Divine Mercy Sunday coming for a complete forgiveness of sins and punishment

[Eileen_T]

I get so excited about this.

Jesus told St Faustina that to get this great promise one has to go to Confession and then receive Holy Communion on that Feast of Divine Mercy, which has now been called Divine Mercy Sunday throughout the whole Church.

Jesus said, ***“Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” *** (Diary, 300)

divinemercysunday.com/message.htm

 

[thistle]

Eileen T:

I get so excited about this.

Jesus told St Faustina that to get this great promise one has to go to Confession and then receive Holy Communion on that Feast of Divine Mercy, which has now been called Divine Mercy Sunday throughout the whole Church.

Jesus said, ***“Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” *** (Diary, 300)

divinemercysunday.com/message.htm

No arguments from me. I pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy every day. The Divine Mercy was what brought me out of my despair from 6 years of not being able to receive the Eucharist because of my sins.

 

[Jeanette_L]

I just read a short biography of St. Faustina and am choosing her as my patron saint because I am really feeling attracted to the Divine Mercy for many reasons. But I have to confess, I’m still confused about all of this. When you say complete forgiveness of sins and punishment, isn’t that what you get at confession anyway? When you receive absolution isn’t that what happens, and why is this promise different? I’m going to be making my first confession this week, will I have to make another confession again so soon, even if I haven’t committed any mortal sins?

 

[LilyM]

Well the idea behind a plenary indulgence (which is what Divine Mercy Sunday is about) is that you should ideally be free of any ATTACHMENT to sin as well as actual sin.

I figure the only way most of us could possibly hope for this is to go to confession as close as possible to the actual day. Certainly applies to me

 

[Jeanette_L]

LilyM:

Well the idea behind a plenary indulgence (which is what Divine Mercy Sunday is about) is that you should ideally be free of any ATTACHMENT to sin as well as actual sin.

I figure the only way most of us could possibly hope for this is to go to confession as close as possible to the actual day. Certainly applies to me

I guess the confessional has long lines for this, huh?

 

[LilyM]

Jeanette L:

I guess the confessional has long lines for this, huh?

Well having too many baths or showers can damage the skin, but I don’t think there’s such a thing as too much cleansing of the soul in confession.

It’s a fact JP2 used to go weekly, and I read somewhere Mother Teresa apparently went EVERY DAY :bigyikes:

Gives mere mortals like me something to think about …

 

[Jeanette_L]

LilyM:

It’s a fact JP2 used to go weekly, and I read somewhere Mother Teresa apparently went EVERY DAY :bigyikes:

Wasn’t it Cardinal Fulton Sheen who said that hearing a nun’s confession was like being stoned to death with popcorn?

Can you imagine Mother Teresa everday?

 

[LilyM]

Jeanette L:

Wasn’t it Cardinal Fulton Sheen who said that hearing a nun’s confession was like being stoned to death with popcorn?

Can you imagine Mother Teresa everday?

It was indeed the good Cardinal. I imagine a lot of our confessions are rather like that for the poor priests who must have ‘heard it all’ almost literally.

Mother Teresa I imagine would be more like cotton candy than popcorn …

 

[Eileen_T]

Jeanette L:

But I have to confess, I’m still confused about all of this. When you say complete forgiveness of sins and punishment, isn’t that what you get at confession anyway? When you receive absolution isn’t that what happens, and why is this promise different?

The promise is that all punishment due to sin is wiped out. If you die before committing another sin -NO PURGATORY.

You could have been the worst sinner ever, but, having repented and fulfilled the requirements for Divine Mercy Sunday, you are washed clean. Just like Baptism.

I guess the confessional has long lines for this, huh?

We have a Eucharistic Convention that weekend with several priests hearing confessions, and, yes, there are long lines with hundreds of people waiting their turn.

 

[pfoos]

Jeanette L:

I just read a short biography of St. Faustina and am choosing her as my patron saint because I am really feeling attracted to the Divine Mercy for many reasons. But I have to confess, I’m still confused about all of this. When you say complete forgiveness of sins and punishment, isn’t that what you get at confession anyway? When you receive absolution isn’t that what happens, and why is this promise different? I’m going to be making my first confession this week, will I have to make another confession again so soon, even if I haven’t committed any mortal sins?

Going to confession forgives the sin but does not remove the punishment due the sin. The Feast of Divine Mercy, done correctly with Mass and confession eight days before or eight days after, will not only remove the sin but the punishment due - it is like being baptized as an infant!

 

[Jeanette_L]

pfoos:

Going to confession forgives the sin but does not remove the punishment due the sin. The Feast of Divine Mercy, done correctly with Mass and confession eight days before or eight days after, will not only remove the sin but the punishment due - it is like being baptized as an infant!

I think this is a fantastic, too good to be true gift. Any others like it at other times of the year? And also, can you offer it for someone else, like purgatory or something? This is all very new for me, so I’m not up on understanding that part of things either.

I am the only Catholic in my family since the Reformation, I feel responsible for a lot of people who have gone before me. It’s overwhelming.

Thanks.

 

[LilyM]

Let’s make it clear - Divine Mercy is a PLENARY INDULGENCE - not a get out of jail free card. Yes, it CAN be gained, but only if you have COMPLETE detachment from ALL sins - mortal and venial, as well as performing the indulgenced acts! Not as easy as it sounds - many of us will never have the necessary level of detachment in our lifetimes, as St Phillip Neri was told by Christ himself.

