PANJIM: Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao will open the door of mercy at the Se Cathedral at 10 am on December 13, to obtain the benefits announced by the Pope in the year of mercy.
This is in keeping with the announcement made by Pope Francis, in March this year that he intends to celebrate a special jubilee year of mercy in the Church to commence from December 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The year of mercy will conclude on November 20, 2016.
On Tuesday, the Pope will open the doors of the Basilica of St Peter in Rome.
Archbishop Ferrao has nominated four churches for the faithful to undertake pilgrimages, to obtain indulgencies and to offer prayers. They are St Jerome Church, Mapusa, Holy Spirit Church, Margao, Mother of the Poor Church, Tilamol and Holy Name Church, Praca Daman.
He has also asked that priests serving in the Archdiocese give importance to the celebration of the Sacrament of penance and make it available to the faithful on different occasions at these selected holy places and participating in the Eucharist and receiving Communion, thus obtaining indulgencies.
The year will be celebrated to observe the Church as an instrument of merciful and compassionate love as mercy is the foundation of the Church’s life.
The Pope said that mercy is the force that reawakens everyone to new life and instils in every person the courage to look to the future with hope.
The door of mercy at the Se Cathedral will be closed one week prior to the closing of the Mercy door of the Basilica of St Peter on November 20, 2016.
