DIOCESE—“This is the Lord’s own gate: Let us enter through it and obtain mercy and forgiveness,” said Bishop David Malloy on Gaudete Sunday, Dec. 13, as he opened the main door of the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rockford, its ribbons and lock removed.
“How wonderful it is for the Holy Father to begin this Year of Mercy so close to Christmas,” he said in his homily at the Mass that followed the rite, pointing out the birth of Jesus as the greatest example of God’s mercy to a fallen humanity.
Pope Francis opened the Holy Door in Rome on Dec. 8 last week to begin the extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy.
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Visit Churches for Indulgence Holy doors also were opened at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rockford, six other churches in the diocese, plus a public holy door at the Poor Clare’s Corpus Christi Monastery in Rockford. An indulgence is available to those who pass through one or more of the holy doors, Bishop Malloy said, explaining the “beauty and joy” of the Year of Mercy as including this opportunity to forgive “that need for purification” from sin “by the explicit will and direction of Pope Francis.” Once a day, pilgrims can pass through a Holy Door and receive an indulgence for themselves or for someone who is deceased, he said. Further requirements include: being in a state of grace and free from attachment to sin, going to confession within a short time, receiving the Eucharist worthily, and praying for the Holy Father’s intentions. Bishop Malloy also called upon all to practice works of mercy and encouraged his listeners to “pass through that door with the intention of being (freed) of sin.” |
Bishop Malloy explained that the cathedrals of the world were following the pope’s request to each open their own doors of mercy this Sunday, all of them “linked and united to that door” at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
The bishop explained that there is a “long standing tradition” of making a pilgrimage to Rome during a Jubilee Year and “to pass through that door is the end of that pilgrimage.”
With the many holy doors located beyond that Rome basilica, “we are given an opportunity close by” our homes, he said, to make our own Jubilee pilgrimages even if we can’t travel to Rome.
Algonquin residents Bob and Kathy Chwedyk were in Galena for the weekend and attended the holy doors rite at St. Michael Parish.
“We come here every year for the luminaria,” Chwedyk said. “We came to St. Michael for Mass last night and talked with Father Reese. He told us he would be doing the holy doors event, so we came over to be part of it.”
She said she did not realize that St. Michael Church was a pilgrimage site.
“It is pretty interesting,” she said. “I’m very interested in the Year of Jubilee. I got my Year of Mercy book and I’ve been reading it. I think there is time for mercy and this is certainly that time. I think it is our only hope.”
Becky Hilby attended the service Sunday morning. She said the congregation was there to open the door to a new Jubilee Year.
“To me the Jubilee Year is an opportunity to renew our faith and give more time to prayer and keep God in our hearts,” Hilby said.
Robert Bradley, a parishioner at St. Mary in Sterling, was taking a wait-and-see approach to the Holy Door’s affect.
“I don’t really know. I’ve belonged to this parish for 70 years. ... I don’t think they’ve ever had a Holy Door before,” he said.
“I read something about what the pope said in The Observer,” said Teresa Gingrich, a third grade teacher at St. Mary School in Dixon, who attended the blessing ceremony.
“I like the analogy of opening the door, opening our hearts,” she said. “You can think in your own heart, to whom do I have to be more merciful. Are there particular people in my life I need to have mercy toward? If you’re a parent you might be a little bit more merciful to your husband or children. If I’m a teacher I might ask: Do I need to show a little bit more mercy toward a child?
“Whom do I need to be more merciful to? Is there someone we meet in our everyday lives, we need to show mercy to, whether we know them or not?” she mused.
Parishioner Craig Pepper said that the Holy Door of mercy is a welcome return to traditional symbols of the faith. “I am a real traditional type Catholic. I remember when they used to do this years ago. It’s just kind of a neat feeling to get the more traditional Catholic beliefs and blessings,” Pepper said.
People at St. John the Baptist in Johnsburg expressed humility and awe at having their parish chosen to represent the McHenry Deanery.
“I can’t wait to see the image of the Divine Mercy at night with the lights lit up around it,” said Kelly Frischmann. Her husband Ron and daughter Debbie agreed.
Kathleen Moehling, a fourth generation parishioner, visited Rome in the last Holy Year in 2000 and walked through the Holy Door at the Vatican.
“It is so surreal to me that in my lifetime I would have the opportunity to go through a Holy Door twice and one would actually be in my own parish,” she said.
“My two great great great grandfathers Freund and Schaeffer were early settlers of Johnsburg and helped build this church; this is so meaningful to me, I have no additional words.”
Joe and Judy Schneider and their daughters Emily and Colleen felt compelled to come to St. John the Baptist Church for the opening of the Holy Door.
“We are parishioners of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Crystal Lake,” said Joe. “We read about the Holy Door in The Observer and were going to drive to Rockford to St. Peter Cathedral. But we chose instead to attend here as this parish represents our Holy Door in the McHenry Deanery.”
‘When we drove up to the church and saw the large Divine Mercy on the door,” said Judy, “I was surprised and astounded.”
Parishioners created an informational Divine Mercy display in the narthex, which includes imagery of saints representing the corporal works of mercy, a Divine Mercy chaplet and a sheet of all the Holy Door locations in the Rockford Diocese. People were already stamping their attendance on the spot that featured St. John the Baptist.
“We are ready to welcome pilgrims, individuals and groups to our parish,” said Ted Hoeh. “It is going to be a beautiful year.”