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We enter through the Holy Door to be filled with God’s Mercy.
We exit through the Holy Door to share God’s Mercy with others.
Pope Francis, in proclaiming the Jubilee Year of Mercy beginning on December 8, 2015, is urging us to “gaze even more attentively on mercy so that we may become a more effective sign of the Father’s action in our lives” (Misericordiae Vultus, 3)
During this Jubilee Year of Mercy, we as the Church will unite to make visible God’s mercy in concrete and tangible ways…these opportunities include…making a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of St. Joseph to walk through the Holy Door and encounter Christ’s mercy for you in the Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Hartford.
The Church (began) the Jubilee when Pope Francis (opened) the Holy Door for the year at St. Peter’s Basilica. This beautiful door is covered in 16 bronze panels, each illustrating a scriptural theme related to forgiveness. Pilgrims from all over the world will enter St. Peter’s through the Holy Doors, signifying their desire for God’s mercy and their resolve to embody mercy through their lives of faith. Pope Francis affirms that together, as sisters and brothers in Christ, “…we shall cross the threshold of the Holy Door fully confident that the strength of the Risen Lord, who constantly supports us on our pilgrim way, will sustain us.” (Misericordiae Vultus, 4)
…the ritual act of walking through the doors serves as an outward sign of faith in God’s desire to be close to each of us. God invites us on a pilgrimage of mercy during which we seek forgiveness for our sins and to grow in loving relationship with our Father. When the Jubilee concludes, the Holy Doors at St. Peter’s will be closed and sealed, and the Church will proclaim thanksgiving to God for this “extraordinary time of grace.” (5)
As a sign of communion with the worldwide Church, Holy Doors (were) opened in basilicas, cathedrals and shrines throughout the entire Church on (December 13, 2015). Archbishop Leonard P. Blair designated the site of the Holy Door for the Archdiocese of Hartford to stand at the Cathedral of St. Joseph.
The practice of a Holy Door…draws from a rich history of seeking refuge at the altar (I King 2:28). When fleeing for one’s life, it was forbidden to kill a person who had sought refuge by grasping onto the horns of the altar. Hebrew altars were built with horn-like protrusions on each corner. These are signs of the glory of God resting on the altar. In the Cathedral of St. Joseph, the design of the baldicchino over the high altar evokes the horns of the altar. Over the past two millennia, the Church has continued the practice of offering refuge to sinners. People who are fleeing for their lives are offered “sanctuary.” Pope Francis has continued drawing upon this imagery by describing the Church as a “field hospital for the wounded.”
During this Jubilee Year, the Holy Door of the St. Joseph’s Cathedral represents the threshold we cross when we run to God seeking mercy and healing. The celebration of a jubilee calls us to be pilgrims seeking mercy and handing on mercy to others. We have the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to the Cathedral in order to experience the joy of being renewed. Entering through the Holy Door is an act of faith and restoration. During this Jubilee Year passing through the Holy Door is an action that gives a plenary indulgence. Simply put, every time we sin two things happen to us: we become distant from God and we are more closely attracted to continue engaging in sinful actions. The Sacrament of Reconciliation restores our relationship with God, but we are still faced with the reality that our sinful actions form an easy path to continue doing things that distance us from God. Making a pilgrimage to the Holy Door, when combined with an act of faith, reconciliation, and prayers for the Holy Father, is a powerful action which frees us from the attraction of sin. May our celebration of the Jubilee Year of Mercy bring about restoration and renewal in our lives and the Church.
(Taken from the Archdiocesan Jubilee of Mercy Committee Parish Leader Packet, 12/15)