Sister Faustina Kowalska: Her LIfe and MIssion

F a th e r Sopocko was obviously delaying; he had so far not overcome his in terio r objections. He writes: "This image’s content was somewhat new, so tha t I could not hang it in a church w ithout the permission o f the archbishop, which I was embarrassed to ask for, and especially to have to relate its origins. I therefore placed it in a dark corridor beside the church o f St. Michael in the convent o f the Bernardine Sisters, o f which I had a t the time been appointed rector... S ister Faustina asked tha t at all costs the picture shou ld be placed in a church, bu t I was in no hurry." The image was only p u t perm anen tly into a church th ree years la te r , i.e., in 1937, which does not mean th a t for all th a t time i t rem a ined in th a t dark cloister. Gradually, the m a t te r of th e devotion to the Divine Mercy progressed. One th ing h ad been definitely accomplished: th e vision of S is te r F au s t in a had taken on a tangible form - i t was preserved. The picture was ready in its final form and h ad been approved by Jesus . Now i t was the tu rn of the in te rio r p repara tion appropria te to those who were to devote themselves to th is works: S ister F au s t in a and F a th e r Sopocko. Je su s did not delay: He began the nex t stage in the rea liza ­ tion of His desire: th e p repara tion of both as apostles of Divine Mercy. 169