Review: Faustina The Mystic and Her Message

Faustina The Mystic and Her Message by Ewa K. Czaczkowska
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I began the Extraordinary Year of Mercy by trying to read St. Faustina's Diary. Sadly, I struggled, and attributed my inability to make any headway due to a poor translation of the work. I mentioned my lack of success to my parish priest, who happens to be Polish, and after admitting that he had difficulties reading the text even in his (and St. Faustina's) native language, he loaned me his copy of Czaczkowska's book.

Faustina is an incredibly detailed look at the saint's life, from her infancy up to the Church's declaration and celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday, the first Sunday following Easter. Due to Czaczkowska's research and writing skills as an accomplished journalist, I learned everything I ever wanted to know about St. Faustina, her revelations, the two confessors she relied on to guide her with her visions and the theology behind the Divine Mercy.

Since St. Faustina moved around quite a bit in her order's convents, the book looks at the events of her life primarily from a geographical point of view. I thought this was an odd way of structuring a biography, but in this way Czaczkowska successfully gives us a sympathetic and fascinating account of the mystic's life.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in St. Faustina's amazing life.

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