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What's Up With Faustina's Divine Mercy Devotion?

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What's Up With Faustina's Divine Mercy Devotion?

Unanswered Questions & Things You May Not Know

By M/M Anthony

Note: Passages from Faustina's diary relative to certain points made below are contained at the end of this article [scroll down or click link below to view diary passages]. According to the author, passages provided herein may represent a small sampling of related passages & passages provided may be partial and in no particular order. Author indicates that the article relies on a free online version of Faustina's diary for the text below, along with some minor changes (for example, spelling, capitalization and punctuation changes, merged paragraphs, etc.). For easier reading, we have formatted various items below and we have provided additional links and a loose outline below.

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Author's Note:

Before beginning this article, please understand that this is certainly not intended as a treatise against St. Faustina. Based on her diary, St. Faustina apparently does love God much, suffer much, and say many humble things. She claims a deep closeness with God and is apparently absorbed in pleasing Him according to what she sees as His will. This article is also not about whether or not one likes Faustina's message (who wouldn't like a message of mercy?). This is plainly a call to look at the facts concerning this devotion objectively and with an open mind. Admittedly, it won't be popular to pose questions about this well-loved devotion, but what should be feared if one is honestly seeking the truth?

Gaining much popularity in the Catholic Church today is Sister Faustina's (now St. Faustina's) heavily promoted 'Divine Mercy' devotion which is based on mystical experiences she reports in her diary. Although this Polish nun's devotion was first condemned by the Church, it was later 'revived' by (the also Polish) Pope John Paul II. (More on that later.) Despite the great popularity of the devotion, however, few people may know what's really in Faustina's full writings (devotees may typically rely on short summaries), fewer still may have looked at such writings critically. For example, many people have no clue that her 200,000+ word diary contains...

· contradictions (see below, #A1)

[e.g. about sisters not being in purgatory | about everything being pleasing to God | about her not having self-concern | different souls who uphold the world | about her not being judged | that she could thwart God's plans | doubts | etc.]

· factual errors / inaccuracies (see below, #A2)

[e.g. re: the Ascension | receiving viaticum yet not dying | difficulties prove a work is God's | would not remain in congregation | angels/time of mercy | reason for Satan being thrown out of heaven | etc.]

· exaggerations (see below, #A3)

· prophecies that do not materialize (see below, #A4)

[e.g. about her being in the new congregation | about her wearing the habit of the new congregation | about her seeing the Feast of mercy implemented]

· scandalous actions (see below, #A5)

[e.g. forced baptism of adult Jewish woman | a seemingly sacrilegious confession | Faustina's self-admitted lying/misrepresenting herself]

· theological problems / faulty theology (see below, #A6)

[e.g., mercy depending on trust rather than sorrow for sins | God's 'greatest attribute' | supposed 'right' to mercy | everyone fulfills His will | bad actions not bad based on intention | etc.)

· bad / dangerous advice (see below, #A7)

[e.g. about not calling priest when dying | about presumption | about following interior inspirations]

· disturbing images (see below, #A8)

· an inconceivable attempt to impose new doctrine / promote dangerous practices (see below, #A9)

[e.g. threatens hell for those who do not adore God's mercy | call to trust in mercy as apparent substitute for repentance | etc.]

· uncharacteristic behavior & speech attributed to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, etc. (see below, #A10)

[e.g. uncharacteristic way they talk | uncharacteristic physical closeness | transparent clothing / uncovered head | calling female 'Apostle' | strange requests | 'taking her heart' | tasking her with instructing superiors and priests | etc.]

· fanciful descriptions that do not seem possible in the literal sense (see below, #A11)

· etc.

...and that she attributes much of this (contradictions, errors, disturbing images, theological problems, etc.) to God himself!

Few people may know that Faustina claimed to have seen Jesus...

· on the ceiling (see Diary, par. 383)

· sitting in [!] the chalice

("I saw the Infant Jesus who, with hands outstretched toward us, was sitting in the chalice being used at Holy Mass", Diary, par. 1346)

· on the curtain

("...and on the curtain I saw the very sorrowful Face of Jesus. There were open wounds on His Face, and large tears were falling on my bedspread", Diary, par. 19)

· sitting at the table waiting for her (see Diary, par. 1782)

· running on the altar

("A moment later, the Infant Jesus ran with joy to the center of the altar", Diary, par. 677)

· playfully on the altar (see Diary, par. 312)

· on the altar turning the pages of her diary

("I saw the Lord Jesus on the altar, in a white garment, His hand holding the notebook in which I write these things. Throughout the entire meditation Jesus kept turning the pages of the notebook", Diary, par. 459)

· with her (not the priest!) in the confessional (see Diary, par. 654)

· at her side (see Diary, par. 9, 40, 960)

· next to her kneeler (see Diary, par. 526)

· resting in her hands

("I saw the little Jesus, who came out from the Host and rested in my hands.", Diary, par. 406)

· holding on to her kneeler (as an infant!)

("...the Infant Jesus standing by my kneeler and holding on to it with His two little hands.", Diary, par. 566)

· leaning over her

("I saw the Lord Jesus leaning over me, and He asked, My daughter, what are you writing?", Diary, par. 1693)

· speaking to her from the tabernacle

("I brought my head close to the tabernacle, knocked [!] and said, "Jesus, look at the great difficulties I am having because of the painting of this image." And I heard a voice from the tabernacle, My daughter, your sufferings will not last much longer.", Diary, par. 152)

· in a brightness "greater than the light of the sun"

("I saw Jesus in a brightness greater than the light of the sun.", Diary, par. 1669)

· in her soul

("Often during Mass, I see the Lord in my soul", Diary, par. 411)

· in the sky

("I saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the sky", Diary, par. 1796)

· with "Precious pearls and diamonds...pouring forth from the wound in His Heart"

("Today I saw the Crucified Lord Jesus. Precious pearls and diamonds were pouring forth from the wound in His Heart.", Diary, par. 1687)

· etc.

She claims she sees or hears Jesus all the time - but no one else who is there sees or hears Him. Furthermore, all of heaven seems immediately on call to answer Faustina's questions and assist her whenever she needs anything - no matter how mundane. And some are also uncharacteristically close with her physically (e.g. Jesus snuggling, Mary holding her close to herself). She alleges visions, voices or special encounters with...

· God the Father (e.g. see Diary, par. 60, 626)

· The Holy Trinity (e.g. see Diary, par. 27, 451, 474, 1670)

· Jesus (as infant, as crucified, in a great brightness, etc.) (see Diary, par. 648, 659, 675, etc., etc.)

· Blessed Virgin Mary (see Diary, par. 11, 25, 33, 182, etc., etc.)

· St. Joseph (see Diary, par. 608, 846, 1203, 1442)

· Disciples (referring to those alive when Jesus walked the earth) (see Diary, par. 642)

· Guardian Angel (see Diary, par. 20, 314, 419, etc.)

· Satan / devils (even "a great multitude of demons") (see Diary, par. 173, 411, 418, 520, 741, etc.)

· St. Peter (see Diary, par. 1044)

· The Pope (see Diary, par. 368, 1044, 1080)

· St. Michael (see Diary, par. 706)

· St. Barbara (see Diary, par. 1251)

· St. Ignatius (see Diary, par. 448)

· Souls in purgatory (see Diary, par. 20, 58, etc.)

· a 'multitude of malicious figures' (see Diary, par. 416)

· one of the seven spirits that stand before the throne of God (see Diary, par. 471)

· an angel, the executor of divine wrath (see Diary, par. 474)

· the throne of the Lamb of God and before the throne three Saints: Stanislaus Kostka, Andrew Bobola and Prince Casimir, who were interceding for Poland. (see Diary, par. 689)

· pictures that come to life (see Diary, par. 529, 851)

· a crucifix on her breast that comes to life

("I went for five- minute adoration, when suddenly I saw the crucifix I have on my breast come alive. Jesus said to me...", Diary, par. 669)

· another crucifix that comes to life

("Then I looked at the crucifix and saw that Jesus. head was turned towards the refectory, and His lips were moving", Diary, par. 352)

· Cenacle (see Diary, par. 684)

· Apostles (see Diary, par. 757, 1710)

· heaven (see Diary, par. 777)

· angels (see Diary, par. 394, 630)

· angels singing in various tones (see Diary, par. 1111)

· spirits

("Then I saw one of the seven spirits near me, radiant as at other times, under a form of light. I constantly saw him beside me when I was riding on the train. I saw an angel standing on every church we passed, but surrounded by a light which was paler than that of the spirit who was accompanying me on the journey, and each of these spirits who were guarding the churches bowed his head to the spirit who was near me.", Diary, par. 630)

· saints (see Diary, par. 683, 1604)

· a Seraph who gave her Holy Communion more than a dozen times (see Diary, par. 1676)

· a Cherub to guard the gate

("I saw a little white cloud and, in it, a Cherub with his hands joined", Diary, par. 1271)

· an angel who sings out her whole life history

("Then I heard an angel who sang out my whole life history and everything it comprised. I was surprised, but also strengthened.", Diary, par. 1202) [Note: She does not indicate that the angel's singing out her whole life history took very long]

· the stable of Bethlehem filled with great radiance where the blessed Virgin Mary was wrapping Jesus in swaddling clothes while Saint Joseph slept (see Diary, par. 1442)

· hell (see Diary, par. 741)

· purgatory (see Diary, par. 412)

· dead/dying people (see Diary, par. 314, 515, etc.)

