JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY Merciful Like the Father

Transcription

1 JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY Merciful Like the Father DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH

2 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q. What is a Jubilee Year? In the ancient Hebrew tradition, the Jubilee Year, which was celebrated every 50 years, was meant to restore equality among all of the children of Israel, offering new possibilities to families which had lost their property and even their personal freedom. The Catholic tradition of the Holy Year began with Pope Boniface VIII in Boniface VIII had envisioned a Jubilee every century. From 1475 onwards, in order to allow each generation to experience at least one Holy Year, the ordinary Jubilee was to be celebrated every 25 years. However, an extraordinary Jubilee may be announced on the occasion of an event of particular importance. Until present, there have been 26 ordinary Holy Year celebrations, the last of which was the Jubilee of Q. When does the Jubilee Year of Mercy begin? The Holy Year will open on 8 December 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. This liturgical feast day recalls God s action from the very beginning of the history of mankind. After the sin of Adam and Eve, God did not wish to leave humanity alone in the throes of evil. And so he turned his gaze to Mary, holy and immaculate in love (cf. Eph 1:4), choosing her to be the Mother of man s Redeemer. When faced with the gravity of sin, God responds with the fullness of mercy. Mercy will always be greater than any sin, and no one can place limits on the love of God who is ever ready to forgive. Misericordiae Vultus, Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, (MV 3). Q. What is a Holy Door? A holy door or porta sancta has been used since the fifteenth century as a ritual expression of conversion. Pilgrims and penitents pass through it as a gesture of leaving the past behind and crossing the threshold from sin to grace, from slavery to freedom, and from darkness to light. Often these rituals are associated with prayer, pilgrimage, sacrifice, confession, and indulgences. But a holy door finds meaning only when the believer associates the door with Christ. Jesus is the Door! In the words of Pope Francis, There is only one way that opens wide the Diocese of Pittsburgh Page 1

3 entrance into the life of communion with God: this is Jesus, the one and absolute way to salvation. To him alone can the words of the Psalmist be applied in full truth: This is the door of the Lord where the just may enter (Ps 118:20). Q. When will Pope Francis open the Holy Door? Why did he choose this day? He will open the Holy Door at St. Peter s on Tuesday, December 8, I will have the joy of opening the Holy Door on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. On that day, the Holy Door will become a Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters will experience the love of God who consoles, pardons, and instills hope (MV 3). The day also has other significance. Pope Francis has noted: I have chosen the date of 8 December because of its rich meaning in the recent history of the Church. In fact, I will open the Holy Door on the fiftieth anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. The Church feels a great need to keep this event alive. With the Council, the Church entered a new phase of her history. The Council Fathers strongly perceived, as a true breath of the Holy Spirit, a need to talk about God to men and women of their time in a more accessible way. The walls which for too long had made the Church a kind of fortress were torn down and the time had come to proclaim the Gospel in a new way. It was a new phase of the same evangelization that had existed from the beginning. It was a fresh undertaking for all Christians to bear witness to their faith with greater enthusiasm and conviction. The Church sensed a responsibility to be a living sign of the Father s love in the world (MV 4). Q. Will the Pope open any other Holy Doors? On the following Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent, the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Rome that is, the Basilica of Saint John Lateran will be opened. In the following weeks, the Holy Doors of the other Papal Basilicas will be opened (MV 3). Q. When will Bishop Zubik open the Holy Door at our Saint Paul Cathedral? Bishop Zubik will open the Door of Mercy on December 13, 2015 the Third Sunday of Advent at a special mass at 2:30 PM. The door located at the left transept of the Cathedral has been designated as the Door of Mercy for the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The Door of Mercy will be opened for the duration of the Holy Year. Pope Francis is urging every Catholic to make a pilgrimage to their local Cathedral to experience the graces of crossing the threshold of the Holy Door of Mercy. Diocese of Pittsburgh Page 2

