We recently heard that former pastor, Fr. Larry Zurek, has been named by Pope Francis as a Missionary of Mercy during this special Holy Year. He will be one of 100 priests sent to the United States to help spread the message of mercy. These Missionaries, all 800 of whom were given their mandate by the Pope on Ash Wednesday, are being sent out into the world to be:
- a living sign of the Father’s welcome to all those in search of his forgiveness;
- facilitators for all, with no one excluded, of a truly human encounter, a source of liberation, rich with responsibility for overcoming obstacles and taking up the new life of Baptism again;
- guided by the words, “For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy upon all;
- inspiring preachers of Mercy;
- heralds of the joy of forgiveness;
- welcoming, loving, and compassionate Confessors, who are most especially attentive to the difficult situations of each person.
The Missionaries will be invited to give missions or facilitate specific initiatives organized for the Jubilee, with a particular attention given to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Holy Father will grant these Missionaries the authority to pardon even those sins reserved to the Holy See. Another friar from our community, Fr. Page Polk, was also designated as one of these missionaries. I have invited Fr. Larry to come back to our parish and to be part of an event (yet to be planned) centered around the Year of Mercy.
Our Lady of Sorrows Parish will host a Come Encounter Christ parish mission this Sunday evening until Tuesday evening. The three evening sessions will begin at 7:00 pm. There will be other opportunities to attend this mission at St. Hugo and St. Regis in March.