Diary of a Future Saint: Faustina's Incredible Journey

In Diary of a Future Saint, Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle, a Faustian scholar, brilliant storyteller, and acclaimed novelist, brings to life the extraordinary narrative of one of the world's most popular saints, and, according to St. John Paul II, "the great apostle of Divine Mercy in our time." This genuine biography is meant for readers aged 10 and above and reads like a page-turning fiction.

Helena Kowalska, a poor Polish farm girl whose family suffered throughout World War I, overcame numerous barriers to fulfil her vocation to convent life. Even her devout parents were impeding her progress. After a startling visit from Jesus, who appeared covered in blood, the young aspirant escaped to a neighbouring church, ultimately eloping with Jesus in order to finally join the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland during the 1930s.

Crossing the barrier into religious life was a difficult road for Helena, who suffered debilitating blows when doors were closed in her face by communities who thought her unacceptable. Helena, a low-income woman with fewer than three years of formal schooling, was thought to be nothing extraordinary. As a result, when the door to the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy was opened, the Sisters assigned Helena to the "second choir," or class of nuns in charge of domestic responsibilities.

Nonetheless, it was amid the pots and pans, soiled clothes, vegetable gardens, and beggars at the gate that Jesus communed with His tiny bride. Helena, later known as Sister Maria Faustina, flourished in the spiritual life while wearing a mantle of humility. Many graces and talents were bestowed to Saint Faustina, including a concealed stigmata, visions, revelations, the gift of contemplation, bilocation, levitation, reading human souls, a gift of prophecy, profound understanding of God's compassion and the Blessed Trinity, and mystical espousal. With the exception of her supervisors, she never revealed to anybody that Jesus Himself was telling her to teach the world about His unfathomable Divine Mercy.

God has always been merciful, thus Divine Mercy is not a new discovery. However, Heaven saw fit to display Divine Mercy in a fresh manner. Sr. Faustina was in her cell on the evening of February 22, 1931, when Jesus came to her in the form of the Divine Mercy, which stole her breath away! Jesus gave Sr. Faustina specific instructions for disseminating His image, as well as promises to those who worship it.

The young visionary also spoke with the Blessed Mother. Sr. Faustina's Guardian Angel led her to Purgatory early in her religious life, where she learnt the importance of praying for the holy souls. She also saw Hell and all of its chasms, as well as numerous horrific torments. She discovered that practically all souls that perished in Hell did not believe in Hell's existence while on Earth. Sister Faustina had several thrilling encounters with both heavenly angels and frightening demons. Jesus requested Sr. Faustina to keep a journal of her experiences, which she did in notebooks. The writings of St. Faustina are today known as the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. The Diary of Saint Faustina is God's loving message of Divine Mercy for our planet.

Despite being regarded unimportant and illiterate, Helena Kowalska was faithful to God's intentions for her life and was finally elevated to the altar as Jesus' "Secretary and Apostle of Divine Mercy." The simple faith and confidence in God of Faustina provides us enormous hope for our own lives.

Ages 10 and up.

Paperback. 210 pages.