4 Q. How is this Jubilee Year of Mercy different from other Jubilee Years? It is the Pope s desire that this Jubilee be celebrated in Rome as well as in the local Churches; this will give due focus to the life of individual Churches and their needs, in such a way that the initiatives will not place an extra burden on local Churches, but will blend into their calendars and usual activities very naturally. For the first time in the history of the Jubilee tradition, there will be an opportunity for individual dioceses to open a Holy Door the Door of Mercy either in the Cathedral or in a church of special significance or a shrine of particular importance for pilgrimages. Lastly, the call to mercy breaks with the traditional pattern of jubilee years. Q. Why is the focus on mercy this Jubilee Year? Mercy is the very foundation of the Church s life. All of her pastoral activity should be caught up in the tenderness she makes present to believers; nothing in her preaching and in her witness to the world can be lacking in mercy. The Church s very credibility is seen in how she shows merciful and compassionate love. (MV10). Q. Does the Year of Mercy have a motto? Merciful like the Father is the motto of this Holy Year. This is a shortened version of the verse in Scripture, Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:36). The Pope wrote, In mercy, we find proof of how God loves us. He gives his entire self, always, freely, asking nothing in return. He comes to our aid whenever we call upon him. What a beautiful thing that the Church begins her daily prayer with the words, O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me (Ps 70:2)! The assistance we ask for is already the first step of God s mercy toward us. He comes to assist us in our weakness. And his help consists in helping us accept his presence and closeness to us. Day after day, touched by his compassion, we also can become compassionate towards others. (MV 14). Q. Are there other special days our diocese will celebrate? Bishop Zubik is encouraging all parishes in the Diocese of Pittsburgh to celebrate The Light Is Still On For You, an evening of the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Advent on December 9, 2015 and Lent on March 9, A Pilgrimage of Mercy for youth and young adults to the Holy Door of Mercy will occur on Saturday, February, 20, A Service of Apology will be held on the Tuesday of Holy Week. Please see the calendar of events for a full listing of Year of Mercy events. Diocese of Pittsburgh Page 3

5 Q. What are the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy? The corporal works of mercy is as follows: To feed the hungry; To give drink to the thirsty; To clothe the naked; To shelter the homeless; To visit the sick; To ransom the captive; To bury the dead. The spiritual works of mercy are: To instruct the ignorant; To counsel the doubtful; To admonish sinners; To bear wrongs patiently; To forgive offences willingly; To comfort the afflicted; To pray for the living and the dead. Q. What is a pilgrimage? A pilgrimage is a prayerful journey to a church or shrine with the purpose of coming closer to God. Pope Francis was very precise in exhorting the faithful to participate in a pilgrimage during the Jubilee of Year of Mercy: Everyone will have to make a pilgrimage May pilgrimage be an impetus to conversion: by crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, we will find the strength to embrace God s mercy and dedicate ourselves to being merciful with others as the Father has been with us. (MV 14). Q. Where can I go on a pilgrimage with my parish or my family? First and foremost, all the faithful of the Diocese of Pittsburgh are encouraged to make a Pilgrimage to the Holy Door at Saint Paul Cathedral in Oakland. The Cathedral is open from 5:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. each evening. Daily Mass schedule is 6:45 a.m., 8:15 a.m., 12:05 p.m. Sunday Mass schedule: 6:00 p.m., Saturday vigil; Sunday: 6:30, 8:00, 10:00, 12:00 and 6:00 p.m. Confessions are heard Fridays at 12:35 p.m., Saturday at 12:35 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Our Lady of Diocese of Pittsburgh Page 4

6 Perpetual Help Novena is Wednesdays 7:00 7:30 p.m. confessions - 7:30 Novena Prayer and Adoration/Benediction. If you are planning to bring a group to the Cathedral, you are urged to call the Cathedral rectory to be sure that there is not an event scheduled for the Cathedral at that time. The Diocese of Pittsburgh Department of Worship has prepared a worship aid for pilgrimages to the Holy Door of Mercy. Pastors may wish to begin their pilgrimage to the Cathedral with Mass in their home parish. Additionally, there are several significant Catholic shrines in our diocese and within a short drive. Please call ahead to arrange your pilgrimage. These include, but are not limited to: Saint Anthony's Chapel Shrine of Many Relics 1704 Harpster Street Pittsburgh, PA Our Lady of Lourdes National Shrine` Chardon Rd Euclid, OH Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mount Saint Macrina 10 West Main Street Uniontown, PA St. Vincent Archabbey Basilica 300 Fraser Purchase Road Latrobe, PA Basilica of the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton 333 South Seton Avenue Emmitsburg, MD Diocese of Pittsburgh Page 5

