Legion of Mary Immaculate Conception Praesidium Divine Mercy Chaplet Program
Every Friday at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. Click here to listen on Legion of Mary Wilmington Curia YouTube Channel. You can also thisten to their archived programs when they used to broadcast from Oremus Communications by going to Archives - Legion of Mary.
Our Mission Statement
In keeping with our Baptismal duty to “go out and preach the Gospel to the world”, the Legion of Mary uses all means of communication available. Our goal is to help its members and all those whom we meet in their journey of sanctification, by sharing God, through His Mother, and giving glory to God.
What is Divine Mercy?
The message of The Divine Mercy is simple. It is that God loves us – all of us. And, He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come to share His joy.
The History of the Divine Mercy Chaplet
In 1935, St. Faustina received a vision of an angel sent by God to chastise a certain city. She began to pray for mercy, but her prayers were powerless. Suddenly she saw the Holy Trinity and felt the power of Jesus’ grace within her, she found herself pleading with God for mercy with words she heard interiorly:
Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world; for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us. (Diary, 475)
As she continued saying this inspired prayer, the angel became helpless and could not carry out the deserved punishment (see 474). The next day, as she was entering the chapel, she again heard this interior voice, instructing her how to recite the prayer that our Lord later called "the Chaplet." This time, after "have mercy on us" were added the words "and on the whole world" (476). From then on, she recited this form of prayer almost constantly, offering it especially for the dying.
In subsequent revelations, the Lord made it clear that the Chaplet was not just for her, but for the whole world. He also attached extraordinary promises to its recitation.
Encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given you (1541). Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death (687). When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the Merciful Savior (1541). Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this Chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy (687). I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy (687). Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will. (1731)
Prayed on ordinary rosary beads, The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy is an intercessory prayer that extends the offering of the Eucharist, so it is especially appropriate to use it after having received Holy Communion at Holy Mass. It may be said at any time, but our Lord specifically told St. Faustina to recite it during the nine days before the Feast of Mercy (the first Sunday after Easter). He then added: "By this Novena, [of Chaplets] I will grant every possible grace to souls." (796)
It is likewise appropriate to pray the Chaplet during the "Hour of Great Mercy" — three o'clock each afternoon (recalling the time of Christ’s death on the cross). In His revelations to St. Faustina, Our Lord asked for a special remembrance of His Passion at that hour.
What is a Chaplet?
A chaplet is a form of prayer that uses prayer beads, but not necessarily related to a rosary. The prayer shows devotion to a particular aspect of Jesus or Mary or a devotion to a Saint.
Will the Divine Mercy chaplet take people away from the Rosary?
No, on the contrary. This prayer should lead one towards the rosary since Our Lord asked for it on regular rosary beads. In the Divine Mercy Chaplet, we offer God a sacrifice of praise. We acknowledge, affirm and acclaim Him as the merciful one who has in Christ, once-for-all, granted all that we need to fulfill His purpose for us. We offer God the Father His beloved Son, who through His sacrifice on Calvary opened Heaven for us. Through the Chaplet, we are united with our Savior Who made reparation for our sins so that we can become one with God again. Through the Chaplet, we are one with Christ in prayer and sacrifice on behalf of all sinners.
How to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
The Chaplet is said using a rosary.
Begin by making the sign of the cross while holding the crucifix.
Optional Opening Prayers
You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls,
and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.
O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy,
envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
(Repeat 3 times) O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!
Then pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and the Apostle's Creed
On the large beads recite the following:
Eternal Father, I offer You the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
On the small beads recite the following:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world (10x)
In conclusion, recite the following:
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world (3x)
Optional Closing Prayer
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
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