The Divine Mercy novena is prayed between Good Friday and the Sunday of Divine Mercy, which is the Sunday following Easter. Those praying the novena are to pray for the special intentions of each day followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
St. Faustina wrote that Jesus told her, “On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy … On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls.”
(Diary of Faustina, 1209)
Open each day with the Chaplet to the Divine Mercy then say the prayer for the day’s intention :
Fifth Day:
Today bring to Me THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAVE SEPARATED THEMSELVES FROM MY CHURCH,* and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at My Body and Heart, that is, My Church. As they return to unity with the Church, My wounds heal and in this way they alleviate My Passion.
Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Church. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Son’s Church, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces by obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in His Most Compassionate Heart. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen.
How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet
You can use regular Rosary beads or your fingers for this prayer.
Step 1: Intro Prayer
Make the Sign of the Cross, then say the following prayer:
“You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
(Repeat three times) O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!”
Step 2: First Three Prayers
On the first three beads above the crucifix pray, one Our Father, one Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed.
Step 3: Eternal Father Prayer
Then on the first Our Father Bead say the Eternal Father prayer:
“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”
Step 4: Sorrowful Passion Prayer
After each Eternal Father prayer, on the ten Hail Mary Beads say the following prayer:
“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
(Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for all five decades).
Step 5: Holy God Prayer
Say the Holy God prayer, repeated three times:
“Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
Step 6: Concluding Prayer
Conclude with the closing prayer:
“Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.”