Mind you without the detachment it’s still a partial indulgence, so still well worth doing. There are quite a number of acts and prayers that are indulgenced - do a search in these forums under ‘plenary indulgences’ or just ‘indulgences’ and you’ll find at least some of them. And yes they can certainly be applied to souls in purgatory.

 

[Jeanette_L]

LilyM:

Let’s make it clear - Divine Mercy is a PLENARY INDULGENCE - not a get out of jail free card. Yes, it CAN be gained, but only if you have COMPLETE detachment from ALL sins - mortal and venial, as well as performing the indulgenced acts!

Mind you without the detachment it’s still a partial indulgence, so still well worth doing.

How in the world can a person be completely detached from all sin? Every day I sin. Maybe a small attitude creeps in or something comes up. I think this sounds like an impossible standard.

So how does a partial indulgence work?

 

[LilyM]

Jeanette L:

How in the world can a person be completely detached from all sin? Every day I sin. Maybe a small attitude creeps in or something comes up. I think this sounds like an impossible standard.

Good question - and no definite answer available Obviously it can’t be impossible - I suspect it’s more like getting rid of all those niggling little (or big) recurring sins and tendencies to particular types of sin that most of us have - even the venial ones. AND recognising sins when they occur - no self-justifying or weaseling out on technicalities.

The St Phillip Neri story comes from this link which tells you a bit more about indulgences

So how does a partial indulgence work?

As the name implies, also a remission of the punishment due to sin, only a partial rather than complete remission.

 

[Jennifer123]

LilyM:

As the name implies, also a remission of the punishment due to sin, only a partial rather than complete remission.

Thanks so much for the info, as I too struggle with understanding of this, but is the remission, either plenary or partial, for confession of sins confessed before receiving Eucharist on Divine Mercy Sunday (as part of the devotion) or ALL punishment even prior to that particular confession?
Thanks.

 

[pfoos]

Words from Jesus from Saint Faustina’s diary:
On that day the very depths of My tender Mercy are open.

I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon these souls who approach the Fount of My mercy [the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist].

The soul that will go to Confession [beforehand] and receive Holy Communion [on that day] shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.

On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened.

Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.

The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness.

It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter.

 

[LilyM]

Jennifer123:

Thanks so much for the info, as I too struggle with understanding of this, but is the remission, either plenary or partial, for confession of sins confessed before receiving Eucharist on Divine Mercy Sunday (as part of the devotion) or ALL punishment even prior to that particular confession?
Thanks.

Remission of punishment is remission of punishment - I don’t think it’s applied only to specific sins, but rather to whatever punishment you may have incurred.

 

[Batjacboy]

Jeanette L:

I think this is a fantastic, too good to be true gift. Any others like it at other times of the year? And also, can you offer it for someone else, like purgatory or something?

Here’s a good site:

ourladyswarriors.org/indulge/plenary.htm

And yes, you can apply them to the souls in purgatory, but not to other living persons.

 

[Sir_Knight]

LilyM:

It’s a fact JP2 used to go weekly, and I read somewhere Mother Teresa apparently went EVERY DAY :bigyikes:

JP2 went to confession three times a week. Mother Teresa did go EVERY Day.

LilyM:

Gives mere mortals like me something to think about …

The closer we come to the light of Christ, the more clearly we can see that stains of sin upon our soul. The further we are in darkness, the less visible those sins become. It’s like getting dressed in a dark closet compared to a brightly lite room. In the dark closet, only the most serious of stains will be visible and something even those may go unnoticed. With the lights shining, every little stain and wrinkle catches your eye.

The same with our sins. The closer we are to the light of Christ, the more clearly we see our faults and failings.

LilyM:

Let’s make it clear - Divine Mercy is a PLENARY INDULGENCE - not a get out of jail free card. Yes, it CAN be gained, but only if you have COMPLETE detachment from ALL sins - mortal and venial, as well as performing the indulgenced acts!

It MAY be MORE than a Plenary Indulgence and based on Jesus’s own Words recorded in Saint Faustina’s diary …

The soul that will go to Confession [beforehand] and receive Holy Communion [on that day] shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness.

… complete detachment from all sins MAY not be a requirement.

 

[Eileen_T]

On a side-track here… you just have to read this story. I got chills. angelfire.com/ms/seanie/BVM/claudenewman.html

It’s about a prisioner/s on death row who are being catechized.

The priest said to the prisoners, “Okay, boys, today I’m going to teach you about the Sacrament of Confession.”

Claude said, “Oh, I know about that!”

“The Lady told me,” said Claude, “that when we go to confession we are kneeling down not before a priest, but we’re kneeling down by the Cross of Her Son. And that when we are truly sorry for our sins, and we confess our sins, the Blood He shed flows down over us and washes us free from all sins.” . . . And Claude kept telling the other prisoners, “You should not be afraid to go to confession. You’re really telling God your sins, not this priest, or any priest. We’re telling God our sins.” Then Claude said, “You know, the Lady said [that Confession is] something like a telephone. We talk through the priest to God and God talks back to us through the priest.”

Why don’t priests preach homilies on this? Don’t they realise how important it is?

And how many parishes promote Divine Mercy Sunday and tell the laity about this great grace from God?