It is the custom of several religious orders to add a “title” to their religious names. For example, St. Thérèse of Lisieux was known in her community as “Sr. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.”
St. Thérèse’s title reflected her personal devotion to the Child Jesus, and later she received permission to add “Holy Face” to her name, as she was also devoted to the Holy Face of Jesus.
For St. Faustina, she was given permission to add “of the Blessed Sacrament” to her religious name.
This name reflected her deep love of Jesus in the Eucharist, a love she possessed at an early age.
She describes this love in her Diary, explaining that she would spend any free time she had adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Hidden Jesus, in You lies all my strength. From my most tender years, the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament has attracted me to Himself. Once, when I was seven years old, at a Vesper Service, conducted before the Lord Jesus in the monstrance, the love of God was imparted to me for the first time and filled my little heart; and the Lord gave me understanding of divine things. From that day until this, my love for the hidden God has been growing constantly to the point of closest intimacy. All the strength of my souls flows from the Blessed Sacrament. I spend all my free moments in conversation with Him. He is my Master.
Diary, 1404
In 1935 she even received “the Blessed Sacrament” as her special “patron” for the year. Typically patron saints were given on New Year’s Day, but for St. Faustina, Jesus in the Eucharist was her patron.
St. Faustina firmly knew that Jesus was present in the Blessed Sacrament, and since she loved him dearly, it was the primary place on earth where she wanted to be.
And today we celebrate...