The Second Greatest Story Ever Told: Now Is the Time of Mercy

by Michael E. Gaitley

In The Second Greatest Story Ever Told bestselling author Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC, reveals St. John Paul II's witness for our time. Building on the prophetic voices of Margaret Mary Alacoque, Thrse of Lisieux, Maximilian Kolbe, and Faustina Kowalska, The Second Greatest Story Ever Told is more than a historical account of the Great Mercy Pope. This book expounds on the profound connection between Divine Mercy and Marian consecration. It serves as an inspiration for all those who desire to bear witness to the mercy of God, focused on Christ and formed by Mary. Now is the time of mercy. Now is the time to make John Paul's story your own.

Genres: Catholic, Religion, History, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Christian, Faith

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2015

About the author

Father Michael Gaitley, MIC, is a member of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. Prior to his ordination to the priesthood, he received a Masters Degree in Theology and a Licentiate Degree in Moral Theology.

After his ordination to the priesthood, Fr. Michael succeeded Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, MIC, as the director of the Association of Marian Helpers, a spiritual benefit society with more than 1,000,000 members. As director, he has launched a new pastoral initiative called Hearts Afire: Parish-based Programs for the New Evangelization (HAPP).

He frequently appears on EWTN and preaches retreats throughout the country on topics such as Divine Mercy, Consoling spirituality, and Marian Consecration.

When he is not preaching missions and retreats, Fr. Michael lives and works on Eden Hill in Stockbridge, Mass., home of the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy.

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poland! Who would ever have thought that this country whose borders have changed so many times throughout the history of Europe would play so important a role in the history of the world?

Poland, the land that gave us such great men and women of God as St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, Blessed Fr. Michael Sopocko, Fr. Joseph Jarzebowski, Fr. Maximillian Kolbe, and the well-known Pope John Paul II.

Poland, called to play a major role in the bloodiest conflagration known to man - World War II! Suffering Poland! She gave her sons and daughters, her blood, her very life. While doing so, God was fully at work in that chaotic, hellish world, laying the foundation for all the world to know that the light of the love and mercy of God can never be snuffed out by the evils of mankind. The Nazis tried to obliterate the knowledge of God in Poland; they failed.

The Second Greatest Story Ever Told is about God's love and His mercy, extended to all mankind for all time.

We must learn to trust in a God who has done all He can to rescue us, to restore us to a place of right standing with Him.

Now is the time of mercy! Now is the time to place all our trust in God.

Let us, as students, fully enroll in the school of trust. This is the key message of "The Second Greatest Story Ever Told."

[Noah Calcagno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely incredible. It’s no secret that there’s an incredible amount of great saints to come out of Poland in the 20th century, but Fr. Gaitley masterfully observes and weaves their stories into one in a way that is sure to kindle devotion to Divine Mercy in the heart of the reader.

Now is the time of Mercy! Be not afraid!

[Victoria Claire]

The word that comes to mind when I think about how this book affected my thinking is "synthesizing". I have had a devotion to the Divine Mercy, a devotion to Mary, a devotion to John Paul II, and have been deeply moved by the stories of Our Lady of Fatima, Maxamillion Kolbe, and St. Faustina. I have also learned in school about the history of the great world wars and the rise and fall of the Soviet Union and various world leaders. Never, however, have I had such a strong sense of connection between all these stories, and Fr. Gaitley's synthesis of all of these things did just that for me. Having read this book, I find myself convinced that this truly is the time of mercy, and that great saints are impacting the course of the entire world. I can see more clearly how God's merciful hand does not just work in the events of individual lives, but manifests itself in the history of all humanity, and not just in the past, but in the present age. I also have a great sense that my own personal striving to do God's work can bear fruit, not just in my own salvation and the salvation of those I encounter, but it can be caught up in the salvation of the whole world. In my deep desire for my life to be significant, I found this book to reach to the heights of universality, but also plunge to the depths of personal mission. O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a font of mercy for us, I trust in You!

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 5 out of 5]

ENGLISH: This is one of the best religious books I have ever read. The second greatest story ever told is the story of Divine Mercy.

Through the lives of St. Faustina Kowalska, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and especially St. John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla), touching also on the apparitions at Fatima, Gaitley makes a spectacular case for consecration to Mary, and through her to the Heart of Jesus, as the most important enterprise of our time. I found the book extremely compelling.

ESPAÑOL: Este es uno de los mejores libros religiosos que he leído. La segunda historia más grande jamás contada es la de la Divina Misericordia.

A través de las vidas de Santa Faustina Kowalska, San Maximiliano Kolbe, y sobre todo San Juan Pablo II (Karol Wojtyla), además de tocar las apariciones de Fátima, Gaitley hace una defensa espectacular de la consagración a María, y a través de ella, al Corazón de Jesús, como la labor más importante de nuestro tiempo. He encontrado el libro extremadamente convincente.