7 Q. What is an indulgence? Like an indulgent parent, God is an indulgent Father. This is what we celebrate in the Jubilee Year of Mercy, an all-merciful God infinitely open and willing to welcome us back to his embrace. During the Jubilee, the Church grants very special, merciful indulgences. As we know, confession removes the eternal punishment due to sin. When a grave sin against God produces a breach between us and God, our sacramental confession heals that breach. This then reopens us to eternal life with the Father. But sin also brings with it temporal punishment. The effects of sin are all around us. Sins hurts us, and it hurts the whole community of the faithful. While confession heals the eternal punishment the temporal effects of sin remain with us and within our world. An indulgence is the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven in the confessional. An indulgence removes the aftereffects of sin in ourselves and in our world by drawing on the merits of the saints, the Communion of Saints, the Blessed Mother and the limitless merits of Jesus through his life, death and resurrection. An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin. It is traditionally gained in a Jubilee Year through pilgrimage, prayer, sacramental participation and charitable works. Many people feel hopeless. They need forgiveness in their lives but they can t forgive themselves or others. The Jubilee Year teaches through indulgences that that we can offer our sufferings and our good works for the sake of one another in the Body of Christ. And that we can rely on the help of our fellow heroic Christians, the saints, to remove the residual effects of sin from ourselves and our world. Q. On what basis does the Church give out indulgences? The Church gives out indulgences by drawing on its one true treasure: Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and the saints. The holiness of others becomes the holiness that helps others. This teaching comes from Jesus who gave to the Apostles the power to forgive sin in his name. The Church grants indulgences as the living presence of Jesus, the living presence of the love of God, in the world. God calls us to be embraced by his mercy. And it is through the ministry of the Diocese of Pittsburgh Page 6

8 Church that God spreads his mercy in the world, by means of that precious gift in the Jubilee Year through an indulgence. Q. What are the requirements for obtaining indulgences? First of all people must be in a position to receive them. They must be baptized because the granting of an indulgence is an act accomplished through the mystical union of the Communion of Saints in the body of Christ that is the Church. A person must be baptized in order to be a member of the Church. The state of grace is another requirement, because the eternal punishment must be removed through the sacrament of confession before the aftereffects the temporal punishment due to sin can be addressed. The person must also have the intention of receiving the indulgence it is not granted to those who do not want it. Q. How does one acquire an indulgence? The primary condition is a complete detachment from sin, including venial sin. Indulgences are in no way automatic: mechanically repeating certain practices in order to acquire them is not acceptable. The fundamental conditions of sincere repentance and a complete detachment from sin must be met. Those wishing to receive an indulgence must be in a state of grace. They should go to confession if necessary, receive the Eucharist, pray according to the Pope s intentions and perform the act that the Church attaches to the indulgence, for example visiting the Basilicas when there is a Jubilee, acts charity, and prayer. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross paid the price for our immortal souls. But the life of the Christian is fulfilled and shared in our good works. Indulgences celebrate our good works, and allow us to share in the joy and faithfulness of the Communion if Saints. Q. Does the Year of Mercy have an official website? The official website for the Jubilee has already been launched: and can be accessed also at The site is available in seven languages: Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, and Polish. On the site you will find official information regarding the calendar of the major public events, information for participating in the events with the Holy Father, and all of the official communications regarding the Jubilee. Also, through the site, dioceses will be able to receive information and Diocese of Pittsburgh Page 7

9 pastoral suggestions, register pilgrimage groups, and relay their local diocesan projects. Q. When does the Year of Mercy conclude? The Year of Mercy concludes on November 20, the Solemnity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (MV 5). Q. Is there a special prayer for the Year of Mercy we can say in our homes? Pope Francis has composed a prayer he hopes all the faithful will pray in earnest throughout the Year of Mercy. Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father, and have told us that whoever sees you sees Him. Show us your face and we will be saved. Your loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew from being enslaved by money; the adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happiness only in created things; made Peter weep after his betrayal, and assured Paradise to the repentant thief. Let us hear, as if addressed to each one of us, the words that you spoke to the Samaritan woman: If you knew the gift of God! You are the visible face of the invisible Father, of the God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercy: let the Church be your visible face in the world, its Lord risen and glorified. You willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weakness in order that they may feel compassion for those in ignorance and error: let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved, and forgiven by God. Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with its anointing, so that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord, and your Church, with renewed enthusiasm, may bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed, and restore sight to the blind. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Mercy, you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. Diocese of Pittsburgh Page 8

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