 2003
- as the house of the monastic formation of Sisters.
On February 14, 2004 in Mysliborz,
archibishop Zygmunt Kaminski consecrated the new congregation home
and the chapel of the name of JESUS KING OF MERCY.
"I
saw the convent of the new Congregation.
It
was a large and spacious building.
I went from room to room, observing everything.
I saw that God’s Providence had provided for all that was necessary”
(Diary, 1154).
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