Jubilee year 2016: Pilgrimage through Door of Mercy

By Juliet Ezea

June 3, 2016 marked the catholic world Jubilee Year of Mercy and Pilgrimage for Priests and Seminarians as was announced by Pope Francis last year.

The Bishops, priests and seminarians in Rosary Procession

Nsukka diocese joined the rest of the world in the event as it was held at St. Theresa's Cathedral Nsukka. The pilgrimage recorded a massive attendance of Priests from different parishes in the Diocese including seminarians, both senior and junior as well as bishop Francis O. Okobo – the Bishop Emeritus – and bishop Godfrey Onah. 

The programme started with a rosary procession led by the seminarians, from the podium and saw them moving round the church premises, through the door of mercy and ended with a Holy Mass.

The aim of the pilgrimage is to help Catholic faithful across the world to experience the mercy of God in its fullness through the sacrament of reconciliation.

The Penitential service led by Rev. Fr. Livinus Nnaji reflected on the parable of the prodigal son which expresses the patience of God who understands and respects the freedom of human beings.

Fr. Nnaji, in one part, qualified the prodigal son as being courageous in the sense that he had to take the great decision of going back to his father asking for his forgiveness and in the other hand, commended the attitude of his father, which in the actual sense, shows that we are in God's heart at every moment.

He urged the congregation to seek the forgiveness of God as there is no sin too heavy for him to carry and that God is ever ready and waiting to receive sinners no matter the number of times they have made mistakes, for he is not concerned with the number of times one have committed adding that it is the repentance of sinners that matters to him.

Reception of Holy Communion

“No one is without sin, therefore none should be left behind. God is merciful and compassionate and is waiting for us to return to Him because we are close to His heart,” he said.  

Bishop Onah reminded the priests and seminarians that what they have come for is a pilgrimage in the Jubilee year of mercy and attached to it is the possibility of getting plenary indulgence.

He stated the condition of obtaining plenary indulgence as going for confession a week before pilgrimage, a week after pilgrimage or during the period of the pilgrimage.

Bishop Onah said, “For those who have difficulty in individual confession, today is an opportunity for you. Christ knows what we are hiding or what we are afraid of but our liberation will come once we reconcile with God.”