· a huge crowd of disciples (see Diary, par. 1710 )

· an "infinite [!] multitude of souls" who were praising His goodness (see Diary, par. 1681)

· the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the sky (see Diary, par. 1796)

· birds

("...the birds were singing and chirping their adoration of God and said to me, 'Rejoice and be happy, Sister Faustina'", Diary, par. 1120)

("The next day, during Holy Mass, I saw three white doves soaring from the altar toward heaven", Diary, par. 748) [Note: The doves here are apparently symbolic of human souls, unlike in the New Testament where the Holy Spirit is represented as a dove]

She supposedly...

· has visions (numerous times in Diary)

· hears voices (numerous times in Diary)

· talks with Jesus (numerous times in Diary)

· touches Jesus (numerous times in Diary)

· receives special knowledge / 'divine illuminations' (numerous times in Diary)

· embraces dead people (see Diary, par. 594)

· holds Jesus' hand

("and Jesus gave me His hand, sat me at His side", Diary, par. 1563)

· is "clasped" by Jesus to His Heart (see Diary, par. 928)

· sits next to Jesus / sits by Jesus' side (for example, see Diary, par. 431)

· throws herself into Jesus' arms (see Diary, par. 1824)

· holds the infant Jesus who talks to her

("Today during Holy Mass, I saw the Infant Jesus near my kneeler. He appeared to be about one year old, and He asked me to take Him in my arms. When I did take Him in my arms, He cuddled up close to my bosom and said, It is good for Me to be close to your heart.", Diary, par. 1481)

· reproaches a saint (see Diary, par. 448)

· is drawn into the bosom of the Most Holy Trinity (see Diary, par. 1670)

· is left alone with the infant Jesus in Bethlehem

("I saw the stable of Bethlehem filled with great radiance. The Blessed Virgin, all lost in the deepest of love, was wrapping Jesus in swaddling clothes, but Saint Joseph was still asleep. Only after the Mother of God put Jesus in the manger, did the light of God awaken Joseph, who was also praying. But after a while, I was left alone with the Infant Jesus who stretched out His little hands to me, and I understood that I was to take Him in my arms. Jesus pressed His head against my heart and gave me to know, by His profound gaze, how good He found it to be next to my heart.", Diary, par. 1442)

· is left alone with the infant Jesus after Mary and St. Joseph hand Him off to her and suddenly disappear

("Just then, I saw Our Lady with the Infant Jesus, and the Holy Old Man [St. Joseph] standing behind them. The most holy Mother said to me, Take My Dearest Treasure, and She handed me the Infant Jesus. When I took the Infant Jesus in my arms, the Mother of God and Saint Joseph disappeared. I was left alone with the Infant Jesus.", Diary, par. 608)

· experiences & lives through the whole Passion of Jesus instantly in her heart (see Diary, par. 1663)

· takes 'her place'[!] on the altar (see Diary, par. 31)

· receives instant answers / assistance (numerous times in diary)

· receives special instruction and embraces from Jesus & Mary (numerous times in diary)

Sometimes in apparent contrast to the known Jesus (who is the same "yesterday, today, and forever", Heb. 13:8), Faustina's version of Jesus is... [Note: for sample passages relating to these items, see below, #B]

· doting / attentive / "captivated" (see below)

· rather weak / a pushover, who bends to her desires and whose hands can be "tied" (see below)

· preferential / picks favorites (see below)

· sensitive (see below)

· constantly reassuring / consoling / comforting / cheering her on (see below)

· sad (see below)

· complaining (see below)

· still suffering (see below)

· desperate sounding (see below)

· in need of help (see below)

· ostensibly lacking some knowledge (he asks questions, he is 'looking for souls' to lavish graces on) (see below)

· capable of being "surprised" and "very surprised" (see below)

· reluctant to exercise justice (see below)

· talkative during Mass (even as an infant) (see below)

· repetitive (see below)

· an 'Indian giver' (see below)

· and one who gives instant feedback (see below)

· tries to delay suffering (see below)

· 'demands' a lot (see below) [her diary speaks of God 'demanding' various things from her, yet I do not see in Scripture where Jesus ever told anyone personally that he 'demanded' something in particular from them]

· discloses new doctrine (see below)

· speaks uncharacteristically (see below)

· lavishes praise on Faustina (see below)

· tasks her with instructing priests & superiors (see below)

· and is someone who would make odd requests, impersonate a priest, and who would seem to prefer Faustina's company rather than being in heaven (see below)

· and who blesses her pen, moves a cloud to increase her comfort, instructs her in interpersonal communication, advises her regarding eating, arranges a retreat for her, has a private room prepared for her, helps her with her chores, offers her a new world to live in, promises her a permanent income... (see below)

Faustina herself seems... [Note: For sample passages relating to these items, see below, #C]

· overly dramatic (see below)

· pretty sensitive (see below)

· emotional (see below)

· insensitive to other's concerns with respect to herself (she seems unable to see things from their perspective) (see below)

· rather easily annoyed (see below)

· somewhat self-centered (e.g. about how people treat her, about what she suffers for others, about how people don't trust her alleged visions) (e.g. try here, here, and here)

· up and down a lot ('an emotional roller coaster') (see below)

· to need a lot of reassurance (see below)

· sometimes lacking in fear of the Lord (see below)

· to lack normal reactions to having a life filled with alleged supernatural events/promises (humdrum, day to day - yet she claims to be united with God like no other person before and to have a special closeness, a more intimate relationship with Jesus than all others) (see below)

· naïve / credulous / not discerning (see below)

· narcissistic (self-important in her alleged mission, talks about the good she does, reproaches a saint) (see below)

· seems to live in another world where visions are constant/common and normal (even if their content is disturbing and uncharacteristic of the alleged participants - where the Almighty God and the Mother of God & others are always at her beck and call for whatever her need may be) and those who question the alleged appearances just don't understand the graces she's received or they're in league with the devil (see below)

· sometimes weepy, yet more powerful than heavenly beings - she was even able to make an angel, the executor of divine wrath 'helpless', and she was able to calm storms, etc. (see below)

· sometimes out of touch with reality / strange sense of reality (see below)

· to have visions of grandeur (see below)

· to mention her sufferings and mistreatment a lot (see below)

Yet she claims many special graces and a special closeness with & praise from God and others. For example...

· She claims that Jesus is uniting Himself with her "so intimately as with no other creature"

("I suddenly saw the Lord Jesus, who spoke these words to me...That is why I am uniting Myself with you so intimately as with no other creature.", Diary, par. 707)

· She claims that she won't undergo judgment

("I heard this voice in my soul: From today on, do not fear God's judgment, for you will not be judged.", Diary, par. 374)

· She claims that the Blessed Virgin Mary has a "special and exclusive" relationship with her by God's command

("Before Holy Communion I saw the Blessed Mother inconceivably beautiful. Smiling at me She said to me, My daughter, at God's command I am to be, in a special and exclusive way your Mother", Diary, par. 1414)

· She claims that St. Michael the Archangel is to take "special care" of her by order of God

("On the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, I saw by my side that great Leader, who spoke these words to me: "The Lord has ordered me to take special care of you.", Diary, par. 706)

· She claims St. Joseph gives her "special help and protection"

("Saint Joseph urged me to have a constant devotion to him. He himself told me to recite three prayers [the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be] and the Memorare once every day. He looked at me with great kindness and gave me to know how much he is supporting this work [of mercy]. He has promised me this special help and protection. I recite the requested prayers every day and feel his special protection.", Diary, par. 1203)

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· She claims she has "first place" among the virgins [there is not even a mention here of the Blessed Virgin Mary!]

("I see your love, so pure and true that I give you first place among the virgins.", Diary, par. 282)

· She claims that "one of the seven spirits who stand before the throne of God day and night and give Him ceaseless praise" accompanies her everywhere

("This spirit does not leave me for a single moment, but accompanies me everywhere.", Diary, par. 471)

· She claims to have seen "the grandeur and the inconceivable holiness of God"

("Suddenly, my spirit was united with God, and in that instant I saw the grandeur and the inconceivable holiness of God", Diary, par. 471)

· She claims to "know the entire essence [!] of God"

("in one moment, I come to know the entire essence of God.", Diary, par. 770)

· She claims she felt "totally immersed" in God and "penetrated by" God

("once again the majesty of God overwhelmed me. I felt that I was immersed in God, totally immersed in Him and penetrated by Him", Diary, par. 491)

· She claims Jesus allowed her to "penetrate His interior"

("Jesus allowed me to penetrate His interior", Diary, par. 757)

· She claims Jesus had her "very much" on His mind 2,000 years ago when he instituted the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday

("During the June devotions, the Lord said to me, My daughter, My favor rests in your heart. When on Holy Thursday I left Myself in the Blessed Sacrament, you were very much on My mind.", Diary par. 1774)

· She claims Jesus called her a "sweet grape" and that he wants "others to have a share in the juice that is flowing within (her)"

("During one conference, Jesus said to me, You are a sweet grape in a chosen cluster; I want others to have a share in the juice that is flowing within you.", Diary par. 393)

· She claims Jesus offered to instantly create "a new world" for her to live in

("Once, I suddenly saw Jesus in great majesty, and He spoke these words to me: My daughter, if you wish, I will this instant create a new world, more beautiful than this one, and you will live there for the rest of your life.", Diary, par. 587)

· She claims Jesus took off his golden girdle and tied it around her waist

("Jesus appeared suddenly at my side clad in a white garment with a golden girdle around His waist, and He said to me, I give you eternal love that your purity may be untarnished and as a sign that you will never be subject to temptations against purity. Jesus took off His golden cincture and tied it around my waist.", Diary, par. 40)

· She claims Jesus took her heart

("On my way back, as I was passing close to the little chapel, I saw Jesus standing in the doorway. He said to me, Go ahead, but I am taking your heart. Suddenly I felt that I had no heart in my chest.", Diary, par. 42)

· She claims she has saved "so many" souls from damnation and that Satan therefore burns with a "particular hatred" for her

("I heard a voice in my soul, You are united to Me; fear nothing. But know, my child, that Satan hates you; he hates every soul, but he burns with a particular hatred for you, because you have snatched so many souls from his dominion.", Diary, par. 412)

· She claims to have relived the Mother of God's interior sentiments

("I relived her interior sentiments.", Diary, par. 182)

· She claims to have been enveloped by "God's presence", "His majesty", "God's omnipotence", "His Trinitarian Being", etc.

