A jubilee year is a special year called by the Church to receive blessing and pardon from God and remission of sins.
For us in the Diocese of Palmerston North it is a chance to receive and also extend to others the mercy of God.

The Jubilee of Mercy began, for us, on 13 December 2015 and closes on 20 November 2016.  This opening and closing will be marked with services around a special door in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Palmerston North.  During the year all are invited to make a pilgrimage to the Doors and to understand and implement more deeply the works of mercy.

There will be a number of events planned and resources offered for schools, parishes and eucharistic communities. In preparation, try studying and reflecting on  the “Works of Mercy” and what they mean for you:

The Corporal Works of Mercy

Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Visit the sick
Visit the imprisoned
Bury the dead

The Spiritual Works of Mercy

Admonish the sinner
Instruct the ignorant
Counsel the doubtful
Comfort the sorrowful
Bear wrongs patiently
Forgive all injuries
Pray for the living and the dead

Visit the Jubilee Doors and Diocesan Cathedral

Link to the Cathedral Parish Website to book your pilgrimage

Resources

NZCBC Pastoral Letter for Year of Mercy

Letter from Bishop Charles

Monthly Updates

September 2016 – Mercy for the sick
August 2016 – Mercy inside and out
July 2016 – In prison and you visited me
June 2016 – Welcome the Stranger, Welcome God
May 2016 – Merciful like the Father
April 2016 – Unpacking Mercy
March 2016 – Experiencing Mercy
February 2016 – Remembering Mercy
December 2016 – Preparing, Opening, and Celebrating
November 2016– Preparing for the Jubilee of Mercy

Liturgical Resources

Te Wā– Sheet Music – Inspired by Misericordiae Vultus
Te Wā Piano – Mp3, Piano Only
Shortened Prayer for the Jubilee Year
Liturgical resources for Dec 8 (Opening the Holy Doors in Rome) and Dec 13 (Opening the Holy Doors in the Diocesan Cathedral)

From the internet
A video of Pope Francis – What does it call us to do in our parishes, schools and colleges….?

From the Catechism

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The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbour in his spiritual and bodily necessities. Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God:

He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none and he who has food must do likewise.
But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you.
If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them,
“Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?