Women in History: I Needed Saint Faustina

For Holy Women's History Month, Margaret Dwyer Hogan shares how Saint Faustina was introduced to her at the time she needed this saint most.

I have a friend who says many times in life a saint finds her.

I love this idea. I imagine the Blessed Mother, my Lord and saints I am already devoted to — and asking for their intercession during a difficult time — deciding I need something more. That year, it was decided: “She needs Faustina.”

An Introduction to a Saint and a Way of Prayer

It was the year 2000, and my brother-in-law Jimi had been diagnosed with ALS — also known as Lou Gehrig's disease — at 35. My sweet husband is the oldest of 6, and his brother Jimi had made some pretty lousy choices in life. Addiction had taken its toll. Thankfully, Jimi was in AA and sober when I met him, but for his siblings, the years of lying, cheating and long absences had left a deep chasm.

Providing him with comfort and care first required forgiveness and mercy. Add to this mix that we had another young father in the Hogan family facing a terminal cancer diagnosis. He had two children under 10 and lived right up the street. It was a difficult time.

I shared the situation with a new friend from church, and Rose introduced me to Saint Faustina, and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. I read Saint Faustina’s Diary and found the Lord’s message of Divine Mercy so comforting. I was moved to share it by small acts of mercy: visits with Jimi, helping his wife, taking his 8-year-old stepson for outings outside of a sad apartment and most importantly supporting my husband's efforts to assist his brother Jimi. This meant time away from me — pregnant with our second child and taking care of a 2-year-old, 900 miles away from my mom and sisters.

The Fruits of the Divine Mercy Chaplet

I was blessed to pray the Chaplet with Jimi on the day he died. Shortly after, I made my first pilgrimage to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet has enormous spiritual benefits for the person you are praying for but also manifests in you as you become an agent of mercy in a situation you feel ill-prepared to navigate.

“Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world” is a prayer I still rely upon — especially if awake at 3:00 AM, plagued with worries.

In 2016, my husband Michael and my daughter Maeve traveled to Poland for World Youth Day with Pope Francis. Maeve was born in 2000. She chose Faustina as her Confirmation name. She is now completing her clinical studies to be a nurse.

“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

Saint Faustina, pray for us.

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Copyright 2026 Margaret Dwyer Hogan
Images: (banner) Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Stock Photo; Wikimedia Commons