DIVINE MERCY CONFERENCE: In conjunction with the year of mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis, a Divine Mercy Conference will be held Feb. 26-27 at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 4640 Canal St. On Feb. 26, the program begins at 7 p.m. with speakers Mike Hammer and Jerry Christopher Jr., followed by Mass at 8 p.m., celebrated by Father Steve Bruno.
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In his apostolic bull on the extraordinary jubilee of mercy, Pope Francis called upon bishops to nominate priests to serve as Missionaries of Mercy.
When Paul tells his readers to “be reconciled to God” in his Second Letter to the Corinthians, he’s not just giving a piece of good, fatherly advice or making a suggestion, but is offering “a true and genuine petition in the name of Christ”, the Pope said.
In addition to their increased availability for hearing confessions, they have also been given faculties to forgive sins otherwise reserved to the Holy See.
The Pope mentioned the fact that in his message for this World Day Sick he reflected on the irreplaceable role of Mary at the Wedding in Cana and said that Mary’s concern and attention reflects the tenderness of God and the vast mercy of Jesus.
In his homily before commissioning the priests at the end of Mass, the pope said their mandate is to be “signs and instruments of God’s pardon”.
In fact, the first step on the road of a Christian life is recognizing the need for divine mercy and to pass through that “open door which is Christ”, who offers everyone a new and joyful life.
Meeting with hundreds of missionaries who came to Rome to receive in person their special papal mandate on Ash Wednesday, Pope Francis said he wanted to highlight the unique aspects of their new ministry so they would carry it out properly and be “a real help” to the people they encounter.
The reason we need to return, he said, is “because we have distanced ourselves”.
The Lenten journey invites people to “be protagonists, embracing three remedies, three medicines that heal (people) from sin” – prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
Pope Francis has smudged ashes on the bowed heads of prelates, nuns and ordinary Catholics during Ash Wednesday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.
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Pope Francis described his experience of confession as “like being received by a father”.
