Sister Faustina Kowalska: Her LIfe and MIssion

frequently preceded by Je su s foretelling them. S ister F au s tin a was no t one of those who allow m a tte rs to be delayed. She sough t help wherever she could, a ttem p ting to widen the sphere of those able to give h e r competent opinions. She even reached the h ighest ecclesiastical au tho rity in h e r area. About h a lf way through August, 1935, F a the r Sopocko was away from Vilnius. She used th is opportunity to p re sen t h e r difficult problem to th e Metropolitan of Vilnius, Archbishop Jalbrzykowski, du ring confession: "'When I revealed my sou l to him, I received this reply: "My daughter, arm yourself zvith great patience; i f these things come from (Jod, they zvill be realized sooner or later. So be completely a t peace. I understand you very zvell in this matter, my daughter. S ind nozv, as regards your leaving the Congregation and thinking o f another one, do not entertain such thoughts, fo r this zvould be a serious interior temptation"... "Ho entreat mercy fo r the zvorld is a great and beau tifu l idea. Tray much, Sister, pray fo r mercy upon sinners, bu t do it in your ozvn convent." (Diary, Notebook I, para. 473). This advice was not enough for S is te r Fau s tina . After a couple of months she renewed h e r request. The Archbishop clearly took a less h a rsh view. His a ttitude was no longer wholly negative, and, though with caution, he he ld a ja r th e door on th e possibility of answering Je su s ’ reques t positively. "‘When f zvent to see the archbishop, I... asked his permission fo r a ll the Lord Jesus zvas demanding o f me. T he Slrchbishop anszvered me in these zvords: "Os fo r prayer, I give my permission and even encourage you, 235