I learned something from our homily today about the relationship of Pope John Paul II to the Divine Mercy devotion that I previously did not know. The Pope was actually responsible for the St. Faustina's Divine Mercy being accepted by the Church. I knew that as Pope he strongly urged the faithful to embrace the devotion, but I did not know his unique relationship to the devotion's original approval:
In 1958, the Vatican received a poor translation of Sister Faustina's revelations and condemned it as heretical. When Karol Wojtyla became the Archbishop of Krakow, the devout Polish faithful clamored for a new, more faithful translation. He commissioned this translation, and the devotion was eventually approved and accepted by the universal Church.
How incredibly fitting that this Pope - who traveled the world announcing the Good News of God's infinite mercy poured out for us - should himself enter into eternal union with God on the vigil of the great feast he himself instituted to celebrate God's mercy.
Viva Il Papa
