Media Release
Udupi, Nov 16: Pope Francis called for a jubilee year of Mercy from December 8, 2015 to November 20 - a year that the fate of the world is in the mercy of God. The mercy of God is not an abstract idea but a concrete reality, said Bishop of Udupi diocese, Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo.
In his homily, during the eucharistic celebrations at Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur near here on Sunday, November 13, on the occasion of Holy Door Close at the diocesan Cathedral on Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year of Mercy he mentioned, "As the year comes to a close, the Holy Doors of the Cathedral and Basilicas around the world are also closing on Sunday November 13."
The bishop said if we see how the whole history of salvation until today into the future has been an economy of mercy. Precisely in this perspective we want to place the commitment resulting from these months in which we have lived with faith the extraordinary jubilee of Mercy. The Holy Year has urged us to keep our eyes fixed toward the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom. The bishop said the year of mercy is an invitation to love, kindness and unbounded generosity. The mercy of God is incredible. God never fails to show his mercy in our life. The holy church’s foundation is the Mercy of God. Jesus encountering the Mercy of God transformed the life of Zacchaeus and his relationship with God by converting into a merciful God. The church needs this extraordinary moment.
The Year of Mercy officially ends on November 20, the solemnity of Christ the King when was opened December 8, 2015, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. During the holy eucharistic celebrations along with bishop, Fr Stany B Lobo rector of the Cathedral, Fr Rolwin Aranha and Fr Prakash Anil Castelino assistant parish priests, Fr Victor Fernandes principal of Milagres English Schools and Fr Herald Mathias vocational director of Pilar Fathers Kallianpur.
Earlier, the 15 ward gurkars along with large number of the faithful returned the statues of Our Lady of Miracles to rector Fr Stany B Lobo in the Cathedral. The decorated statues of Milagres were brought in procession led by the brass band and two kids dressed in white as little angels. The blessed statues of Our Lady of Miracles stayed at every house of the 15 wards on the occasion of the celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of the Cathedral which will be celebrated on December 12.
After the weekly announcements, the bishop distributed the blessed statues of Our Lady of Miracles to the faithful.