The Universal Catholic Church has been celebrating the 'Extraordinary Great Jubilee Year of Divine Mercy' since 8th December, 2015. The official celebrations that commenced on the inaugural day with the symbolic opening of the great Door of the Basilica of St Peter by Pope Francis, and lasted nearly for an year, are ending with the Feast of Christ the King on 20th November, 2016.
The Holy Jubilee Year of God's Mercy was observed with the motto, "Be Merciful like the Father" (Lk. 6;36). The main purpose of announcing this year was to give an opportunity for the members of the Catholic Christian community to practice the virtue of mercy and compassion to his fellow human beings as God the Father is showing to his sinful children without any conditions. It was also a golden opportunity for those people who left the Church and the Love of the compassionate Father for different reasons to come back to the main stream without any (normal) conditions or traditional punishments.
Hundreds of thousands of people entered through the specified Doors of Mercy of Churches or Basilicas throughout the world during this period and experienced the sweetness of the Love, Forgiveness and Mercy of the Divine Father. Those who observed this Jubilee with devotion as instructed by the Holy Father Pope Francis (who is authorized by the Lord to grant) also received the special blessings and pardoning for all their sins.
There are still many people who could not take advantage of this special opportunity. Even though the Church closes the great Doors of St Peter's Basilica in Rome as a symbolic sign to wind-up the Jubilee Year of Divine Mercy, the ever flowing Mercy of the Divine Father never never ends as HE is Mercy Himself. His Mercy and Compassion follows everyone until one's last moment in this world. As no one ever knows when is his/her last moment on this earth, it is imperative for each and everyone to rush to any Church as early as possible and seek the Forgiveness of sins from any Catholic Priest and receive God's unlimited and never ending Mercy and eternal Love.
Friday, November 11, 2016
Monday, March 7, 2016
Syro Malabar Church NOT to wash women's feet on Holy Thursday 2016
'Washing of the feet' (mandatum) is a custom practised by the Catholic Church, taking example from the 'Humble Act' of the Divine Master who surprised His 12 Apostles by kneeling before each and washing and kissing everyone's feet during His Last Supper with them on Holy Thursday, before His Great Passion and death on the Cross on Good Friday. This great exemplary act of the Greatest Master before His disciples to teach them to show in action the value of humility and love to one another is being carried out by His followers throughout the world. Ever since the last Supper of the Lord in 33 AD, in every Catholic Church, the heads of the Church starting from the Pope, Cardinals, bishops or Priests, this event is performed in memory of the Lord at His command. Such a rare ceremony is performed only in the Catholic Church under the sun where a master or teacher kneeling before his disciple and washing and kissing his foot.
Until recently in the universal Catholic church, representing the Lord's 12 disciples, 12 men were invited by the priest (celebrant of the Holy Mass) to participate in this ceremony. But during the Holy Thursday ceremonies of the present Pontiff Francis after his election as the Pope, he brought about a change in the customary practice and chose some abandoned and neglected persons from the society which included some prisoners and women.
Later this year according to the suggestions of the Holy Father, the Roman Missal numbers 10 and 11 some slight changes were initiated. The earlier wordings on the 'washing of the feet' rite said, "The pre-chosen men are accompanied by the pastor (priest)". But after the editing, the word 'men' are modified to 'people' and the present text reads as "The pre-chosen among the people of God are accompanied by the priest". This to include everyone for the washing of the foot rite without any gender discrimination. But it is misunderstood by some people as an order of the pope to include women compulsorily for this holy ceremony by giving 50 percent reservation to female gender.
Putting an end to this confusion, the Head of the Syrian Catholic Church, Cardinal George Alencherry issued a statement that in the universal Syro Malabar Catholic Church, women will not be included or invited for the washing of the feet during the Holy (Maundy) Thursday services on March 24, 2016. The Arch Bishop made it clear that a decision on this regard will be taken in a Church synod to be held later this year.
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