Episode 169, Blessed Fr. Michael Sopocko: The Hero of Divine Mercy
Dr. Robert Stackpole serves as director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. He studied at Oxford University in England and the Angelicum in Rome. He has authored several books and articles published online and in journals.
One of his books, Mary: Who She Is and Why She Matters (available at shopmercy.org, code MBK), is the fourth book in our ministry’s formation program. Members read and discuss this book after completing a guided study of The Diary of St. Faustina.
In this podcast episode, we are discussing his book, God’s Amazing Mercy, a collection of meditations by St. Faustina’s spiritual director and confessor, Blessed Father Michael Sopocko. This book is available at shopmercy.org with code SOPB.
A priest after God’s own heart
Blessed Father Sopocko was a remarkable priest chosen by Divine Providence to be St. Faustina’s spiritual director. In her diary, she recorded the Lord’s words to her about him:
"He is a priest after my own heart; his efforts are pleasing to me... Through him, I spread comfort to suffering and careworn souls." (Diary, 1256)
Like all saints, Blessed Father Michael endured great trials and hardships which God used to mold him. During World War II, he was forced to go into hiding, disguising his identity and working as a gardener in a convent under an assumed name. A brilliant academic, he was initially skeptical when St. Faustina shared the revelations she received about God’s great mercy. However, being a man of deep faith and intellect, he turned to Sacred Scripture and the writings of the early church fathers to discern the truth. The more he studied, the more he realized that this humble and uneducated Polish nun had indeed been entrusted with a divine message.
Before St. Faustina died in 1938, Blessed Michael worked tirelessly to establish the Feast of Divine Mercy. He encountered many obstacles and soon realized that before the feast could be officially recognized, both the laity and clergy needed proper formation in the message of Divine Mercy. He understood that before seeds could be planted, the soil needed to be prepared.
A religious order foretold in St. Faustina’s diary
St. Faustina wrote in her diary that the Lord desired a new religious order. For some time, she believed she was the person to establish it, but she passed away before completion. It was Blessed Michael who later founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the Merciful Jesus, which many believe was the order foretold in her writings.
The mission of divine mercy
Over time, Blessed Michael came to understand that the Divine Mercy Apostolate and pastoral care—the spiritual, emotional, and physical care of souls—are deeply interconnected. He also recognized that the call to mercy is not reserved for priests, but is a mission entrusted to the laity as well. This is why the Eucharistic Apostles of Divine Mercy are called to live the message of Divine Mercy through the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
As a scholar, Father Sopocko realized that turning to God’s mercy is not merely an intellectual pursuit—it is meant to be a deeply personal and transformative experience in the life of every Christian.