[Emmanuel Levy · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GOOD! Makes ALL the connections between Fatima, Faustina, Maximilian Kolbe, and JPII to show the current importance of Marian Consecration + Divine Mercy devotion in this great “time of mercy”!!

[Mariangel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book and the companion video series explain in an urgent and very compelling way how the stories of Fatima, St. Faustina, St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. John Paul II are all interrelated, and are part of God's plan of Mercy for our times.

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book which I had put off reading because I thought I already knew a lot about Divine mercy and Saint John Paul II. Boy, was I wrong. The story weaves in the history of Poland with the lives of three important saints of the 20th century from Poland : St. Faustina, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and Saint John Paul II. The history of Poland was fascinating and set the stage for remarkable things that happened in the 20th century with these 3 saints of the Catholic Church. The whole book is about: now we are living in a time of great mercy. It is Divine Mercy and everyone needs to know about it and how to apply it in their life, to their soul. Doing this redeems you so you can go to heaven to be with God after this life.

Father Mike says that we are all meant to be saints, which means souls that get to heaven. These 3 saints in the book have been canonized in the Catholic Church which is a little different. Just that miracles happened in their lives and it was determined after their death --that they should be canonized by the Catholic Church to help lead people to God.

Even though I already know a lot about Divine Mercy, there was more to know. I was surprised by Maximilian Kolbe's life. It is so inspiring how brave and what a good leader he was. I didn't know he published a magazine in Poland before WWII, to spread the news of Consecration to Jesus through Mother Mary. He even went to Nagasaki, Japan and set up a printing press there and published in Japanese. He was blessed with miracles from God to accomplish his work. He had great devotion to our blessed Mother Mary. His work was inspired by a book from the 18th century called, True Devotion to Mary. He consecrated his heart to Mother Mary and she guided him in saving many souls for Christ. This is the priest who was sent to Auschwitz and while there he went in place of a man, who was sentenced to death, who worried about his family--that man's life was spared because St. Maximilian offered his own. He and a group of 10 men where put in a place, in Auschwitz, to starve to death with no food or water. While in there he ministered to the other men. After 10 days there were only 4 people left alive, including St. Max. They were poisoned to death. Flash forward some 40 or 50 years. When Saint Pope John Paul II canonized Maximilian Kolbe, the man St. Max died for, was still alive. He went to Rome to see the canonization. So many cool stories like this surround the lives of these great saints.

Additionally, in the life of ST. JPII, I enjoyed reading about Divine Mercy and how he worked behind the scenes to bring out all the necessary info on it to prove it is real. He read the book True Devotion to Mary when he was a teenager and it inspired him to become a priest and consecrate his life to Mother Mary, also. He survived great hardships, too. In his life, he accomplished great things for God. His life is very fascinating to read about. It was great to see how Father Mike wove in the stories of Our Lady of Fatima. It's all very inspirational and fascinating. The details are too much to put down here. Go and read the book.

I couldn't put it down, especially because my birthday is May 13th which is the anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady at Fatima. This May 13th marks the 100th anniversary of the first apparition: May 13, 1917. The great message of Fatima is to pray the Rosary everyday to improve your relationship with God and improve the way you live your life. The Blessed Mother is all about bringing people to God. People don't worship her. The Rosary is centered in the life of Jesus and Mary. It is meditational prayer at it's best.

Consecration to Mary is a way to dedicate your life to the will of God. I consecrated to Mother Mary for the first time on December 8, 2012. It was at the Monastery in Conyers, GA. I had read and studied the book, 33 Days to Morning Glory by Father Mike, with a group of people in my church. The group went out to the monastery that day and were consecrated in the crypt under the church in the monastery by a Monk. It was a beautiful service. December 8th is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, so that made it more special.

The author is a Catholic priest and I have read a few of his other books. I really love his writing. It is inspiring. Highly recommended

[Riley Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book about how Poland ties in the Marian Consecration, Divine Mercy message, and the end of the world.

Come, Lord Jesus!

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fr. Gaitley ties in the messages of Fatima, the visions of St. Faustina regarding Divine Mercy and the sufferings of Poland to describe how our Lord is giving us this time of grace and mercy. It has inspired me to pray the rosary and divine mercy chaplet more often and I'll be making a Marian Consecration as soon as possible.

[Fr. Daniel Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story recounted by Michael Gaitley is a beautiful one of many saints from across Europe who strongly affected one another, and in particular Pope Saint John Paul II, and ultimately changed the world for the better in the 20th century. It is a beautiful interwoven tapestry of a story that shows just how God's providence and care comes to us in so many subtle ways that seem isolated but are really all connected.

