Divine Mercy clarifications

[rickielambert]

As Divine Mercy Sunday is now close, it is worth clarifying a couple of issues concerning the promise of Jesus about the remission of sin and temporal punishment and also the fact of the whole devotion being a private revelation and how much we should accept it.
Just to clarify, the promise of Jesus is not a plenary indulgence.It is even greater than that because you do not have to fulfill the conditions required for a plenary indulgence. All that is needed is go to confession, and receve Holy Communion. This was also the attitude of the polish theologian that John Paul II asked to investigate all aspects of the Divine Mercy devotion. Basically it renews the soul to such an extent that it is as it was immediately after baptism.
I would also say that even though it is from a private revelation, it has been accepted by the Church, from the point of view that the 2nd Sunday of Easter is now Divine Mercy Sunday, in response to the Lord’s request, and also Pope John Paul quoted Jesus’ words on several occasions in addresses and homilies. On one occasion in Poland in 2002 He referred to Jesus’ prophecy about sending a “spark from Poland to prepare his final coming” as a “binding promise” .Therefore although it is just a private revelation that we could ignore, to some extent it has found its way into the ordinary magisterium of the church and perhaps we should ask would it be wise to neglect it.
www.divinemercypopes.com

 

[PietroPaolo]

While Divine Mercy Sunday has made it into the Liturgy, the Magisterium has not taught that receiving confession and communion automatically results in all temporal punishment being taken away. Leaping from, “the Church approves St Faustina’s visions and Divine Mercy Sunday” to “anyone who receives the sacraments of penance and communion necessarily, even if attached to sin, has all temporal punishment removed” is, presentably, unwarranted. That’s not to say that it necessarily isn’t true either, just that it is still an open issue which the Church hasn’t ruled on definitively. I do like St Faustina, though. Her vision of Hell is especially poignant in these days of universalism:

St Faustina Sees Hell

All in all, I would tend to believe in the promises of Divine Mercy Sunday, but implying that the Magisterium has done so is taking it too far at present.

 

[Sirach2]

While Divine Mercy Sunday has made it into the Liturgy, the Magisterium has not taught that receiving confession and communion automatically results in all temporal punishment being taken away.

Here is what the Magisterium pronounced.

Pope John Paul II granted a plenary indulgence to all who have receive the Eucharist on Divine Mercy Sunday. The Vatican states:

Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday
And so with provident pastoral sensitivity and in order to impress deeply on the souls of the faithful these precepts and teachings of the Christian faith, the Supreme Pontiff, John Paul II, moved by the consideration of the Father of Mercy, has willed that the Second Sunday of Easter be dedicated to recalling with special devotion these gifts of grace and gave this Sunday the name, “Divine Mercy Sunday” (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Decree *Misericors et miserator, *5 May 2000).

Three conditions for the plenary indulgence
And so the Supreme Pontiff, motivated by an ardent desire to foster in Christians this devotion to Divine Mercy as much as possible in the hope of offering great spiritual fruit to the faithful, in the Audience granted on 13 June 2002, to those Responsible for the Apostolic Penitentiary, granted the following Indulgences:

a *plenary indulgence, *granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the *Our Father *and the *Creed, *adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!").

 

[PietroPaolo]

Here is what the Magisterium pronounced.

Pope John Paul II granted a plenary indulgence to all who have receive the Eucharist on Divine Mercy Sunday. The Vatican states:

Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday
And so with provident pastoral sensitivity and in order to impress deeply on the souls of the faithful these precepts and teachings of the Christian faith, the Supreme Pontiff, John Paul II, moved by the consideration of the Father of Mercy, has willed that the Second Sunday of Easter be dedicated to recalling with special devotion these gifts of grace and gave this Sunday the name, “Divine Mercy Sunday” (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Decree *Misericors et miserator, *5 May 2000).

Three conditions for the plenary indulgence
And so the Supreme Pontiff, motivated by an ardent desire to foster in Christians this devotion to Divine Mercy as much as possible in the hope of offering great spiritual fruit to the faithful, in the Audience granted on 13 June 2002, to those Responsible for the Apostolic Penitentiary, granted the following Indulgences:

a *plenary indulgence, *granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the *Our Father *and the *Creed, *adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!").

Exactly, it’s a regular plenary indulgence, just like the one we can receive for making a pious exercise of the Stations of the Cross on Fridays in Lent. The OP was suggesting it was something more, namely that someone could still be attached to sin and yet have all temporal punishment removed, like a second baptism.

 

[Nelka]

Jesus Divine Mercy to St. Faustina

300 Ask of my faithful servant [Father Sopocko] that, on this day, he tell the whole world of My great mercy; that whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment.

Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy.

Oh, how much I am hurt by a soul‟s distrust! Such a soul professes that I am Holy and Just, but does not believe that I am Mercy and does not trust in My Goodness. Even the devils glorify My Justice but do not believe in My Goodness.

My Heart rejoices in this title of Mercy.

Bold by Me.

 

[Sirach2]

Jesus Divine Mercy to St. Faustina

300 Ask of my faithful servant [Father Sopocko] that, on this day, he tell the whole world of My great mercy; that whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment.

Nelka, it seems that you are placing emphasis on St. Faustina’s paragraph 300. Our Lord would always want us to listen to what the Church directs, in complete obedience. The formal document issued by Pope John Paul II is the only correct way to comply with Divine Mercy Sunday.