VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 083   
   DATE 05-05-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - Presentation of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy   
   - Cardinal Leonardo Sandri: signs of light in the churches of Iraq   
   - Audiences   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Presentation of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy   
    Vatican City, 5 May 2015 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office,   
   Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for   
   Promoting New Evangelisation, and Msgr. Graham Bell presented the Extraordinary   
   Jubilee of Mercy (8 December 2015 to 20 November 2016).   
    The archbishop began, "The Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, which   
   continues be the programmatic outline for the pontificate of Pope Francis,   
   offers a meaningful expression of the very essence of the Extraordinary Jubilee   
   announced on April 11: 'Such a community [the Church] has an endless desire to   
   show mercy, the fruit of its own experience of the power of the Father's   
   infinite mercy. Let us try a little harder to take the first step and to become   
   involved'. It is with this desire in mind that we should re-read the Bull of   
   Indiction of the Jubilee, Misericordiae vultus, in which Pope Francis details   
   the aims of the Holy Year. As you know, the two dates already marked out are   
   December 8,the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception - the day of the opening   
   of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica - and November 20, 2016, the Solemnity   
   of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, which will conclude the Holy   
   Year. Between these two dates a calendar of various events is being developed.   
    "In order to avoid any misunderstanding, it is important to reiterate that   
   this   
   Jubilee of Mercy is not and does not intend to be the Great Jubilee Year of   
   2000. Therefore, any comparisons lack validity, for every Holy Year possesses   
   its own unique nature and aims. It is the Pope's desire that this Jubilee be   
   celebrated in Rome as well as in the local Churches; this will give due focus   
   to   
   the life of individual Churches and their needs, in such a way that the   
   initiatives will not place an extra burden on local Churches, but will blend   
   into their calendars and usual activities very naturally. Also, for the first   
   time in the history of the Jubilee tradition, there will be an opportunity for   
   individual dioceses to open a Holy Door - the Door of Mercy - either in the   
   Cathedral or in a church of special significance or a shrine of particular   
   importance for pilgrimages. Similarly, it is easy to cull other characteristics   
   from the Bull of Indiction that will make this Jubilee unique. From the very   
   beginning, however, the call to mercy breaks with the traditional pattern. The   
   history of Jubilees has been marked by their occurrence every 50 or 25 years.   
   The two Extraordinary Jubilees fell on anniversaries of Christ's redemptive act   
   (1933, 1983). This Jubilee, however, is based upon a theme. It will build upon   
   the central content of the faith and intends to call the Church once again to   
   its missionary priority of being a sign and witness in every aspect of its   
   pastoral life. I also have in mind Pope Francis' appeal to Judaism and Islam as   
   loci in which to contextualise the theme of mercy in order to foster dialogue   
   and a way of overcoming difficulties in the public realm. We must also not   
   forget another original characteristic of this Jubilee, namely, the designation   
   of Missionaries of Mercy. Pope Francis will give them their mandate on Ash   
   Wednesday during the celebration in St. Peter's Basilica. The Missiona  ries   
   must be patient priests, possessing an understanding of human frailty but ready   
   to express the loving kindness of the Good Shepherd in their preaching and in   
   the Sacrament of Confession. However, I would rather not spend too much time on   
   these general questions, because it is important now to explain some of the   
   specifics pertaining to the organisation of the Holy Year.   
    "We begin with the logo which represents a summa theologiae of the theme of   
   mercy and the motto which accompanies it. The motto Merciful Like the Father   
   (from the Gospel of Luke, 6:36) serves as an invitation to follow the merciful   
   example of the Father who asks us not to judge or condemn but to forgive and to   
   give love and forgiveness without measure. The logo is the work of Father Marko   
   I. Rupnik. It is an image quite important to the early Church: that of the Son   
   having taken upon His shoulders the lost soul, demonstrating that it is   
   Christ's   
   love that brings to completion the mystery of His incarnation culminating in   
   redemption. The logo has been designed in such a way so as to express the   
   profound way in which the Good Shepherd touches the flesh of humanity and does   
   so with a love that has the power to change one's life. One particular feature   
   worthy of note is that while the Good Shepherd, in His great mercy, takes   
   humanity upon Himself, His eyes are merged with those of man. Christ sees with   
   the eyes of Adam, and Adam with the eyes of Christ. Every person discovers in   
   Christ, the new Adam, his or her own humanity and the future that lies ahead.   
   The scene is enclosed in a mandorla, an element typical of ancient and medieval   
   iconography, that recalls the coexistence of the two natures, divine and human,   
   in Christ. The three concentric ovals, with colours progressively lighter as we   
   move outward, suggest the movement of Christ Who carries humanity out of the   
   darkness of sin and death. Conversely, the depth of the darker colour suggests   
   the impenetrability of the love of the Father Who forgives all.   
    "The logo has been registered in the international forum in order to safeguard   
   its rights and to prevent any inappropriate use. It is obvious that permission   
   must be granted by the Pontifical Council for any non-religious use of the logo   
   and that any infringement will be duly prosecuted.   
    "The calendar of celebrations is to be read from three perspectives. First,   
   some events are being organised which most likely will involve large crowds of   
   people. We wanted the first event, which will be held from January 19-21, to be   
   dedicated to all those involved with the organisation of pilgrimages. It will   
   symbolically emphasise that the Holy Year is a true pilgrimage and should be   
   lived as such. We will ask pilgrims to make a journey on foot, preparing   
   themselves to pass through the Holy Door in a spirit of faith and devotion. It   
   will be essential to prepare those working in the travel industry sector to go   
   beyond the sphere of tourism, because they will be the first to provide   
   assistance to pilgrims.   
    "We thought it would be important to gather together believers who live in a   
   particular way the experience of mercy. It is for this reason that, on April 3,   
   we will have a celebration for those who in various ways are inspired by a   
   charism of mercy (movements, associations, and religious institutes). On   
   September 4, charitable volunteers will gather from all over the world. A   
   volunteer is a dynamic witness of someone who lives the works of mercy in its   
   various expressions and deserves to be celebrated in this special way.   
   Similarly,for those who are inspired in a particular way by Mary, there will be   
   a special day on October 9 to celebrate her as the Mother of Mercy. There will   
   be a number of events dedicated particularly to youth, who upon receiving the   
   Sacrament of Confirmation are called to profess their faith. For those between   
   the ages of 13 and 16, for whom there are few opportunities for involvement   
   within the ordinary pastoral life of the Church, we have reserved the date of   
   April 24, as World Youth Day, which will be held in Krakow from July 26-31, is   
   geared toward youth of an older age bracket.   
    "Another event will be for deacons who by their vocation and ministry are   
   called to preside in works of charity in the life of the Christian community.   
   Their Jubilee will be held on May 29.On June 3, which marks the 160th   
   anniversary of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, there will be a Jubilee   
   celebration for priests. On September 25 there will be the Jubilee of   
   catechists   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)