Why a Jubilee of Mercy?
Pope Francis writes -
We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it. Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us. Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life. Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness. At times we are called to gaze even more attentively on mercy so that we may become a more effective sign of the Father’s action in our lives. For this reason I have proclaimed an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy as a special time for the Church, a time when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more effective. (Misericordiae Vultus - Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy 2-3)
Note that Pope Francis encourages us not only to open our own hearts, minds and souls to God's love and mercy but also to be instruments of God's love and mercy in the world:
In this Holy Year, we look forward to the experience of opening our hearts to those living on the outermost fringes of society: fringes which modern society itself creates. How many uncertain and painful situations there are in the world today! ... During this Jubilee, the Church will be called even more to heal these wounds, to assuage them with the oil of consolation, to bind them with mercy and cure them with solidarity and vigilant care... Let us open our eyes and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme and mask our hypocrisy and egoism! It is my burning desire that, during this Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. It will be a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of poverty. And let us enter more deeply into the heart of the Gospel where the poor have a special experience of God’s mercy. Jesus introduces us to these works of mercy in his preaching so that we can know whether or not we are living as his disciples. Let us rediscover these corporal works of mercy: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. And let us not forget the spiritual works of mercy: to counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish sinners, comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear patiently those who do us ill, and pray for the living and the dead. (Misericordiae Vultus 15)
Pilgrimage During the Jubilee of Mercy
Why a pilgrimage during this Jubilee of Mercy? Pope Francis writes -
The practice of pilgrimage has a special place in the Holy Year, because it represents the journey each of us makes in this life. Life itself is a pilgrimage, and the human being is a viator, a pilgrim travelling along the road, making his way to the desired destination. Similarly, to reach the Holy Door in Rome or in any other place in the world, everyone, each according to his or her ability, will have to make a pilgrimage. This will be a sign that mercy is also a goal to reach and requires dedication and sacrifice. May pilgrimage be an impetus to conversion: by crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, we will find the strength to embrace God’s mercy and dedicate ourselves to being merciful with others as the Father has been with us. (Misericordiae Vultus 14)
A pilgrimage, therefore, is a special type of journey – one with a holy purpose. Pilgrims may travel to historical holy sites in far-away locations – or they may be attentive to the holy locations that are nearby. It’s not how far one travels that makes a journey a pilgrimage. It is the intention and reflection that we bring to the trip.
Locations of Holy Doors and Pilgrimage Sites in the Diocese of Orange
The Year of Mercy began in the Diocese of Orange on the Third Sunday of Advent, December 13, 2015, with the ritual “opening” of the Holy Doors at Holy Family Cathedral and Mission Basilica in San Juan Capistrano. A holy door or porta sancta has been used since the fifteenth century as a ritual expression of conversion. Pilgrims and penitents pass through it as a gesture of leaving the past behind and crossing the threshold from sin to grace, from slavery to freedom, and from darkness to light.
The Diocese of Orange has identified two sites for Holy Doors and three additional locations for pilgrimage destinations:
Holy Doors
Holy Family Cathedral, 566 S Glassell St., Orange
Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano, 31520 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano
Pilgrimage Sites
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church - La Habra, 900 West La Habra Blvd., La Habra
St. Joseph Church - Santa Ana, 727 Minter St., Santa Ana
Christ Cathedral Campus, 13280 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove
Pilgrimages to Our Lady of Guadalupe
How can one make a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe during this Jubilee of Mercy? A great way is to participate in one of our regularly scheduled Masses, Confessions or other worship events during the jubilee year. (Click here for current schedule of Masses, Confessions and other worship opportunities.) Or you can simply come to Our Lady of Guadalupe when the church is open during the day and do your own pilgrimage of prayers and meditation in a way that meets your specific spiritual needs. (Click here for Reflections and Prayers for a Pilgrimage Visit to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.)
However you choose to make your pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe, we hope and pray that you will find your journey to be a reflective and prayerful time to connect more deeply with the love and mercy of God - and to recommit to being an instrument of God's love and mercy in every aspect of your life.
For more information about the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, click on the following:
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Reflections and Prayers for a Pilgrimage Visit to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church