divine-mercy-in-my-soul

65. Sister Faustina‟s younger sister, Wanda Kowalska, born in 1920. According to
the information of their eldest sister, Josephine Jasinska nee Kowalska, shortly before World
War II Wanda entered the Congregation of the Ursuline Sisters. During the war she was
taken to Germany for forced labor. She did not return to Poland, but married an Englishman
and went to England with him. Her husband was soon drafted and died in action. Wanda
came to Poland once, but had to go back to England a few days later because of the political
situation at the time. A few years later the family was notified by an unknown priest of
Wanda‟s serious illness and hospitalization. She has not been heard of since.
66. Probably one of the ordinary confessors in Warsaw.
67. A presumed permission: when a religious does something without the superior‟s
knowledge, on the assumption that the superior would give her permission to do it.
68. The sister finished the Third probation at the Novitiate, and so ended the period of
temporary vows.
69. The pall – a large piece of black cloth with a white cross in the middle. According
to the Congregation‟s ceremonial procedure, before taking perpetual vows the sisters
prostrated themselves before the altar and were covered with the pall as a symbol of being
dead to the world. In the meantime, other sisters recited Psalm 129, and the bells tolled as
during a funeral. The officiating priest, usually a bishop sprinkled the prostrate sisters with
holy water and then said: “Rise, you who are dead to the world, and Jesus Christ will
enlighten you.”
70. It may be supposed that sister Faustina refers here to Fr. Elter, S.J., who, during
the retreat before the Third Probation, set her at peace and encouraged her to be faithful to
God‟s graces.
71. See footnote 32.
72. There was a custom in the Congregation that, every month, sisters would ask the
superior for permission to practice little mortifications, say additional prayers, have various
small things at their disposal, be freed from observing the regulations which they momentarily
could not keep, and for many other things according to the individual needs of a given sister.
73. Bishop Rospond, a great friend of the Congregation, who for many years presided
over the ceremonies of clothing and vows, celebrated Mass and gave the homily for the
occasion. During the clothing ceremony he presented the postulant with the habit and veil;
the novices with the cincture and rosary, the crucifix, and the black veil; the temporary
professed with a burning candle and a ring as a sign of perpetual betrothal with the Lord
Jesus (cf.12).
vows.
74. The Jesuits have a thirty-day retreat during their third probation, before perpetual
75. The superior at Czestochowa at the time was Mother Seraphina Kikulska. Sister
Seraphina, baptized Salomea, was born November 30, 1873. She entered the Congregation
July 18, 1894. She was a group instructor and then superior in Cracow, Czestochowa,
Walendow. She died June 10, 1964 (A. SMDM-C and D).
411