In 2003 Pope John Paul II gave a special papal blessing to the Eucharistic Apostles of Mercy and all the faithful of the world who would pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy for an end to abortion and the culture of death. But most Catholics with whom I’ve spoken know nothing of this blessing, the five intentions suggested by the Pope, or the explicit connection with abortion to be found in the diary of St. Faustina herself, which makes the praying of this devotion more important than ever at this time in our country’s political situation.

“On at least three occasions, from 8:00-11:00 in the evening, she felt like her insides were being torn apart. She suffered so much that she thought she was going to die. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was ailing her, and no medication was able to alleviate her sufferings. Later, she was given to understand that she was undergoing those pains for mothers who were aborting their children. (See Diary, 1276. Quoted from an article by Fr. Frank Pavone.)

The five intentions to be prayed are:

1. for mothers, that they not abort their offspring;
2. for infants in danger of being put to death in the womb;
3. for a change of heart of providers of abortions and of their collaborators;
4. for human victims of stem cell research, genetic manipulation, cloning and euthanasia;
5. and for all entrusted with the government of peoples, that they may promote the Culture of Life, so as to put an end to the culture of death.

Note that in intention #3 we are praying for the conversion of heart of abortion providers and their collaborators. Who are their collaborators? Anyone who gives them any money for any reason, whether directly for abortion or some other service. Any money given to them helps them continue to perform abortions and helps them continue to bring ruin upon themselves and others. Anyone who does business with them at any level for any reason is also a collaborator. Anyone who helps them continue in the business and helps them continue to perform abortions, no matter what else they may do, helps them to continue in their performing of abortion which is an intrinsically evil action.

When we approach our loving Father in obedience and offer the merits of His Son’s bitter Passion and death for our sins, He responds with an outpouring of grace. We have within our grasp the means of effectuating a great Miracle of Divine Mercy for the entire world. We must cooperate as a human race with the Divine Will of Our Father and pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy as often as our station in life permits. —Quoted from Praying the Chaplet for Pro-life Causes.

We cannot collaborate with them, but we must pray for them. We are to pray for all those in need of conversion and in need of mercy. We do pray for these things everyday in our morning prayers, those of us who have that good and time-honored practice. We pray for these things in every Rosary. And also in the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, to mention just three of the most beloved Catholic prayer forms. By adding the Pope’s special intentions to our praying of the Chaplet, we can do more to bring about the end of the culture of death, and bring love, mercy, forgiveness and healing to all those who have suffered from abortion and its ruinous effects on lives, hearts and souls. We must let it be known that no sin is too great for forgiveness. No sin is greater than God. No sinner is beyond hope.

Our Lord told St. Faustina, “Say unceasingly the chaplet that I have taught you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire that the whole world know My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy” (Diary, 687).

Abortionists, their collaborators—including people who vote in such a way as to make it possible for abortions to continue to be performed and sanctioned by law and also people who do not vote in such a way as to make it illegal—need our prayers. They need our intercession. They need us to ask God to melt their hearts and fill them with the Living Flame of Love. They need Christians to do what Christians are supposed to do and that is to be the light of the world as representatives of Him Who is the True Light of the World. We need to point people toward the Good Shepherd Who will lead them to the lives they were created to live, instead of the darkness into which they have led themselves. We Christians need to bring Christ to those around us, Christ Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

We must cooperate, and we must act; the outcome of this “Universal Call to Mercy” will be a great change of hearts in all of humanity. “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances” (Ez 36:26-7). For it is in the heart where change must take place, and it is through trust in God that this action will take place. When we, as a human race, reach out to God with “childlike trust,” He will respond because He has promised us this that He would. Our Lord told St. Faustina, “The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is — trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive” (Diary, 1578).

Christ will do what He said He would do. If we ask Him to save souls, He will save them. If we ask Him to have mercy on us and on the whole world, in the words He Himself gave to St. Faustina in the Chaplet He gave her to pray, then He will have mercy on us and on the whole world full of sinners in need of mercy, including ourselves and the abortionists and those who have been victims and those who will be victims before the culture of death ends. We must pray for this. The world is counting on us.

The world needs mercy. Now.

“Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy” (Diary, 300).

Learn more:

• Special papal blessing by Pope John Paul II.
• Article by Fr. Frank Pavone.
• Diary of St. Faustina from the Marian Helpers.