By Rachel Powers – Special to the Florida Catholic
The Second Sunday of Easter, also known as Divine Mercy Sunday, concludes the Octave of Easter and celebrates God’s infinite mercy revealed through Jesus Christ – particularly the forgiveness of sins made possible by His Passion, death, and Resurrection.
The feast was formally instituted by St. Pope John Paul II in 2000 at the canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish religious sister who lived in Kraków from 1905 to 1938 and is known for receiving visions and messages from Jesus centered on Divine Mercy.
In her Diary, St. Faustina recorded Jesus’ invitation to trust completely in His mercy, especially through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “Every time you go to confession, immerse yourself entirely in My mercy with great trust, so that I may pour the bounty of My grace upon your soul,” Jesus said. “From this fount of Mercy, souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity” (Diary, 1602).
Many Parishes throughout the Diocese of Venice observe Divine Mercy Sunday with special prayer services, and several host novenas leading up to the Feast. Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Lakewood Ranch held a Divine Mercy Prayer Service on April 12, 2026, at 3 p.m., traditionally known as the Hour of Mercy, commemorating the hour of Christ’s death on the Cross. The faithful of the Parish gathered in a solemn spirit of devotion and reflection.
The prayer service included the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the chanting of the Divine Mercy Chaplet led by cantor Bella Henry, and readings from St. Faustina’s Diary that emphasized Christ’s call to trust in His mercy.
Father Sebastian Szczawinski, Pastor of Our Lady of the Angels Parish, offered reflections on Divine Mercy, encouraging those present to deepen their faith and reliance on God’s compassionate love. The concluding Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was accompanied by the hymn “Holy God, We Praise Thy Name.” Following the service, several parishioners knelt in prayer before the Divine Mercy image, embracing a moment of quiet devotion.
Each year, Divine Mercy Sunday offers the faithful an opportunity to receive a Plenary Indulgence. This indulgence is granted to those who, on that day, either participate in a Divine Mercy devotion in a church or chapel, or pray the Our Father, the Creed, and a prayer to the Merciful Jesus in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. In addition, the faithful must receive Holy Communion in a state of grace, pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, and have made a sacramental confession within the 30 days.
The Gospel reading tells of the Mary Magdalene and the other Mary who went to the tomb of Jesus to complete the anointing of Jesus’ body properly, even though they knew a great stone was in their way. The women were carried by their faith, hope and love for Jesus Christ because following a great darkness, the sun had risen that Easter morning. When they arrive at the tomb, the stone is rolled away and they encounter an Angel who said, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.”
“Christ presents Himself as he rose from the dead,” Bishop Dewane said. “Yes. He saved us and He presents Himself for all of us to respond. We have to look at it in the same way in our own lives, see the stone that I need to roll away. It is there. Christ knows it and wants to help us so that there is nothing interfering in our relationship with Him. It is what the Resurrection is all about.”
At Epiphany Cathedral, Bishop Dewane presided over five baptisms, while a group of 11 were confirmed. The Bishop lauded the catechumen and candidates for having the courage and strength to hear the call of the Lord in their lives and respond in a definitive way.
The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Paul Parish in Arcadia includes the commemoration when Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of Holy Communion prior to His arrest and crucifixion. It also observes His institution of the priesthood. This Liturgy included the presentation of the oils blessed and consecrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane during the March 31, 2026, Chrism Mass, at St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs, holy oils which will be used for the Sacraments in the Parishes throughout the year. Later was the traditional washing of the feet, reenacting Jesus washing the feet of the Disciples. Following the Prayer after Communion, the Mass concluded with a procession to transfer the Holy Eucharist to a place of repose in the Parish Hall. This action left the tabernacle vacant until the Easter Vigil.
On Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion, the Faithful at St. Raphael Parish in Lehigh Acres participated in the liturgy. This celebration is not a Mass, as the hosts offered at Communion were consecrated on Holy Thursday. The liturgy included the reading of the Passion from the Gospel of John. Next was the presentation of the cross, brought forth unveiled as: “Behold the wood of the Cross, on which hung the salvation of the world.” These words were sung and the congregation responded: “Come let us adore.” The faithful were then encouraged to venerate the cross. The cross at St. Raphael was first venerated by the priests, altar servers and choir, before it was brought to parishioners who were not able to come forward. Each person who venerated the cross did so by a touch, a bow, or a genuflection.
For the third year in a row, a public Stations of the Cross took place in downtown Venice, starting at Epiphany Cathedral and proceeding into nearby Centennial Park and then down Venice Avenue. Nearly 1,000 took part, including members of the youth group, as the streets were temporarily blocked for the occasion. In addition, faithful from St. Martha, St. Patrick, St. Thomas More, Incarnation, St. Jude and Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parishes in Sarasota took part in the annual Sarasota Ministerial Association Good Friday Stations of the Cross on Main Street. About 750 participated with several Catholic priests and deacons leading the readings at the different stations.
St. William Parish and Catholic Charities in Collier County joined forces to provide an Easter luncheon for the homeless in Naples on April 7, 2026. More than 100 were welcomed with a warm meal and compassionate hearts at the Judy Sullivan Family Resource Center. Staff and volunteers prepared and served the meals. Each person received a meal, take-home food, a gift card and beautifully decorated Easter Eggs. The luncheon is one of several supported by the St. William Homeless Outreach Program for Empowerment (HOPE) which extends a compassionate hand to those experiencing homelessness in Naples, including providing hot meals to the homeless each week, bicycles for transportation and more.
Holy Week concludes on Holy Saturday, April 4, the Sabbath on which Jesus rested in the grave. No Masses are celebrated before dark on this day.
The Televised Mass for the Homebound on Palm Sunday (March 29, 2026), and Easter Sunday (April 5 and celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane), will air for a full hour on both Sundays. Because of the length, on these two Sundays the broadcast will air at a special time. For viewers in the northern portions of the Diocese (DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee, and Sarasota counties), the Masses will air at noon on Tampa Bay 44. In the southern portions of the Diocese (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee counties), the Masses will air at 8 a.m. on FOX Florida. Please check your cable provider for channel listings. The televised Mass is also always available online at 
