Pope Francis has issued a new apostolic letter Misericordia et misera in which he proposes a number of ways to continue the celebration of mercy, one of which is the extension of the power to forgive the sin of abortion to all priests. Vatican Radio is reporting on the letter, issued today, in which the pope reminds the faithful that we are still living “in a time of mercy” and we must continue to celebrate God’s mercy.

“We have celebrated an intense Jubilee Year in which we have received the grace of mercy in abundance. Like a gusting but wholesome wind, the Lord’s goodness and mercy have swept through the entire world. Because each of us has experienced at length this loving gaze of God, we cannot remain unaffected, for it changes our lives,” he writes.

“Now, at the conclusion of this Jubilee, it is time to look to the future and to understand how best to continue, with joy, fidelity and enthusiasm, experiencing the richness of God’s mercy.”

In going forward, we must first of all continue to celebrate mercy in the liturgical celebrations of the Church, including the Mass and other Sacraments, especially Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick, the two “sacraments of healing,” he said.

The Holy Father also extended a number of initiatives already begun in the Holy Year, such as asking the Missionaries of Mercy to continue their ministry and extending indefinitely the faculties of priests of the Society of St Pius X to hear confessions and grant absolution, Vatican Radio reports.

In addition, Pope Francis extended the faculties of all priests to absolve the sin of procured abortion. “I want to insist as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin,” the Pope said, “because it puts an end to an innocent life.” But, he continued, “I can and I must state that there is no sin that God’s mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with the Father.”

Other suggestions for continuing to celebrate this time of mercy is to set aside one Sunday a year during which the parish renews its efforts to make the Sacred Scriptures better known and more widely diffused. “It would be a Sunday given over entirely to the word of God, so as to appreciate the inexhaustible riches contained in that constant dialogue between the Lord and his people," he writes.

The pope also suggests that in order to help the Sacrament of Reconciliation regain its central place in the Christian life, the Fourth Sunday of Lent might be devoted to a “24 Hours for the Lord” celebration in which confessions and Eucharistic Adoration are made available for 24 hours straight. “This initiative, already in place in many dioceses, has great pastoral value in encouraging a more fervent experience of the sacrament of Confession,” he wrote.

He also called upon the faithful to continue to practice new works of mercy, and to find new ways to give expression to the traditional corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

“In our own day, whole peoples suffer hunger and thirst, and we are haunted by pictures of children with nothing to eat. Throngs of people continue to migrate from one country to another in search of food, work, shelter and peace. Disease in its various forms is a constant cause of suffering that cries out for assistance, comfort and support. Prisons are often places where confinement is accompanied by serious hardships due to inhumane living conditions. Illiteracy remains widespread, preventing children from developing their potential and exposing them to new forms of slavery. The culture of extreme individualism, especially in the West, has led to a loss of a sense of solidarity with and responsibility for others. Today many people have no experience of God himself, and this represents the greatest poverty and the major obstacle to recognition of the inviolable dignity of human life,” the pope describes.

By putting the corporal and spiritual acts of mercy into practice on a daily basis, the faithful can bring about a culture of mercy in the world. “The works of mercy affect a person’s entire life. For this reason, we can set in motion a real cultural revolution, beginning with simple gestures capable of reaching body and spirit, people’s very lives,” he writes.

Even though the Holy Doors have been closed, “the door of mercy of our heart continues to remain wide open,” the letter continues. “We have learned that God bends down to us (cf. Hos 11:4) so that we may imitate him in bending down to our brothers and sisters.”

Finally, Pope Francis is asking the whole Church to dedicate one Sunday every year to raising awareness about poverty in the world.

“The entire Church might celebrate, on the Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, the World Day of the Poor. This would be the worthiest way to prepare for the celebration of the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, who identified with the little ones and the poor and who will judge us on our works of mercy (cf. Mt 25:31-46). It would be a day to help communities and each of the baptized to reflect on how poverty is at the very heart of the Gospel and that, as long as Lazarus lies at the door of our homes (cf. Lk 16:19-21), there can be no justice or social peace.”

He concludes the letter by pointing to Our Lady and the ready help she is always ready to give us. “The Holy Mother of God always looks upon us with her eyes of mercy. She is the first to show us the way and to accompany us in our witness of love. As she is often shown in works of art, the Mother of Mercy gathers us all under the protection of her mantle. Let us trust in her maternal assistance and follow her perennial counsel to look to Jesus, the radiant face of God’s mercy.”

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