At Least Two Holy Doors in Winnipeg
January 13, 2016
The Extraordinary JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY, proclaimed by Pope Francis, officially began in our Archeparchy on December 13, 2015 with the opening of the first HOLY DOOR by Metropolitan Lawrence at the Cathedral. In the midst of all the crazy things going on in our world and the challenging things happening sometimes in our Church, in our Parish and in our families, the Holy Year of Mercy could not have come around at a better time in the history of the world. The Jubilee year offers us a chance to realign ourselves with the God of love. An amazing opportunity to reconcile ourselves with our Lord, His Church and with each other.
The Year of Mercy calls us to a conversion of heart, to repentance and to accept the loving Salvation of our one and only Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Son of God Who the Father gave to us because He so loved each and every one of us and truly desires that not one of us would perish but that each and every one of us - regardless of what we have done, or failed to do - would believe and have eternal life (John 3:16). For the love of God, for the love of those in our lives, for the love of ourselves, let us take full advantage of this Holy Year. It is a gift!
On December 20, 2015 Sunday before Christmas Metropolitan Lawrence opened a second HOLY DOOR within our Archeparchy at the Blessed Vasyl’ Velychkovsky Shrine. That makes at least 4 Holy Doors in Winnipeg for this wonderful Jubilee Year of Mercy. A Jubilee Year is a practice from ancient Biblical times that has been renewed in recent centuries by the Catholic Church with a new spiritual meaning. A Jubilee Year has always meant a forgiveness of debts and due punishments and a restoration of all that was yours but you may have lost for one reason or another. Well, our Catholic Jubilee Year is also one of restoration of the lost treasure of God-given GRACE. It is a restoration of the relationship that we should have with our Lord. We can achieve this restoration, renewal and healing for ourselves by fulfilling certain signs that show we understand and want it!
The signs are actions that involve making a little pilgrimage to one of the Holy Doors and passing through it. Another required action is making a good Confession and worthily receiving Holy Communion. Then there are some prayers: The Creed, and a prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father Pope Francis, which traditionally have been the “Our Father,” “Hail Mary” and “Glory be”. And making a brief meditation on the theme of Mercy. Other than passing through a Holy Door, we can also choose to perform at least one of the 14 Acts of Mercy. We can achieve this daily. What for? For the souls in purgatory – especially for loved ones - who in turn will pray for us until we meet again.
Let us boldly take on this total renewal!
Very Rev. Michael Kwiatkowski, Chancellor
