Events Scheduled for Jubilee Year of Mercy

St. Paul Inside the Walls, parishes to hold events during Jubilee Year of Mercy

MADISON  As the Paterson Diocese prepares for the opening of the universal Church’s Jubilee Year of Mercy on Tuesday, Dec. 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, St. Paul Inside the Walls: the Diocesan Center for Evangelization at Bayley-Ellard here and a some parishes already have started to get ready by scheduling a diverse array of spiritual and faith-formation events that highlight God’s forgiveness throughout this Holy Year.

Next year, Allan Wright, St. Paul’s academic dean, will speak on the Year of Mercy during the following four presentations, all from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the evangelization center: “The God of Mercy” on Monday, Feb. 8 and again on Tuesday, Feb. 9; “God’s Mercy and Justice in the Parables” on Monday, March 7; and “God’s Mercy and Justice in the Parables of Jesus” on March 8. Information: (973) 377-1004.

On Dec. 8, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Stirling, will open the Year of Mercy with a Mass at 7 p.m. in the church. After, Father Richard Carton, pastor, will present a “teaching and insight on the Holy Father’s writings in ‘Misericordiae Vultus’ [‘The Face of Mercy’], so that we may understand the focus of the Great Jubilee Year of Mercy.” That day, the parish also will offer the 8:30 a.m. and noon Mass for the Holy Year. For the Year of Mercy, St. Vincent’s plans to offer other programs and gatherings. Information: (908) 647-0118.

Ahead of the opening of the Year of Mercy, St. Vincent Martyr Parish, Madison began an Adult Conversation Series — based on a program by Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron of Los Angeles — on Dec. 1. Msgr. George Hundt, pastor, moderated the session, which also gave parishioners an opportunity to meet each other and discuss their faith. The series will continue on Tuesdays, from 7:15 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 8 and Dec. 15.

St. Vincent’s will continue its Year of Mercy celebrations with an Advent Penance Service on Monday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. Next year, it will hold an observance of the feast of its patron saint on Saturday, Jan. 23 and continue its Adult Conversion Series on Tuesday, Feb. 16, from 7:15 to 9 p.m. Information: (973) 377-4000.

Another parish that started holding Year of Mercy events before its official opening was Assumption, Morristown. On Dec. 2, the parish kicked off its Grow in Faith Advent Series with a presentation, “Credo— I Believe,” led by Elena and Matt Zolnick of its Young Professionals ministry and moderated by Father Przemyslaw Nowak, parochial vicar, which recalled “the meaning behind what we are professing when we proclaim, ‘I believe...,’ ” according to its web site.

Assumption will hold “Experiencing God’s Mercy After Divorce” on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m., when Vince and Monica Frese of divorcedcatholic.com will speak on how they experienced God’s abundant mercy through the difficult period of their individual divorces and afterward. Msgr. John Hart, pastor, also will speak about changes in the annulment process. There is no admission for the event, but Assumption asks that those interested register.

Year of Mercy celebrations will continue at Assumption on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. with a presentation, “Our Lady of Mercy,” led by Ted and Teresa Zhang of it Young Professionals and moderated by Father Nowak. They will explore “what Catholics believe about the Virgin Mary, and why we hold the Blessed Mother in such high esteem,” its website states. Father Mariusz Koch, a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal, will preach during all Mass at Assumption on Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 19-20 and lead an Advent mission on Monday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.

Next year, Assumption will present a Grow in Mercy Lenten Series on the following topics, all on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.: St. Gianna Beretta Molla on 
Feb. 17; Sts. Faustina Kowalska and Therese of Lisieux
 on Feb. 24; Dorothy Day on 
March 2; St. John Maria Vianney on March 9; and “The Mother Cabrini Shrine: A Place of Prayer and Peace” on March 16. Information: (973) 539-2141.

Annunciation Parish, Wayne, will hold a Year of Mercy lecture series by Msgr. Peter Doody, pastor; Msgr. Patrick Brown, coordinator of community outreach and donor cultivation at Catholic Charities’ Catholic Family & Community Services; and Father Philip-Michael Tangorra, chaplain at William Paterson University, Wayne, and assistant coordinator of evangelization at St. Paul’s. They will address topics related to the Holy Year, such as the Millennial Generation and annulments. For presentation dates and times, call Annunciation at (973) 694-0787.

The Year of Mercy will open at Christ the King Parish, New Vernon, with the “restoration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation,” Father Brian Sullivan, pastor, wrote in a recent bulletin. The parish will make Confession available on Saturdays, from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m., starting Dec. 12. Information: (973) 539-4955.

“The Sacrament of Reconciliation ‘washes’ the soul and is one of the most unique and beautiful aspects of Catholicism. Jesus Christ, in his abundant love and mercy, established the Sacrament of Confession, so that we as sinners can obtain forgiveness for our sins and reconcile with God and the Church. The sacrament ‘washes us clean,’ and renews us in Christ,” Father Sullivan wrote in the bulletin.