Sister Faustina Kowalska: Her LIfe and MIssion

humble, she formed people r a th e r by h e r own example th an by instructions. She h e rse lf was prayerful and placed prayer in its proper h ierarchy among all the duties of the day. Under h e r wing, conflicts were dissipated and Helena quickly relaxed spiritually. "A happy child of God" was th e description of Helena given by the senior novice, la te r S ister Crescentia (Sister K.), who had been asked to look a fte r her. This ph rase may bes t show Helena’s then s ta te of mind, both in the postulancy as well as subsequently in the f i rs t h a lf of he r novitiate. She had a positive effect on those around her, because of h e r joy and en thusiasm , so th a t she was more th an once p u t forward as a model, both for postu lan ts, and, la ter, for novices. Her companions liked he r and some adm ired her, and a t recreation they gladly grouped themselves around her. She fascinated them , because in spite of h e r open gaiety and h e r ease in talking, verging on the ta lka tive , she remained recollected. She could tell a story in teresting ly and "always knew how to speak about God and sp iritual matters", as S ister Regina J . has said. The recollections of h e r companions shed considerable light on the sp iritual climate of those days. I give both those from th e time of the postulancy as well as those from the firs t period of the novitiate. One of those most friendly with her, S ister Placida, says a g rea t deal about the time when they were both undergoing the ir formation in the Congregation. "When we were in the novitiate, S ister Faustina said tha t we should pray as the Apostles prayed: ’Lord, teach us to pray, m u ltip ly our fa i th ’... She asked us often: "Sisters, do you pray for the Polish a rm y? For miners working in difficult conditions? For sailors sailing the oceans'?" I often wondered where she got these ideas from, because I felt tha t in praying for everyone, I was including in tha t intention the various groups o f people. Bu t she insisted that 72