(see Par. 252, 259, 409, 574, 629, 635, 644, 715, 1056, etc.)

· She claims she was "instantly snatched up before the Throne of God"

("I was instantly snatched up before the Throne of God.", Diary, par. 474)

· She claims to have "intimate knowledge" of the Lord and a "mutual understanding" with Jesus that no one can comprehend

("I would not want to change places even with a Seraph, as regards the interior knowledge of God which He Himself has given me. The intimate knowledge I have of the Lord is such as no creature can comprehend, particularly, the depth of his mercy that envelops me.", Diary, par. 1049)

("Our hearts have a mutual understanding, and no one of humankind will comprehend this.", Diary, par. 478)

· She claims special communication with the dying (for example, see Diary, par. 835)

· She claims to have known "more distinctly, than ever before, the Three divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" (see Diary, par. 472)

· She claims that she was a consolation to Jesus in the Garden of Olives

("My daughter, know that your ardent love and the compassion you have for Me were a consolation to Me in the Garden [of Olives].", Diary, par. 1664)

· She claims an "uninterrupted communion with Jesus" for an entire retreat

("Throughout the whole retreat, I was in uninterrupted communion with Jesus and entered into an intimate relationship with Him with all the might of my heart.", Diary, par. 467)

· She claims that her soul was filled with a surge of light

("a surge of light filled my soul", Diary, par. 1617)

· She claims God's presence penetrated her "completely in a way that could be sensed", and that her "spirit was flooded with light" and that her "body participated in this as well"

("His presence penetrated me completely in a way that could be sensed. My spirit was flooded with light, and my body participated in this as well.", Diary, par. 627)

· She claims she feels the "constant presence of God" "without any effort"

("I feel the constant presence of God without any effort of my soul.", Diary, par. 411)

· She claims Jesus' presence accompanies her "everywhere"

("I go everywhere with Jesus; His presence accompanies me everywhere.", Diary, par. 486)

· She claims she experienced "the whole ocean and abyss of [God's] fathomless mercy"

("the Lord gave me to experience the whole ocean and abyss of His fathomless mercy.", Diary, par. 1073)

· She claims she's seen the Lord "in all His majesty"

("I saw the Lord Jesus in all His majesty", Diary, par. 1246)

· She claims the Blessed Virgin Mary instructed her about the will of God and how to apply it

("...the Most Holy Mother who instructed me about the will of God and how to apply it to my life", Diary, par. 1244)

· She claims to have been united "in a particular way" with God and the Blessed Virgin Mary

("During Holy Mass today, I was united in a particular way with God and His Immaculate Mother.", Diary, par. 843)

· She says she distinctly feels a "power" defending and protecting her from the blows of the enemy

("I feel that there is a power which is defending me and protecting me from the blows of the enemy. It guards and defends me. I feel it very distinctly; it is as if I am being shielded by the shadow of his wings.", Diary, par. 1799)

· She claims to be "intimately" united with Jesus, and that their hearts "understand each other"

("O my Lord and Creator, You alone, beyond all these gifts, give Your own Self to me and unite Yourself intimately with Your miserable creature. Here, without searching for words, our hearts understand each other.", Diary, par. 1692)

· She claims Jesus unites Himself with her closer than with anyone else

("Then I heard these words: With no other soul do I unite Myself as closely and in such a way as I do with you", Diary, par. 587)

· She claims Jesus is "wounded" more by a mere "glance" of hers directed at someone other than Himself than He is by "many sins[!]" committed by someone else

("On one occasion, I heard these words within me: Every movement of your heart is known to Me. Know, My daughter, that once glance of yours directed at someone else would wound Me more than many sins committed by another person.", Diary, par. 588)

· She claims a more intimate relationship with Jesus than the angels have

("I heard these words in my soul: You are My spouse forever; your chastity should be greater than that of the angels, for I call no angel to such intimacy as I do you.", Diary, par. 534)

· She claims "the whole mystery" depended on her that God "waited" for her consent

("the Lord gave me to know that the whole mystery depended on me... I felt that God was waiting for my word, for my consent.", Diary, par. 136)

· She claims God's presence "pervaded" her soul, that she was "plunged into the ocean of His divinity" and that "all that exists" is hers

("When I approached the altar, God's presence pervaded my soul, I was plunged into the ocean of His divinity, and Jesus said to me, My daughter, all that exists is yours.", Diary, par. 969)

· She claims to "often" receive "light and the knowledge of the interior life of God and of God's intimate disposition"

("I often receive light and the knowledge of the interior life of God and of God's intimate disposition", Diary, par. 1102)

· She claims to receive "sudden lights" which allow her to know things as God does

("These are sudden lights which permit me to know things as God sees them, regarding matters of both the interior and the exterior world.", Diary, par. 733)

· She claims the Blessed Virgin Mary is "always" with her

("She alone is always with me. She, like a good Mother, watches over all my trials and efforts.", Diary, par. 798)

· She claims long periods of being united with God

("I felt that I am closely united to the Godhead. His omnipotence enveloped my whole being. Throughout the whole day I felt the closeness of God in a special manner; and although my duties prevented me throughout the whole day from going to chapel even for a moment, there was not a moment when I was not united with God. I felt Him within me more distinctly than ever.", Diary, par. 346)

· She claims Jesus brought her into "close intimacy" with Him, and that all that concerns His Being was imparted into her

("And He brought me into such close intimacy with Himself that my heart was espoused to His Heart in a loving union, and I could feel the faintest stir of His Heart and he, of mine. The fire of my created love was joined to the ardor of His eternal love. This one grace surpasses all others in its immensity. His Trinitarian Being enveloped me entirely, and I am totally immersed in Him. My littleness is, as it were, wrestling with this Immortal Might One. I am immersed in incomprehensible love and incomprehensible torture because of His Passion. All that concerns His Being is imparted to me also.", Diary, par. 1056)

· She claims Jesus told her she was doing God's will perfectly and that He was uniting Himself with her in a "special and intimate way"

("And Jesus told me that I was doing the will of God perfectly ...and for this reason I am uniting Myself with you and communing with you in a special and intimate way.", Diary, par. 603)

· She feels she is the object of God's "special action" and there is a special mystery that distinguishes her from "every other soul"

("I feel that I am the object of His special action. For His inscrutable purposes and unfathomable decrees, He united me to Himself in a special way and allows me to penetrate His incomprehensible mysteries. There is one mystery which unites me with the Lord, of which no one – not even angels – may know. And even if I wanted to tell of it, I would not know how to express it. And yet, I live by it and will live by it for ever. This mystery distinguishes me from every other soul here on earth or in eternity.", Diary, par. 824)

· She says Jesus obtained a special grace for her when He was before Herod 2,000 years ago

("My daughter, when I was before Herod, I obtained a grace for you", Diary, par. 1164)

· She says the Lord's gaze rests upon her "before any other creature"

("My dearest child, your every stirring is reflected in My Heart. My gaze rests kindly upon you before any other creature.", Diary, par. 1700)

· She says the Lord is "jealous" of her heart

("At that moment, the Lord gave me to know how jealous He is of my heart.", Diary, par. 1542)

· She claims the Lord promised her a "permanent income"

("Suddenly I head these words in my soul: My daughter, I assure you of a permanent income on which you will live.", Diary, par. 548)

· She claims Jesus is concerned about "every beat" of her heart and "thirsts" for her love

("I am concerned about every beat of your heart. Every stirring of your love is reflected in My Heart. I thirst for your love.", Diary, par. 1542)

· She feels Jesus was so very anxious to be received by her in Holy Communion that He would have leaped out of a priest's hands to come to her if the priest had "tarried a little longer"

(After that night of suffering, when the priest entered my cell with the Lord Jesus, such fervor filled my whole being that I felt that if the priest had tarried a little longer, Jesus himself would have leaped out of his hand and come to me. After Holy Communion the Lord said to me, If the priest had not brought Me to you, I would have come Myself under the same species.", Diary, par. 1458-1459)

· She claims the infant Jesus left his Mother's arms[!] and approached her

("I saw the Mother of God with the Infant Jesus in Her arms, and I also saw my confessor kneeling at Her feet and talking with her. I did not understand what he was saying to Her, because I was busy talking with the Infant Jesus, who came down from His Mother's arms and approached me.", Diary, par. 330)

· She feels she is being lifted up into the "inner life of God"

("This Mighty Ruler of heaven has taken entire possession of my soul. I feel that I am being lifted up above earth and heaven into the inner life of God", Diary, par. 734)

· She says she has been allowed to understand God's interior life

("On one occasion, God's presence pervaded my whole being, and my mind was mysteriously enlightened in respect to His Essence. He allowed me to understand His interior life.", Diary, par. 911)

· She claims to have felt the presence of the Holy Trinity in her soul

("Once after Holy Communion, I heard these words: You are Our dwelling place. At that moment, I felt in my soul the presence of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.", Diary, par. 451)

· She says she feels completely transformed into Him

("At the first altar, a flame issued from the Host and pierced my heart, and I heard a voice, Here is My resting place. Ardor burst into flame in my heart. I felt that I am transformed completely into Him.", Diary, par. 1140)

· She claims Jesus teaches her and that their hearts are "fused as one"

("Jesus often visits me in this seclusion, teaches me, reassures me, rebukes me, and admonished me. He Himself forms my heart according to His divine wishes and likings, but always with much goodness and mercy. Our hearts are fused as one.", Diary, par. 1024)

· She claims that Jesus says their intimacy is an exclusive one

("know that yours is an exclusive intimacy with Me", Diary, par. 1693)

· She claims to feel God's presence physically

("God's presence pervades my soul, not only in a spiritual way, but I feel it in a physical way also.", Diary, par.747)

· She claims many other extraordinary things...

