Jubilee Year of Mercy and the Cross


The Mercy Year is about change
about uncovering misleadings
about doing the work
about feeling God’s abundant love and mercy
about merciful forgiveness

Mercy is doing the hard work of forgiving love

God’s Mercy went into the Cross
God went into the sin
He did the work
Fought the battle

forgiveness is hard work
taking upon sin and conquering it
swallowing it up

divine love unleashes power
conquering the world
power of the divine mercy correcting sin from the inside

The Jubilee Year of Mercy

Pope Francis announced on Friday March 13th, 2015 that he is convoking a jubilee year to be called the Holy Year of Mercy.

It will be inaugurated on December 8th, 2015, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and will run until November 20th of 2016 which is the solemnity of Christ the King.

Announcing this he said, “I am convinced that the whole church — that has much need to receive mercy because we are sinners — will find in this jubilee the joy to rediscover and render fruitful the mercy of God, with which we are all called to give consolation to every man and woman of our time,”

“Let us not forget that God pardons and God pardons always,” the pope continued. “Let us never tire of asking for forgiveness. We entrust it as of now to the Mother of Mercy, because she looks to us with her gaze and watches over our way, Our penitential way, our way of open hearts, during a year to receive the indulgence of God, to receive the mercy of God.”

Announcing the closing date, the pope added a new term to the title of Christ celebrated that day, also calling Jesus “the living face of the mercy of the father.”

The press conference in the Vatican saw the unveiling of the logo for the upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy portraying the figure of the Good Shepherd carrying the lost soul that provides a fitting summary of what the Jubilee Year is all about. Similarly, it’s motto, Merciful like the Father, serves as an invitation to follow the merciful example of God who asks us not to judge or condemn but to offer love and forgiveness instead.

Jubilee Year punctuated by a series of celebratory events in 2016

They include:
January 19th – 21st for all those involved with pilgrimages
April 3rd for believers who are living through the experience of mercy
April 24th – a gathering for young people to profess their faith
May 29th special Jubilee Day for deacons
June 3rd dedicated for priests
June 12th dedicated to those who are sick or suffer disabilities
September 4th a day dedicated to those involved in volunteer and charitable work
September 25th dedicated for catechists
October 9th a day dedicated to Marian spirituality
November 6th will be dedicated to all prisoners

Check out the Website dedicated to The Jubilee Year of Mercy