Diocese Prepares For Jubilee Of Mercy
The Diocese of Evansville is preparing for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which Pope Francis proclaimed on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception in 2014. The Holy Father will open the worldwide Jubilee of Mercy on Dec. 8 – the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception in 2015 – by opening the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The Jubilee will conclude on Nov. 20, 2016 – the Solemnity of Christ the King.
Cathedrals around the world will open Holy Doors on Dec. 13. The Diocese of Evansville will have two Holy Doors – at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville and at the Minor Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Vincennes, which served as the first cathedral of the Diocese of Vincennes.
The central entry doors at the backs of St. Benedict and St. Francis Xavier will serve as the Holy Doors. Ceremonial closings will occur Dec. 10 at St. Francis Xavier (during the Rivet High School Mass) and Dec. 11 at St. Benedict (during a school Mass).
Bishop Charles C. Thompson will open the Holy Door at St. Benedict Cathedral during the 10:30 a.m. CT Mass on Dec. 13, and Father Dave Fleck, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish and Dean of the diocese’s North Deanery, will open the door at St. Francis Xavier during the 10 a.m. ET Mass on Dec. 13. Bishop Thompson and Father Fleck also will say the Masses during which the ceremonial closings will occur.
In the coming weeks, The Message will include details for those wishing to make diocesan pilgrimages to one or both of the Holy Doors.
A planning committee for the diocesan celebration of the Jubilee of Mercy designed a logo just for use in our diocese, which incorporates the worldwide logo for the Jubilee and the diocesan coat of arms. The Message will carry a feature explaining the logo in the Dec. 11 issue.
Parishes have received digital copies of the logo for posting at Doors of Mercy identified in their communities. Examples include Confessional doors, the entries of Catholic schools and ministries like food pantries, perpetual adoration chapels and other locations.
A variety of events are in the works to observe the Jubilee across our diocese, and more details will appear in The Message as they are finalized.
