As you probably already know, we are now in
the first weeks of a special “Holy Year of Mercy”. Pope Francis has opened several of the Holy Doors
of some of Rome’s Basilicas (and other places, too!), as have most dioceses
around the world. The same is true here
in Brazil.
Yesterday I had the privilege of concelebrating
a special ceremony and Mass for the opening of a Holy Door in a Catholic center
dedicated to helping young men who are attempting to break the cycle of drug
and alcohol addiction. This resident
campus is known as “The Ranch of Hope” (A Fazenda da Esperança). You may remember that I had written about it
in my Christmas letter last year (December 2014). Whenever I come to Manaus I love to go and celebrate
Mass with the people there (and also at the women’s campus, a few miles down
the road) together with the PIME bishop who helped found this life-giving
experience here in Manaus – Bishop Mario Pasqualotto. I’ve been privileged to get to know many of
the staff and volunteers at the Ranch, as well as being able to talk with and
listen to many of the residents.
Because the residents aren’t allowed off
grounds (unless they finish the program or decide to abandon the program
early), the Archbishop of Manaus decided that the entire Ranch would become a “sanctuary
of mercy” for this Holy Year! That way
all people who walk through the main entrance – if their intention is to
receive God’s grace and to live their going in as a “pilgrimage” – will receive
the exact same graces as if they had passed through the Holy Door in St. Peter’s
Basilica in Rome!!!!!
I was very happy and grateful to have been
a part of our procession, the ceremony, and the beautiful Mass. God bless us all… and have mercy on us
all! Amen!!!
God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good!
No comments:
Post a Comment