"An extraordinary, divine power came over me after that confession" (Diary, par. 257)

"an extraordinary fire was enkindled in my soul" (Diary, par. 439)

"my soul felt extraordinary strength" (Diary, par. 527)

"I feel an extraordinary force driving me to action" (Diary, par. 615)

"an extraordinary light filled my soul" (Diary, par. 623)

"God's presence filled me in an extraordinary way" (Diary, par. 675)

"The extraordinary light that allowed me to see His majesty" (Diary, par. 757)

"this extraordinary grace of union which has continued to this day" (Diary, par. 770)

"These extraordinary flashes from the Lord educate my soul" (Diary, par. 852)

"the Lord grants me an extraordinary spirit of prayer" (Diary, par. 971)

"an extraordinary understanding of many things was communicated to my intellect" (Diary, par. 1048)

"an extraordinary peace and power filled my soul" (Diary, par. 1150)

"an extraordinary light remained in my soul" (Diary, par. 1153)

"I experience an extraordinary equilibrium" (Diary, par. 1334)

"I felt an extraordinary strength in my soul" (Diary, par. 1704)

However, Jesus tells us in Holy Scripture that there is no one born of woman greater than St. John the Baptist (not even St. Faustina!) and yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than St. John the Baptist...

• Mt. 11:11: "Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

• Lk. 7:28: " I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

Even though Jesus explicitly tells us in Holy Scripture that St. John the Baptist is the greatest on earth of those born of woman, Jesus...

• never united himself more closely with St. John the Baptist than with any other creature

• never gave St. John the Baptist "first place" among the virgins

• never says he had St. John the Baptist on the mind when he instituted the Holy Eucharist

• never called St. John the Baptist a "sweet grape"

• never offered to create a "new world" for St. John the Baptist to live in

• never said he united himself with St. John the Baptist more closely than with anyone else

• never said that there is something that distinguishes St. John the Baptist "from every other souls here on earth or in eternity"

• never said his gaze rested on St. John the Baptist before any other creature

• never offered St. John the Baptist a permanent income

• never said he was concerned about "every beat" of St. John the Baptist's heart

• never says he and St. John the Baptist have an "exclusive intimacy"

Nor was Jesus known to say or do some of these things even for the greatest saint ever - His own blessed Mother! Yet he supposedly said and did all these things for St. Faustina?

In Faustina's writings, we also find a claim that the Blessed Virgin Mary "gave [Faustina] to understand that [she] had faithfully fulfilled the will of God and had thus found favor in His eyes" (Diary, par. 449). Compare this to Holy Scripture where we read...

Lk. 1:30: Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God."

This passage from St. Luke is the only passage I can find in the entire New Testament where an individual - namely, the Blessed Virgin Mary - is singled out as "finding favor" with God. Yet Faustina applies this sentient to herself by means of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is not the only passage in Faustina's diary where items from Scripture seem turned around and applied to Faustina. Her diary also contains these items...

Well-beloved daughter: "I heard the words, You are My well-beloved daughter" (Diary, par. 1681) [Compare with Mk. 1:11: And a voice came from the heavens, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."]

Did not recognize time of visitation: "When once I asked the Lord Jesus how He could tolerate so many sins and crimes and not punish them, the Lord answered me, I have eternity for punishing [these], and so I am prolonging the time of mercy for the sake of [sinners]. But woe to them if they do not recognize this time of My visitation[!]." (Diary, par. 1160) [Compare with Lk. 19:44: "They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation."]

Mystery depending on her: "When the vision ended, a cold sweat bathed my forehead. Jesus made it known to me that, even if I did not give my consent to this, I could still be saved; and He would not lessen His graces, but would still continue to have the same intimate relationship with me, so that even if I did not consent to make this sacrifice, God's generosity would not lessen thereby. And the Lord gave me to know that the whole mystery depended on me, on my free consent to the sacrifice given with full use of my faculties... I felt that God was waiting for my word, for my consent. Then my spirit immersed itself in the Lord, and I said, "Do with me as You please. I subject myself to Your will. As of today, Your holy will shall be my nourishment, and I will be faithful to Your commands with the help of Your grace. Do with me as You please. I beg You, O Lord, be with me at every moment of my life." (Diary, par. 135-136) [Compare with Lk. 1:38: Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."]

As if Faustina could determine the time of her own death: "O my Jesus, I now embrace the whole world and ask You for mercy for it. When You tell me, O God, that it is enough, that Your holy will has been completely accomplished, then, my Savior, in union with You, I will commit my soul into the hands of the Heavenly Father, full of trust in Your unfathomable mercy. And when I stand at the foot of Your throne, the first hymn that I will sing will be one to Your mercy." (Diary, par. 1582) [Compare with Lk. 23:46: Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit"; and when he had said this he breathed his last.]

Also, Faustina claims to be the object of God's special praise & pleasure ("the Most High Lord is pleased in me and tells me so Himself" (Diary, par. 947), and, "God gives me to know interiorly that every beat of my heart is pleasing to Him, and when He shows me that He loves me in a special way." (Diary, par. 1121)). For example, the Lord supposedly said the following to Sister Faustina...

• "My daughter, My pleasure and delight, nothing will stop me from granting you graces." (Diary, par. 1182)

• "I am pleased with what you are doing." (Diary, par. 1499)

• "Let it be confirmed and engraved on your heart that I am always with you" (Diary, par. 1499)

• "My daughter, those words of your heart are pleasing to Me" (Diary, par. 929)

• "My child you are My delight, you are the comfort of My Heart. I grant you as many graces as you can hold." (Diary, par. 164)

• "Beloved pearl of My Heart, I see your love so pure, purer than that of the angels [!], and all the more so because you keep fighting. For your sake I bless the world. I see your efforts to please Me, and they delight My Heart." (Diary, par. 1061)

• "I am delighted with your love. Your sincere love is as pleasing to My Heart as the fragrance of a rosebud at morningtide, before the sun has taken the dew from it. The freshness of your heart captivates Me; that is why I united Myself with you more closely than with any other creature[!]" (Diary, par. 1546)

• "Suddenly, I saw the Lord Jesus near me, and He graciously said to me, All this I created for you, My spouse; and know that all this beauty is nothing compared to what I have prepared for you in eternity." (Diary, par. 158)

• "Suddenly, I heard these words: You are My delightful dwelling place; My Spirit rests in you." (Diary, par. 346)

• "I heard these words within me: You are My joy; you are My heart's delight." (Diary, par. 27)

• "And the Lord said to me, You are the delight of My Heart; from today on, every one of your acts, even the very smallest, will be a delight to My eyes, whatever you do. At that moment I felt transconsecrated. My earthly body was the same, but my soul was different; God was now living in it with the totality of His delight." (Diary, par. 137)

• "You are the honor and glory of My Passion." (Diary, par. 282)

• "He said to me, You are My Heart" (Diary, par. 1666)

• "My daughter, delight of My heart, it is with pleasure that I look into your soul. I bestow many graces only because of you. I also withhold My punishments only because of you." (Diary, par. 1193)

• "I saw Jesus, and He said to me, You are My great joy; your love and your humility make Me leave the heavenly throne and unite Myself with you. (Diary, par. 512)

• "Jesus said to me, My host, you are refreshment for My tormented Heart." (Diary, par. 1056)

• "Today, I heard these words in my soul: Host pleasing to My Father, know, My daughter, that the entire Holy Trinity finds Its special delight in you" (Diary, par. 955)

• "My daughter, your heart is My repose; it is My delight." (Diary, par. 339)

• "My daughter, your heart is My heaven." (Diary, par. 238)

• "You are my dwelling place and my constant repose. For your sake I will withhold the hand which punishes; for your sake I bless the earth." (Diary, par. 431)

• "My Heart is pleased with you, and for your sake I am blessing the earth." (Diary, par. 980)

• "And your heart is My constant dwelling place" (Diary, par. 723)

• "Your heart is My repose." (Diary, par. 268)

• "You are solace in My dying hour." (Diary, par. 310)

• "You have great and incomprehensible rights over My Heart" (Diary, par. 718)

• "My ears and heart are inclined towards you, and your words are dear to Me." (Diary, par. 921)

• "My daughter, My delight is to unite myself with you." (Diary, par. 954)

• "He looked at me and said, Beloved daughter of My Heart, you are My solace amidst terrible torments." (Diary, par. 1058)

And the Blessed Virgin Mary supposedly confirmed...

"You [Faustina] are a dwelling place pleasing to the living God; in you He dwells continuously with love and delight." (Diary, par. 785)

What saint has ever had so much praise lavished upon them by God? What saint has ever been singled out for so many special encounters & so many special favors? Yet scripture tells us clearly that God shows no partiality...

• Wisdom 6:7: "For the Lord of all shows no partiality"

• Acts 10:34: "Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality."

• Rom. 2:11: "There is no partiality with God."

• Eph. 6:9: "Masters, act in the same way toward them, and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality."

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Also - and I think this is rather strange for a saint - Faustina frequently refers to her own holiness / sanctity / perfection / goodness ...

