“He who knows how to forgive prepares for himself many graces from God. As often as I look upon the cross, so often will I forgive with all my heart.” – St. Faustina

The virgin and martyr St. Maria Goretti, was murdered in 1902. Maria was assaulted by a neighboring youth named Alessandro Serenelli; when she resisted his sexual advances, the enraged youth repeatedly stabbed her. Before dying in a hospital the following day, Maria expressed her forgiveness of Alessandro. St Maria Goretti.

The founder of the Society of Jesus, St. Ignatius of Loyola, once walked a hundred miles during the winter to nurse a man who had fallen ill — a man who, only a few weeks earlier, had stolen Ignatius’s meagre savings. St Ignatius

“There are many kinds of alms, the giving of which helps us to obtain pardon for our sins; but none is greater than that by which we forgive from our heart a sin that someone has committed against us.” St Augustine

“If you are suffering from a bad man’s injustice, forgive him, lest there be two bad men.” — St. Augustine

“Pardon one another so that later on you will not remember the injury. The recollection of an injury is itself wrong. It adds to our anger, nurtures our sin, and hates what is good. It is a rusty arrow and poison for the soul. It puts all virtue to flight.” — St. Francis of Paola

“I cannot believe that a soul which has arrived so near to Mercy itself, where she knows what she is, and how many sins God has forgiven her, should not instantly and willingly forgive others, and be pacified and wish well to everyone who has injured her, because she remembers the kindness and favors our Lord has shown her, whereby she has seen proofs of exceeding great love, and she is glad to have an opportunity offered to show some gratitude to her Lord.” — St. Teresa of Avila

“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that crushed it.”

– St. Francis de Sales

“If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive.”

– Mother Teresa

“Where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light” St Francis of Assisi

St. Faustina, who is known as the Apostle of Divine Mercy, received visions of Jesus speaking to her. The polish nun then recorded them in her now famous diary. Because of one of these visions, she wrote “For there are three ways of performing an act of mercy: the merciful word, by forgiving and by comforting; secondly, if you can offer no word, then pray – that too is mercy; and thirdly, deeds of mercy. And when the Last Day comes, we shall be judged from this, and on this basis we shall receive the eternal verdict.” St Faustina