15 Jun 2016
By The Record
Parishes and schools across the Archdiocese of Perth are being encouraged to utilise a number of resources available for the Year of Mercy.
The Year of Mercy Committee, chaired by Fr Greg Donovan, has developed the resources that are available via the Archdiocesan website.
Fr Donovan says the resources are aimed to encourage Perth Catholics to gain a greater understanding of what the Year of Mercy is all about.
“I think what’s being offered on the Archdiocesan website is a very very comprehensive following of the Year of Mercy and if anyone to know more about it or even understand what mercy is about you couldn’t go to a better place,” Fr Donovan said.
“You could go to the document – but you can go to the Archdiocesan site which I think is very user friendly.
“We are receiving excellent coverage from The eRecord, the Centre for Liturgy, the Archdiocesan website and the Centre for Faith Enrichment.
Archdiocesan Centre for Liturgy Director, Sr Kerry Willison talked to The eRecord about what is on offer and how the lay faithful can be encouraged to participate in the liturgy.
“Well, there are a series of resources that we have, which are really aides, or resources, to support the parishes as they explore what the Year of Mercy is really all about, what the challenges are in terms of the Year of Mercy,” Sr Kerry said.
“There are a number of resources and one of them is the Lectio Divina, which was prepared by Dr Michelle Jones, from the Centre for Faith Enrichment and she’s also put together a series of scripture quotes which relate to mercy.
“And this is a very easy resource and very beautiful resource. The Lectio Divina is thousands of years old in terms of prayer in the Church for anyone and everyone to access the greatness of God and the mercy of God.
“Another resource that was prepared by Carol Mitchell from the Justice, Development and Ecology Office, is a series of quotes from Pope Francis and from our own Archbishop, Archbishop Costelloe, which relate again to the Year of Mercy and again are wonderful reflections for prayer in relation to the importance of mercy in our lives and of course in our Church and the need for mercy within the context of our society.
“There is also another wonderful resources that was prepared by Fr Brennan Sia from the Cathedral. He prepared a resource for the Holy Door so that pilgrims who go to the Cathedral – and as we know there are a number of Churches which we have in our Archdiocese with a Holy Door – look up the Liturgy Office website and you’ll find them all there – where you can go and there will be reflections provided for you when you go there.
“Another resource that is there is also one to do with healing. Earlier this year we had a beautiful reconciliation service in the Cathedral to start the Year of Mercy because again, the notion of Mercy is about forgiveness and healing. So we’ve posted on the website, this resource for parishes to use as an anticipation of re-doing and again preparing a reconciliation service of healing and blessing for the end of the year. We’re looking at that perhaps being in November – we haven’t set a date yet, but there has been some conversation about that.
“We invite as many people as we can to come and experience God’s healing – the great mercy of God through healing or blessing or reconciliation.
“Another part of the resource, every month we’re putting on a reflection image that is prepared by Fr Stan, the Parish Priest of Nollamara.
“He is well known for his photography (he’s won some awards) and he has worked with us on developing a reflection that matches a piece of scripture. Again this is associated or immersed in the whole spirit of mercy, and with a quote from the Misericordiae Vultus.
So that’s there for the parishes to use, to put up the image with the little scripture quote at the beginning of their Masses, or they might use it as a reflection in their newsletters (we make sure that everything we do is covered by Copyright)
“There is also [on the website] a series for those who are travelling the journey – or becoming Catholics through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, with Karen Hart who is the co-ordinator of the RCIA program – who has produced a series of flyers or sheets that can be used in the RCIA meetings.
“That’s probably about it in terms of the resources. I don’t think this is the end. I think the wonderful thing that we’ve done in this Archdiocese with developing this – and of course it’s come about because of the Committee that the Archbishop, Archbishop Costelloe, put together, with Fr Greg Donovan as the Chair, and everyone on that committee has contributed in some way to developing these resources; so I think it’s a rather wonderful image of our Archdiocese when you think that of all the different agencies are involved, and that their great desire during this year of Mercy won’t just slip through our fingers – that we somehow make an impact.
And resources of course don’t make the impact – it’s people that make the impact; so the resources that we’re producing are simply a tool for parishes to engage people; whether their Catholic or not; to engage people; in God’s great love and mercy for them.
[Fr Greg Donovan] I think having the Pope call the Year of Mercy, it seems to be so much different from the other Jubilee Years we’ve had proclaimed. This one really touches us at our core.
“It connects with the Beatitudes, it connects with many of the Gospels parables, particularly the Prodigal Son, which is really about the merciful father. There is just so much there, that could make a world of difference to our world. As long as we don’t see it’s just activities and then the end comes and then that’s it. If we see it as ongoing conversion, I think that’s the strength of the Year of Mercy.”
The Year of Mercy opened in Perth on 8 December 2015, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, with Archbishop Costelloe then officially opening the Holy Door on Saturday 12 December.
The historic celebration was attended by more than 300 people from the Archdiocese and concelebrated by Vicar General Father Peter Whitely, Cathedral Dean Monsignor Michael Keating, Redemptorist Mater Seminary Rector Fr Michael Moore, Fr Greg Donovan, then-Deacon Matthew Hodgson, Fr Brennan Sia as MC and several other priests from across Perth.
Priests and parishioners from across the Archdiocese also came together on Tuesday March 15 for a special liturgy, celebrating the Second Rite of Reconciliation.
In his opening greeting for the occasion, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe quoted the words of Pope Francis.
“The Sacrament of Reconciliation calls us back to God and embraces us with His infinite mercy and joy,” he said.
“May we allow His love to renew us as His children and to reconcile us with Him, with ourselves and with one another.”
Attended by some 100 people, the solemn and powerful liturgy included a collective examination of conscience, followed by private confessions, and the sharing of final prayers.
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