The Living Face of the Father's Mercy

Pope Francis in announcing a special Holy Year of Mercy Dec. 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016:

Dear brothers and sisters, I have often thought about how the Church might make clear its mission of being a witness to mercy. It is a journey that begins with a spiritual conversion. For this reason, I have decided to call an extraordinary Jubilee that is to have the mercy of God at its center. It shall be a Holy Year of Mercy. We want to live this Year in the light of the Lord's words: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (cf. Lk 6:36)”

This Holy Year will begin on this coming Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and will end on November 20, 2016, the Sunday dedicated to Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe – and living face of the Father’s mercy.  (emphasis mine)

 photos by Paul Badde

The Snow Has Not Stopped the Pilgrims

Antonio Bini writes from the Shrine of the Holy Face


In the mountains of Abruzzo  the snow has returned especially on the Maiella. The Shrine of the Holy Face was without electricity for three days.  On Sunday morning (March 8) the power returned and road conditions improved. The snow has not stopped the pilgrims, who arrived at the shrine on numerous buses, as can be seen from the accompanying photo.

Many people participated in the Way of the Cross which was led in the early afternoon by the Polish nuns of the Holy Blood.