By Rose O’Connor | Correspondent
In the beginning of a new calendar year, many tend to reminiscence on the days that have gone before.
Similarly, Catholics from around the Diocese of Trenton shared reflections of prayer and hope – and actions of faith and mercy – as the Jubilee Year of Mercy came to a close Nov. 20.
Msgr. Michael Walsh, pastor of St. Alphonsus, Hopewell; St. James, Pennington, and St. George, Titusville, saw the past year as an important experience for his parish.
“People showed keen interest in the theme of the jubilee year and were connected to it in a way that I did not see in other jubilee celebrations,” he said. “I believe they felt it was something that they could get their arms around and felt the need for spiritual growth through it.”
From Dec. 8, 2015, to Nov. 20, 2016 – designated by the Pope as a jubilee year and one in which 13 Holy Doors were opened around the Diocese – parishes celebrated in a multitude of ways, all with the hopes of showing God’s merciful love.
Father Vincent Euk, pastor of St. Veronica Parish, Howell, said he included the mercy theme in each of his homilies and was pleased to see how the year touched people.
“We planted the seeds. We pray we will begin to see the fruits of our labor,” he said, adding that over the past year, “people have returned to the Church, the amount of confessors has increased and the quality of those confessions is greater.”
St. Veronica parishioner Kristin Hornick praised the yearlong celebration, saying, “Each of St. Veronica’s priests, deacons and our pastor have focused on the necessity of showing mercy to others throughout the year and how mercy defines us as Christians because we demonstrate forgiveness the same way God forgave us through Jesus’ Crucifixion on the Cross.”
The intentional focus on being merciful was also prevalent in St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, Medford.
Youth minister Linda Xerri said, “We held a day of reconciliation, where the priests made themselves available for an entire day to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the parish.”
She said the parish saw so much success that it plans on continuing many of the discipleship activities. “The older generations in the ministries modeled prayer for the younger generations. It was a wonderful experience for everyone involved.”
Uniting the parish was also important to Mother of Mercy Parish, Asbury Park.
As Mercy Sister Maureen Christensen, a member of the parish liturgy committee, stated, “A ‘Heart of Mercy’ box was placed in each church for individuals to place their prayer petitions, and this was included each week in the Prayers of the Faithful,” at Sunday Masses.
Living the Works of Mercy was also in the forefront for St. Pius X Parish, Forked River, which hung banners listing the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy from the front of the church, posted articles on its website, and collected thousands of shoes for Soles for Souls, a nonprofit global social enterprise committed to fighting poverty through the collection and distribution of shoes and clothing.
In addition, “each ministry participated in the Act of Mercy – from our Samaritans to God’s Little Angels,” parishioner Maria Ann Stork said. “Our vacation Bible school [participants] collected food for the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal in New York. We brought our youth group to New York to their convent so they could learn about the poverty people are experiencing.”
Individual Experiences
While parishes saw the benefit of celebrating the Year of Mercy within their own congregation, individuals were also proud to share their own experiences.
“I found the Jubilee Year of Mercy very powerful,” said Dawn Rusinko, pastoral associate in Sacred Heart Parish, Bay Head, explaining that she went through her first Holy Door in Glenwood Springs, Colo. “I had with me my 23-year-old son, and he felt the hand of Mercy touch him and decided to go to Confession with me after Mass, which was a happy surprise for our family.”
Said Mary Britanak, pastoral associate in St. Barnabas Parish, Bayville, “I found the Year of Mercy to be very affirming to us as ministers. The focus on the works of mercy help us to refocus from the ‘job’ in the parish to the ministry that gives us joy and life.”
While thousands of people walked through the Diocese’s Holy Doors, others experienced the merciful love of God outside the United States.
Karin Samulis not only walked through the Holy Door in St. Paul Church, a worship site of her parish, St. Katharine Drexel, Burlington, but also this past spring at the Santiago de Compostela, the cathedral at the culmination of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain.
“I think for me the door being open allowed me to dig a little deeper into the darkest corners of the closet,” she said. “I remember walking through the door in Santiago after confessing and truly feeling light.”
Patty Baylog from St. Mary Parish, Bordentown, celebrated at the Vatican, serving as nurse and helping provide medical coverage at the four major basilicas (St. Peter’s Basilica, St. John in the Lateran, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls) for a week in July.
“While in Rome, I had the opportunity to pass through the Holy Door every day for the 11 days I there,” she said. “As I stayed a few extra days in Rome, the experience peaked with participating in the pilgrim’s journey, praying along the way, passing through the Holy Door and ending at the foot of the altar above the tomb of St. Peter,” she said.
“Preparing to enter through the Holy Door by participating in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and being in the present moment passing through the door has deepened my relationship with Jesus.”
Ongoing Message
While the Holy Doors have closed, many Catholic Christians said the theme of mercy is still one of grave importance.
“The Year of Mercy is the theme for our high school youth group, and it has been particularly meaningful with regard to the service aspect of their meetings,” said Jessica Donohue, director of religious education in Sacred Heart Parish, Mount Holly. “Teenagers really have an altruistic desire to serve, and I think when this is paired with the teachings of our Catholic faith and Pope Francis’s call to mercy, our kids have wonderful opportunities to learn how to live their faith and truly bring Christ to others.”
Anne Reap, Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, Lower School director, said the theme for the school year is “Mercy begins with me.”
“We will continue to learn of God’s mercy and provide our students with the opportunity to receive mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and live mercy with the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy,” she said.