• "Welcome to you, New Year, in the course of which my perfection will be accomplished." (Diary, par. 1449)

• "...on one occasion a certain person suffered because of my sanctity" (Diary, par. 1571)

• "...the Lord was looking with love on my virtues and my heroic efforts" (Diary, par. 758)

• "In the clear rays of your love, my soul has lost its tartness and has become a sweet and ripe fruit." (Diary, par. 1363)

• "I know what His divine Heart desires, and I always do what will please Him the most." (Diary, par. 411)

• "Jesus, You Yourself have deigned to lay the foundations of my sanctity" (Diary, par. 1331)

• "I have come to a knowledge of my destiny; that is, an inward certainty that I will attain sanctity." (Diary, par. 1362)

• "I have always, always, fulfilled His will, as he has made it known to me." (Diary, par. 1667)

• "Now I can be wholly useful to the Church by my personal sanctity" (Diary, par. 1364)

• "they often take advantage of my goodness" (Diary, par. 1446)

• "My lips shall fall silent in great humility." (Diary, par. 1653)

• "...my heart became so wonderfully attracted to these virtues (humility, purity, love of God); and I practice them faithfully." (Diary, par. 1415) [Doesn't it kind of contradict humility when a person says they practice the virtue of humility faithfully?]

• "When Jesus ravished me by His beauty and drew me to Himself, I then saw what in my soul was displeasing to Him and made up my mind to remove it, cost what it may; and aided by the grace of God I did remove it at once. This magnanimity pleased the Lord" (Diary, par. 293)

• "But I, too, have found a way to give perfect glory to the incomprehensible mercy of God." (Diary, par. 835)

And - also kind of strange for a saint - she often complains about / criticizes others and talks about the treatment she receives...

• "Community life is difficult in itself, but it is doubly difficult to get along with proud souls." (Diary, par. 1522)

• "A priest who is not at peace with himself will not be able to inspire peace in another soul." (Diary, par. 75)

• "Once during recreation, one of the sister directresses said that the lay sisters were without feelings, and so could be treated stiffly. I was sorry to see that the sister directresses know so little about the lay sisters and judge them only from appearances." (Diary, par. 1716)

• "Once, when I was in the kitchen with Sister N., she got a little upset with me and, as a punishment, ordered me to sit on the table while she herself continued to work hard, cleaning and scrubbing. And while I was sitting there, the sisters came along and were astounded to find me sitting on the table, and each one had her say. One said that I was a loafer and another, "What an eccentric!" I was a postulant at the time. Others said, "What kind of a sister will she make?" Still, I could not get down because sister had ordered me to sit there by virtue of obedience until she told me to get down. Truly, God alone knows how many acts of self-denial it took." (Diary, par. 151)

• "I had many opportunities to practice virtue. I listened to people pour out their grievances, and I saw that no heart was joyful, because no heart truly loved God; and this did not surprise me at all." (Diary, par. 401)

• "On the other hand, even these great graces are a burden for me, and I am barely able to carry them. I see my superiors' disbelief and doubts of all kinds and, for this reason, their apprehensive behavior toward me." (Diary, par. 786)

• "This is a grave and common defect in religious life; namely, that when one sees a suffering soul, one always want to add even more suffering. I do not say that everyone acts like this, but there are some." (Diary, par. 117)

• "I learned that certain people have a special gift for vexing others. They try you as best they can. The poor soul that falls into their hands can do nothing right; her best efforts are maliciously criticized." (Diary, par. 182)

• "I have been submitted to some tests at which I have had to laugh." (Diary, par. 112)

• "It often happens when one is ill, as in the case of Job in the Old testament, that as long as one can move about and work, everything is fine and dandy; but when God sends illness, somehow or other, there are fewer friends about. But yet, there are some. They still take interest in our suffering and all that, but if God sends a longer illness, even those faithful friends slowly begin to desert us. They visit us less frequently, and often their visits cause suffering. Instead of comforting us, they reproach us about certain things, which is an occasion of a good deal of suffering. And so the soul, like Job, is alone; but fortunately, it is not alone, because Jesus-Host is with it. After having tasted the above sufferings and spent a whole night in bitterness, the next morning, when the chaplain [Father Theodore] brought me Holy Communion, I had to control myself by sheer effort of will to keep from crying out at the top of my voice, "Welcome, my true and only Friend." Holy Communion gives me strength to suffer and fight." (Diary, par. 1509)

• "When I complained to the Lord Jesus about a certain person [saying], "Jesus, how can this person pass judgment like that, even about an intention?" the Lord answered, Do not be surprised. That soul does not even know her own self, so how could she pass a fair judgment on another soul?" (Diary, par. 1528)

• "Oh, how painfully an ironic smile wounds, especially when one [appears to] speak with great sincerity." (Diary, par. 662)

• "Another thing: when sisters visit the sick, they should not ask in detail every time, "What is hurting you, and how does it hurt?" because it is very tiresome to keep telling each sister the same thing about oneself. And it sometimes happens that one must repeat the same thing over and over many times a day." (Diary, par. 1555)

• "Today I felt bad that a week had gone by and no one had come to visit me. When I complained to the Lord, He answered, Isn't it enough for you that I visit you every day? I apologized to the Lord and the hurt vanished. O God, my strength, You are sufficient for me." (Diary, par. 827)

• "This is just one example among many. Sometimes it would seem that a sister of the second choir is made of stone, but she also is human and has a heart and feelings..." (Diary, par. 1510)

• "I am greatly surprised at how one can be so jealous. When I see someone else's good, I rejoice at it as if it were mine. The joy of others is my joy, and the suffering of others is my suffering, for otherwise I would not dare to commune with the Lord Jesus." (Diary, par. 633)

• "When I fell ill and was taken to the infirmary, I suffered much unpleasantness because of this. There were two of us sick in the infirmary. Sisters would come to see Sister N., but no one came to visit me. It is true that there was only one infirmary, but each one had her own cell. The winter nights were long, and Sister N. had the light and the radio headphones, while I could not even prepare my meditation for lack of a light. When nearly two weeks had passed in this way, I complained to the Lord one evening that I was suffering so much and that I could not even prepare my meditation because there was no light. And the Lord said that He would come every evening and give me the points for the next days meditation." (Diary, par. 149)

• "I have armed myself with patience in order to explain to each sister why I was not able to stay there: that is, because my health had become worse, even though I knew very well that certain sisters would inquire, not out of sympathy for my sufferings, but in order to add to them." (Diary, par. 1236)

• "I don't know how this happens, but the room in which I have been lying has been very much neglected. Sometimes, it has not been cleaned for more than two weeks. Often, no one would light a fire in the stove, and so my cough would get worse. Sometimes I would ask to have a fire lit, and at other times I did not have the courage to ask. On one occasion, when Mother Superior [Irene] came to see me and asked me if perhaps it was necessary to heat the room more, I said, No, because it was already getting warmer outside, and we had the window open." (Diary, par. 1649)

• "Once again, I am feeling worse today. A high fever is beginning to consume me, and I cannot take any food. I would like to have something refreshing to drink, but there is not even any water in my pitcher. All this, O Jesus, to obtain mercy for souls." (Diary, par. 1647) [She is able to write so much, but she is not able to acquire water?]

• "A certain sister is constantly persecuting me for the sole reason that God communes with me so intimately, and she thinks that this is all pretense on my part. When she thinks that I have done something amiss she says, "Some people have revelations, but commit such faults!" She has said this to all the sisters and always in a derogatory sense, in order to make me out as some sort of an oddity. One day, it caused me much pain to think that this insignificant drop which is the human brain can so easily scrutinize the gifts of God. After Holy Communion, I prayed that the Lord would enlighten her, but nevertheless I learned that this soul will not attain perfection if she does not change her interior dispositions." (Diary, par. 1527)

• "Thus I have already been judged from all sides. There is no longer anything in me that has escaped the sisters' judgment. But it seems now to have worn itself out, and they have begun to leave me in peace. My tormented soul has had some rest, and I have learned that the Lord has been closest to me in times of such persecutions. This [truce] lasted for only a short time. A violent storm broke out again. And now the old suspicions became, for them, as if true facts, and once again I had to listen to the same old songs." (Diary, par. 128)

• "O my Jesus, when someone is unkind and unpleasant toward us, it is difficult enough to bear this kind of suffering. But this is very little in comparison to a suffering which I cannot bear; namely, that which I experience when someone exhibits kindness towards me and then lays snares at my feet at every step" (Diary, par. 1241)

• "Today I felt more ill, but Jesus has given me many more opportunities on this day to practice virtue. It so happened that I was busier than usual, and the sister in charge of the kitchen made it clear to me how irritated she was that I had come late for dinner, although it was quite impossible for me to have come sooner. At any rate, I felt so unwell that I had to ask Mother Superior to allow me to lie down. I went to ask Sister N. to take my place, and again I got a scolding: "What is this, Sister, you're so exhausted that you're going back to bed again! Confound you with all this lying in bed!" I put up with all that, but that wasn't the end. I still had to ask the sister who was in charge of the sick to bring me my meal. When I told her this, she burst out of the chapel into the corridor after me to give me a piece of her mind: "Why on earth are you going to bed, Sister, etc..." I asked her not to bother bringing me anything. I am writing all this very briefly because it is not my intention to write about such things, and I am doing so merely to dissuade souls from treating others in this way, for this is displeasing to the Lord. In a suffering soul we should see Jesus Crucified, and not a loafer or burden on the community. A soul who suffers with submission to the will of God draws down more blessings on the whole convent than all the working sisters. Poor indeed is a convent where there are no sick sisters. God often grants many and great graces out of regard for the soul who are suffering, and He withholds many punishments solely because of the suffering souls." (Diary, par. 1268)

