December 8th 2015 – November 20th 2016
Cathedral of Ss Patrick and Felim, Cavan
A special Walk of Mercy has been introduced into the Cathedral of Ss Patrick and Felim.
This is one of the many diocesan initiatives to celebrate the Year of Mercy.
Individuals and families from across the diocese are invited to follow the pilgrim path around the Cathedral.
Leaflets outlining the Walk of Mercy can be found beside the Door of Mercy (this is the door on the right of the Cathedral) and participants are invited to follow the Walk in a spirit of prayer and reflection.
Bishop Leo O’ Reilly extends a warm welcome to everyone who participates in the Walk of Mercy:
Welcome from Bishop Leo O’ Reilly
“I warmly welcome you to the Cathedral of Ss Patrick and Felim and, in particular, to the Walk of Mercy in our magnificent Cathedral. As you know, we are celebrating an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, which was proclaimed by Pope Francis. The Pope’s vision for this Holy Year is that it’s a time of grace. It’s a time to discover, or rediscover, God as someone who is real in our lives. God is not just a force or an energy or a vague abstraction. God is a person. On the day he launched the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis said: “To pass through the Holy Door means to rediscover the infinite mercy of the Father, who welcomes everyone and goes out personally to encounter each of them.” God is a person. God revealed the vast dimensions of his love for humanity in Jesus Christ, who is the human face of God – or as Pope Francis says in his letter announcing the Jubilee: the face of Mercy. Yes, Jesus is the Door of Mercy. I pray that everyone who passes through the Door of Mercy in our Cathedral and who participates in this Walk of Mercy, will experience God’s mercy in their lives and will encounter the person of Christ and his personal love for them.”
The following is a brief outline of the different stations:
- 1. Pass through the Holy Door
The Door of Mercy is a special Holy Door which Pope Francis has asked to be opened in every diocese during the Extraordinary Year of Mercy. The door on the right of the Cathedral has been assigned as the Door of Mercy. It was officially opened by Bishop Leo O’ Reilly on the 13th of December 2015.
2. Main Aisle
Participants are invited to walk down the main aisle of the Cathedral and recite the ‘Jesus Prayer’: Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
3. Statue of St Felim
Participants are invited to pause at the statue of St. Felim, the patron saint of our diocese and co-patron of the Cathedral and to pray for the needs of our diocese.
4. Blessed Sacrament Altar
People get an opportunity to pause and pray to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
5. Baptismal Font
Pilgrims are then invited to renew their baptismal promises and to pray for a fresh outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
6. Statue of St Patrick
Participants are invited to pray for our country, for the needs of the Irish Church and for our government at the statue of St Patrick, the patron saint of our land.
7. Our Lady’s Altar
Here, people are encouraged to entrust themselves to Mary, the Mother of Mercy and to say the Hail, Holy Queen prayer.
8. Holy Family Chapel
Participants are invited to pray for their families and to entrust their families to Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Before the participants depart the Cathedral, they are invited to resolve to undertake an act of corporal or spiritual work of mercy.
The corporal works of mercy are:
- to feed the hungry,
- give drink to the thirsty,
- clothe the naked,
- welcome the stranger,
- heal the sick,
- visit the imprisoned,
- and bury the dead.
The spiritual works of mercy are:
- to counsel the doubtful,
- instruct the ignorant,
- admonish sinners,
- comfort the afflicted,
- forgive offences,
- bear patiently those who do us ill,
- and pray for the living and the dead.
What is an indulgence?
Indulgences remain a part of the life of the Church because they relate to the human condition, to the mercy of God and to the role of the Church in dispensing that mercy. Separation from God, which is a consequence of sin, is dealt with by the absolution granted in sacramental Confession yet other consequences can still remain.
It is possible to gain an indulgence for yourself or for someone in purgatory but not for another living person.
Indulgence for the Year of Mercy
To obtain the Indulgence, a person must do the following, on the same day or eight days before or after passing through the Holy Door:
- Have the intention of gaining the indulgence;
- Receive the Eucharist
- Receive the sacrament of Penance
- Renewal of baptismal promises and pray for the intentions of the Pope
- Walk through the Holy Door
- Undertake a spiritual or corporal work of mercy.
Sacrament of Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at the following times in the Cathedral:
Every Saturday: 3:00pm-4:00 pm & 7:00pm – 7:20pm
First Thursday: 1:30pm – 2:00 pm
People are encouraged to incorporate the Sacrament of Reconciliation into their Walk of Mercy.
The photos show Fr Martin Gilcreest leading members of the Legion of Mary around the Walk of Mercy:
