Saints of Our Time · Week 1 · Grades 3–5
Guided Notes: St. Faustina Kowalska
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
St. Faustina Kowalska
A poor farm girl
Faustina was born Helena Kowalska on August 25, blank 1, in a tiny village in Poland. She was the third of ten children. Her family was poor but religious. Helena went to school for only three years because she had to work.
In 1924, when she was 19, Helena saw a vision of Jesus at a dance. She left the dance and prayed in a church. In 1925 she joined the Sisters of Our Lady of blank 2 in Warsaw. She took the name Sister Maria Faustina.
A message of mercy
In the blank 3, Sister Faustina cooked, gardened and answered the door. She was often sick. On February 22, 1931, Jesus appeared to her in a white robe. Two rays of light came from his heart, one red and one pale.
He asked for a painting with the words “Jesus, I trust in You.” An artist painted it in blank 4. Faustina wrote what Jesus told her in a diary. She died of tuberculosis, a lung disease, on October 5, 1938. She was 33.
Words to know
Write what each word means.
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Mercy | Write your answer |
| Divine Mercy | Write your answer |
| Convent | Write your answer |
| Chaplet of Divine Mercy | Write your answer |
| Canonized | Write your answer |
Quick check
Which jobs did Sister Faustina do in the convent? Circle one.
- A Teacher, painter and writer of songs
- B Nurse, leader and builder of schools
- C Cook, gardener and keeper of the door
Mercy online and offline
Faustina shared God's mercy. Sort each action: does it show mercy or not? Check one box for each.
| Item | Shows mercy | Does not show mercy |
|---|---|---|
| Forgiving a friend who said sorry | ||
| Sharing an embarrassing photo of a classmate | ||
| Inviting a left-out player to join your game | ||
| Laughing at someone's mistake in a group chat | ||
| Praying for someone who was unkind to you | ||
| Keeping a grudge after an apology |
Quick check
What is Divine Mercy Sunday? Circle one.
- A The Sunday after Easter, a feast Jesus asked for
- B The Sunday before Christmas, a feast for nuns
- C The first Sunday of October, for Faustina's birthday
Think, pair, share
Faustina prayed “Jesus, I trust in You.” When is it hard to trust God? How could you show mercy to someone this week, in person or online?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “It is hard to trust when ...”“I could show mercy by ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Matthew 5:7
Jesus, I trust in You.
Give us merciful eyes and merciful words.
St. Faustina Kowalska, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
You learned how a poor girl with three years of school shared God's mercy with the whole world.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
Challenge: This week, forgive one person quickly, and send or say one kind message to someone who needs it.