SALT LAKE CITY — Marian of the Immaculate Conception Father Kazimierz Chwalek, a native of Poland and one of the original translators of "The Diary of St. Faustina," will concelebrate Masses and speak after Masses Sept. 16 at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Magna, and Sept 17 at St. Martin de Porres Parish, Taylorsville, The subject of his presentations will be "The Divine Mercy Message as a Source of Hope and Renewal of the Catholic Faith and Tradition." Fr. Kazimierz, who prefers to be addressed simply as "Fr. Kaz," will concelebrate the 5:30 p.m. Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Magna, Sept. 16. His presentation will begin at 6:45 p.m. He will concelebrate Masses at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at St. Martin de Porres Parish, Taylorsville, and present homilies on the subject of his presentation. Fr. Kaz entered the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception in 1980 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1987. Involved for more than 10 years in the work of seminary formation, Fr. Kaz served his community in various ministries and administrative positions. He contributed to the spread of the Divine Mercy message and devotion in the publication of the original "Diary of St. Faustina" in Polish and English editions. He has written articles on The Divine Mercy, spoken at various Divine Mercy Conferences and Seminars, and appeared on two EWTN Divine Mercy series. He also has been a frequent guest on Relevant Radio. Fr. Kaz is the editor of the English Edition of "The Making of the Pope of the Millennium: Kalendarium of the life of Karol Wojtyla," and has given conferences on The Divine Mercy message. Currently Fr. Kaz is the director of evangelization and development, serves as the provincial treasurer, and is on the Marian Helpers Center Board of Directors. He resides and pastorally assists at the National Shrine of Divine Mercy, Stockbridge, Mass. St. Faustina was born in 1905 in Glogowiec, near Lodz, Poland, the third of 10 children of Marianna and Stanislaw Kowalski. Devoted to prayer and obedience since childhood, and exhibiting a deep sensitivity for the poor, she attended only about three years of elementary school, and left home as a teenager to work as a domestic servant. At 20 years old, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, and received the name Sister Maria Faustina. She spent 13 years with the congregation working as a cook, a gardener, and a doorkeeper. Through constant prayer and evidence of humility, Sr. Mary Faustina enjoyed mystical graces. On Feb. 22, 1931, while at prayer, Sr. Mary Faustina received an apparition of Jesus. He gave her a message of mercy for the world. On that date, Sr. Mary Faustina wrote in her diary: "In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, ‘paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.’" Later, Our Lord again spoke to her: "The pale ray stands for the water which makes souls righteous; the red ray stands for the blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My most tender Mercy at that time when My agonizing Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross.... Fortunate is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him." Throughout the rest of her short life, St. Faustina spread the word of the Diving Mercy. She died in Krakow, Poland, Oct. 5, 1938, at the age of 33. On the first Sunday after Easter, April 19, 1993, Pope John Paul II declared Sr. Mary Faustina blessed. On the day after her beatification ceremony, in his general audience, Pope John Paul II said of St. Faustina: God has spoken to us through the spiritual wealth of Blessed Sister Faustina Kowalska. She left to the world the great message of Divine Mercy and an incentive to complete self-surrender to the creator. God endowed her with a singular grace that enabled her to experience his mercy through mystical encounter and by a special gift of contemplative prayer." Seven years later, on the first Sunday after Easter, April 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized her a saint.
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