Year of Mercy


On Friday, March 13, 2015, Pope Francis announced that next year would be a year of mercy.

prayer francis

In a surprising and far-reaching decision, Pope Francis has announced an extraordinary “Jubilee of Mercy” that will extend from December 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016, and will involve the Catholic Church throughout the world.
He broke the news of this “Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy”—another name for it—during a penitential celebration in St Peter’s Basilica on the evening of March 13, the second anniversary of his election as Bishop of Rome.
This is what he said: “Dear Brothers and Sisters I have often thought how the Church can make more evident its mission to be a witness of mercy. It’s a journey that begins with a spiritual conversion. For this purpose I have decided to proclaim an extraordinary Jubilee that will have as its center the mercy of God. It will be a Holy Year of Mercy. We want to live it in the light of the word of the Lord: ‘Be merciful as your Father.'"
The surprise announcement was greeted with warm applause. The pope then announced that it will begin on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and end on Nov. 20, 2016, the feast of Christ the King. He said he has entrusted the organization of the Jubilee Year to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, “so that it can animate a new stage of the journey of the Church in its mission to bring the Gospel of Mercy to every person.”

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