During the course of Jesus' revelations to Saint Faustina on the Divine Mercy He asked on numerous occasions that a feast day be dedicated to the Divine Mercy and that this feast be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. The liturgical texts of that day, the Second Sunday of Easter, concern the institution of the Sacrament of Penance, the Tribunal of the Divine Mercy. This year it is on May 1.

This year marks another significant event for Catholics. Pope Benedict XVI set May 1 as the date for John Paul's beatification -- a key step toward Catholicism's highest honor, entering Sainthood. The beatification will be the fastest on record, coming just more than six years after his death and beating out Mother Teresa's then-record beatification in 2003 by a few days. Pope Benedict signed off on the miracle needed for the beatification of Pope John Paul II. Pope Benedict said in a decree that a French nun's recovery from Parkinson's disease was miraculous, the last step needed for beatification. A second miracle is needed for the Polish-born John Paul to be made a saint.

The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy
1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross, one Our Father, one Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed.
2. Then on the Our Father Beads say the following:
Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
3. On the 10 Hail Mary Beads say the following:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
(Repeat step 2 and 3 for all five decades.)
4. Conclude with (three times):
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.