Year of Mercy Letter By Pope Francis
[simpleazon-image align=”left” asin=”159325282X” locale=”us” height=”375″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qqTqnbHjL.jpg” width=”246″]On September 1st, Pope Francis wrote a letter in which he outlined indulgences to be granted to the faithful on the occasion of the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.
In this letter, Pope Francis begins, “With the approach of the extraordinary Jubilee of mercy, I would like to focus on several points which I believe require attention to enable the celebration of the Holy year to be for all believers, a true moment of encounter with the mercy of God.” Pope Francis continues, “It is indeed my wish that the Jubilee be a living experience of the closeness of the Father, whose tenderness is almost tangible, so that the faith of every believer may be strengthened and thus testimony to be ever more effective.”
Pope Francis who has always been very vocal about to the mercy of God being available to all continues in his letter by saying, “I wish that the Jubilee indulgence may reach each one as a genuine experience of God’s mercy, which comes to meet each person in the Face of the Father who welcomes and forgives, forgetting completely the sin committed.”
In this letter Pope Francis also made special mention of those who for various reasons it will be impossible for them to enter the Holy Door, particularly the sick, the elderly and is also those confined to their homes.
In his letter, Pope Francis also spoke of indulgences to be granted to those who are incarcerated. “The Jubilee Year has always constituted an opportunity for great amnesty, which is intended to include the many people who, despite deserving punishment, have become conscious of the injustice they worked and sincerely wish to re-enter society and make their honest contribution to it. May they all be touched in a tangible way by the mercy of the Father who wants to be close to those who have the greatest need of his forgiveness.” Pope Francis continues, “They may obtain the Indulgence in the chapels of the prisons.”
For the full text of this letter, please click here. You may also listen to an audio file of the letter below.
