This devotion to Jesus as The Divine Mercy is based on the writings of St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), an uneducated Polish nun who recorded revelations which she received about God’s mercy. The lengthy writings have been gathered and are published in a book called the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. Even before her death in 1938, the devotion to The Divine Mercy had begun to spread and continues today, most popularly in the form of the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Divine Mercy Novena.
In 2002, Pope John Paul II, both canonized Sr. Faustina and declared that the first Sunday after Easter, every year, is celebrated as and dedicated to Divine Mercy. Pope Francis has declared the year from December 8, 2015 through November 20, 2016 as a Holy Year of Mercy.
One of the best and most comprehensive online resources is the website maintained by the National Shrine of Divine Mercy which is situated in Stockbridge, MA.
Here at St. Augustine the Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed communally each weekday after the 8am Mass. Pamphlets on how to pray the chaplet are generally available in the back of the church, can be viewed here or feel free to join in person after Mass – we are happy to teach you how.