Faithful fill cathedral for Mass at opening of Year of Mercy
By Agnieszka Krawczynski
The B.C. Catholic
Hundreds gathered at Holy Rosary Cathedral for the dawn of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
The faithful watched from the stone steps outside the downtown cathedral as Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, stepped through the holy door Dec. 13.
“This is the Lord’s gate: let us enter through it and obtain mercy and forgiveness,” he said before pushing the designated door, the one facing Dunsmuir Street closest to Richards Street, wide open. He paused inside to pray before allowing the flood to rush in for Mass.
Last Lent Pope Francis proclaimed that the Church would celebrate an Extraordinary Jubilee Year from the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, to the Solemnity of Christ the King, Nov. 20.
The theme, he decided, would be mercy. As cathedrals around the world, not just those in Rome, opened their holy doors Dec. 13, local worshippers considered it a vivid sign.
“It is really symbolic of Pope Francis’s papacy, his vision of the Church, mercy, welcoming everyone, being open, and just being this place where people can be at peace, at home, find a home,” said Conroy Hui as he stood outside Holy Rosary Cathedral after Mass.
Friend Chris Verhagen said the message of mercy is particularly timely.
“I think it fits both the people’s needs and the Church’s needs. People need the message that whatever they’ve done, there is still always forgiveness and a chance of reconciliation with God and openness to God,” he said.
“People may have a concept of the Church as judgmental or inaccessible, closed off. To do something like this, opening the doors for mercy, hopefully that’s going to be something people will recognize as really welcoming them.”
The cathedral was packed as the faithful celebrated the start of the Year of Mercy. Deacon Mike Boreham, ordained with 15 other permanent deacons only days before, read aloud the papal bull that announced the jubilee year.
“We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it,” he read, quoting Pope Francis.
After Mass, Helen Cristobal said she hopes to also enter the holy door at the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Spain.
“Going through the door, hopefully we will be forgiven our sins,” she said in reference to the plenary indulgence allowed those who fulfill the requirements, which include going to confession and participating in the Mass.
This year’s emphasis on mercy is fitting. “I think it’s appropriate because of all the things happening around the world. We have to forgive. It is affecting all of us.”
Many religious sisters participated in the Mass for the start of the Jubilee Year. Among them was Carmelite Sister Chita Torres, who serves the poor at The Door is Open drop-in centre.
“The bishop was telling us to open our hearts to be more merciful, especially to those who are marginalized,” she said.
While serving meals to the homeless recently, she was questioned by a volunteer who wanted to know if mercy was to be extended to particularly rude patrons.
“I told him yes, I am sure that God is inviting us to show more mercy towards them, because whether we like it or not, God died for us, showed His mercy even for our enemies, not just us, but for everyone,” she said.
“He continued to ask about ISIS or those who are causing a lot of pain. I said: ‘When the Pope opens the door of mercy in his cathedral, he excludes no one. Everyone is invited to come in through the door of mercy.'”
Westminster Abbey in Mission opened a holy door the same day.