• "When I was alone, I tried to get up, but I was seized again with sickness, and so I stayed in bed with a calm conscience. Yet my heart had plenty to offer the Lord, joining itself spiritually to Him during the second Mass. After the second Mass, Sister Infirmarian returned to me, but this time in her capacity as infirmarian, and with a thermometer. But I had no fever, although I was seriously ill and unable to rise. So there was another sermon to tell me that I should not capitulate to illness. I answered her that I knew that here one was regarded as seriously ill only when one was in one's last agony. However, knowing that she was about to give me a lecture, I replied that at the present time I was in no need of being incited to greater zeal. And once again, I remained alone in my cell. My heart was crushed with sorrow, and bitterness flooded my soul, and I repeated these words: "Welcome New Year; welcome, cup of bitterness."" (Diary, par. 1453)

• "As usual, sisters from various houses came to the retreat. One of the sisters whom I had not seen for a long time, came to me cell and said she had something to tell me. I did not answer her, and she saw that I did not want to break silence. She said to me, "I didn't know you were such an eccentric, sister," and she went away. I was well aware that she had no other business with me than to satisfy her own curious self-love, O God, preserve me in faithfulness." (Diary, par. 171)

• "But some sisters seemed to find pleasure in vexing me in whatever way they could." (Diary, par. 126)

• "I can see now that there are few such priests who understand the full depth of God's work in the soul." (Diary, par. 234)

• "As soon as I left the chapel, I had an encounter with reality. I do not want to describe the details, but there was as much of it as I was able to bear. I would not have been able to bear even one drop more." (Diary, par. 190)

• "I could now see that everywhere I was being watched like a thief: in the chapel; while I was carrying out my duties; in my cell. I was now aware that, besides the presence of God, I had always close to me a human presence as well. And I must say that, more than once, this human presence bothered me greatly. There were times when I wondered whether I should undress to wash myself or not. Indeed, even that poor bed of mine was checked many times. More than once I was seized with laughter when I learned they would not even leave my bed alone. One of the sisters herself told me that she came to observe me in my cell every evening to see how I behave in it. Still, superiors are always superiors. And although they humiliated me personally and, on occasions, filled me with all kinds of doubts, they always allowed me to do what the Lord demanded." (Diary, par. 128)

• "During Holy Mass, I came to know that a certain priest does not effect much in souls because he thinks about himself and so is alone. God's grace takes flight; he relies on trifling external things, which have no importance in the eyes of God; and, being proud, he fritters away his time, wearing himself out to no purpose." (Diary, par. 1719) [How could she know this? Why would God disclose such things to her if that is what is claimed?]

She is also critical of some confessors and takes it upon herself to give advice to them! (see Diary, par. 112)

Furthermore, when people agree with her or when things go her way, she tends to offer praise (or claim that God praises them or that they were enlightened by God or are speaking for God). For example, she says the following when things go her way with a certain priest and when a priest supports her work...

"Today during confession, the Lord Jesus spoke to me through the lips of a certain priest. This priest did not know my soul, and I only accused myself of my sins; yet he spoke these words to me: "Accomplish faithfully everything that Jesus asks of you, despite the difficulties. Know that, although people may be angry with you, Jesus is not angry and never will be angry with you[!]. Pay no attention to human opinion." This instruction surprised me at first; but I understood that the Lord was speaking through him without his realizing it. O holy mystery, what great treasures are contained in you! O holy faith, you are my guidepost!" (Diary, par. 763)

"I see Father Sopocko, how his mind is busily occupied and working in God's cause in order to present the wishes of God to the officials of the Church. As a result of his efforts, a new light will shine in the Church of God for the consolation of souls. Although for the present his soul is filled with bitterness, as though that were to be the reward for his efforts in the cause of the Lord, this will not however be the case. I see his joy, which nothing will diminish. God will grant him some of this joy already here on earth. I have never before come upon such great faithfulness to God as distinguishes this soul." (Diary, par. 1390)

But when people don't agree with her or when things don't go her way, she may be critical. For example...

"Once, when I saw that God had tried a certain Archbishop [Jalbrzykowski] because he was opposed to the cause and distrustful of it, I felt sorry for him and pleaded with God for him, and God relieved his suffering. God is very displeased with lack of trust in Him" (Diary, par. 595)

It seems rather convenient that Jesus always seems to be happy with persons that are like minded with her and displeased with those who are not!

Also, we see that Faustina speaks with confidence of her own salvation...

• "And I sense my eternal destiny in heaven." (Diary, par. 1653)

• "I look forward with joy to the last stroke the Divine Artist will trace on my soul, which will give my soul a unique beauty that will distinguish me from the beauty of other souls. O great day, on which divine love will be confirmed in me. On that day, for the first time, I shall sing before heaven and earth the song of the Lord's fathomless mercy. This is my work and the mission which the Lord has destined for me from the beginning of the world." (Diary, par. 825)

• "I came before the throne of God. I saw a great and inaccessible light, and I saw a place destined for me, close to God. But what it was like I do not know, because a cloud covered it. However, my Guardian Angel said to me, "Here is your throne, for your faithfulness in fulfilling the will of God." (Diary, par. 683)

• "I will commit my soul into the hands of the Heavenly Father, full of trust in Your unfathomable mercy. And when I stand at the foot of Your throne, the first hymn that I will sing will be one to Your mercy. Poor earth, I will not forget you. Although I feel that I will be immediately drowned in God as in an ocean of happiness, that will not be an obstacle to my returning to earth to encourage souls and incite them to trust in God's mercy" (Diary, par. 1582)

• "We know each other mutually, O Lord, in the dwelling of my heart. Yes, now it is I who am receiving You as a Guest in the little home of my heart, but the time is coming when You will call me to Your dwelling place, which You have prepared for me from the beginning of the world." (Diary, par. 909)

• "Today, one of the sisters [probably Sister Amelia] came to see me and said, "Sister, I have a strange feeling, as though something were telling me to come to you and commend to you certain problems of mine before you die, and that perhaps you will able to beseech the Lord Jesus and arrange these things for me. Something keeps telling me that you will be able to obtain this for me." I answered her with equal frankness that, yes, I felt in my soul that after my death I would be able to obtain more from the Lord Jesus than at the present time. "I will remember you, Sister, before His throne."" (Diary, par. 1614)

• "And when I stand at the foot of Your throne, the first hymn that I will sing will be one to Your mercy. Poor earth, I will not forget you. Although I feel that I will be immediately drowned in God as in an ocean of happiness, that will not be an obstacle to my returning to earth to encourage souls and incite them to trust in God's mercy. Indeed, this immersion in God will give me the possibility of boundless action." (Diary, par. 1582)

Yet the great St. Paul expresses in Scripture that even he was not certain regarding his own salvation...

• 1 Cor. 4:3-4: "It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgment on myself; I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord."

• 1 Cor. 9:26-27: "Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified."

• Phil. 3:8 -14: "More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God's upward calling, in Christ Jesus."

And Faustina expresses a number of grandiose thoughts / desires / visions ...

• "I feel interiorly as if I were responsible for all souls." (Diary, par. 1505)

• "I would like to prepare all nations for the coming of the Word Incarnate." (Diary, par. 793)

• "Lord, I feel that I am going to remove the veil of heaven so that earth will not doubt Your goodness." (Diary, par. 483)

• "It seems to me that the whole world serves me and depends on me." (Diary, par. 195)

• "I sensed that I had a heart so big that nothing would be capable of filling it." (Diary, par. 15)

• "At such moments I have the feeling that the whole world is depending on me." (Diary, par. 870)

• "And although I am weak and small, You grant me the grace of Your omnipotence." (Diary, par. 2)

• "God gave me to know the greatness of my destiny" (Diary, par. 1410)

• "I felt that everything that existed was exclusively mine" (Diary, par. 1279)

• "in this state I suddenly feel that all the things God has, all the goods and treasures, are mine" (Diary, par. 454)

• "O my God, I have come to know that I am not of this earth; You, O Lord, have poured this profound awareness into my soul. My communion is more with heaven than with earth" (Diary, par. 107)

• "[The voice said to her,] Know that you are now on a great stage where all heaven and earth are watching you." (Diary, par. 1760)

• "I would like to be a priest, for then I would speak without cease about Your mercy to sinful souls drowned in despair. I would like to be a missionary and carry the light of faith to savage nations in order to make You known to souls, and to be completely consumed for them and to die a martyr's death, just as You died for them and for me." (Diary, par. 302)

• "O my God, I am conscious of my mission in the Holy Church." (Diary, par. 482)

• "I want to give You worship on behalf of all creatures and all inanimate creation; I call on the whole universe to glorify Your mercy" (Diary, par. 1749)

• "I know that I live, not for myself, but for a great number of souls." (Diary, par. 382)

• "This deeper knowledge of God gives me full liberty and spiritual freedom, and nothing can disturb my close union with Him, not even the angelic powers. I feel that I am great when I am united to God." (Diary, par. 1135)

• "In eternal happiness, I will not forget those on earth, I will obtain God's mercy for all[!]" (Diary, par. 1653)

• "How wondrously Jesus defends me; truly this is a great grace of God which I have experienced for a long time now." (Diary, par. 600)

• "The interior of my soul is like a large and magnificent world in which God and I live." (Diary, par. 582)

• "I know that whatever I ask of the Lord he will not refuse me, and He will give them that for which I ask." (Diary, par. 676)

• "I desire toil and suffering; let everything You have planned before the ages be fulfilled in me, O my Creator and Lord!" (Diary, par. 761)

• "And the blood of the Apostles boiled up within me. I will not be stingy with it; I will shed it all to the last drop for immortal souls." (Diary, par. 1249)

• "I desire to go throughout the whole world and speak to souls about the great mercy of God. Priests, help me [!] in this" (Diary, par. 491)

• "I am a host in Your hand, O Judge and Savior. In the last hour of my life, May the omnipotence of Your grace lead me to my goal, May Your compassion on the vessel of mercy become famous." (Diary, par. 1629)

