MERRITT ISLAND  |  Established in 1964, Divine Mercy Parish in Merritt Island never had a relic of its patroness, St. Faustina Kowalska, until recently. On Oct. 17, 2026, pastor Father John Giel blessed and installed a first-class relic of the saint, hoping it will inspire parishioners to be merciful and recognize the infinite divine mercy of God.

Although the parish had an image of the Divine Mercy, Jesus with a white and red ray emanating from His pierced heart, depicting the water of Baptism and the blood of salvation, they had no relic. One year ago, Father Giel thought it would be appropriate to pursue obtaining a relic in honor of the saint whose visions of Christ led to the image of Divine Mercy to be spread throughout the world.

“I contacted the Sisters (of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland),” he recalled. “Of course, they understood that being Divine Mercy Parish, it was most appropriate. We had to get a letter from the bishop. The bishop was very, very cordial in trying to help us get it. And surprisingly, we got a first-class relic of St. Faustina. It’s a piece of her bone, which they don’t do anymore.”

He explained that nowadays, first-class relics usually consist of hair. He recounted the story of the relic’s journey during a Mass where he blessed the relic and installed it in the parish chapel.

The Sisters shared their joy at being able to assist the parish in proclaiming Jesus’ mercy through His revelations to St. Faustina. In a letter they sent with the relic they indicate the parish “will now be under her particular protection and care.”

They wrote, “We believe that by means of her relic, her spiritual presence will contribute to a deeper understanding of the mystery of Divine Mercy among your parishioners. Thus making St. Faustina’s desire written in her “Diary” come true: ‘I desire to go throughout the whole world and speak to souls about the great mercy of God (D491). This is my mission, which You Yourself have entrusted me. O Lord, in this life and the life to come (D1325).’”

The Sisters prayed St. Faustina would be “a guiding light to God who is rich in mercy and an intercessor for obtaining grace.”

Many blessing occurred during the voyage of the relic to the United States. The relic arrived with the help of Father Waldemar Maciag, pastor of St. Lawrence Parish in Bushnell. Father Maciag is Polish and commended friends Agnieszka and Grzegorz Flont to pick it up in Krakow. They bought the monstrance for it and prayed with it for several days, asking for healing from cancer for Agnieszka. Later, when her results returned, she was cancer free.

Then the Flonts brought the relic to Father Maciag’s sister Beata Szeloch, who lives in Radom, Poland. She and her family also prayed with the relic daily. Then her son, Krystian, flew to Stockholm, Sweden, to visit his grandmother, Teresa Maciag, and to give the relic to Father Maciag. Finally, the relic arrived with him in Bushnell and remained the month of May during which it was displayed at St. Lawrence Parish for parishioners to venerate. The relic arrived at Divine Mercy by June 2025.

In addition, when Polish painter Mariusz Dziubinski learned the parish would receive a relic of the great saint, he painted an icon of the Divine Mercy and gifted it to the parish, along with a letter sharing its significance.

“I’m really honored,” Father Maciag said. “I’m glad that a part of her earthly remains is in the United States and in the Diocese of Orlando. And I hope that through that relic, everyone who kneels there and asks for God’s mercy through her intercessions, it’s going to be granted.”

The relic is already a blessing to parishioners of Divine Mercy Parish who participated in the installation Mass.

Sacristan Laurie Meholic shared her joy. When her husband, Keith, was returning to the Church he was greatly moved by the image of Divine Mercy. He used to venerate it in the Adoration Chapel at Our Saviour Parish in Cocoa Beach.

“Just the rays, reaching out to envelop him and just a very real sense of Christ, really touched his heart and mind,” Laurie explained.

Kevin later learned the image was on loan from his future wife’s mother. Since then, he sets aside time at 3 p.m. to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet.

Laurie’s devotion began after meeting her husband at a Divine Mercy young adult retreat about 30 years ago. When naming their daughter, Olivia, they added the names of their favorite saints-Thérèse (of Lisieux) and Faustina.

“It’s just a tremendous ocean of grace and being by the ocean, it’s just, that’s what I go to all the time. Just to think the depth and the breadth of His mercy, that He wants to give to everybody if they will come,” she said.

Vilma Barrett prays the chaplet daily since 2003 when her late husband Richard Williams converted to Catholicism. Although he has since passed and she remarried, she continues to pray the chaplet like they used to do together.

Parishioner John Shantzen learned about St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy through a religious network. A parishioner of Divine Mercy Parish for 60 years, he said, “I think it’s a blessing that we have (the relic), and hopefully it will enkindle more faith in the Divine Mercy.”

Judy and Ronald Yarosh drove from St. Stephen Parish in Winter Springs for the installation Mass. The couple has taken up to 150 prayer requests from their parish to the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, each year. The couple lived close to the shrine and when they moved south, they continued to travel annually to bring requests. They were pleased to learn now they would not have to travel so far. Ronald is of Polish descent and practiced the devotion for more than 40 years.

Father Giel looks forward to designating a day of the week, following Mass, to pray the Divine Chaplet. Of course, the novena will be prayed beginning Good Friday of Easter week and continuing through the Feast of Divine Mercy the following Sunday after Easter.

“It’s all about the Divine Mercy of God. St. Faustina, that’s all she proclaimed. It was that idea that God, His mercy is with us. And the way our world is right now, we need to realize the mercy of God,” Father Giel said.

Watch a reel on the Divine Mercy Relic here.

By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic staff, October 22, 2026