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March 1, 2004
One Woman Drama on Life of St. Faustina Comes to Christendom

Catholic performing artist Nancy Scimone presented her one-woman drama on the life of Saint Faustina on Friday, February 27, at Christendom College.

Using excerpts from the Saint's diary as her script, Scimone sought to create the person of Saint Faustina right before the audience. "It is my goal," expressed the singer and actress, "to present Saint Faustina as a 'living' model of solace in our present times, when there are so many distractions that can pull us from God. Her day-to-day experiences can inspire us -- how she embraces God in her daily work, and how she maintains great faith and trust in God and the Church in spite of great difficulties."

The program also gave background to the message and image of The Divine Mercy, and Divine Mercy Sunday, which is celebrated by the Church the Sunday after Easter.

Saint Faustina Kowalska died in 1938 at the age of 33, and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in April 2000. Although she lived much of her life in obscurity, she obeyed directives of her superiors and recorded a diary of both the extraordinary graces she received, as well as her daily life in the convent. Her diary Divine Mercy in My Soul has been published and translated from the original Polish into several languages.

Scimone's program, titled Saint Faustina -- Messenger of Mercy, was presented in a series of seven scenes reflecting significant facets of the Saint's life, including trust in God's mercy, love for Mary, love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, dealing with emotional and physical trials, and the need for quiet prayer to hear God's voice in our lives. After each dramatic segment, Scimone sang a song relating to the scene, with music drawn from both traditional and original sacred music. Fully costumed, Scimone presented her drama without scenery or props, with the intent that the simplicity of presentation maintains the focus on the spoken delivery of the script. Scimone has performed Saint Faustina -- Messenger of Mercy for churches, schools and conferences in both the United States and Canada, as well as at the John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, DC, and the Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Her recordings of Catholic music are heard on radio. As a classically trained singer, she has performed as a soloist at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, and in concert in New York City.
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