• "I am going forward through life amidst rainbows and storms, but with my head held high with pride, for I am a royal child. I feel that the blood of Jesus is circulating in my veins" (Diary, par. 992)

• "When I rose to do battle, an inexperienced knight, I felt I had a knight's blood, though still a child" (Diary, par. 1654)

• "There are moments when Jesus gives me knowledge within my soul, and then everything that exists on earth is at my service: friends, enemies, success, adversity... All things, willing or not, must serve me." (Diary, par. 1720)

• "Then, in an instant, I was caught up to stand near Jesus, and I stood on the altar [!] next to the Lord Jesus, and my spirit was filled with happiness so great that I am unable to comprehend it or write about it. A profound peace as well as repose filled my soul. Jesus bent toward me and said with great kindness, What is it you desire, My daughter? And I answered, "I desire worship and glory be given to Your mercy." I already am receiving worship by the institution and celebration of this Feast; what else do you desire? I then looked at the immense crowd worshiping The Divine Mercy and I said to the Lord, "Jesus, bless all those who are gathered to give glory to You and to venerate Your infinite mercy." Jesus made a sign of the cross with His hand, and this blessing was reflected in the souls like a flash of light." (Diary, par. 1048)

• "Today, I saw two enormous pillars implanted in the ground; I had implanted one of them, and a certain person, S.M., the other. We had done so with unheard-of effort, much fatigue and difficulty. And when I had implanted the pillar, I myself wondered where such extraordinary strength had come from, And I recognized that I had not done this by my own strength, but with the power which came from above. These two pillars were close to each other, in the area of the image. And I saw the image, raised up very high and hanging from these two pillars. In an instant, there stood a large temple, supported both from within and from without, upon these two pillars." (Diary, par. 1689)

She also tends to write about her good deeds...

• "I often take upon myself the torments of our students." (Diary, par. 192)

• "you small, everyday sacrifices, you are to me like wild flowers which I strew over the feet of my beloved Jesus. I sometimes compare these trifles to the heroic virtues and that is because their enduring nature demands heroism." (Diary, par. 208)

• "The good God entrusted her to my care, and for two weeks I was able to work with her. But how many sacrifices this soul cost me is known only to God. For no other soul did I bring so many sacrifices and sufferings and prayers before the throne of God as I did for her soul. I felt that I had forced God to grant her grace." (Diary, par. 202)

• "What also cost me a lot was that I had to kiss the children. The women I knew came with their children and asked me to take them in my arms, at least for a moment, and kiss them. They regarded this as a great favor, and for me it was a chance to practice virtue, since many of the children were quite dirty. To overcome my feelings and show no repugnance, I would kiss such a dirty child twice. Once of these friends came with a child whose eyes were diseased and filled with pus, and she said to me, "Sister, take it in your arms for a moment, please." My nature recoiled, but not paying attention to anything, I took the child and kissed it twice, right on the infection, asking God to heal it." (Diary, par. 401)

• "My country, how much you cost me! There is no day in which I do not pray for you." (Diary, par. 1188)

• "Jesus always found silence in my heart, although it sometimes cost me a lot." (Diary, par. 185)

• "Once, when I returned to my cell, I was so tired that I had to rest a moment before I started to undress, and when I was already undressed, one of the sisters asked me to fetch her some hot water. Although I was tired, I dressed quickly and brought her the water she wanted, even though it was quite a long walk from the cell to the kitchen, and the mud was ankle-deep." (Diary, par. 285)

• "Today I wore a chain belt for seven hours in order to obtain the grace of repentance for that soul." (Diary, par. 1248)

• Etc.

Yet scripture says our good deeds should be kept in secret [Mt. 6:1-4: "But take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you."]

Faustina also writes about her sufferings and her (so-called) 'martyrdom' in which no drop of blood is shed (she even claims Jesus made a reference to her "silent day-to-day martyrdom" in par. 1184)...

• "Today I was cleaning the room of one of the sisters. Although I was trying to clean it with utmost care, she kept following me all the time and saying, "You've left a speck of dust here and a spot on the floor there." At each of her remarks I did each place over a dozen times just to satisfy her. It is not work that makes me tired, but all this talking and excessive demands. My whole day's martyrdom was not enough for her, so she went to the Directress and complained, "Mother, who is this careless sister who doesn't know how to work quickly?" The next day, I went again to do the same job, without trying to explain myself. When she started driving me, I thought, "Jesus, one can be a silent martyr; it is not the work that wears you out, but this kind of martyrdom." (Diary, par. 181)

• "From early morning, today, a strange power has been pushing me to action, not giving me a moment's peace. A strange ardor has been lit in my heart, urging me to action, and I cannot stop it. This is a secret martyrdom known only to God" (Diary, par. 569)

• "During the morning meditation, I felt an aversion and a repugnance for all created things. Everything pales before my eyes; my spirit is detached from all things. I desire only God Himself, and yet I must live. This is a martyrdom beyond description." (Diary, par. 856)

• "God alone knows what I put up with, day and night. It seems to me that the worst torments of the martyrs would be easier for me to bear than what I am going through, though without the shedding of a drop of blood." (Diary, par. 1263)

• "No one can understand or comprehend, nor can I myself describe, my torments. But there can be no sufferings greater than this. The sufferings of the martyrs are not greater because, at such times, death would be a relief for me. There is nothing to which I can compare these sufferings, this endless agony of the soul." (Diary, par. 1116)

Talk about making light of the horrific & inconceivable sufferings that the real martyrs went through!

Faustina also indicates her desire to become a "great saint"...

"My Jesus, You know that from my earliest years I have wanted to become a great saint" (Diary, par. 1372)

And claims that Jesus even called her a saint...

• "When I took the Messenger of the Sacred Heart into my hand and read the account of the canonization of Saint Andrew Bobola, my soul was instantly filled with a great longing that our Congregation, too, might have a saint, and I wept like a child that there was no saint in our midst. And I said to the Lord, "I know Your generosity, and yet it seems to me that You are less generous toward us." And I began again to weep like a little child. And the Lord Jesus said to me, Don't cry. You are that saint." (Diary, par. 1650)

• "And I began to complain to the Lord Jesus, asking why this should be so, and the Lord answered me, Are you sad because of this? Of course you are a saint." (Diary, par. 1571)

She furthermore claims she kept the 'virginity' of her heart and soul intact ["God gave me the inner knowledge that I had never lost my innocence, and that despite all dangers in which I had found myself, He Himself had been guarding me so that the virginity of my soul and heart would remain intact" (Diary, par. 1095)], even though she admits to misrepresenting herself "often" at the beginning of religious life...

"I often represented myself to my superiors other than I was in reality and spoke of miseries of which I had no notion." (Diary, par. 1503)

And this even though she admits to participating in a seemingly sacrilegious confession and a forced baptism of adult Jewish woman...

"A certain person seems to have made it her task to try out my virtue in all sorts of ways. One day, she stopped me in the corridor and began by saying that she had no grounds for rebuking me, but she ordered me to stand there opposite the small chapel for half an hour and to wait for Mother Superior, who was to pass by there after recreation, and I was to accuse myself of various things which she had told me to say. Although I had no idea of these things being on my soul, I was obedient and waited for Mother Superior for a full half hour. Each sister who passed by looked at me with a smile. When I accused myself before Mother Superior [Raphael], she sent me to my confessor. When I made my confession, the priest saw immediately that this was something that did not come from my own soul and that I had not the faintest idea of such things. He was very surprised that this person had dared to take upon herself to give such orders." (Diary, par. 196)

[Reminder: It is wrong to confess sins that you didn't commit, and may even be sacrilegious ("violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred"). Also, we must have sorrow for all sins committed. As the Catechism of St. Pius X, "If one confesses only venial sins without having sorrow for at least one of them, his confession is in vain; moreover it would be sacrilegious if the absence of sorrow was conscious."]

And...

"This day is so special for me; even though I encountered so many sufferings, my soul is overflowing with great joy. In a private room next to mine, there was a Jewish woman who was seriously ill. I went to see her three days ago and was deeply pained at the thought that she would soon die without having her soul cleansed by the grace of Baptism. I had an understanding with her nurse, a [religious] Sister, that when her last moment would be approaching, she would baptize her. There was this difficulty however, that there were always some Jewish people with her. However, I felt inspired to pray before the image which Jesus had instructed me to have painted. I have a leaflet with the Image of the divine Mercy on the cover. And I said to the Lord, "Jesus, You Yourself told me that You would grant many graces through this image. I ask You, then, for the grace of Holy Baptism for this Jewish lady. It makes no difference who will baptize her, as long as she is baptized.

After these words, I felt strangely at peace, and I was quite sure that, despite the difficulties, the waters of Holy Baptism would be poured upon her soul. That night, when she was very low, I got out of bed three times to see her, watching for the right moment to give her this grace. The next morning, she seemed to feel a little better. In the afternoon her last moment began to approach. The Sister who was her nurse said that Baptism would be difficult because they were with her. The moment came when the sick woman began to lose consciousness, and as a result, in order to save her, they began to run about; some [went] to fetch the doctor, while others went off in other directions to find help.

And so the patient was left alone, and Sister baptized her, and before they had all rushed back, her soul was beautiful, adorned with God's grace. Her final agony began immediately, but it did not last long. It was as if she fell asleep. All of a sudden, I saw her soul ascending to heaven [!] in wondrous beauty. Oh, how beautiful is a soul with sanctifying grace! Joy flooded my heart that before this image I had received so great a grace for this soul.

Oh, how great is God's mercy; let every soul praise it. O my Jesus, that soul for all eternity will be singing You a hymn of mercy. I shall not forget the impression this day has made on my soul. This is the second great grace which I have received here for souls before this image.