That being said, while I really enjoyed the history that was presented about Fatima, St. Faustina, Saint John Paul II about divine mercy, I did not enjoy the presentation style itself. I felt that I would have enjoyed it more if it had been written in a style with less propaganda. The language used by the author is one that excites the emotions and demonstrates his real energy for the subject matter. But while this lends itself well to a speech or a talk, it struggles to remain genuine throughout an entire book. I was very distracted by most of the transitions between sections because so often the author repeated rhetoric meant to show passion and joy when to me it only conveyed the message that the story cannot speak for itself in the same way (which it certainly does).

This is not to say that a reader will not find this book amazing, in particular if the reader is not familiar already with much of the story of Fatima or St. Faustina. The unique perspective of this book is that it speaks of each of these stories and how they relate to one another. But I found that for me, I would have preferred to read about each of these stories on my own and then read a short article about mercy that would connect them. I felt there was too much pomp in the writing style and that the connection of these ideas should be allowed to speak for itself more.

[Melissa Howe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I need to apologize for not liking this book... but I can't lie. Every time I try to read a book by this author I have such high hopes and then I'm let down. I'm not going to write a bad review, I'll just say I don't like the way the book is put together. I'm really glad others love his books though!! it seems like his books bring a number of people closet to God and that's really all that matters!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the way Fr. Michael Gaitley ties bits of history together and inspires us to be more conscious and active with regard to our faith in this day and age.

[Sebastian Fricke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Father Gaitley has constructed an exciting story that connects multiple different stories together in a manner that shines a new light on all of them and gives each of those stories a new light.
First of all, I want to address a comment, which I have heard a couple of times in my book club, while we delved into this book. That comment was, that some felt this story tries to create a separate story from the greatest story ever told (the Bible) and thus constructs a kind of alternative Gospel. I didn't get that feeling while reading the book, because in my eyes the lives of the saints are simply a way for us to see Christ acting in our day and age. A quote from the book underlines this nicely for me:

Spirituality. The heart of this spirituality is the encounter with Jesus Christ, the Divine Mercy, an encounter that brings the "joy of the Gospel" into the lives of those who practice this spirituality and those they serve. To foster this encounter with Divine Mercy, participants seek to overcome their lack of trust in God's goodness and the "distorted image" of God that are results of original sin.

What this book does so nicely is to provide you with a deeper context for things many Catholics already know and practice, like the consecration to Jesus through Mary or the Divine Mercy chaplet and the teachings of the recent popes, especially Saint John Paul II. It shows you the connection between multiple truly awesome saints, it teaches you the role of Poland in all of this. Most importantly, it underlines boldly the message that is told throughout the bible from the get-go to the very end, which is that we are always in danger of having a wrong image about who God is to us, what we are to him, what we can expect of him and what he expects of us. By meditating about this, I notice more and more that it is not about just working through yet another devotion, but that these revelations and teachings all point down to the core, which is that I require mercy not out of a state of desperation but out of hope. Thus it is not about powering through as many devotions as possible in the hope of gathering as many promises as possible to counteract my own sureness that I am actually doomed. But that each of those devotions is a practice and a reminder, that I can live my life with the greatest possible hope.

These things in themselves combined with a writing style that gripped me to keep on reading already justify the 5-star rating.
But that doesn't mean, that this work is flawless, for example, I felt some comparisons were a bit far-fetched. For example when he compared the vision from Fatima about the Pope being shot on a hill (red martyrdom) and dying with the Pope John Paul II being shot and dying of old age and his sickness (white martyrdom), I felt that this was an unnecessary far-fetched connection. This can be seen in a couple of cases throughout the book, but that doesn't destroy the foundation of this book, as I don't have to agree with every line that he draws to agree with the overall image that he tries to paint.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good synthesis of all the events with Poland, Fatima, JPII, etc. If you want a summary of how Marian Consecration is intertwined with Divine Mercy and all the details in between, this is the book for you. I didn’t find it to stir my heart in the same way Gaitley’s other books have, but I appreciated the history of Poland and how it all is tied together. While I agree that there is always an urgency with letting the Lord transform us now, rather than later, I’m not into interpreting Fatima with quite the same level of “soon” that others seem to. After all, the disciples also thought Jesus was coming in their time. But overall, a faithful synthesis for anyone who wants everything drawn together, and a lovely reminder of how God is still acting here and now. High school readers and up—a laid back writing style.

[Morgan Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read like a history/persuasive essay combo all rooted in Christ. I learned a lot about Polish history and church history in general, and have a new fire to strengthen my relationship with Christ.
Gaitley argues that Saint Pope John Paul II is a hero for helping the world understand how focusing on God’s mercy, and asking Mary to lead us to her Son are key to the spiritual life.
If you’re skeptical about or just underwhelmed by Marian Consecration and/or the Divine Mercy devotion, this book really helped me understand the power of each of them better in the grand scheme of things.
Gaitley really emphasizes that these aren’t just new fads and prayers to hide in instead of actually having a relationship with Christ, but rather that these are concrete ways that are in line with biblical teaching and the salvation history.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Second Greatest Story Ever Told is a book everyone!! should read.

