Dear Parishioners,

Today is the Octave day of Easter also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. There is a great devotion associated with this day called the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. It is said on a Rosary, but changes the prayers to focus on the Mercy of Jesus. It is a great prayer to remind ourselves of God’s mercy and Jesus died for us because He loves us. So, if you could use some mercy in your life or you need to grow to be more merciful yourself, then I highly recommend that you develop a devotion to the chaplet.

Also, if one says the chaplet every day between Good Friday and 2nd Sunday of Easter (this Sunday) and receives communion, prays for the Pope’s intention and goes to confession either the week before or week after, they do receive special graces and a plenary indulgence. (A remission of temporal punishment due to sin.) Jesus appeared to St. Faustina and encouraged her to spread this devotion. I have provided a short version of the chaplet if you would like to try it. It can be prayed in a group just like a rosary as well.

How to Recite the Chaplet

The Chaplet of Mercy is recited using ordinary Rosary beads of five decades.

1. Make the Sign of the Cross

2. Optional Opening Prayers
(Repeat three times)

O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!

3. Our Father

4. Hail Mary

5. The Apostles’ Creed

6. The Eternal Father
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.

7. On the 10 Small Beads of Each Decade
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

8. Repeat for the remaining decades
Saying the “Eternal Father” (6) on the “Our Father” bead and then 10 “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion” (7) on the following “Hail Mary” beads.

9. Conclude with Holy God (Repeat three times)
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Source: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/ devotions/pray-the-chaplet

God bless!

Fr. Carter