Oh, how good the Lord is, and how full of compassion; Jesus, how heartily I thank You for these graces." (Diary, par. 916-917)

[Some notes concerning the above:

(1) It is not licit to unconditionally baptize an adult who has had use of their faculties and who has not indicated a desire to be baptized

(2) Faustina must have sensed that this was wrong or else they wouldn't have had to do it 'sneakily' when the other Jews left the room (also they would hopefully have known to call a priest to do the baptism if they knew it was licit for the woman to be baptized)

(3) Faustina wrongly writes as if what was done was a good thing and shows no repentance for her part in it (she actually shows the opposite sentiments!)

(4) It is against Church teaching to forcibly baptize adults without their consent. As the Catechism of the Council of Trent states, "The faithful are also to be instructed in the necessary dispositions for Baptism. In the first place they must desire and intend to receive it; for as in Baptism we all die to sin and resolve to live a new life, it is fit that it be administered to those only who receive it of their own free will and accord; it is to be forced upon none. Hence we learn from holy tradition that it has been the invariable practice to administer Baptism to no (adult) individual without previously asking him if he be willing to receive it."

(5) She wrongly claims that the sacrament had its effect and saved the woman, yet the Catechism of the Council of Trent states: "Besides a wish to be baptized, in order to obtain the grace of the Sacrament, faith is also necessary. Our Lord and Savior has said: He that believes and is baptized shall be saved." As Mk. 16:15-16 states, "[Jesus] said to them, 'Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe [!] will be condemned.'" Jesus requires both faith AND baptism -- and the baptism is to be consensual, not forced!

(6) Faustina attributes this illicit baptism to graces obtained when she prayed before the image. (So what does that say about the supposed graces she claims people receive when they pray before the image?) Most offensively, she is essentially implying it was God's grace that resulted in an illicit baptism!

(7) In light of the above (e.g. "Joy flooded my heart that before this image I had received so great a grace for this soul" and "I saw her soul ascending to heaven in wondrous beauty"), how are we to trust Faustina's claimed visions or her theology? Faustina actually claims she saw the woman's soul ascending to heaven! She appears to have no clue that what was done was wrong or that the forced baptism would have no effect! Yet she claims all this special knowledge from God!

(8) The Church should issue a clear condemnation of this action, especially since this devotion is being so heavily promoted today.]

Faustina also feels that God "cannot be happy" without her...

"I do not know how to live without God, but I also feel that God, absolutely self-sufficient though He is, cannot be happy without me" (Diary, par. 1120)

And she claims a special mission from God...

• "my God, I am conscious of my mission in the Holy Church" (Diary, par. 482)

• Jesus supposedly said, "I am giving you a share in the redemption of mankind." (Diary, par. 310)

• "Glorifying Your mercy is the exclusive task of my life." (Diary, par. 1242)

• "Then I heard these words in my soul: 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." (Diary, par. 531)

• She claims Jesus said, "My daughter, secretary of My mercy, your duty is not only to write about and proclaim My mercy, but also to beg for this grace for them" (Diary, par. 1160)

• And: "You are the secretary of My mercy. I have chosen you for that office in this life and the next life." (Diary, par. 1605)

• "Jesus said, My daughter give Me souls. Know that it is your mission to win souls for Me by prayer and sacrifice, and by encouraging them to trust in My mercy." (Diary, par. 1690)

• "On that day, for the first time, I shall sing before heaven and earth the song of the Lord's fathomless mercy. This is my work and the mission which the Lord has destined for me from the beginning of the world" (Diary, par. 825)

• "I presented to the director of my soul the fear that seized me because of this mission for which God was using me..." (Diary, par. 331)

• "I heard these words: By your entreaties, you and your companions shall obtain mercy for yourselves and for the world." (Diary, par. 435)

• "fight for the salvation of souls, exhorting them to trust in My mercy, as that is your task in this life and in the life to come." (Diary, par. 1452)

• The Blessed Virgin Mary supposedly said, "as for you, you have to speak to the world about His great mercy and prepare the world for the Second Coming" (Diary, par. 635)

• "O most sweet Jesus, who have graciously demanded that I tell the whole world of Your incomprehensible mercy, this day I take into my hands the two rays that spring from Your merciful Heart; that is, the Blood and the Water; and I scatter them all over the globe so that each soul may receive Your mercy and, having received it, may glorify it for endless ages. O most sweet Jesus who, in Your incomprehensible kindness, have deigned to unite my wretched heart to Your most merciful Heart, it is with Your own Heart that I glorify God, our Father, as no soul has ever glorified Him before." (Diary, par. 836)

• She claims she "heard these words": "In the Old Covenant I sent prophets wielding thunderbolts to My People. Today I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world." (Diary, par. 1588) [Is she not essentially claiming here that she is a post-New Testament prophet?!]

• "Then I heard a voice: Apostle [!] of My mercy, proclaim to the whole world My unfathomable mercy." (Diary, par. 1142)

• "I suddenly saw the Lord Jesus, radiant wish unspeakable beauty, and He said to me with kindness, My chosen one, I will give you even greater graces that you may be the witness of My infinite mercy throughout all eternity." (Diary, par. 400)

• "You are a witness of My mercy. You shall stand before My throne forever as a living witness to My mercy." (Diary, par. 417)

• "Your assignment and duty here on earth is to beg for mercy for the whole world." (Diary, par. 570)

• "Tell the world about My mercy and My love." (Diary, par. 1074)

• "Speak to the whole world about My mercy." (Diary, par. 1190)

• "When I became aware of God's great plans for me, I was frightened at their greatness and felt myself quite incapable of fulfilling them, and I began to avoid interior conversations with Him, filling up the time with vocal prayer. I did this out of humility, but I soon recognized it was not true humility, but rather a great temptation from the devil. When, on one occasion, instead of interior prayer, I took up a book of spiritual reading, I heard these words spoken distinctly and forcefully within my soul, You will prepare the world for My final coming. These words moved me deeply, and although I pretended not to hear them, I understood them very well and had no doubt about them. Once, being tired out from this battle of love with God, and making constant excuses on the grounds that I was unable to carry out this task, I wanted to leave the chapel, but some force held me back and I found myself powerless. Then I heard these words, You intend to leave the chapel, but you shall not get away from Me, for I am everywhere. You cannot do anything of yourself, but with Me you can do all things." (Diary, par. 429)

She claims she is even tasked with instructing her superiors and priests...

• "I heard these words: Tell the Superior that I want adoration to take place here for the intention of imploring mercy for the world." (Diary, par. 1070)

• "Tell My priests that hardened sinners will repent on hearing their words when they speak about My unfathomable mercy, about the compassion I have for them in My Heart." (Diary, par. 1521)

• "Jesus said to me, Go to Mother Superior and tell her that those two sisters are in danger of committing a mortal sin." (Diary, par. 43)

• "One morning I heard these words in my soul: Go to Mother General [Michael] and tell her that this thing displeases Me in such and such a house. I cannot mention what the thing was nor the house in question, but I did tell it to Mother General, although it cost me very much." (Diary, par. 191)

• "Today, the Lord said to me, Tell the Reverend Professor [probably Father Theodore] that I desire that on the Feast of My Mercy he deliver a sermon about My fathomless mercy. I fulfilled God's wish, but the priest did not want to acknowledge the Lord's message. When I left the confessional, I heard these words: Do as I tell you and be at peace; this matter is between him and Me. You will not be held responsible for this." (Diary, par. 1072)

• "My daughter, speak to priests about this inconceivable mercy of Mine." (Diary, par. 177)

• "A Blessed Mother of this type I had not yet seen. Then She looked at me kindly and said: I am the Mother of God of Priests. At that, She lowered Jesus from her arm to the ground, raised Her right hand heavenward and said: O God, bless Poland, bless priests. Then She addressed me once again: Tell the priests what you have seen." (Diary, par. 1585)

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Yet, despite her countless alleged mystical experiences, her grandiose thoughts, and her supposed mission, Faustina refers to her life as drab, humdrum...

• "Oh, how drab and full of misunderstandings is this life!" (Diary, par. 900)

• "my drab, everyday life" (Diary, par. 210)

• "life so dull and monotonous, how many treasures you contain!" (Diary, par. 62)

• "I feel that I have been totally imbued with God and, with this God, I am going back to my everyday life, so drab, tiresome and wearying," (Diary, par. 1363)

• "humdrum days, filled with darkness, I look upon you with a solemn and festive eye." (Diary, par. 1373)

How could any life supposedly so full of communication with Jesus and Mary ever be considered drab or humdrum?!

And, unlike some other saints who miraculously emitted pleasant odors, she believes God assuaged her doubts by allowing her to smell like a corpse...

"One day, I began to doubt as to how it was possible to feel this continual decaying of the body and at the same time to be able to walk and work. Perhaps this was some kind of an illusion. Yet it cannot be an illusion, because it causes me such terrible pains. As I was thinking about this, one of the sisters came to converse with me. After a minute or two, she made a terribly wry face and said, "Sister, I smell a corpse here, as though it were decaying. O how dreadful it is!" I said to her, "Do not be frightened, Sister, that smell of a corpse comes from me." She was very surprised and said she could not stand it any longer. After she had gone, I understood that God had allowed her to sense this so that I would have no doubt, but that He was no less than miraculously keeping the knowledge of this suffering from the whole community. O my Jesus, only You know the full depth of this sacrifice." (Diary, par. 1430)

About the smell, she later comments...

"I feel the complete decay of my organism, Although I am still living and working. Death will be no tragedy for me, Because I have long felt it. Although it is very unpleasant for nature to constantly smell one's own corpse" (Diary, par. 1435)

Continued On Next Page (Click Here)

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