Don't let the photo of Pope Saint John Paul II on the cover keep you away if you are not Catholic. This is a story of God's great mercy and the people from the last 100 years that He has used to bring His message of MERCY to the world.

Cannot recommend highly enough.

Fr. Michael Gaitley is so easy to read. He explains everything so simply and he even throws out tough questions that some of you may have and answers them clearly in the pages of this book.

Again, HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

Let me know what you think.

[Diane M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book! Gaitley is a wonderful writer who captures your attention from the first sentence and holds it to the last. He draws together some very important figures in Church history -- John Paul II, St. Maximillian Kolbe, St. Faustina Kowalska. Have to admit that in some parts, it was so intense that I put it down for awhile to reflect and digest the information. If you want to better understand the meaning of Fatima and Divine Mercy devotion, I highly recommend this book. If you are concerned about what's happening in the world today, this is also a must read.

[Ruth]

I loved this book! Really connecting Jesus' Divine Mercy being poured out for the whole world when he sacrificed his life for all of us. That we can really depend on him in all situations. I loved reading about how Poland has been a special country, saving Europe and the world many times over, though they have never been a powerful country; just faithful. <3 I am grateful to Fr. Michael Gaitley for sharing this wealth of information so I can grow closer to God and let his mercy come into my life!

[Sheri Bacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a book study for my prayer group, and it was EXCELLENT! I highly recommend this book! It has impacted my faith life and my understanding of the significance of some recent historical events and saints. I read this book after reading 33 Days to Consecration. For me, this was a good follow up...it helped me to understand why consecration is so important and that it's not a "one and done" kind of experience. I could definitely see this book being a great lead in for following up with 33 Days to Consecration as well.

[Joseph Katuzienski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional Well Done

This book is not just about “The Second Greatest Story Ever Told.” Rather, it clarifies, illuminates, and adds to our understanding of “The Greatest Story Ever Told;” it brings to light a new chapter - or Testament - to Salvation History. We now live in the times of The Holy Spirit; a time of mercy. And the Third Millennium in which we now live is a time of God’s Divine Mercy. This book is a must-read for anyone with a desire for Love, Truth, Wisdom, and understanding our contemporary world and our role in it.

[Lisa Machado · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book because it pieces together several stories and parts of history emphasizing how the message of God’s mercy needs to be told. The Blessed Mother has an important role in gathering many that may not normally believe. Maximillian Kolbe, John Paul II and Sr. Faustina (and the people around them) all played major roles in the teachings of this important message to include the now prominent image of Jesus and Divine Mercy. It is an easy read as told by Fr Gaitley in a conversational tone.

[Jesse Koch · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author comes off as extremely cocky, and uses dangerous evangelical practices like inducing fear of the end times and stating that WWII wouldn’t have happened if more people prayed the rosary (page 107). Disgusting and lazy. The entire conclusion of the book was a plug for his other book as well. Seems like the author is more worried about the quantity of people converting rather than the quality and reasons for converting.

[Mary Rubega · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories of the St. Theresa, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fatima, visions of Sr. Faustina, Fr. Kolbe, Montfort, Divine Mercy and St John Paul II are woven together to demonstrate how this is the time of mercy granted the world before the second coming of Jesus. It details God's plan to restore man's trust in His unending love and mercy and the urgency of the message.

[Mark DeSio · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most important book for understanding our times. The time of mercy!

This is truly a prophetic book that gives insight into what it means to be living in this time of mercy.
This is the time to be a great saint and quickly! Trusting in the power God’s divine mercy through the Virgin Mary is the way to go. Be consecrated to Mary, be consecrated to mercy, and be a great saint!

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots and lots of great information here! While I don't think I was quite in the right mindset when I read this (it was for a book club) I certainly enjoyed learning about not only Poland's role in the plan of salvation, but all the ways that God has reached out to His people through the saints. Would recommend.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting especially if wanting to learn more about Catholicism. Fr. Gaitley's writing is easy to follow and makes religious topics more relatable. This is a nice complement to his other books and programs (e.g., 33 Days to Morning Glory which involves consecration to Jesus through Mary).

[Madeleine Gianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book, though a bit slow at times. It offers a close-up of "The Second Greatest Story" A.K.A. the story of Divine Mercy. As for the "feel" of the book it kind of reminds me of Matthew Kelly's style of writing– very simple and sometimes repetitive. 3 Stars.

[Jeff Wombold · Rating 4 out of 5]

After I went through the hearts on fire retreat, we got this book and I learned a lot more. I had great respect for John Paul II. I did start to say the divine mercy chaplet on a daily basis, I have drifted, but need to get back into it.

[Jeanne Alfveby Crea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about God's merciful love.

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't finish it.